Here are a few tips that just might help you find the perfect
truck driving job. Whether you're brand new to the trucking industry
or whether you've been driving for years, you really should take
a moment to read this information. With so many open positions
available right now, you can afford to be choosy. The key to a
successful truck driving job search is to take your time while
researching your opportunities. And that's exactly what our first
tip is about.
Know what you want now and long-term
Before you start interviewing, think about the type of truck driving
job you want. There's more to driving a truck than simply getting
behind the wheel.
Do you want long hauls? Short hauls? Do you want to be involved in the pick
up and delivery of your loads? Are you interested in an owner/operator opportunity?
Now or in the future, do you think there's a chance you'd like to move into
management?
Research the truck driving company
Once you know what it is you're looking for from a truck driving
job, find companies offering those opportunities and then research
those companies.
Some issues you might want to investigate include how long the company has
been in business, where it's headquartered, whether or not it has a specialization,
and whether or not it's been involved in any types of lawsuits and if so, why?
Put together a resume
Yes, a resume! There are a lot of open truck driving jobs
so you might think this step is unnecessary. But there are
also a lot of people applying for these positions. A resume
that highlights the qualities employers are looking for will
help you stand out from the crowd and may get you more pay
and better benefits. Plus it may help open the doors to positions
involving more responsibility such as safety or fleet management.
Some areas to highlight on your resume include: a safe driving
record; an on-time delivery record; specialized training
you've completed such as hazmat; customer service skills
you've acquired by delivering to homes or businesses; inventory/warehousing
knowledge; special equipment experience; computer skills;
physical capabilities; and familiarity with trucking regulations,
both at the state level and federal. Turnover in the trucking
industry is high so if you've got a history of not jumping
from job to job, you'll definitely want to stress this in
your resume as well.
Talk to others
If possible, take to some drivers who work for the trucking
company you're considering. In doing so, you'll get a better
feel for the company. But be sure to talk to several people
just in case one of the drivers has a grudge against the
company and is biased. If you're comfortable on the Internet,
there are all sorts of truck driving forums and bulletin
boards where you'll find plenty of truckers willing to answer
your questions, too. Truck stops also great places to go
to get the "inside scoop" on your truck driving
questions.
