toytech

The ability to exceed expectations on a regular basis, good for the wrench and the shop long term. This is not only useful in bikeshops, but in any service industry. It is what made Lexus eat Mercedes, BMW, Cadillac etc. for lunch. (That and way more reliable cars )

LarryMelman

To expand on that, a good service person can help the customer to understand that what he's asking for may not really be what he needs. How many times does someone come in asking for "service X" when what they really wanted was to fix "noise Y", and your diagnostic process may lead you to an entirely different service. A good wrench can explain things in a way that doesn't make the customer feel like a total moron.

cudak888 

If we're limiting these traits to mechanical ability - specifically, a repairman's ability (as opposed to someone trained in putting new bikes together and nothing else):

1. Knowledge of the product(s) - i.e.: Know everything mechanical about the bicycles you will encounter
2. Knowledge of parts - In other words, acquaint yourself with all the parts available that you can order from J&B, QBP, Hawley, or F&R to fix or improve the bicycle's performance. This also includes old NOS parts if the shop has them.
3. Troubleshooting skills - You can be the finest mechanic in the world, but if you can't diagnose the problem right or understand how to fix it, you're utterly useless.
4. The ability to put #1, #2, and #3 to use to build a bicycle.

Salesmanship skills are different:

1. Impeccable courtesy, no exceptions. It is NOT "OK" to have a relaxed hipster attitude and demonstrate Generation Y speech patterns (imagine substituting every period with a question mark, as far as diction goes) on the sales floor. Make eye contact with the customer, especially when you tell them "have a nice day" after ringing them up. Saying this while you're looking down at your ingrown fingernail is the same as telling the customer to "go stick a frame pump where the sun don't shine."
2. Know the customer - Ask the customer what they've ridden before, and what they like.
3. Advise only when the customer's response to #1 appears flexible. Steer them to the best bike for their described riding style and purpose, if so. If they're bullheaded and insist on doing weekly rides of 20 miles on a balloon tire cruiser with their saddle rammed into the bottom bracket, just give them what they want - show them the cruisers and make the seatpost do a disappearing act. They'll be happy.
4. Ensure that the customer that walks in for a quick purchase can pay and leave just as quickly. This is one of the biggest failures of most bike shops: Instead of ringing up hurried customers, shop associates will distract themselves, shunt customers around, and generally ignore the hanging sale. A 100% no-no, and a perfect way to piss off your buyer - unless the buyer wants to have some time to consider their potential purchase. However, make SURE that you remain close enough that the customer doesn't have to chase you down when they've made their decision to purchase the bike - a customer should NEVER have to play Where's Waldo or be shunted to another associate in mid-transaction.

-Kurt

sauze

Knowledge of parts is a big one for me, I don't like calling a shop and trying to convince them that Swiss bottom brackets do in fact exist.

3speed

Ah, but people don't want you doing that. I would tend to agree with you, but we're not like the rest of the common idiots these days. You'd be amazed at how many annoyed d-bags I would get if I counted change back to them. They've got more important things to do. You're there to take their money and give them what they want, not there to do a good job, act like a human being, be treated like one, etc... Nothing to make you loose faith in man-kind like fast paced customer service in this day and age.

Sixty Fiver

A good LBS mechanic should also have a sizeable trust fund... not having to worry about how to pay one's bills on a mechanic's wage will make one much more cheerful.

ColonelJLloyd 

Banjo, if you asked this question with sincerity and intend to follow much of the advice given then you'll do really well.

Sixty Fiver

I hope everyone understands that a sense of humour is critical in pretty much everything and especially true when you work in this industry as you have to deal with such a wide range of people ranging from complete newbs to very experienced riders to newbs who think they know everything.

Was not kidding about the trust fund... when you look at what shops charge compared to what they pay their staff it is not hard to see who is making most of the money while the men and women who are doing the work barely eke out a living.

Captain Blight

There's a guy who works at our shop who's a very talented mechanic and a font of knowledge about his passion (BMX of all things!). He's also a vain, proud, arrogant, condescending cast-iron sonofa***** who puts everyone else in the shop on edge. So don't be that guy.

Be clean, organized, on time, direct and forthright-- and you should do well. Having a small area of specialty-- such as being able to overhaul a 3-speed hub in half an hour, or knowing how to swap out freewheel cogs-- is certainly a big plus to have. If I can give you no other piece of advice, it would be to ride (not drive, not walk, not get off the bus, RIDE) up to the shop on the bike you put together yourself and let your work speak for itself. That's the part of the resume that matters most, IMO.

khatfull

I can deal with arrogance (if warranted), I can deal with a relative lack of customer service skills (if you can do the work competently) but for GOD'S SAKE:

When you tell me a repair will be done at 2:00p Saturday don't make it 6:00p the following Wednesday.

Just give me an honest appraisal of when a repair will be done...that's all I ask.

Primitive Don

Along the lines of the customer service skills already mentioned, I would say another important trait would be to effectively chat up the customer by asking questions about his/her interest in bikes, effectively listening to the answers, and generally engaging that person in pleasant conversation, while changing a tube or performing some similarly simple while-they-wait repair. People like to be asked questions and to be heard answering them.

That and the ability to tactfully explain and illustrate the need for potentially expensive parts and/or repairs without coming off like an opportunistic creep.

Phil_gretz

You have received excellent and thoroughly wise advice in this post. I hope that you're successful in your search.

rootboy 

...and please don't tell me "it'll be in tomorrow", when it most assuredly will not. Be realistic and honest with the customer on when things will be done and when parts will arrive. Like Khatfull sez. I don't use my LBS much but the guys at my shop are notorious for promising times then not coming through. A pet peeve.

Michael Angelo 

+1

Also, have the ability to do everything on a Bicycle, including frame straightening and wheelbuilding.

OldsCOOL

Be nice. Be relevant....and yes, this includes having some miles and maybe even a small tour living off your bike, be practical and above all else pay attention to what they are saying and what they want.

lotek 

Communication skills, been said before but has to be stressed. Y
the ability to diffuse tense situations (angry customers)
and the ability to problem solve.
sure anyone can repack a bearing, or install something given a modicum
of mechanical skill and the ability to read (and understand).
but the worth of an exceptional mechanic is the ability to think out
of the box and sometimes come up with unorthodox solutions.
heck, a lot of us do that now working on old bikes.
yah, mentioning working on old bikes would be a plus too.

Marty

freebyrd1904

i was a walmart store mgr
one of the things we look for is good "soft skills"
otherwise known as people skills,
very important in a business environment

repechage

My peeve is coins last, you are correct coins should be counted back FIRST. Cash registers that require an amount tendered and compute the change make clerks stupid. Way way back the register where I worked had this option, we ditched it and the multi-person drawer almost always balanced AFTER we turned sill feature off.

aixaix 

I must point out that most of the advice people have offered is from the perspective of LBS customers, not bosses. When looking for a job, you need to pay more attention to the boss's priorities than his customers'. I cannot claim to speak for all small business owners, but I believe that many would agree on these qualities being most favorable in a new hire: shows up on time ready to work; takes orders without "attitude"; doesn't steal; earns the shop more than the cost of his salary. That said, hiring is heavily influenced by emotion. If the owner takes a shine to you, you are far more likely to get the job than if you rub him the wrong way. The opinions of others are also important, which is why letters of recommendation from former employers are worth far more than a neatly typed resume.

Listen to what the prospective employer tells you. If you can get him talking about his business, you can learn a lot about what matters to him. If he grouses about employees quitting with little notice, for example, you can make yourself more attractive by assuring him that you plan to stick around for a set period of time and will not bail without adequate notice. Look around the shop. If he's a neat freak, let him know how much you admire that.

Unless you are an excellent BS artist, don't overdo it!

Basically, the more you pay attention and respond to the owner's needs, the more likely you will get hired. The other things recommended here may help keep you employed once you have the job, but getting hired is a little different.

scozim 

I would echo the customer service aspect - this has what has always set the bike shop industry apart from me. It's a competitive business and the best shop's I've run across have the best customer service - they value loyalty the customer provides them. Part of this is the ability to just talk with the customer not hard sell them on items. I was just at a shop yesterday where I asked if he had Kenda Nevegal tires - the answer was no followed by "wait, a second". He goes to the back room and pulls out a gently used Nevegal tire he had just taken off a bike that was traded in. I asked what he wanted for it and the reply was "nothing, just take it." This guy also gave me a bunch of old storage bins for my parts. He's earned my business and I because of that I often don't feel bad about paying a little more for some items at his shop because he's treated me well.

My dad has been frequenting local shops for 30 yrs and this flexibility and customer service is the number one thing he looks for. To me being able to sell to an employer that you value the service and the customer may go along way.

You also have an advantage with your familiarity of C&V bikes - they won't cause you to make comments that could turn a customer away. I've seen that happen.

By the way, congrats on moving to the great Pacific Northwest

tashi

Pretty OT, but it's mostly been covered: don't count back change. Customers generally hate it, except for a few of the older ones. I was taught to do it by my father when I was 10, and it was appreciated for a while, I think 'cause it was cute to see a 10 year old do a proper transaction with some old-school manners (and helps the customer know that the 10 year old is doing it right) but generally people assume that you're giving them the right change and want to get going. They've made their purchase, had their interaction, the exchanging cash bit is pretty boring, now it's time to move on. You've got their money, so let 'em!

Also, no one give two s***s about the coins anyway, they're borderline worthless unless they're loonies or twoonies (up here).

unworthy1

1. competency
2. competency
3. competency
4. politeness
too bad that the public will seldom return the politeness...

Captain Blight

Oh, one more thing: Women looking to get into bicycling are a growing segment of our population. So (this is VERY important) if and when a woman comes in with her BF/hubby and she's looking for service or advice, SPEAK TO HER DIRECTLY. Very, very, very important. Treat her with dignity and respect, and you will possibly have a loyal customer for life.

banjo_mole 

Wow! You guys are great. Thank you so much for your suggestions and support. It's helped me to get some new ideas and see things in a shifted light. I also forgot about some things that just seem like day-to-day tasks. (Wheelbuilding, for example.) "Oh yeah! Not everyone can do that."

-Nick

banjo_mole 

Okay! Well anyway, my resume is done.

Several posters have mentioned that they don't really feel it's necessary for me to have one, but I really want to seem professional, and determined- I am! I want a bike shop job, not some other minimum-wage-slave job, until I'm done with college.

Anyway! If anyone here would like to give it a quick look-over, PM me sometime today. I'd love some input.