Went to a well known national agency the other day looking for work,the person i spoke to was less than helpful.I came out with a couple of questions that you might be able to help me with.
Why dont companies take on newly qualified C+E drivers? ( i passed last year but due to injury have been unable to drive until now ).
Is there really a driver shortage? because they had no work available not even 7.5t.
I would grateful to any views on these.
First off, agencies are reluctant to start new qualified drivers off due to insurance costs. The way i got on the ladder was to pick three or four agencies that were advertising for drivers, go and register with them and then ring them daily for work. More often than not, and in my case, they got so ■■■■■■ off with me ringing that they gave me work to get rid of me. It works… whatever you do, do not get disheartened by it, contact local firms and ask them if they have any driving jobs going and if you could go in for a chat, if you show your willing to learn they may give you the break you need.
As for the driver shortage, supposedly there is a shortfall anywhere from 45k upwards, how true this is though i don’t know.
Good luck
Tiggz
I know its not right but try lieing about your experience maybe that will get you in there and once you’ve proved yourself the work will come flooding in.
simon
Thanks for the replies i dont think i need to lie about exp as i have over 12yrs. exp in 7.5t delivering around the country.I think the question of insurance cost is a myth, how can you get the exp if no-one will take you on?
Once you have the experience work isn’t difficult to find, but employers are very reluctent to take on inexperienced drivers. Although this reluctence to take on inexperienced people is also found in other industries.
You have to accept loads of knock backs to get your foot in the door, but if you don’t give up you will find somebosy that will give you a chance, sometimes they are the companies with a bad reputation or they are the smaller hauliers.
However I’m surprised that you can’t find 7.5t work if you have the experience.
Get onto the phone & contact a few differnt agencies, not all agencies are the same, & one of the well known agencies is a franchise so they vary from franchise to franchies.
It’s not always easy to find that first job, but it is worth the effort.
Hi mate, i may be a bit late because of work not been on for a while but welcome, as already said try other agencies, because i did and after the first job i have no trouble getting work in fact i cannot fit in all the work, if you do a good job people want you all the time, i find now that firms i work for want me to work for them direct and even though i dont want a full time job at the moment i seem to have work for ever, so if a muppet like me can do it you should be ok, try as many as you can and good luck.
After passing my class 1, i registered with an agency who was advertising for drivers. After a few days of waiting, the agency came up with my first job. It was only to drive a van and wasn’t what I was looking for. Anyway, I did the job for a few days and then got talking to the transport manager. He asked if I could drive 7.5t and when I told him I had a class 1 licence, he couldn’t believe they had sent me to drive a van! I ended up working for the company full time driving the biggest wagon on their fleet!
I think it is not so much the companies that you work for, but the agencies themselves that are frightened to give work to inexperienced drivers.
How can you learn if somebody will not give you a chance?