Bit of honest advise please

[n_i_express]

Luckily you are still young and have lots of time to make a career change . Having been promoted to manager and by your own admission being successfull at it , are you able to identify the issues of being a manager which you dislike ? Apart from discussing with your wife and on this forum , have you discussed with anyone else ?. As a manager I thought you would be more in control of your life and not stuck in a cab four nights a week for low pay and long hours . I would list what you dislike on a sheet of paper and assess what action could you taken to over these dislikes .

Good luck with whatever decision you make - in todays job market I would make every effort to make the most of my existing role

[rachace]

N.I Express:
Luckily you are still young and have lots of time to make a career change . Having been promoted to manager and by your own admission being successfull at it , are you able to identify the issues of being a manager which you dislike ? Apart from discussing with your wife and on this forum , have you discussed with anyone else ?. As a manager I thought you would be more in control of your life and not stuck in a cab four nights a week for low pay and long hours . I would list what you dislike on a sheet of paper and assess what action could you taken to over these dislikes .

Good luck with whatever decision you make - in todays job market I would make every effort to make the most of my existing role

Thanks for the reply.

I can list all the issues of being a manager I dislike and unfortunately all the issues are pretty much what is expected of a manager, the role itself is the issue. I have given it my best shot and I still miss my HGV job even though it paid around £300 a month less money. I am hoping by doing my class 1 and ADR it will reduce the amount I will lose each month and in turn give me the job I want.

With regards being in control of more of your life, yes you have a point but I do take alot of the role home with me as I am dealing with people. When I was a driver, i’d woek early mornings and long hours but at least when I was done I had no work related issues to take home.

[harry_monk]

Fair play, I wouldn’t want to be desk-bound or to manage other people, I just like being left alone and leaving others alone. I have said many times on here before that I have turned down better-paying jobs because I would be unhappy doing them and that will remain my philosophy until the day I retire.

[happydaze]

Harry Monk:
Fair play, I wouldn’t want to be desk-bound or to manage other people, I just like being left alone and leaving others alone. I have said many times on here before that I have turned down better-paying jobs because I would be unhappy doing them and that will remain my philosophy until the day I retire.

Well said.

[ady1]

RACHACE:
Hi all.

I’m new to the forum and I’m seeking a bit of advice from those that know the industry best.

I’m 30, had my class 2 licence for near 5 years, the plan was to have my class 1 & ADR by now but 2 years ago I was offered a job a Warehouse & Transport Manager for a small company that I was a class 2 driver for.

I loved my job on the road, I was driving all over the country doing the odd night out and getting paid overtime for doing over 40 hours per week. Probably averaged a 54 hour week every week with no more than 1 night out per week. However, I took a chance at the Management side of the game with the thought that I will always have my HGV licence to fall back on should I not enjoy it. Within 2 months I wanted my old job back but I was told that I couldn’t have my old job back, I was gutted but the feeling between me and my missus was that maybe I haven’t given the Management side a real go so I enrolled at night school to study leadership & management in order to enhance my understanding of the role and in turn help me become a better manager.

It worked and I have been doing the job for 18 months now, however I quite simply hate my job, I don’t enjoy it one bit although I am quite decent at it. I earn just less than 25k per year, I am doing 10-12 hour shifts every day as due to the recession I am not allowed any extra staff.

I want to get back out on the road and get back to my original goal which was to get my class 1 and ADR, working away 4-5 nights isn’t a problem and 60 hour weeks don’t phase me one bit. I enjoyed my job on the road which is more than I can say for the job I now do. However, I had an interview on Friday for a company called Sims Worldwide, the interview went great, they do class 1 work all over the UK and in europe. The drivers that do Europe can earn some very decent wages and this would be where I would want to end up, the MD said that if I was a good driver and reliable he see’s no problem with me ening uo doing some of the european runs for him and they would pay for my HGV class 1 and ADR training in order to fulfill my ambitions.

As I don’t have a class 1 yet the job I would be doing initially would be class 2 palletforce type work, local drops and collections. I have no problem with this in priciple but the wage that was offered was £6.18 per hour with no overtime rate which really ■■■■■■ on my fire as I felt that the interview went really well and that eventually the company could offer me the job that I want.

Gutted really, it’s knocked me back a bit as I can’t do a job that I hate much longer, but I also cant work for such awful wages (unless out of work of course).

Can I in your opinion get a job on class 1 earning me around 25k per year, I am willing to do nights out, anti social shifts, weekends etc etc. I have the cash ready to fund my own class 1 and ADR but I am not willing to part with the cash in order to earn peanuts. I am aware that long hours are required in order to take home a reasonable crust and that broken down no driving job is considered well paid, but £6.18 per hour■■? That’s not right.

Any comments appriciated.
Cheers

yes ,and you dont need to be tramper to earn it,you can earn more than 25k on days,but youll need to work plenty of hours,o/t ,w/ends ,early starts, if your hourly rate is low,£6/7 p.h you most likely will also need some bonuses on top of it ,but yes you can achieve 25k +
okyour attitude also makes me think youll earn it as your prepared to stick the hours in,if you had said i only want to work mon-fri 40 hrs ,no i dont think youd earn it unless you dropped into a really good number,but there not easy to get

[rachace]

Thanks for all the comments, I’m going to go into work tomorrow with the view that I am going to focus more on becoming a HGV driver again, will get my class 1 and ADR over the next 2-3 months and really step up the search for a reasonably paid job.

In the meantime I still have a job so no need to take such a decrease in wages as £6.18ph is the lowest paid HGV job I have ever seen (even for class 2 standards).

Thanks again and hopefully I can post on here in a few months that I’m working 60 hours per week for a reasonable weekly wage but in a job that I actually enjoy doing.

[happydaze]

RACHACE:
Thanks for all the comments, I’m going to go into work tomorrow with the view that I am going to focus more on becoming a HGV driver again, will get my class 1 and ADR over the next 2-3 months and really step up the search for a reasonably paid job.

In the meantime I still have a job so no need to take such a decrease in wages as £6.18ph is the lowest paid HGV job I have ever seen (even for class 2 standards).

Thanks again and hopefully I can post on here in a few months that I’m working 60 hours per week for a reasonable weekly wage but in a job that I actually enjoy doing.

Good on ya, it’s the right way to approach it I think. All the best with the training!

[waynedl]

RACHACE:
Thanks for all the comments, I’m going to go into work tomorrow with the view that I am going to focus more on becoming a HGV driver again, will get my class 1 and ADR over the next 2-3 months and really step up the search for a reasonably paid job.

In the meantime I still have a job so no need to take such a decrease in wages as £6.18ph is the lowest paid HGV job I have ever seen (even for class 2 standards).

Thanks again and hopefully I can post on here in a few months that I’m working 60 hours per week for a reasonable weekly wage but in a job that I actually enjoy doing.

Judging by the fact you mentioned Sims Worldwide, I’m guessing you’re around Stockport?

I did my ADR with JMD Training and was trained by our own Diesel Dave and the price was reasonable. You can also pay a little extra to have it count towards your dCPC (I think upto 21hrs?)

Good luck

[newmercman]

If you want to be an artic driver, then do it, that’s the only way to know for sure if it is what you really want

You have to be prepared to work long hours for little return, that’s the way it is in this game, even the best paid jobs pay crap money if you work out the hours you put in, but many of us are happy with what we bring home and we like what we do enough to put up with all the downsides

Look at it this way, there’s a big long list of reasons why any sane person would never want to be a lorry driver, but in my opinion the short list of reasons to be a lorry driver overcome them, so I’m happy with things

[44_tonne_ton]

I’m really glad you’ve decided to give that shower of bandits who promised you all sorts a miss, they were just pulling your chain mate!

[trux]

RACHACE:
Thanks for all the comments, I’m going to go into work tomorrow with the view that I am going to focus more on becoming a HGV driver again, will get my class 1 and ADR over the next 2-3 months and really step up the search for a reasonably paid job.

In the meantime I still have a job so no need to take such a decrease in wages as £6.18ph is the lowest paid HGV job I have ever seen (even for class 2 standards).

Thanks again and hopefully I can post on here in a few months that I’m working 60 hours per week for a reasonable weekly wage but in a job that I actually enjoy doing.

imo , best way forward chap,
keep feet solid on the ground - Stay put a while where you are and get your training and tests done.
You can work your training around your current job , even if it means taking a week/fortnights hols for your class 1/ADR .
That way , if you do it off your own back - your still earning and not beholding to an employer.
Whereas -
if they fund you, they possibly might try to put a holding employment term clause in or make you pay it back pro-rata should you leave.

Use it to your advantage … and theirs - when the time comes
.
.
.

Postby mickyblue » Sun May 20, 2012 5:42 pm
Wheres my Bull…
I’ve lost my pet, has anyone found it yet?

Get back in ya box you

[robinhood_1984]

Harry Monk:
You’d be lucky to earn £25k a year, most Class 1 drivers rely heavily on night-out money to make the bottom line half decent.

Exactly.

I think this company he went for an interview with may also be tempting him with a false carrot. Promises of big money and trips to Europe to get him in to a minimum wage, highly stressed multi-drop job that no one wants or at the very least, very few stick at. Who’s to say that once they get him behind the wheel of a rigid, that they will honour their word and not just keep him in a hard to fill job? It certainly wouldn’t be the first time I’ve seen that happen.

[cookieees]

robinhood_1984:
I think this company he went for an interview with may also be tempting him with a false carrot. Promises of big money and trips to Europe to get him in to a minimum wage, highly stressed multi-drop job that no one wants or at the very least, very few stick at. Who’s to say that once they get him behind the wheel of a rigid, that they will honour their word and not just keep him in a hard to fill job? It certainly wouldn’t be the first time I’ve seen that happen.

^^^ what he said.
+1

That there’s the voice of reason

[carryfast]

COOKiEEES!!:

robinhood_1984:
I think this company he went for an interview with may also be tempting him with a false carrot. Promises of big money and trips to Europe to get him in to a minimum wage, highly stressed multi-drop job that no one wants or at the very least, very few stick at. Who’s to say that once they get him behind the wheel of a rigid, that they will honour their word and not just keep him in a hard to fill job? It certainly wouldn’t be the first time I’ve seen that happen.

^^^ what he said.
+1

That there’s the voice of reason

I think that just confirms a lot of what I’ve said in the past about the issue of don’t get taken in by all the start at the bottom bs because doing that is more likely to result in exactly that type of scenario than any ‘step on any so called ladder’.If the price of getting the exact job you want,is having to take one that you’re not looking for,let alone one that no one would want if they can possibly avoid it,then it generally isn’t worth the bother of taking that chance.

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=85098&start=120#p1186364

[ady1]

RACHACE:
Hi all.

I’m new to the forum and I’m seeking a bit of advice from those that know the industry best.

I’m 30, had my class 2 licence for near 5 years, the plan was to have my class 1 & ADR by now but 2 years ago I was offered a job a Warehouse & Transport Manager for a small company that I was a class 2 driver for.

I loved my job on the road, I was driving all over the country doing the odd night out and getting paid overtime for doing over 40 hours per week. Probably averaged a 54 hour week every week with no more than 1 night out per week. However, I took a chance at the Management side of the game with the thought that I will always have my HGV licence to fall back on should I not enjoy it. Within 2 months I wanted my old job back but I was told that I couldn’t have my old job back, I was gutted but the feeling between me and my missus was that maybe I haven’t given the Management side a real go so I enrolled at night school to study leadership & management in order to enhance my understanding of the role and in turn help me become a better manager.

It worked and I have been doing the job for 18 months now, however I quite simply hate my job, I don’t enjoy it one bit although I am quite decent at it. I earn just less than 25k per year, I am doing 10-12 hour shifts every day as due to the recession I am not allowed any extra staff.

I want to get back out on the road and get back to my original goal which was to get my class 1 and ADR, working away 4-5 nights isn’t a problem and 60 hour weeks don’t phase me one bit. I enjoyed my job on the road which is more than I can say for the job I now do. However, I had an interview on Friday for a company called Sims Worldwide, the interview went great, they do class 1 work all over the UK and in europe. The drivers that do Europe can earn some very decent wages and this would be where I would want to end up, the MD said that if I was a good driver and reliable he see’s no problem with me ening uo doing some of the european runs for him and they would pay for my HGV class 1 and ADR training in order to fulfill my ambitions.

As I don’t have a class 1 yet the job I would be doing initially would be class 2 palletforce type work, local drops and collections. I have no problem with this in priciple but the wage that was offered was £6.18 per hour with no overtime rate which really ■■■■■■ on my fire as I felt that the interview went really well and that eventually the company could offer me the job that I want.

Gutted really, it’s knocked me back a bit as I can’t do a job that I hate much longer, but I also cant work for such awful wages (unless out of work of course).

Can I in your opinion get a job on class 1 earning me around 25k per year, I am willing to do nights out, anti social shifts, weekends etc etc. I have the cash ready to fund my own class 1 and ADR but I am not willing to part with the cash in order to earn peanuts. I am aware that long hours are required in order to take home a reasonable crust and that broken down no driving job is considered well paid, but £6.18 per hour■■? That’s not right.

Any comments appriciated.
Cheers

one word of warning though,have a serious think to as too whether you really do want to do w/end work before offer to do it,once youre on it ,it can be a nightmare to get off it,ive been trying to get off it,or only do sunday and have saturday off and im really struggling,they keep saying your the next one but its not happening,loads of hours,early starts fair enough,but have a serious think before you put your name forward for w/ends

[mickyblue]

ady1:

RACHACE:
Hi all.

I’m new to the forum and I’m seeking a bit of advice from those that know the industry best.

I’m 30, had my class 2 licence for near 5 years, the plan was to have my class 1 & ADR by now but 2 years ago I was offered a job a Warehouse & Transport Manager for a small company that I was a class 2 driver for.

I loved my job on the road, I was driving all over the country doing the odd night out and getting paid overtime for doing over 40 hours per week. Probably averaged a 54 hour week every week with no more than 1 night out per week. However, I took a chance at the Management side of the game with the thought that I will always have my HGV licence to fall back on should I not enjoy it. Within 2 months I wanted my old job back but I was told that I couldn’t have my old job back, I was gutted but the feeling between me and my missus was that maybe I haven’t given the Management side a real go so I enrolled at night school to study leadership & management in order to enhance my understanding of the role and in turn help me become a better manager.

It worked and I have been doing the job for 18 months now, however I quite simply hate my job, I don’t enjoy it one bit although I am quite decent at it. I earn just less than 25k per year, I am doing 10-12 hour shifts every day as due to the recession I am not allowed any extra staff.

I want to get back out on the road and get back to my original goal which was to get my class 1 and ADR, working away 4-5 nights isn’t a problem and 60 hour weeks don’t phase me one bit. I enjoyed my job on the road which is more than I can say for the job I now do. However, I had an interview on Friday for a company called Sims Worldwide, the interview went great, they do class 1 work all over the UK and in europe. The drivers that do Europe can earn some very decent wages and this would be where I would want to end up, the MD said that if I was a good driver and reliable he see’s no problem with me ening uo doing some of the european runs for him and they would pay for my HGV class 1 and ADR training in order to fulfill my ambitions.

As I don’t have a class 1 yet the job I would be doing initially would be class 2 palletforce type work, local drops and collections. I have no problem with this in priciple but the wage that was offered was £6.18 per hour with no overtime rate which really ■■■■■■ on my fire as I felt that the interview went really well and that eventually the company could offer me the job that I want.

Gutted really, it’s knocked me back a bit as I can’t do a job that I hate much longer, but I also cant work for such awful wages (unless out of work of course).

Can I in your opinion get a job on class 1 earning me around 25k per year, I am willing to do nights out, anti social shifts, weekends etc etc. I have the cash ready to fund my own class 1 and ADR but I am not willing to part with the cash in order to earn peanuts. I am aware that long hours are required in order to take home a reasonable crust and that broken down no driving job is considered well paid, but £6.18 per hour■■? That’s not right.

Any comments appriciated.
Cheers

one word of warning though,have a serious think to as too whether you really do want to do w/end work before offer to do it,once youre on it ,it can be a nightmare to get off it,ive been trying to get off it,or only do sunday and have saturday off and im really struggling,they keep saying your the next one but its not happening,loads of hours,early starts fair enough,but have a serious think before you put your name forward for w/ends

I always thought City link was Monday to Friday

[tonys]

I always thought City link was Monday to Friday

While you and monobollock do provide a certain amount of occasional comic relief on this forum, I’m confused as to how you are qualified to offer a comment in this situation.

And to the OP - any employer who can get a body at £6ish an hour for rigid work is going to be a long time offering him a way out of that. Sadly, it’s a buyer’s market, and looks likely to stay that way for a good bit longer.