I recently attended an interview where I was asked how flexible I was, and if I was willing to be multi - skilled…needless to say I withdrew my interest as I imagined being given a brush to sweep the yard!
Juddian:
Only landed one job after answering an advert, worst job of my life by miles.
The rest have been either be recommendations, word of mouth, or cold calling.Any advert is suspect because they needed to advertise, regular advertisers should be avoided like the plague.
^^^^ this, Decent firms don’t need to advertise and decent drivers get head hunted ,there does seem to be some members on here that are always moving jobs ,makes me wonder if they’re in the wrong career ?
“must be fully flexible and customer focused”
Any firm with “logistics” or “solutions” in there name is to be avoided in my view and experience,
Also words like “compliance” and ”kpi” get on my nerves with firms too…
I’d have more respect for a company that just said look this job is hard at times you might not get back every night etc etc instead of lying to folk
Any company that needs to advertise on their vehicles for drivers
Stobarts for example
Norfolkinclue1:
“Must be a team player”…Team A : The TM and above
Team B : The planners
You are the ball…“Must be physically fit”…
Massive cages on tiny tailifts or we can’t be bothered getting the right kit so do it yourself.
“Family run business”…
Dad is an old hand who does things right and treats drivers right, his son thinks he’s Alan Sugar so has cut everything including the bog roll, as soon as Stobarts get wind of our contracts we are selling up so good luck.
brilliant.
“hourly rate not specified” - “Competetive Salary” WTF is THAT these days?
“Number of hours expected of one per week” - not specified. “Nights Out” - Who TF wants “nights out” straight out the gate in a new job?
"No experience required" - Why not? Do you want an experienced driver for top dollar or an idiot for minimum wages less deductions for uniform, damage, collision waver, personal liability, and of course the job is on Self-Empoyed with no holidays, 90 minutes per day deducted for unpaid meal breaks, and you have to sign a “Non-disclosure” clause, so you cannot talk about just how crooked the outfit you’ve just unwittingly signed up to is. 
Do you know where the gaffer lives? 
We all take a chance when working a week in hand for a firm, only to find they disappear after you’ve not been paid. The company changes names, and half the time don’t even bother to move. If you report to your workplace demanding cash, you’ll be told to leave as a trespasser, as you’re now sacked from the “last weeks” firm name that seems to have exactly the same staff.
this is most likely to happen if the gaffer is part of a brudder clan of course.
Punchy Dan:
Juddian:
Only landed one job after answering an advert, worst job of my life by miles.
The rest have been either be recommendations, word of mouth, or cold calling.Any advert is suspect because they needed to advertise, regular advertisers should be avoided like the plague.
^^^^ this, Decent firms don’t need to advertise and decent drivers get head hunted ,there does seem to be some members on here that are always moving jobs ,makes me wonder if they’re in the wrong career ?
No we are just looking for that place to set our roots
“occasional nights out” = at least 3 nights out per week.
“temp to perm” = you’ll be temporarily working there, then permanently not, once Christmas is over.
Norfolkinclue1:
“Must be a team player”…Team A : The TM and above
Team B : The planners
You are the ball…“Must be physically fit”…
Massive cages on tiny tailifts or we can’t be bothered getting the right kit so do it yourself.
“Family run business”…
Dad is an old hand who does things right and treats drivers right, his son thinks he’s Alan Sugar so has cut everything including the bog roll, as soon as Stobarts get wind of our contracts we are selling up so good luck.
… And the pay hasn’t gone up since dad hung up his keys 10-20 years ago. [emoji57]
Norfolkinclue1:
“Must be a team player”…Team A : The TM and above
Team B : The planners
You are the ball…“Must be physically fit”…
Massive cages on tiny tailifts or we can’t be bothered getting the right kit so do it yourself.
“Family run business”…
Dad is an old hand who does things right and treats drivers right, his son thinks he’s Alan Sugar so has cut everything including the bog roll, as soon as Stobarts get wind of our contracts we are selling up so good luck.
The last bit is spot on, but its the grandkid ~~that are just out of "uni" nowadays, not the 2nd generation, the son/daughter were obnoxious when they took over....but you aint seen nothing yet, compared to the 3rd generation…seeing this “element” more and more…pure “apprentice” behaviour with substantial businesses from my experience just lately 
~~
Winseer:
"No experience required" - Why not? Do you want an experienced driver for top dollar or an idiot for minimum wages less deductions for uniform, damage, collision waver, personal liability, and of course the job is on Self-Empoyed with no holidays, 90 minutes per day deducted for unpaid meal breaks, and you have to sign a “Non-disclosure” clause, so you cannot talk about just how crooked the outfit you’ve just unwittingly signed up to is.Do you know where the gaffer lives?
We all take a chance when working a week in hand for a firm, only to find they disappear after you’ve not been paid. The company changes names, and half the time don’t even bother to move. If you report to your workplace demanding cash, you’ll be told to leave as a trespasser, as you’re now sacked from the “last weeks” firm name that seems to have exactly the same staff.
this is most likely to happen if the gaffer is part of a brudder clan of course.
In the last 8 years, we’ve advertised twice for van drivers, usually we work on word of mouth.
However, if we were to advertise, we might actually include the phrase ‘no experience required’. I don’t mind having a proportion, ie 1 or 2, of drivers that are newbies. It’s easy for us because of the double manning - they go out with an experienced driver, earn full money and I get someone that hasn’t learned bad habits elsewhere.
We also pay a week in hand, wages are done on a Wednesday so there isn’t much choice.
In fairness writing a job ad is difficult without resorting to corporate speak, otherwise it goes like this:
Class 1 driver wanted for UK and Euro work. Wages average but we pay a lot of non worked hours. Lot of double manning and nights out, but there are quite a few nights in hotels. Some days are long hours, others you barely turn a wheel. Job is totally unpredictable, could start at 23.00, could start at 11.00. Some weekend work, but not that much. Generally we don’t know what we are doing from one day to the next. Trucks vary in age, but we do maintain them well.
I don’t think anyone would apply for that! 
albion:
Class 1 driver wanted for UK and Euro work. Wages average but we pay a lot of non worked hours. Lot of double manning and nights out, but there are quite a few nights in hotels. Some days are long hours, others you barely turn a wheel. Job is totally unpredictable, could start at 23.00, could start at 11.00. Some weekend work, but not that much. Generally we don’t know what we are doing from one day to the next. Trucks vary in age, but we do maintain them well.I don’t think anyone would apply for that!
On th contrary Albion. If I was in the market ^^^ THAT is exactly the type of advert I’d respond to (I’d get around the average wage bit by proving how invaluable I am and then negotiate upwards with you 
). It has everything I wanted to be a lorry driver for; unpredictability, last minute changes of plan, needing to think on my feet, non repetitive work. In short a paid adventure. What’s not to like?
Got to agree. If I was looking for a job that’s the sort of advert I’d look into
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the maoster:
albion:
Class 1 driver wanted for UK and Euro work. Wages average but we pay a lot of non worked hours. Lot of double manning and nights out, but there are quite a few nights in hotels. Some days are long hours, others you barely turn a wheel. Job is totally unpredictable, could start at 23.00, could start at 11.00. Some weekend work, but not that much. Generally we don’t know what we are doing from one day to the next. Trucks vary in age, but we do maintain them well.I don’t think anyone would apply for that!
On th contrary Albion. If I was in the market ^^^ THAT is exactly the type of advert I’d respond to (I’d get around the average wage bit by proving how invaluable I am and then negotiate upwards with you
So there are still some drivers out there and not just steering wheel attendants 
It would appeal to me as well, but that’s not surprising.
Wages are the weird thing,t hey don’t sound good on paper, but we pay for things others don’t, 12 hours minimum abroad even if you are stood, through breaks, all POA, 12 hours on the long ferry crossing. it means that work and driving average around 27 hours a week, paid hours 63.
Stanley Mitchell:
The last bit is spot on, but its the grandkid ~~that are just out of "uni" nowadays, not the 2nd generation, the son/daughter were obnoxious when they took over....but you aint seen nothing yet, compared to the 3rd generation…seeing this “element” more and more…pure “apprentice” behaviour with substantial businesses from my experience just lately
[/quote]
Couldn’t have put it better myself Stanley and applies to other businesses as well.
You forgot working 65 hours per week at a whisker above minimum wage to pay for the son’s Audi, Ralph Lauren clothes, Rolex, and lads’ holidays to Marbella so he can post them on his instagram account. The daughter is probably playing with her horses somewhere.
“must be mechanically inclined " we run worn out and mechanically poor equipment”
Rottweiler22:
The daughter is probably playing with her horses somewhere.
Yes, I think I’ve seen the video. 
the maoster:
albion:
Class 1 driver wanted for UK and Euro work. Wages average but we pay a lot of non worked hours. Lot of double manning and nights out, but there are quite a few nights in hotels. Some days are long hours, others you barely turn a wheel. Job is totally unpredictable, could start at 23.00, could start at 11.00. Some weekend work, but not that much. Generally we don’t know what we are doing from one day to the next. Trucks vary in age, but we do maintain them well.I don’t think anyone would apply for that!
On th contrary Albion. If I was in the market ^^^ THAT is exactly the type of advert I’d respond to (I’d get around the average wage bit by proving how invaluable I am and then negotiate upwards with you
I’m with maoster here, that kind of honesty would get you a phone call from me at the very least, maybe some of us are just wary of the corporate bull[zb] talk, but I’d find that sort of advert refreshing.
My company is guilty of what most here say they’d avoid but tbf I’ve got a cracking job, good kit, easy work (no RDC deliveries), low hours (salaried) and a good bunch of work colleagues (aka nutters), wages are typically South Wales [zb] though, can’t have everything I suppose.
At the end of the day if you base your decision completely upon a brief job description on Indeed or Fish4 then you are no doubt the type that hops from job to job and incessantly whinges and complains about work.
albion:
Winseer:
"No experience required" - Why not? Do you want an experienced driver for top dollar or an idiot for minimum wages less deductions for uniform, damage, collision waver, personal liability, and of course the job is on Self-Empoyed with no holidays, 90 minutes per day deducted for unpaid meal breaks, and you have to sign a “Non-disclosure” clause, so you cannot talk about just how crooked the outfit you’ve just unwittingly signed up to is.Do you know where the gaffer lives?
We all take a chance when working a week in hand for a firm, only to find they disappear after you’ve not been paid. The company changes names, and half the time don’t even bother to move. If you report to your workplace demanding cash, you’ll be told to leave as a trespasser, as you’re now sacked from the “last weeks” firm name that seems to have exactly the same staff.
this is most likely to happen if the gaffer is part of a brudder clan of course.In the last 8 years, we’ve advertised twice for van drivers, usually we work on word of mouth.
However, if we were to advertise, we might actually include the phrase ‘no experience required’. I don’t mind having a proportion, ie 1 or 2, of drivers that are newbies. It’s easy for us because of the double manning - they go out with an experienced driver, earn full money and I get someone that hasn’t learned bad habits elsewhere.
We also pay a week in hand, wages are done on a Wednesday so there isn’t much choice.
In fairness writing a job ad is difficult without resorting to corporate speak, otherwise it goes like this:
Class 1 driver wanted for UK and Euro work. Wages average but we pay a lot of non worked hours. Lot of double manning and nights out, but there are quite a few nights in hotels. Some days are long hours, others you barely turn a wheel. Job is totally unpredictable, could start at 23.00, could start at 11.00. Some weekend work, but not that much. Generally we don’t know what we are doing from one day to the next. Trucks vary in age, but we do maintain them well.
I don’t think anyone would apply for that!
well to be honest,as with the maoster id certainly apply,im old school and that type of work/environment would suit me down to the ground,but now,being old and decrepit i soldier along part time!