tried the agencies, never heard from them! even my instuctor is on the hunt for me, he’s in with an agency n is getting right hacked off as they still havent been in touch with me! even the job centre is all agency. really dont want agency though as they cant guarantee u can pay your bills. was hoping to be on class 1 by now. got a few app forms to send off…but now cant find my counterpart. i’ve even been to the truck fest’s wearing an ad on my top ha ha.
JoJo , Sorry to hear that mate.
Q suggests.
Make enquires directly & get started earily in the morning, I.e ( Jump in your motor and go knocking on doors)
Phoning is just a WASTE of TIME (unless your very lucky)
What your realy looking for,
is the Transport manager who’s just lost a driver
and is DESPARATE to replace him/her, Right NOW.
I began with my closest local trading estates / Haulage firms
and slowly worked out futher ( increase the radias, everyday ) until sucessful.
Take along little folder, it wil be handy to stow your ever growning collection of toilet paper (sorry application forms)
Good hunting.
**:D :smiley: :smiley: Welcome JOJO :smiley: :smiley: :smiley:**
If you click the link in my signature it will lead you to an index where you can access a lot of info which may be of use to you when you do go for your CE (ARTIC) 
With regard to you job dilemma - knock on doors and be prepared for a long wait to see the TM
Hi JOJO, WELCOME.
I’m sorry to hear that news, but it does make some sense in that it might be telling you that you need to be a bit more proactive in your approach. If you imagine this from the other side of the fence, the people you’ve made your applications to might assume that you’ve got yourself fixed up because they didn’t hear any more from you.
Just a thought. 
Good luck.
i never imagined it would be this hard. the problem i didnt mention was that i’m 23, so if i wait another 2 years i might be in with a chance ha ha. i’d heard that you have to mither agencies to get anywhere but my instructor disagreed…until now when an agency that has an agreement with them to take on new drivers hasnt found me anything 2 years on.
i’ve been close to getting the yellow pages out, but dont want to make a fool of myself asking a class1 company for a class 2 job! i have a full time job that i was tempted to quit to commit to the job hunt, but bought a pc instead which is making life easier without leaving me in the gutter!
JOJO:
but dont want to make a fool of myself asking a class1 company for a class 2 job!
Whyever not JOJO■■
I honestly don’t think that that’s making a fool of yourself, whereas it might be if you don’t…
Whoever doesn’t ask, doesn’t get
Everybody has to start somewhere, and it’s very rare for anybody to just walk into a class 1 job with no experience, especially at your age.
Think about this from the vehicle owner’s point of view. Would you trust somebody with no experience to drive such a large and heavy vehicle??
You might have to readjust your expectations a little bit, then it might not “be this hard.” 
JOJO:
i never imagined it would be this hard. the problem i didnt mention was that i’m 23, so if i wait another 2 years i might be in with a chance ha ha. i’d heard that you have to mither agencies to get anywhere but my instructor disagreed…
JOJO,
No need to be afraid of making a fool of yourself mate, I’m just under your age (23 in a month) and seriously there’s only one way we can make it.
KNOCK ON DOORS
Chuck a suit on, a good impression is a lasting one, and go there and ask for the Transport Manager, even if you don’t get to see him/her then hand your CV over to the receptionist or whoever and make sure you are nice and cooperative.
Because next week when they’ve just lost a driver and the TM tells the office girl to “ring the agencies we need a driver to cover for Mr Bloggs who just left” then she can turn round and say “Well what about this guy? he came in last week really keen and enthusiastic and said he’s available immediately”
At the end of the day, if you are nice and smile the worst they’ll say is “we’ll keep your CV on file”
You are in, what I reckon, is a good bit of the country to get a job, might need a bit of traveling but when you are driving all day whats an extra 20 mins behind the wheel on the way to work!
Good luck mate, and keep an eye out on here, it seems more and more people are getting jobs through Trucknet recently and you never know!
Alex
Try Warburtons in bolton
dieseldave, i’m not after a class 1 job, i meant that i dont know which companies might only do class 1so asking them for a class 2 vacancy will be rather embarrassing.
its JOJO as in short for Joanne so that could be another hinderance.
my instructor has got me a lead on a skip company…who wanted me to go in for a chat, he wasnt having any of it when i said i could go fri (when Im off) so its now monday after work, so i wont be making much of a good impression since i work in a boarding kennels, the poor man…i hope my instructor has done plenty of grovelling on my behalf.
I’ve done a warburtons application but I suspect they dont have much of a driver turnover.
got three others to ring on mon too so fingers crossed. thanx to all for your advice so far, keep it coming 
JOJO:
…i meant that i dont know which companies might only do class 1so asking them for a class 2 vacancy will be rather embarrassing.
Just ASK! Nowt to be embarrassed about. Then you’ll know who has mixed Class 1 & 2 fleets. Potential for upgrade later
Don’t worry too much about your age, I’ve always had a problem with applying for van jobs and when I was looking for HGV of being under 25, but if you go for interview and make a good impression they will often make an exception for your age. Quite a few class 1 and 2 drivers on here under 25.
JOJO:
dieseldave, i’m not after a class 1 job, i meant that i dont know which companies might only do class 1so asking them for a class 2 vacancy will be rather embarrassing.
Hi JOJO, I’m not sure that that would be embarassing TBH.
IMHO, the worst that they could say is “sorry, but we don’t operate that type of vehicle.”
If you check the companies’ websites it might give you a clue though, but I don’t think it’s a big deal.
I’d also suggest that you consider macplaxton’s excellent point about a company who operates both “C” and “C+E” vehicles for the reason he gave.
JOJO:
its JOJO as in short for Joanne so that could be another hinderance.
I’ve taught many females on LGV “C” and “C+E,” ADR and CPC. I honestly don’t think that your gender has any relevance to your employability, since your licence is equally as valid as a licence held by a male. The two potential issues that I do see in your case are your age and your lack of experience, but I don’t believe that either of those are gender specific.
( 
So no excuses.)
JOJO:
my instructor has got me a lead on a skip company…who wanted me to go in for a chat, he wasnt having any of it when i said i could go fri (when Im off) so its now monday after work, so i wont be making much of a good impression since i work in a boarding kennels, the poor man…i hope my instructor has done plenty of grovelling on my behalf.
Now that is good news JOJO.
A skip firm is as good a place as any to start for a new driver.
IMHO, the fact that you couldn’t go there straight away shows something about your character in relation to the way you treat your employer.
Any reasonable prospective employer ought to respect the fact that you’re presently employed, because some of them don’t like taking people from the dole, so they can’t have that both ways.
JOJO:
I’ve done a warburtons application but I suspect they dont have much of a driver turnover.got three others to ring on mon too so fingers crossed. thanx to all for your advice so far, keep it coming
That all sounds quite positive JOJO, please keep plugging away and trust that you will get a start.
I don’t know your exact circumstances (and wouldn’t ask) but the fact that you’ve been trying for 2 years (your words) tends to suggest that you might need to reconsider some aspects of your approach.
These aren’t criticisms, but I’d also suggest that you ask yourself whether you might have been too restrictive in what type of driving work you’re prepared to do, or the hours that you’re prepared to work.
I do hope that your 2 years without progression doesn’t get any longer, so here’s another suggestion:
If your present leads turn out not to amount to anything, you might consider trying some part-time agency work on smaller vehicles as a way of easing your way into transport. The reasons I suggest that is that it’s unlikely (but not impossible) that a firm will simply allow you to drive a Cat “C” straight away are:
- Lack of experience of finding your way around
- Lack of experience of driving/loading a large and heavy vehicle
- Lack of experience of tachos and tacho regs
WADR JOJO, please realise that each of the above on their own are substantial question marks against ANY newly qualified driver, not just yourself.
If 1+2+3 above all apply to you, and taking your age into account, then I’m afraid that many companies might view you as an accident waiting to happen.
Hence my suggestion of ‘easing’ yourself into the world of transport and gaining those three key areas of experience bit by bit, having reviewed your expectations slightly.
Softly softly catchee monkey.
i’m not fussy about what i drive or who for, was when i first passed but l’ve learnt that lesson. might be a good sign that mr skip tomorrow is prepared to see me after 5pm, fingers crossed! had better get back in the theory book beforehand, not using what you’ve learned … means back to square 1.
i dont know about gender issues…a skip company owner i know through work wont have a female driver!
a lot of class 2 jobs are heavy work, so its me that needs to interview them ha ha.
I spent a couple of months driving concrete mixers on site work, and several runs for a waste company hauling ro-ro skips… and I’m female…
old trucks (but looked after)
more than willing to take new drivers
in Chadderton (Oldham)
wages not the best but ok
dedicated truck
not sure if taking on
might be worth a try
0161 652 0001 John
mission accomplished, thanks to my instructor from north manchester hgv in bolton, he’s gone well beyond the call of duty n i owe him a pint…or ten. thanks to everyone for their advice
JOJO:
mission accomplished,
:g: CONGRATULATIONS on the new job JOJO
well done