I’ve had 2 different class 1 jobs this week with different agencies. The agencies, and the clients, knew I was a recent test pass (July 7th, in fact the 1st run was offered on the same day my new licence came back from dvla), my newness did not appear to present a problem, in fact the clients went out of their way to help and advise.
I must admit, this was the first work I have been offered since signing up with agencies in March 2012 but I have found that, once you start and do a good job, the agencies keep pestering for your availabilty…its nice to get good, positive feedback from the client as well!
Tazbug:
I must admit, this was the first work I have been offered since signing up with agencies in March 2012 but I have found that, once you start and do a good job, the agencies keep pestering for your availabilty…its nice to get good, positive feedback from the client as well!
Tazbug
I agree with the attached quote as once I registered with a couple of agencies things changed, firstly the first agency contacted me twice in 12 months for part time class C work. Second agency I have worked for a couple of times and had very positive feed back from the client. They now pester me on a regular basis to see if I’m available, but as yet I’ve only done class C for them. Although they did phone on Saturday morning at 07.30 to see if I could do a class C+E for them, had other plans so could not help.
Things are changing for me as I’ve now put my notice to my present employer and will be driving an artic over to France on Monday so the agency might view me in a different light, fingers crossed.
You just have to stay positive and keep the faith.
I drive milk tankers have been for a few weeks now its nights an shift work its great fun once u get the feel of the way it handles with a tank, only need passed my test a few months an its my first artic job ,there are a few companies out there willing to give newbies a chance , i have applied for jobs on days now im in full time employment an still get the 2 year bull.
Lie, its difficult to get away with it on your first job but after that its easy. I’ve had 3 driving jobs, not one of them has ever called the last for a reference!
I started with the same problem when I signed up with Addecco on the centre in Bristol when i lived there. Take anything they offer you, just to give them visibilty of your work ethics.
It’s a lot of ‘right time, right place’ and you can get some great jobs to really boost your experience. You’re quite luckey around there as you have loads of RDC’s within an hour of you, including the 3 over the bridge. If you can hang onto things until the run up to Christmas the supermarkets will run you to max hours.
I found the work out of Exel Yate and Wincanton at Warmley and the others was a doddle. Far better than general haulage where you don’t know what you are going to have to do.
If you get offered a shift shunting the depot as no one else will do it, take it ! One 12 hour shift going round in circles at Yate RDC and you will never have any problems getting into tight spaces !
Wermy:
I started with the same problem when I signed up with Addecco on the centre in Bristol when i lived there. Take anything they offer you, just to give them visibilty of your work ethics.
It’s a lot of ‘right time, right place’ and you can get some great jobs to really boost your experience. You’re quite luckey around there as you have loads of RDC’s within an hour of you, including the 3 over the bridge. If you can hang onto things until the run up to Christmas the supermarkets will run you to max hours.
I found the work out of Exel Yate and Wincanton at Warmley and the others was a doddle. Far better than general haulage where you don’t know what you are going to have to do.
If you get offered a shift shunting the depot as no one else will do it, take it ! One 12 hour shift going round in circles at Yate RDC and you will never have any problems getting into tight spaces !
Thank you Wermy for your inspiration. Bristol does have quite a lot of HGV work about at the moment. I live in Knowle West so for jobs I put a 30 mile radius in my search results. All I’m after right now is the experience and with the help you guys have given me I feel I will be in work in know time at all.
Again thank you guys for your help its really appreciated
…Just a thought here, try looking at ‘Jobrapido’ on the interwebnet. I registered with them and uploaded my CV. Now, every 2-3 days, I get an email with details of C+E vacancies within a 30 mile radius of my home. All I have to do is click on the vacancy and if it looks good I apply and send my CV from the Jobrapido site with a pre-made covering letter (also stored).
So far I have had 2 agencies come back to me and have had class 1 runs with both of them (got another one tonight up to Burton on Trent from Chard!)
Thanks Taz, I have already done that on jobisjob and other agencies and have a few come back at me, however they ask for experience and tell me to pop back and apply when I have 2 years worth. I had a women contact me today who wants me to sign with them on Monday and is sending me for an induction on Tuesday, if I pass on Wednesday I will be driving, I know its only skip lorries but experience is experience and I’ll do anything to get ahead
Tazbug:
I must admit, this was the first work I have been offered since signing up with agencies in March 2012 but I have found that, once you start and do a good job, the agencies keep pestering for your availabilty…its nice to get good, positive feedback from the client as well!
Tazbug
I agree with the attached quote as once I registered with a couple of agencies things changed, firstly the first agency contacted me twice in 12 months for part time class C work. Second agency I have worked for a couple of times and had very positive feed back from the client. They now pester me on a regular basis to see if I’m available, but as yet I’ve only done class C for them. Although they did phone on Saturday morning at 07.30 to see if I could do a class C+E for them, had other plans so could not help.
Things are changing for me as I’ve now put my notice to my present employer and will be driving an artic over to France on Monday so the agency might view me in a different light, fingers crossed.
You just have to stay positive and keep the faith.
Just when things seem to be going OK you get a side swipe. Well mine has come in the shape of another C+E job offer from a local haulage/ builder this afternoon. He has said the job is mine if I want it but on Monday coming I will be starting with a new firm with whom I went to France last week.
My experience of C+E was gained last week driving both here and in France since I passed at the end of March so if you fit the bill the 2 year thing seems to go out the window. As has been said it pays to have a little bit of luck and be in the right place at the right time.
Tazbug:
I must admit, this was the first work I have been offered since signing up with agencies in March 2012 but I have found that, once you start and do a good job, the agencies keep pestering for your availabilty…its nice to get good, positive feedback from the client as well!
Tazbug
I agree with the attached quote as once I registered with a couple of agencies things changed, firstly the first agency contacted me twice in 12 months for part time class C work. Second agency I have worked for a couple of times and had very positive feed back from the client. They now pester me on a regular basis to see if I’m available, but as yet I’ve only done class C for them. Although they did phone on Saturday morning at 07.30 to see if I could do a class C+E for them, had other plans so could not help.
Things are changing for me as I’ve now put my notice to my present employer and will be driving an artic over to France on Monday so the agency might view me in a different light, fingers crossed.
You just have to stay positive and keep the faith.
Just when things seem to be going OK you get a side swipe. Well mine has come in the shape of another C+E job offer from a local haulage/ builder this afternoon. He has said the job is mine if I want it but on Monday coming I will be starting with a new firm with whom I went to France last week.
My experience of C+E was gained last week driving both here and in France since I passed at the end of March so if you fit the bill the 2 year thing seems to go out the window. As has been said it pays to have a little bit of luck and be in the right place at the right time.
kvin:
I’m sure you can find some crap jobs out there…
As for doing other stuff. This week driving milk tankers, 2.30 am start in Somerset, up to London with 27000 litres and unload, up to Chelmsford empty and pick up 24000 litres of cream, back to Wiltshire, swap trailers then back to Somerset. 550 ks, 9 hours driving, 12 to 15 hours shift depending on traffic and delays. £85 for 12 hours then £10 an hour after that. Stick in an hours drive to work and an hour back and its a hard day, doing it five days in a row is quite tiring. Option 2 (which I had last week), was delivering furniture foam in a sprinter van. 5 drops, start at 9am finish at 2.30 with a half hour lunch break. £85 for the shift.
Your starter for ten. I want to be a driver and drive artics, but which job do I do… (Yeah ok so I pitched for the milk job. Why oh why. Do I need my head examining, is the kick of driving a big truck worth this sort of grief).
Sprinter job every time.
Driving a wagon is nothing special…go where the money is matey.
best way mate get your cv in your hand and take it to the agencies,when your there they cant be like how they are on the phone your not easy to get rid of couse your there.speaking face to face is much better then phoning them,try to register as many as you can couse after october it will be so busy they will need lots of drivers,you will get lots of shifts.
