Everyone says hiring is difficult in the automotive industry.

I disagree.

Hiring isn't difficult. Hiring the right person has become difficult.

There's a difference.

After recruiting for automotive and auto component companies for nearly two decades, I've noticed something interesting.

Most organisations don't lose candidates because of salary. They lose them because of process, positioning and predictability.

Here are a few observations I'd love to test with fellow HR leaders.

Observation #1: There isn't a shortage of talent.

There is a shortage of visible talent.

The professionals every company wants—the Plant Head who turned around an under performing facility, the Quality Head who rescued a major OEM account, the Supply Chain leader who reduced inventory without disrupting production—are rarely applying on job portals.

They're busy delivering results.

If your hiring strategy depends largely on inbound applications, you're competing for the same visible 10–20% of the market while ignoring the far larger pool of proven performers.

Observation #2: Job descriptions have quietly become wish lists.

Many middle and senior management positions now ask for:

• OEM experience
• Tier-1 supplier experience
• EV exposure
• Global customer handling
• Cost reduction achievements
• Lean implementation
• Digital manufacturing knowledge
• Team leadership
• Immediate availability

If someone genuinely ticks every box, they're probably already succeeding somewhere—and not actively looking.

The question isn't "Where do we find this person?"

It's "Which requirements are genuinely non-negotiable?"

Observation #3: We interview for competence and reject for chemistry.

The first three interview rounds usually focus on technical capability.

The final discussion often revolves around "fit." Unfortunately, "fit" is rarely defined.

One interviewer wants stability, another wants aggression, a third wants an entrepreneur.

The candidate hasn't changed,  the evaluation criteria have.

When hiring teams align on what success actually looks like before interviews begin, decisions become faster—and better.

Observation #4: The hiring process is telling candidates as much about us as interviews tell us about them.

Candidates notice everything.

• How quickly interview feedback arrives.
• Whether interviewers have read their CV.
• Whether different interviewers ask the same questions.
• Whether compensation discussions are transparent.
• Whether the company appears decisive.

Long before an offer is issued, candidates have already formed an opinion about how the organisation makes decisions.

Recruitment has quietly become a reflection of organisational culture.

Observation #5: Experience is becoming less valuable than relevance.

Ten years of experience isn't automatically better than seven,  the more useful question is:

Has this person solved the kind of problems our business will face over the next three years?

Past experience explains where someone has been.

Relevant experience predicts where they can take your organisation.

One final thought.

I have seen companies spend weeks negotiating a ₹3 lakh salary difference for a leadership hire...

...while overlooking the fact that the right person could improve productivity, reduce customer complaints, strengthen a plant culture or save crores through better operational decisions.

Perhaps we've become very good at calculating the cost of hiring.

Maybe it's time we became equally good at calculating the cost of not hiring the right person.

I'd genuinely like to hear from fellow CHROs, HR Heads and Talent Acquisition leaders.

What has changed the most in hiring over the last two years that no one is talking about?

#Automotive #AutoComponents #Manufacturing #TalentAcquisition #LeadershipHiring #ExecutiveSearch #HumanResources #PlantOperations #Quality #SupplyChain #HiringStrategy