How To Find A Trustworthy Car Repair Shop

According to statistics, about 50% of the people who live in Canada own vehicles. It’s safe to say that at some point, all car owners will need to take their car to a shop for repairs or maintenance.

However, finding an affordable shop with trustworthy mechanics who fix cars promptly is not an easy task. How do you find a good repair shop for you vehicle? Here are some tips that may be helpful.

  • Talk to your friends and neighbors. Not only will they give you honest advice, but they can also give you hints as far as shops that should be avoided. This is especially helpful if you talk to family and friends who have lived in the area for a reasonable length of time.
  • Look for a shop as soon as possible. Most people don’t think too much about choosing a repair shop until they are having car problems. Then, they will take their car to whatever mechanic is available simply to get the problem fixed. This is probably not a good idea. In fact, the best time to look for a car repair shop is when your car is actually before you need one.
  • Consider distance. You may want to choose a shop that is close to your home simply for convenience. In some cases, it may be possible to walk to the shop instead of asking friends and family for rides to pick up or drop off your vehicle.
  • What are the shop hours? If a shop opens after you need to be at work or closes before you arrive home from work, it may be very difficult to pick up your car or drop it off. If you choose to do business with such a shop, you will need to take time off of work every time you have car problems.
  • Find out what types of payment arrangements the shop has. Some places will only take cash while others take cash and certain types of credit cards. Other shops may offer patrons a 90 day same as cash arrangement if repairs cost over a certain amount.
  • Check online to read customer reviews. Keep in mind that not all business will feature customer reviews, especially small “mom and pop” shops. However, you may find that many shops do actually have reviews. Avoid shops with a large amount of negative reviews, although keep in mind that every shop is bound to have a few unhappy customers.
  • Consider how long the shop has been in business. Repair shops that do a good job tend to stay in business for a long time. However, this does not always hold true. You may find a shop that has recently opened with excellent service too if you take the time to look around.
  • Chains or small businesses? There are good and bad points about choosing either a shop that is part of a chain or choosing a shop that is run by an independent owner. Before making your choice, it is best to evaluate your needs and see which type of shop would be best for you.

As you can see, finding a good car repair shop isn’t very difficult; it just takes some time and effort!

Senior Employment Can Be A Golden Prize!

Do you want senior employment? Are you 50 years of age or older and hoping and praying to land a job?Whatever your motivation to find work is, welcome to a labor market seemingly tilted against senior employment seekers. But take heart! Golden opportunities now abound for senior job seekers and the ball is in their court. There’s great news for you and dire warnings for all the critics.Newspapers trumpet headlines about seniors unable to get even minimum pay jobs. Employment fairs advertise work for anyone breathing, but they’re generally low paying $10-$12 openings. The young people staffing the application desks at these fairs seem to be mentally jotting down your age when you ask for a sign up sheet.Why is this good news? Because contrary to appearances, The United States is on the brink of an incredible labor shortage. Well respected economists predict a huge labor shortage that is making itself felt even at this moment in time. How big a labor shortfall is looming on the horizon? Some estimates run as high as 10 million unfilled positions by the year 2010.Millions of senior employees are rapidly nearing retirement. At the same time fewer and fewer younger people are coming of age to fill the vacuum. Many astute business executives of today are growing keenly aware of the worker shortfall on the horizon.Even Congress is now taking notice of the coming labor shortage. Legislation is being discussed now to provide tax credits to companies opening up flexible senior employment work schedules.All for senior employees 62 years of age or older. The icing on the cake is that health and pension benefits will be included. Be optimistic if you’re an individual seeking senior employment! With a little homework, preparation and a small dash of creativity, you can get excellent work for yourself right now.Don’t be surprised at all the opportunities out there. You’ll discover that there are a lot of options for you to choose from, more than you ever dreamed of. You won’t have to settle for just any old job that’s offered. Take out a piece of paper right now and begin jotting down a list of jobs you’d like to have. And please underline the word like. Along with it, write out your work experience and what you want to do. If you’re a senior employment seeker, then you’ve earned a lot of experience in many different areas over the years.Don’t forget to put in your hobbies too! You’d be surprised at what things like fishing and bowling can add to your job description. And this is a campaign just as important as any battle waged by the general of an army.Do you like reading about sports and politics? Add those to the mix too! Now, when you’ve finished the list decide what type of jobs you’d like to have. No matter how far afield from what you’ve worked at in the past. Meditate about it until you come up with several possibilities. And remember, the sky’s the limit.When you’ve decided on a few jobs you’d be happy doing, research the businesses that offer senior employment. Then call them and get the names of the managers that do the hiring.Finally, make out a brief resume of your work history. Now is where creativity comes into the picture. Compose a short, single page cover letter. Make it brief, and don’t just rehash the things you listed in your resume.On the cover letter, itemize what you’ve done to warrant hiring you for the position you want.Be truthful, but tell them what you can do to fulfill the job’s bottom line. You’ll be surprised, because the cover letter is often the deciding factor in hiring.When you’ve finished, make a personal visit to the business and ask to see the hiring manager. It’s a good idea to call first and make an appointment if possible. But don’t hesitate to make an unannounced visit if needed though. Whatever the outcome of the meeting, leave a copy of your resume and cover letter.Within the next three days, if you haven’t heard back from the hiring manager, call on the phone and ask for him/her. The follow up phone call will demonstrate your desire for the job. Most personnel specialists agree that this course of action is one of the most effective methods to acquire senior employment. Even if the company isn’t advertising an opening, it can often lead to a job in an anticipated opening in the future.So, don’t figure the only job you can get is flipping burgers or packing groceries. You have talents and experience that companies are hungry for now, and you’re valuable. As a person seeking senior employment, you also come equipped with an old fashioned work ethic not in over abundance in today’s workplace.Pick out the type of work you want to do…and go for it!Be assured, the national and local labor markets now realize that being a senior employment applicant carries with it added experience, talent and knowledge.