u/SupermarketTrick7380

I’m based in San Antonio and looking for local career advice, connections, or possible opportunities.

I’m currently the General Manager for two independent European auto repair shops. I started as a service advisor, moved into shop management, and now oversee both locations. I make about $120,000/year and have a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.

I’m looking for a new direction beyond the service side of automotive and trying to figure out my next move. I’m considering car sales because I have a strong automotive background and did very well as a service advisor, but I’m also open to changing industries completely.

I’ve applied to operations, project management, management, and business-related roles outside of automotive. I’ve been tailoring each resume, making them ATS-friendly, and even reaching out to people in roles or industries I’m interested in for advice, but I still haven’t been able to get interviews or build much momentum outside of automotive.

Does anyone in San Antonio know of dealerships, companies, recruiters, or managers worth talking to?

I’d be grateful for any advice, connections, or even just someone local willing to talk through possible options. I’m not looking for a handout—I’m just trying to figure out a smart next step and avoid making a rushed career move.

Thank you to everyone for taking the time to read the post and comment! It really means a lot! :)

I know this type of question has been asked a lot, and I’ve read through a ton of Reddit posts already. I’m still asking because I’d really appreciate honest opinions based on my specific situation. I’m based in San Antonio, Texas, so I’d also love to know if there are any local opportunities, dealerships worth talking to, or even people I could connect with for advice.

My Background:

I started as a service advisor, moved into shop management, and I’m currently the General Manager for two independent European repair shops. I make about $120,000/year and have a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, but I’m honestly burnt out from the service side: managing techs, workflow, staffing, comebacks, upset customers, and the constant pressure that comes with running shops. The hard part is that I care a lot. I care about the employees, the clients, and the cars we work on. That has helped me succeed, but it also makes the stress hard to turn off. After years of trying to change my mindset, I’m starting to wonder if I’m just in a role that doesn’t really align with me long-term.

I did very well as a service advisor and have a strong automotive background, so car sales feels like a possible next move. I know sales is not easy, but I’m wondering if it could be a better fit than staying in service management.

I’m also open to changing industries completely, but I’ve had no luck. Even with my Business Administration degree and tailoring my resume for operations, project management, and business-related roles, I haven’t been able to land interviews outside of automotive. At this point, auto sales feels like one of the only realistic options that could use my background and still give me a shot at making good money.

Main Questions:

What realistic income to expect in car sales and/or car sales manager?

Is the stress better, worse, or just different than service?

Do brands matter for income and work environment?

Would luxury/European brands make sense with my background, or is high-volume better?

For anyone who moved from service to sales, was it worth it?

If changing industries is the better answer, what roles would actually make sense for someone with my background, and how do I break in if I’m not getting interviews?

I’m not afraid of hard work. I just don’t want to leave a $120k job, take a major financial step backward, and end up in another stressful role I regret.

Thank you to all for any advice and for taking the time to read this post. Any help means the world to me!

I know this type of question has been asked a lot, and I’ve read through a ton of Reddit posts already. I’m still asking because I’d really appreciate honest opinions based on my specific situation. I’m based in San Antonio, Texas, so I’d also love to know if there are any local opportunities, dealerships worth talking to, or even people I could connect with for advice.

My Background:

I started as a service advisor, moved into shop management, and I’m currently the General Manager for two independent European repair shops. I make about $120,000/year and have a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, but I’m honestly burnt out from the service side: managing techs, workflow, staffing, comebacks, upset customers, and the constant pressure that comes with running shops. The hard part is that I care a lot. I care about the employees, the clients, and the cars we work on. That has helped me succeed, but it also makes the stress hard to turn off. After years of trying to change my mindset, I’m starting to wonder if I’m just in a role that doesn’t really align with me long-term.

I did very well as a service advisor and have a strong automotive background, so car sales feels like a possible next move. I know sales is not easy, but I’m wondering if it could be a better fit than staying in service management.

I’m also open to changing industries completely, but I’ve had no luck. Even with my Business Administration degree and tailoring my resume for operations, project management, and business-related roles, I haven’t been able to land interviews outside of automotive. At this point, auto sales feels like one of the only realistic options that could use my background and still give me a shot at making good money.

Main questions:

What realistic income to expect in car sales and/or car sales manager?

Is the stress better, worse, or just different than service?

Do brands matter for income and work environment?

Would luxury/European brands make sense with my background, or is high-volume better?

For anyone who moved from service to sales, was it worth it?

If changing industries is the better answer, what roles would actually make sense for someone with my background, and how do I break in if I’m not getting interviews?

I’m not afraid of hard work. I just don’t want to leave a $120k job, take a major financial step backward, and end up in another stressful role I regret.

Thank you to all for any advice and for taking the time to read this post. Any help means the world to me!

I know this type of question has been asked a lot, and I’ve read through a ton of Reddit posts already. I’m still asking because I’d really appreciate honest opinions based on my specific situation. I’m based in San Antonio, Texas, so I’d also love to know if there are any local opportunities, dealerships worth talking to, or even people I could connect with for advice.

My Background:

I started as a service advisor, moved into shop management, and I’m currently the General Manager for two independent European repair shops. I make about $120,000/year and have a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, but I’m honestly burnt out from the service side: managing techs, workflow, staffing, comebacks, upset customers, and the constant pressure that comes with running shops. The hard part is that I care a lot. I care about the employees, the clients, and the cars we work on. That has helped me succeed, but it also makes the stress hard to turn off. After years of trying to change my mindset, I’m starting to wonder if I’m just in a role that doesn’t really align with me long-term.

I did very well as a service advisor and have a strong automotive background, so car sales feels like a possible next move. I know sales is not easy, but I’m wondering if it could be a better fit than staying in service management.

I’m also open to changing industries completely, but I’ve had no luck. Even with my Business Administration degree and tailoring my resume for operations, project management, and business-related roles, I haven’t been able to land interviews outside of automotive. At this point, auto sales feels like one of the only realistic options that could use my background and still give me a shot at making good money.

Main questions:

What realistic income to expect in car sales and/or car sales manager?

Is the stress better, worse, or just different than service?

Do brands matter for income and work environment?

Would luxury/European brands make sense with my background, or is high-volume better?

For anyone who moved from service to sales, was it worth it?

If changing industries is the better answer, what roles would actually make sense for someone with my background, and how do I break in if I’m not getting interviews?

I’m not afraid of hard work. I just don’t want to leave a $120k job, take a major financial step backward, and end up in another stressful role I regret.

Thank you to all for any advice and for taking the time to read this post. Any help means the world to me!

I’m 29 and currently work as the General Manager for two independent European auto repair shops in Texas. I’ve been in the automotive industry for several years, have a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, and currently make about $120,000 per year.

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about my long-term career. While the work can be stressful and demanding, I’m not afraid of hard work if it leads to real growth and opportunities. What I’m struggling with is whether I should continue building a career in automotive or make the jump to a completely different industry.

I’ve applied to quite a few jobs outside of automotive but haven’t had much luck breaking into another industry yet.

At the same time, I’ve heard that service advisors and especially service managers at dealerships can earn significantly more than they do at independent shops. If that’s true, I’m wondering whether it makes more sense to pursue a dealership position (service advisor, service manager, or another leadership role) rather than continue trying to switch industries.

On the other hand, I’m also very interested in hearing from people who have successfully changed industries after spending years in automotive. Was it worth it? What did you transition into, and how did you get your foot in the door?

If you were in my position, what path would you pursue? I’d really appreciate any advice or experiences.

Also, this is my very first Reddit post, so thanks in advance to everyone who takes the time to read it and share their thoughts! I really appreciate it. 🙂