Hi guys and girls,
I passed my c+e the beginning of october this year and although i had many contacts in the haulage industry i approached a couple of companies local to me. The first company said no straight away as it was 2 yrs past your test before insurance company would accept me, second one said send me your licence and will see what we can do, after a few weeks of hearing nothing i approached another and was out driving that same night with another driver to get some experience…result!!!
That first run out and doing some driving in the ‘real’ world was a huge eye opener to me, i really thought i was ready with pass certificate in hand to venture out on my own, boy was i dreaming, quickly having to swap trailers, where you take and recieve paperwork,dealing with security at the gates not to mention finding the places to start with, mad car drivers, white van men,where to get cup of tea the list goes on and on !!! maybe there are some who can but i was not one of them!! Since that first drive i have consistantly been out with the lads and have done a few trips on my own since, the pay might not be fantastic but the experience i am gaining is invaluable to me so much so i would rather stick with the guy who gave me a step on the ladder than look elsewhere at the moment.
I know i have been really lucky to be given this chance but if i could pass on my experience of getting that first step on the ladder is ask local companies if they would consider adding you to the insurance for a time and sending you out with one of their lads for a small wage you never know what it can lead onto.
Good luck to all looking for driving jobs after just passing their test and dont give up! 
Great posting and yet another example of how perseverance pays off. Of course companies would prefer people with experience but if they all stood adamantly by that nobody would ever get their 1st chance.
It is about making yourself as employable as possible. Some will ask for a CV so have one prepared. Be as flexible as possible with regards to when you are available. When you do get the chance to talk to the decision maker in a company sound as if you really want to work for that company.
I still think having a few business cards printed is worthwhile as it gives them an easy way to contact you when they really get stuck. You can get 250 printed FREE at vistaprint.co.uk
Of course you want a job to make money not spend even more, but where you can, try to gain as many other relevant qualifications as possible to increase the range of jobs you can apply for. The most relevant ones are HIAB, ADR, FLT, Cat C+E, and even Operator CPC
In the absense of experience you need to show you are competent. Perhaps invest in drivers hours and tacho CPC module or some of the other more useful ones.
Agencies can help, as many companies use them for temp relief cover. Some just say “2 years or nothing” but others are more helpful and there are a lot of them to try. Be prepared to start with 7.5t driving even if you have a class 1. it will get you through the door.
There are probably more tips and advice about how people found jobs on this board than about any other subject. Take a while reading through them.
Excellent advice here. Nothing else to add from me! 
Thanks guys! 