I live in the North West, nr Preston. 15 years ago I could fall out of 1 job (class 1) and straight into another, I could send my CV to various haulage/transport companies,and 80% of which I would get some sort of reply and a number of interviews, I now have sent my CV out, with clean license 20 yrs experience class 1 driving/drawbar /fridge work etc, to 50+ companies and I have had 1 letter of refusal, have times changed that bad? With the e-mail/text/facebook/twitter revolution, these days people fear human contact and its to easy to hit the delete button when an e-mail comes through etc. or is it a genuine lack of jobs. or something else? ps I am still looking!
Up in north-east ,its a lack of proper jobs…(occasinal agency does not count as a proper job)
Plenty work out there. Helps if you have a good reputation, experienced, flexible, go the extra mile, etc.
pavaroti:
Plenty work out there. Helps if you have a good reputation, experienced, flexible, go the extra mile, etc.
And a wee bit of ‘who you know’ always helps too.
I have e-mailed my CV to probably 200 companies this week. I have had 1 phone call for a maybe, an one encouraging response from a fellow member on here. Why don’t they answer to say they’ve received it at least? The guy from the agency I’m with, says they delete so many a day without even reading from their inbox!!! We don’t stand a chance. 
i also believe that companies now have so many cv’s and applications that the managers look at the pile and just pick up and chuck them in the bin without even looking. 
jessicas dad:
i also believe that companies now have so many cv’s and applications that the managers look at the pile and just pick up and chuck them in the bin without even looking.
Helps if you have a good name then you don’t have to ask complete strangers for work. 
damoq:
pavaroti:
Plenty work out there. Helps if you have a good reputation, experienced, flexible, go the extra mile, etc.And a wee bit of ‘who you know’ always helps too.
+1 to both
hard part is getting the start to begin building a reputation.
Yep it looks like the times are changing, as for reputation, I only moved up here from Ashby-de-la-Zouch in 2006, but have the experience as passed class 1 in 1992 but driving 7.5ton since 1987.
I will just keep trying!!
also its how your cv is presented/started, i had the same format of cv of the years and didnt get many interviews etc but i paid a professional to do it, they told me most employers read the first few lines and this has to stand out to them. i got my paid cv back sent it off and got an interview straight away, with a job offer to. i have since changed my job 3 times and on each occassion i have always got an interview
Nowt wrong with my CV. I think it’s just the competition down here. 1st come 1st served and all that! 
bigvern1:
I have e-mailed my CV to probably 200 companies this week. I have had 1 phone call for a maybe, an one encouraging response from a fellow member on here. Why don’t they answer to say they’ve received it at least? The guy from the agency I’m with, says they delete so many a day without even reading from their inbox!!! We don’t stand a chance.
This is the modern way, sadly. CVs sent in to firms are no longer routinely replied to…they will only contact the folks they want to talk to.
bigvern1:
Nowt wrong with my CV. I think it’s just the competition down here. 1st come 1st served and all that!
No offence mate but that’s your opinion and you’re biased - get a professional to make it the best it can be.
Don’t send any more CVs. Cold call in person the top 20 firms in your list that you want to work for. Do it on a Thursday or Friday morning, not a Monday as you’ll get chased. Dress smartly, take multiple copies of your newly-professionally fixed CV with you. Get business cards printed with your name, licence details, mobile number and email address on…attach one on the front of each CV you give to firms. Make yourself available for part time or short notice work.
This may sound a lot of crap but it works.
Good luck mate.
pavaroti:
Plenty work out there. Helps if you have a good reputation, experienced, flexible, go the extra mile, etc.
Im all the above,but, like a canny few guys round here,apart from ■■■■■■■■ agency the jobs are short round here
I would recomend that strangley in these days, you should send a letter, after a phone call, or an e mail because, companies get loads of e mails and delete them, get loads of phone calls, may write your details down and then throw away the scrap of paper they write it on, we always keep the letters in a seperate file, so if some thing does come up we can go back to it, we have a very small haulage co, but day to day its chaotic, so a letter is easier to keep on file, however, work is very slow at the minute so i wouldnt take it personally if there isnt a lot about.Just for interest we do general, so we dont care what your writing is like, or your spelling, we would judge you on your attitude to the job and how you look after the gear and treat our customers, i was also told a while back a good ploy, mid way through the interview, pop out and have a look at there car, if they dont look after there own car, they wont look after your truck.
I live in the Preston area and I got my current job by driving round the yards and asking in person.
I did have a few copies of my CV to hand which helped to fill in application forms in on the spot. I wore a clean shirt, fleece and jeans (just in case I got a test drive).
All the General Haulage firms I know in the Preston area still seem to prefer this kind of approach from drivers so it’s worth a try.
My Transport Manager, for example, does the hiring and firing as well. He is just too busy doing his normal job to sit and read emails from potential new recruits. I can’t imagine it’s very different at the other local firms either.
Good luck with the jobhunt,
W
Scannyfanny:
bigvern1:
I have e-mailed my CV to probably 200 companies this week. I have had 1 phone call for a maybe, an one encouraging response from a fellow member on here. Why don’t they answer to say they’ve received it at least? The guy from the agency I’m with, says they delete so many a day without even reading from their inbox!!! We don’t stand a chance.This is the modern way, sadly. CVs sent in to firms are no longer routinely replied to…they will only contact the folks they want to talk to.
bigvern1:
Nowt wrong with my CV. I think it’s just the competition down here. 1st come 1st served and all that!No offence mate but that’s your opinion and you’re biased - get a professional to make it the best it can be.
Don’t send any more CVs. Cold call in person the top 20 firms in your list that you want to work for. Do it on a Thursday or Friday morning, not a Monday as you’ll get chased. Dress smartly, take multiple copies of your newly-professionally fixed CV with you. Get business cards printed with your name, licence details, mobile number and email address on…attach one on the front of each CV you give to firms. Make yourself available for part time or short notice work.
This may sound a lot of crap but it works.
Good luck mate.
Thank you. I have had mine professionally done. I just seem to be in an unemployment blackspot. I’ll have to persevere. Only ever been outta work 3 weeks. I’m heading that way at the mo!
Are driving jobs in the UK so hard to find?? 
I saw 6 (yes six) full-time driving jobs advertised locally to me last Thursday in our local paper, ranging from :-
17 ton distibution driver to 40 ton round trips to Spain work.
Thing’s are picking up this side of the Channel anyway…
All this virtual stuff only goes so far, a CV is like the adverts posted by prospective lovers on the other thread, lots of bullshine hiding the real person, no bugger writes on their CV that they spend all their life moaning, wreck every vehicle they get, get lost if the motorways shut or clout bridges if the truck’s over 13’ 4", steal anything not nailed down and throw sickies every other week.
Dress in smart work clothes and stick your face in the door, be polite and straightforward just as you would be if driving one of the companies trucks and visiting a new customer, you might just happen to attract the attention of THE MAN, in which case you have about 2 minutes to sell yourself.
Carry CV’s with you, simple truthful literate and all on one page, if the man asks you then you can present him with one, if not and he asks for one make sure its on his desk my first thing the following morning, irons best used hot.
Obviously you’re not going to get to see the man at some huge RDC, this sort of cold call can only apply at companies that don’t have armies of admin staff to pay for.
Agency seems to be the usual route into full time at bigger logistics type operations, or word of mouth via respected drivers already there.
Juddian:
All this virtual stuff only goes so far, a CV is like the adverts posted by prospective lovers on the other thread, lots of bullshine hiding the real person, no bugger writes on their CV that they spend all their life moaning, wreck every vehicle they get, get lost if the motorways shut or clout bridges if the truck’s over 13’ 4", steal anything not nailed down and throw sickies every other week.Dress in smart work clothes and stick your face in the door, be polite and straightforward just as you would be if driving one of the companies trucks and visiting a new customer, you might just happen to attract the attention of THE MAN, in which case you have about 2 minutes to sell yourself.
Carry CV’s with you, simple truthful literate and all on one page, if the man asks you then you can present him with one, if not and he asks for one make sure its on his desk my first thing the following morning, irons best used hot.
Obviously you’re not going to get to see the man at some huge RDC, this sort of cold call can only apply at companies that don’t have armies of admin staff to pay for.
Agency seems to be the usual route into full time at bigger logistics type operations, or word of mouth via respected drivers already there.
All brilliant advice.
Agencies the way in to many firms now - very true. Good agency guys are asked for by same firm again and again in my experience and often take on the ones they like. Been there. When I was working agency which I did for a couple of years I actually enjoyed it. A good agency will keep good drivers in work as if you’re earning they’re earning and everyone’s happy.
There are job blackspots, I know. But please stick with it anyone who’s looking for a job; if you want to work you have to box clever nowadays. Sadly sending CVs by email is often a waste of time…I get dozens every month and if the first few lines don’t read ‘right’ I stop reading. A ‘face in the door’ is 100% better than a sent CV and surprisingly often actually works…grab a couple of shifts with a firm and you may be looking good.
codge1:
I live in the North West, nr Preston. 15 years ago I could fall out of 1 job (class 1) and straight into another, I could send my CV to various haulage/transport companies,and 80% of which I would get some sort of reply and a number of interviews, I now have sent my CV out, with clean license 20 yrs experience class 1 driving/drawbar /fridge work etc, to 50+ companies and I have had 1 letter of refusal, have times changed that bad? With the e-mail/text/facebook/twitter revolution, these days people fear human contact and its to easy to hit the delete button when an e-mail comes through etc. or is it a genuine lack of jobs. or something else? ps I am still looking!
Think the Jobs all covered by Agencies who cant give you some as there Driver have signed a Contract of Employment,which gives them guaranty of Work,and well,…