How Would You Like to Be a Truck Driver?
Cdl truck driver, hiring truck drivers, flatbed truck driving, tanker
truck driver
As the experienced experts will tell you, taking up a truck driver’s
job is not easy. Apart from the fact that it involves great physical and
mental strength, there is also the fact that you will be alone most of
the time. Your loved ones back home are not going to feel happy about
your being away for days/weeks at a time. They are also going to be very
concerned about your safety on the roads in all kinds of weather conditions.
There are no fixed schedules and you will never be able to attend any
important events. Despite all these unavoidable snags, a truck driver’s
job can prove to be an exhilarating experience if you have an independent
mindset!
Here are some suggestions on how you can land a job in the trucking industry—
(1) There are different types of vehicles that are driven and there are
different types of jobs. Some involve just picking up and delivering of
loads. Others can relate to short hauls or long hauls. If your goals are
set higher, you can research opportunities to become the operator or owner
of a truck. And the highest position lies in the managerial category.
So, your first step is to be clear about what you want to do, and why.
(2) Now, go ahead and research some trucking companies that are advertising
jobs. Investigate their backgrounds before you take up a position with
any of them. Find out how long each company has been in business, its
location, what are its specializations, etc. If the company has been involved
in any lawsuits, why? Many companies have their official websites, so
it should be easy to research them. Then there are message boards and
forums. Now, do keep in mind that truck drivers also describe their experiences
on blogs and forums—do not get swayed by their opinions. You might be
able to tackle the same situations much better than them; who knows? Again,
are there any rules regarding the carrier you will be driving; are you
supposed to be on the job for a certain amount of time? In case you leave
before time, what will be the consequences?
(3) If you are a novice in this arena, you might not own a Commercial
Drivers License as yet. If your chosen company has a school to train truck
drivers, so much the better for you. Find out the qualifications required
to sign up there. Check out if there are any “students’ reimbursement
plans” on offer.
(4) You can get first-hand information about your chosen company if you
talk directly with the employees there. You could get into casual chats
with some of the truck drivers; only avoid anyone with
a prejudice against his employer. Chatting with truck
drivers online (via forums and bulletin boards) is also a
good idea. Finally, there are regular truck stops; they offer a lot of
inside information about different trucking companies.
(5) This may sound a little funny, but it would be nice to have a typed
resume in hand. It gives that professional touch, even for a position
like a driver’s job! Your resume will catch your future employer’s eye
if it highlights all the necessary qualities required for this position.
Considering the number of people who will apply for the same job and never
bother about resumes, do you realize how different you will seem to the
management? And who knows, you may be the ultimate winner with a higher
pay and benefits than others? You could be deemed responsible enough to
take care of fleet management or safety management in future!
(6) Okay, now what exactly will you highlight on your resume? Stress
that you have established records concerning safe driving and delivering
goods on time. Your employer should know about your computer skills, your
physical capabilities, your familiarity with state level as well as federal
trucking regulations, specialized training acquired such as HAZMAT (An
abbreviation for 'hazardous material' used on warning signs—“No HAZMATS
in tunnel”), customer service skills like special deliveries to homes
or businesses, knowledge about special equipment, and information about
warehouses and inventories. Most important of all, assure your future
employer that you are not the job-hopping type; you stay on if hired!
A high turnover of employees is the bane of trucking companies.
(7) Now that the groundwork is complete, it is time to discuss your plans
with your family. It cannot be an individual decision to take up this
particular job, because the whole family is involved. When you are away
driving your truck, your loved ones are left alone to cope with routine
life and any crises that may come up during the course of things. You
have to give each other courage and support.
The above-mentioned tips should prove useful to beginners and experts
alike! Both of you can be choosy about the positions that you wish to
apply for, considering that there are so many openings in this industry
now-a-days. Just opt for a truck carrier that is most suitable for you,
and make a great name for yourself as a reliable and dependable truck
driver!
