how many other drivers have looked at the jobcentre website and other sites looking for a full time job only to see nothing but agencies all the way down and some repeating their advert about 6 or 7 times it is so frustrating when you want a full time job away from an agency,i myself am an agency driver in swindon and that is all i see every time i go on these websites,i am registered with at least 5 agencies and get work only with one,two of the worst agencies are go easy [i think thats what they are called] and ADR network, the jobcentre is useless [has been for a number of years] go on gumtree they are exactly the same [agencies]seems i cannot win,still it will probably get worse, as people say THATS LIFE,
Going to be quite blunt about the JobCentre in terms of, it’s useless for HGV drivers. You may find the odd 7.5t but it’s incredibly rare you’ll see a HGV2 / 1 position advertised direct. They also don’t really like dealing with agencies until a change fairly recently due to the nature of the job market. JobCentre Plus centres make their best dealings by placing candidates in permanent vacancies as there are government grants and such available to businesses that take on 6 month+ unemployed.
Due to such a vast presence of agency, firms are finding it’s somewhat easier to use agencies to deal with both their temporary and permanent requirements. Most temp agencies make the mistake of not inquiring about permanent vacancies and therefore don’t always have the opportunities available that they could have.
The best means of finding yourself a permanent job is investing the time in your days off to research your local hauliers, big and small, prepare a decent CV (by decent I mean slightly more than ‘NAME. NUMBER. CAT LISC’, and yes, I do see these daily). Make yourself presentable, put your boots & hi-vis in your car, turn out at the ones that you’d like to work for (ultimately, any that you want to work for you’ll do more to impress and up your chances of getting a job) and ask to speak to the transport manager. A lot of the time you’ll have the opportunity to sit down with them, alternatively if you can get your CV in their hand, make sure you have their number and give them a couple of days before calling just to speculatively inquire about current vacancies.
Proactivity is the ultimate tool in successful job hunting.
Yeah, what he/she said…^^^^^^^^^^
And don’t forget all the little back alley firms you’d never know about.
Something I did when I was looking for work was to go to the VOSA website where you can search o licence holders by postcode. You’d be surprised how many firms exist that you didn’t know about.
Just got to keep on looking! Jobs do come up but you are not wrong about the amount of agency adverts. Have just landed a new job myself, not via jobcentre but on Indeed. Found that to be the best site for jobs, but you do have to sift through a mountain of agency s@#t to find the decent jobs! Good things come to those who wait and put in the effort to apply! Make sure your cv is up to date as well , the days of them not looking at them has gone! Even small companies are being picky so you need to sell yourself! Good luck, and don’t give up!
This job was on the website for my area so I thought I would ring to enquire as I know the area & know there’s not many places , if any doing store deliveries based down this way, they wouldn’t give me any info just wanted me to send in cv & put me down as available , available for what I asked , if anything comes up in my area she said , but I thought you had q job here , that’s what’s being advertised, guess what, those positions have been filled … yeah right …
HGV 2 Drivers
Job description
We are currently looking for HGV 2 Drivers to work for our prestigious client; Monday — Friday on Days. Duties will include store deliveries and some manual handling will be required.
Rate of pay is £8 per hour with possible overtime.
The successful applicant must have a digi card and no more than 6 points on licence.
Please contact Tasmin or Charles on 01244 222000 for an immediate interview or email CV to Tasmin.turner @ proactivepersonnel.net or   charles.wood @ proactivepersonnel.net
m1cks:
And don’t forget all the little back alley firms you’d never know about.
Something I did when I was looking for work was to go to the VOSA website where you can search o licence holders by postcode. You’d be surprised how many firms exist that you didn’t know about.
This is a common practice amongst agencies; it requires patience and ideally a bit of local knowledge so you can discount the one man bands and builders etc, but well worth trying.
Back in the day you could buy the published books but now it’s so much easier on-line.
To OP; another potential source of jobs is to check out your local council’s website. The rise of the internet has virtually killed off job adverts in local newspapers, but unless I’m mistaken the jobs still have to be advertised externally by law, so websites are always worth a look.
kemaro:
This job was on the website for my area so I thought I would ring to enquire as I know the area & know there’s not many places , if any doing store deliveries based down this way, they wouldn’t give me any info just wanted me to send in cv & put me down as available , available for what I asked , if anything comes up in my area she said , but I thought you had q job here , that’s what’s being advertised, guess what, those positions have been filled … yeah right …HGV 2 Drivers
Job description
We are currently looking for HGV 2 Drivers to work for our prestigious client; Monday — Friday on Days. Duties will include store deliveries and some manual handling will be required.Rate of pay is £8 per hour with possible overtime.
The successful applicant must have a digi card and no more than 6 points on licence.
Please contact Tasmin or Charles on 01244 222000 for an immediate interview or email CV to Tasmin.turner @ proactivepersonnel.net or   charles.wood @ proactivepersonnel.net
I’ve helpfully highlighted those aspects that are at fault with such adverts as these. 
(Proper jobs are advertised by the actual employer, not some third party)
(Presigious Client for the supplying agency on lowball tenders perhaps…)
(No Lowball when it’s “Handball” though!)
(£8ph 'nuff said! - ‘Possible’ overtime is inversely proportional to the rate you’d get if you got some. Good overtime rate=8 hour shifts all the time. Right through rate=12-15 hour shifts all the time)
(6 points OK? Why? Because you’d have to pay more if you insisted upon clean licences? )
Then the names… Nothing personal meant by this. Wouldn’t we rather work for a Guvnor who’s name is John or Dave or Sheila etc etc? Names like “Tasmin” and “Charles” makes them sound like Hooray Henries who are having a go at running an agency for this week as a bet among their public school chums. 
Winseer:
kemaro:
This job was on the website for my area so I thought I would ring to enquire as I know the area & know there’s not many places , if any doing store deliveries based down this way, they wouldn’t give me any info just wanted me to send in cv & put me down as available , available for what I asked , if anything comes up in my area she said , but I thought you had q job here , that’s what’s being advertised, guess what, those positions have been filled … yeah right …HGV 2 Drivers
Job description
We are currently looking for HGV 2 Drivers to work for our prestigious client; Monday — Friday on Days. Duties will include store deliveries and some manual handling will be required.Rate of pay is £8 per hour with possible overtime.
The successful applicant must have a digi card and no more than 6 points on licence.
Please contact Tasmin or Charles on 01244 222000 for an immediate interview or email CV to Tasmin.turner @ proactivepersonnel.net or   charles.wood @ proactivepersonnel.net
I’ve helpfully highlighted those aspects that are at fault with such adverts as these.
I knew there was no actual job , I was just curious to see what they said , they didn’t like all my questions as there were no answers for them , as there are no jobs
Winseer:
kemaro:
This job was on the website for my area so I thought I would ring to enquire as I know the area & know there’s not many places , if any doing store deliveries based down this way, they wouldn’t give me any info just wanted me to send in cv & put me down as available , available for what I asked , if anything comes up in my area she said , but I thought you had q job here , that’s what’s being advertised, guess what, those positions have been filled … yeah right …HGV 2 Drivers
Job description
We are currently looking for HGV 2 Drivers to work for our prestigious client; Monday — Friday on Days. Duties will include store deliveries and some manual handling will be required.Rate of pay is £8 per hour with possible overtime.
The successful applicant must have a digi card and no more than 6 points on licence.
Please contact Tasmin or Charles on 01244 222000 for an immediate interview or email CV to Tasmin.turner @ proactivepersonnel.net or   charles.wood @ proactivepersonnel.net
I’ve helpfully highlighted those aspects that are at fault with such adverts as these.
You might find fault with eight quid an hour round your way Winseer but that’s considered reasonable money down here in west Wales.
And if you can’t hack manual handling you’re in the wrong trade.
Sidevalve:
Winseer:
kemaro:
This job was on the website for my area so I thought I would ring to enquire as I know the area & know there’s not many places , if any doing store deliveries based down this way, they wouldn’t give me any info just wanted me to send in cv & put me down as available , available for what I asked , if anything comes up in my area she said , but I thought you had q job here , that’s what’s being advertised, guess what, those positions have been filled … yeah right …HGV 2 Drivers
Job description
We are currently looking for HGV 2 Drivers to work for our prestigious client; Monday — Friday on Days. Duties will include store deliveries and some manual handling will be required.Rate of pay is £8 per hour with possible overtime.
The successful applicant must have a digi card and no more than 6 points on licence.
Please contact Tasmin or Charles on 01244 222000 for an immediate interview or email CV to Tasmin.turner @ proactivepersonnel.net or   charles.wood @ proactivepersonnel.net
I’ve helpfully highlighted those aspects that are at fault with such adverts as these.
You might find fault with eight quid an hour round your way Winseer but that’s considered reasonable money down here in west Wales.
Average wage in the midlands for Class 1 is £10.25, Overtime after 8 @ 1.5x, x1.5 on Sat and double bubble sundays.
Its amazing how the same job pays different rates all over the place… I was chatting to someone who said he was on a great rate and brought home £500 every week… 2 weeks ago I set my record, 77.25 hours at £1125ish, he spat his coffee out 
Sidevalve:
And if you can’t hack manual handling you’re in the wrong trade.
The heaviest thing I have to handle all day at work is the landing leg handle… Not all jobs are manual handling
truckman20:
and ADR network,
are they running a legal operation at your place? up here they book drivers before asking them which is illegal then get shirty when you decline the shift and bang on about availability not being accurate. actually it is accurate but only until i accept a contract and there is no guarantee i will accept theirs. they dont guarantee to provide me with any shifts so i dont guarantee to be available for them. they confuse available with on standby waiting desperately for their call or txt. i dont offer a standby service. as of friday morning i dont offer any service to them after a much better offer came my way 
A mate of mine has been out of work for some time. The jobcentre expext him to apply for jobs for 8 hours per day, 5 days per week or his money stops.
I asked him to point out that there are 20 agencies touting for the same job, He was told to apply to all of them or lose his benefits.
I then asked him to ask them how he is supposed to apply for jobs online for 40 hours a week if he has interviews several miles away? He was told that his money will stop if he attends an interview because he will not be applying online.
It gets better. He asked them why he couldn’t simply knock on factory doors and ask if there is any work? He explained that surely there would be more chance of finding a job this way? He was again told that his money would stop as it has to be done online.
Apparently he has a reference number that he puts on the jobcentre website so they can keep track of his pointless week.
Pimpdaddy:
Yeah, what he/she said…^^^^^^^^^^
Least likely person I expected to reply with that. 
Unfortunately Kemaro you’ve come across a typical non-job. Incredibly vague although I’m amazed they would have it on just to come back and say its been filled… only reason I can think of is that you aren’t quite in their catchment area - but then didn’t they discuss how far you’d be prepared to travel and such? Baffled by the whole point behind that ad if they’re turning you away - unless there’s other undisclosed reasons obviously. Never heard of Proactive Personnel to be honest.
Winseer, you’re right on most parts, however the 6 points is just an insurance thing. I don’t think I’ve come across any agencies that stress clean licences only and offered the same in turn to clients. Not saying it’s not plausible although it does severely restrict the volume of drivers you will attract. On a long term model however, if you built a reputation on it… Hell, thought about running an agency yourself?
There are some firms that still advertise in the local paper. When I was in Chelmsford, Menzies were advertising every week for part time / casual drivers in the Chronicle and there were others knocking around from time to time. For the sake of £1 a week, it’s not something to be completely disregarded imo.
truckman20:
how many other drivers have looked at the jobcentre website and other sites looking for a full time job only to see nothing but agencies all the way down
It’s been like that for months if not years,it appears to be the norm.
with reference to only agency jobs on job centre site, we have a job advertised both on there and on here and still getting no replys, thought there was a shortage of full time driving jobs
Sidevalve:
Winseer:
kemaro:
This job was on the website for my area so I thought I would ring to enquire as I know the area & know there’s not many places , if any doing store deliveries based down this way, they wouldn’t give me any info just wanted me to send in cv & put me down as available , available for what I asked , if anything comes up in my area she said , but I thought you had q job here , that’s what’s being advertised, guess what, those positions have been filled … yeah right …HGV 2 Drivers
Job description
We are currently looking for HGV 2 Drivers to work for our prestigious client; Monday — Friday on Days. Duties will include store deliveries and some manual handling will be required.Rate of pay is £8 per hour with possible overtime.
The successful applicant must have a digi card and no more than 6 points on licence.
Please contact Tasmin or Charles on 01244 222000 for an immediate interview or email CV to Tasmin.turner @ proactivepersonnel.net or   charles.wood @ proactivepersonnel.net
I’ve helpfully highlighted those aspects that are at fault with such adverts as these.
You might find fault with eight quid an hour round your way Winseer but that’s considered reasonable money down here in west Wales.
And if you can’t hack manual handling you’re in the wrong trade.
I thought Manual Handling referred to “Handball” rather than a manual gearbox…? 
trubster:
Sidevalve:
Winseer:
kemaro:
This job was on the website for my area so I thought I would ring to enquire as I know the area & know there’s not many places , if any doing store deliveries based down this way, they wouldn’t give me any info just wanted me to send in cv & put me down as available , available for what I asked , if anything comes up in my area she said , but I thought you had q job here , that’s what’s being advertised, guess what, those positions have been filled … yeah right …HGV 2 Drivers
Job description
We are currently looking for HGV 2 Drivers to work for our prestigious client; Monday — Friday on Days. Duties will include store deliveries and some manual handling will be required.Rate of pay is £8 per hour with possible overtime.
The successful applicant must have a digi card and no more than 6 points on licence.
Please contact Tasmin or Charles on 01244 222000 for an immediate interview or email CV to Tasmin.turner @ proactivepersonnel.net or   charles.wood @ proactivepersonnel.net
I’ve helpfully highlighted those aspects that are at fault with such adverts as these.
You might find fault with eight quid an hour round your way Winseer but that’s considered reasonable money down here in west Wales.
Average wage in the midlands for Class 1 is £10.25, Overtime after 8 @ 1.5x, x1.5 on Sat and double bubble sundays.Its amazing how the same job pays different rates all over the place… I was chatting to someone who said he was on a great rate and brought home £500 every week… 2 weeks ago I set my record, 77.25 hours at £1125ish, he spat his coffee out
Sidevalve:
And if you can’t hack manual handling you’re in the wrong trade.The heaviest thing I have to handle all day at work is the landing leg handle… Not all jobs are manual handling
Blimus! That’s better than what I get! - Must be the “golden triangle” effect, or something to do with a real and present shortage of drivers in that part of the world.
kemaro:
This job was on the website for my area so I thought I would ring to enquire as I know the area & know there’s not many places , if any doing store deliveries based down this way, they wouldn’t give me any info just wanted me to send in cv & put me down as available , available for what I asked , if anything comes up in my area she said , but I thought you had q job here , that’s what’s being advertised, guess what, those positions have been filled … yeah right …HGV 2 Drivers
Job description
We are currently looking for HGV 2 Drivers to work for our prestigious client; Monday — Friday on Days. Duties will include store deliveries and some manual handling will be required.Rate of pay is £8 per hour with possible overtime.
The successful applicant must have a digi card and no more than 6 points on licence.
Please contact Tasmin or Charles on 01244 222000 for an immediate interview or email CV to Tasmin.turner @ proactivepersonnel.net or   charles.wood @ proactivepersonnel.net
Apparently the job went in two days mate. I was told it was a job that delivered "heavy stuff like, heavy items that needed lifting ". Double manned as well by all accounts. £8 is a good rate class 2 west wales area btw.
…and yet the government conveniently claims that there are X amount of thousand of vacant driving jobs in the UK because they’re all on their jobcentre website, so they surely must exist.
We all know that if there are 50 agency jobs on the jobcentre website, there is at best one job in real life, however my own experience used to be that nothing an agency posted was remotely connected to an actual job, but rather an “example” of what “could” be available if you “register” with him.
The best of it is that the government and EU at large use this sort of imaginary job surplus as their basis for wanting to open the door to non-EU drivers such as Filipino’s, as was documented a while back on here with regards the Swedish/German company on Latvian plates with Filipino drivers doing ferry trailers in Sweden etc.
Somebody did link to an EU proposal to make the labour market open to Filipino (and others) drivers more widespread due to the chronic driver shortage that apparently exists in Europe.