He Revs Up the Human Engine
World Car Auto Group has 10 dealerships and 600 employees throughout Greater San Antonio. The company sells new and pre-owned vehicles, and performs routine maintenance and vehicle repairs. World Car has been an active member of the San Antonio community for more than 30 years; the company is an official sponsor of the San Antonio Spurs and the Spurs Silver Dancers.
World Car calls its employees “dynamos in the human engine,” and it has opportunities for dynamos to work in everything from sales to service, marketing, custodial work, and building maintenance. Every employee starts with a training program called the World Car University.
Veterans are a welcome addition to the human engine. World Car looks for veteran job seekers by attending local job fairs hosted by organizations such as RecruitMilitary. The company also works with Workforce Alamo Solutions and local non-profits to reach out to veterans looking for work; and World car uses social media to network with veteran organizations and share available positions.
The company actively seeks veterans because servicemembers have proven time and again to be a great fit. Veterans are used to being in an environment where the day-to-day tasks and work change. They are quick to adapt to change and have a willingness to do so. And because every customer who visits World Car is different, employee dynamos need to be flexible and proactive. World Car has found that veterans bring a sense of drive, commitment, and dedication to their teams..
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>**A VETERAN SUCCESS | WILLIAM MORROW**
At World Car, the first person to communicate with prospective dynamos is a veteran – William Morrow, manager of talent acquisitions. He joined the organization in March 2015, and he has processed more than 500 people into the organization – a large percentage being veterans. Morrow also represents World Car at job fairs and other hiring events in the area.
Before joining World Car, Morrow was a sergeant first class in the United States Army. He separated in 2010, after 21 years of service. In the Army, he served as a military policeman, a recruiter, and a recruiting station commander.
When Morrow was first looking for civilian opportunities after separating out of the Army, he found that his experience in educating people and practicing effective communication helped him a great deal with making a positive impression on new contacts. This experience has continued to help him as he works with a wide variety of people every day at World Car.
Morrow advises servicemembers to use their educational opportunities to prepare themselves for civilian life. “Education is free while on active duty,” he pointed out. “There is no reason not to take all the advantage of that while you can.”
He said that men and women who are leaving the military and searching for civilian opportunities need to consider many options. “I encourage veterans to be open to jobs outside of what they have been doing in the service,” he said. “Reach out for opportunities around you, but realize that your pay and skill level won’t transfer directly over into the civilian workforce. Understand that your past actions will only get you in the door. It is your day-to-day work that gets you promotions and more responsibilities. You have to prove yourself all over again.”