Hi Guys,
I know this is very general, but can everyone give a little interview advice:
- The sorts of questions asked
- What they expect you to know
- Do they take you out on a drive:
3i. Do you have to do walk round checks first
3ii. How long is drive
3iii. Will they explain lorry controls to you
3iv. Will they ask you to reverse into a bay
- How do you dress, suit and tie, or casual
- Just anything that you think would help someone who hasn’t gone through it.
Cheers,
Jason
This has been done many times try the search engine
But dress as you would like to
Sometimes they will take out on an assessment drive this is not a test but to see if you are safe to drive ( would you let someone that you dont know out in 1 ) they will prob ask you to do a reverse exercise but if not long passed tell them
Hi Animal,
Thanks again for the reply.
I assumed it would have been covered many times over, so the first thing I did was to search the forum, but just for the word “interview”, which just returned a thread about a tipper interview.
I’ll try again, I must have done something wrong.
Cheers,
Jay
Take your digi card, licence , dqc, as there probably will be an assesment drive, if your not sure on the vehicle just ask, if youre only used to manual dont worry about auto its a doddle, you probably wont do vehicle checks as there will probably half a dozen turn up doing the same , but then again you might , wear what you like, the drive will be a mile or two, try to do more listening than talking, most of all be prepared to watch guys who already have a job get the job . i went to an interview two days ago there were 5 of us, the other 4 already had jobs. and i didnt get it. good luck.
Hi Trotsky,
Great reply, thanks for that. Not driven lgv before, so fresh start for me, and not working at the mo, so need to get a job quick.
The trick is to be relaxed, which is hard to do with no sleep the night before.
Research the employer on Google to quote facts and figures, this shows an interest.
Take smart casual clothing, and Ppe such as gloves to check over the vehicle on a pre trip safety check.
They will show you the controls if not sure.
Some vehicles do not have oil dipsticks, they may be electronic on the dashboard.
On the road trip, go over the top with mirror checks.
Check the tyres, oil, water, horn, wipers and screen wash,all lights, ask him to stand behind the vehicle to check the brake lights, air pressure,air leaks,then ask if it is taxed and the O licence is valid.
Hi Toby,
Cracking reply, cheers for that mate, loved it.
Cheers,
Jay
Some companies such as ours get everything ready so there’s no checks to be done it’s purely a drive with a couple of reverse’s and then some of the usual highway code & drivers hours questions, if this all goes well then it’s an interview after.
It’s perfectly normal to turn up in smart jeans, polo shirt, fleece if it’s cold, hi-vis and safety boots, oh bring your gloves too.
Excellent reply Bald bloke, that was really useful.
Thanks for that.
I really appreciate all these replies, thank you.
Jay
Mine was dressed in clean jeans. Coat covers your top clothing anyway.
Get a form to fill out about hours and driving which is a tick box exercise.
Left alone to fill the form in. Get your mobile set to drivers hours page if your not sure.
Write some drivers hours on your hand of your going to be asked something.
Go for a drive similar to your test but more relaxed.
Be courteous polite to who ever drives you.
Fill in more forms and have a small site induction on health and safety.
That’s it usually good luck hun
Cheers ■■■■■■,
Yet another great reply.
This is the sort of advice I need.
And thanks for the good wishes.
Jay
Smart casual , clean, hair cut ,tidy appearance .
take two copies of cv , one for you the other for them, high vis gloves steel toe boots …clean.
study the company history, & know what there are about.
Revise your tacho & wtd hours.
Think what questions you want to ask them write them down & take with you, but also have answers ready for what they might ask you.
Different companies have different ways of interviewing although they will all want you to do vehicle checks & drive .
Do check your vehicle first, thats saftey & common sense!
The drive isnt usually too long , they will want to see that you are safe driving it !
be honest if you aren’t you Will get caught out at a later date!
You know the vehicle controls, if unsure ask & explain you haven’t long passed your test.
They may or not ask you to reverse into a bay.
Articulated couple & uncouple.
Take your driving licence plastic & paper part, & your dcpc , digi tacho card & use it on your drive, anything else that may be relevant,
Make sure you know how to fill in & use a paper tacho, they may take you out in an older vehicle to see how you get on. There are still a number of vehicles out there with analogue tachographs in them.
If they do a tachograph rules test, the questions may be like this :
How many times per week can you drive for ten hours ?
-How many reduced rests of nine hours per week ?
When does the tachograph week begin and end, that’s Sunday 23.59 ends, begins 00.01 Monday am.
A split rest is three hours with the mode switch on bed mode,you can do this everyday.
How many hours driving per fortnight,it is 54 in one week , then the next week must 36 hours, it is 90 hours per two weeks.
Some tachos add two minutes when stopped in congestion.
A kitchen cooker timer is ideal to record driving time, they cost about a tenner.
If you need 11 hours off daily rest, you can only be on duty for 13 hours as it all as to fit in to a 24 hour period.
As soon as you go over work of 13 hours, the daily rest is now only a reduced rest of 9 hours.
Even if it was 13 hours and one minute.
Three times a week, you can do 15 hour shifts, but the driver decides, not a traffic clerk planner to make their lorries earn more.
Recording work times on the record book, the start and end times must match up with the tacho times.
For example, you log start time at 09.00, but the tacho goes in at 09.45, you must explain the missing time, the firm told you start at 09.00 but your wagon was late from a night trunk or in their workshop.
Manual entry on digi,on analogue,write on the back of the disc in the columns.
Morning guys,
Thanks so much for these replies, they are excellent, just the sort of things I’m looking for, and I’m sure other people are too.
Very comprehensive.
I’m making notes from all these replies, so hopefully I will go in well prepared, so then it’s just down to my personality. So I’m screwed basically. Lol.
Thanks again guys.
Jay
A good mouth wash for oral hygeine and deodorant , as first impressions go a long way.
A firm handshake and look them in the eye to show confidence.
Body language, no slouching shoulders or fiddling the hands.
Got an interview for a transporter job coming up, obviously the job won’t involve reversing onto bays, so anything else I should brace myself for on the interview?
tommyboy1289:
Got an interview for a transporter job coming up, obviously the job won’t involve reversing onto bays, so anything else I should brace myself for on the interview?
Watch out for the front overhang protruding when you turn , you may catch bay windows, street furniture ( signs) lamposts etc. You may not back onto bays , but you probably will have some tight places to get into, either by reverse or whatever.
toby1234abc:
A good mouth wash for oral hygeine and deodorant , as first impressions go a long way.
A firm handshake and look them in the eye to show confidence.
Body language, no slouching shoulders or fiddling the hands.
Don’t forget also to wash the car, sounds daft but if you turn up with a nice clean car it gives the boss the impression you might look after his wagon too.