Hi Guys,
I have an interview tomorrow with a leading bakery tomorrow and although I hear people say that for a driving interview you don’t really want to “dress up”, i’m just worrying that because they’re quite a big company they may want suit trousers etc?
Sam
Go in what you feel comfortable in but make sure its clean and tidy 
Steve
Big companies will not hold it against you if you turn up suited and booted. Smart casual will be enough.
Have they said what to wear in your invite?
We got told to bring suitable clothes for carrying out a practical driving assessment including coupling and uncoupling - therefore work clothes, not shirt and tie.
As long as you don’t turn up with a coffee stained t shirt with your belly hanging below and jogging bottoms.
m1cks:
Have they said what to wear in your invite?
We got told to bring suitable clothes for carrying out a practical driving assessment including coupling and uncoupling - therefore work clothes, not shirt and tie.
As long as you don’t turn up with a coffee stained t shirt with your belly hanging below and jogging bottoms.
No belly thankfully as only 9 stone something but thanks for the reassurance then guys, casual it is. Driving assessment is expected but no mention of whether there would need to be a demo of coupling and uncoupling. We’ll see. 
Driving assessment is expected but no mention of whether there would need to be a demo of coupling and uncoupling. We’ll see.
Firstly, well done for securing an interview and secondly, all the best with it. Personally, I wouldn’t consider an assessment to be complete without a demo of coupling/uncoupling. It’s scary how many drivers are killed or seriously injured because they considered themselves to be more clever than the basic rules.
Don’t rush it. Just to remind, the most important bit of the whole thing is to make sure the trailer brake is ON before you start uncoupling and that you check it’s ON before coupling. Not too much can go fatally wrong if you do that.
Look forward to hearing the outcome. Pete 
Peter Smythe:
Driving assessment is expected but no mention of whether there would need to be a demo of coupling and uncoupling. We’ll see.
Firstly, well done for securing an interview and secondly, all the best with it.
+1
Got there at 0920 and the interview was at 0930. Signed in at the reception and waited and waited, finally got taken at 10:10. Two fellas in the Interview room, one was the gaffer and I’m not too sure what the other one’s title was but both very nice chaps.
Not down to them which questions to ask of course but you get the usual ■■■■■■■■ of; “Describe a time where you have helped a colleague develop their career further” wut? So about 10 ridiculous unrelated questions to the job position in question later they held me a Drivers Hours Questionnaire and he made it very clear to me that if I got ‘stuck’ at any of them to just ask and he was more than happy to give me the answer… (must like me then hopefully ) I had no problems with the Questionnaire though except two questions and the three of us agree’d that there was more than one answer to the question, and he said that he thinks it’s someone in the office who has made it up with no knowledge in the industry. (Typical!). One was something along the lines of, “As a LGV Driver, what is the maximum amount of hours you can work on a weekly basis” That’s fine, but it doesn’t mentioned whether it’s talking about driving hours or actual working time hours, so yeah like I said we agree’d that there could be two answers to the questions which was fine.
After I completed that the Shift Manager (I think) came in and took me on an assessment drive, said that obviously ‘we usually walk around the truck before we use it but because I’ve already had it on an assessment this morning I know it’s all okay.’
So I climbed into the cab and he asked me if I’d seen a Drivers Book before (ie defects, time signing on duty, odo and such like) of course I have so I filled it out and he said when you’re ready just make your way out the yard. (The truck was on a bay.) I asked if he was looking for push pull etc but he said no, i was just to drive the way I usually do and how I feel comfortable as long as it’s safe.
I drive out the yard, I get that feeling back of what it’s like when the truck starts moving, it’s hard to explain but almost like a floaty feeling, immediately made me smile - sad i know. He asked if I was from the area, which i’m not, so he said he would give me plenty time for the instructions and we made conversation along the quick 10 minute hop.
Got back to the yard and he asked me to put it back on the bay to where it was, not the biggest yard and there are now two trucks eitherside, so I pull along side the bays (on my left) and i swing out to the right and then kick it to the left just before stopping and reverse her back and get her on in one, no shunt… phew.
He said that I was the best driver he’d seen and that if it was up to him then on my driving alone i’d have the job but ultimately it’s up to the chap who interviewed me. I laughed and said yeah I know he’s just doing his job too but I prefer to let me driving do the talking, he laughed and agree’d.
I was told I’d be informed before the week is out whether I got it or not. I’ll be a little disappointed if I don’t to be fair, I know I never put a foot wrong on the assessment and drove really well so it would be a shame for them to judge me on the interview of my ability to drive the truck, like I said I like to let my driving do the talking.
Anyway I’ll stop going on, if you got this far thanks for reading.
Sound like it went well. Keeping my fingers crossed for you.
Sounds very promising, so fingers crossed for you!
Just a minor detail which may help others and is in no way intended as a critisism of you Sam. Regardless of what is said, you should always have a quick look around the vehicle before you move off. I assess for some employers under these circumstances and I frequently use the “used it before so it’s fine” routine. Sorry, but that’s a ■■■■■■■■■ mark in my book if there is no attempt at a walk round.
But it looks as though you’ve got away with it Sam, and I’m really pleased.
Pete
Peter Smythe:
Sounds very promising, so fingers crossed for you!Just a minor detail which may help others and is in no way intended as a critisism of you Sam. Regardless of what is said, you should always have a quick look around the vehicle before you move off. I assess for some employers under these circumstances and I frequently use the “used it before so it’s fine” routine. Sorry, but that’s a ■■■■■■■■■ mark in my book if there is no attempt at a walk round.
But it looks as though you’ve got away with it Sam, and I’m really pleased.
Pete
Understandable, he was doing assessment drives all day and as he returned from the one before me he came straight and got me and then walked back around so he was away from the cab for a max of 5 mins but I understand where you’re coming from… i’m the same!
Sam Millar:
Hi Guys,I have an interview tomorrow with a leading bakery tomorrow and although I hear people say that for a driving interview you don’t really want to “dress up”, i’m just worrying that because they’re quite a big company they may want suit trousers etc?
You’ve got the job even if you turn up naked. No bakery can keep drivers for more than 2 weeks before they quit due to the crappy hours/working conditions/truck conditions. That’s why 99% of the drivers there will be agency. It’s good experience for a newbie though.
Sam Millar:
I was told I’d be informed before the week is out whether I got it or not. I’ll be a little disappointed if I don’t to be fair, I know I never put a foot wrong on the assessment and drove really well so it would be a shame for them to judge me on the interview of my ability to drive the truck, like I said I like to let my driving do the talking.
A potential employer isn’t just looking for someone who can drive a lorry; that’s the easy bit, almost anybody can do it.
What you’re like as a person (attitude, personality etc) is far more important to them than whether you can put it on a bay in one hit or not.
You might get a job if you shine at the interview and then do a mediocre assessment drive. You won’t get a job if your interview is mediocre; even if you shine on the assessment drive.
Rob K:
Sam Millar:
Hi Guys,I have an interview tomorrow with a leading bakery tomorrow and although I hear people say that for a driving interview you don’t really want to “dress up”, i’m just worrying that because they’re quite a big company they may want suit trousers etc?
You’ve got the job even if you turn up naked. No bakery can keep drivers for more than 2 weeks before they quit due to the crappy hours/working conditions/truck conditions. That’s why 99% of the drivers there will be agency. It’s good experience for a newbie though.
Funny that, they said it’s very rare that anyone leaves. Money is very good and the hours are very fare too. All vehicles in the fleet are 12 and 13 regs and they don’t employ through agency.
Sam Millar:
Rob K:
Sam Millar:
Hi Guys,I have an interview tomorrow with a leading bakery tomorrow and although I hear people say that for a driving interview you don’t really want to “dress up”, i’m just worrying that because they’re quite a big company they may want suit trousers etc?
You’ve got the job even if you turn up naked. No bakery can keep drivers for more than 2 weeks before they quit due to the crappy hours/working conditions/truck conditions. That’s why 99% of the drivers there will be agency. It’s good experience for a newbie though.
Funny that, they said it’s very rare that anyone leaves. Money is very good and the hours are very fare too. All vehicles in the fleet are 12 and reg regs and they don’t employ through agency.
Hovis/Warburton? 
I was thinking more like allied bakeries, I was going to apply for the Chester depot until I got the full time job I’m in now.
Still, all the best Sam I’m sure you’ll get it, see you on the m6 sometime haha
It varies site-to-site but Allied, British (Hovis) and Warburton all have agreements with DePoel and therefore have a shiny list of agencies that can supply with rather shoddy rates (from both perspectives, driver & agency). Then again, the full timers have a very reasonable salary despite the often unsociable hours.
Regardless, best of luck. Sounds like you’ve done well although I’m in complete agreement with Peter regarding walking round yourself - only takes one day for something to go wrong and your best defence is “Well so-and-so said it would be alright”. Ta-da.
Let us know if you get it.
FreddieSwan:
It varies site-to-site but Allied, British (Hovis) and Warburton all have agreements with DePoel and therefore have a shiny list of agencies that can supply with rather shoddy rates (from both perspectives, driver & agency). Then again, the full timers have a very reasonable salary despite the often unsociable hours.Regardless, best of luck. Sounds like you’ve done well although I’m in complete agreement with Peter regarding walking round yourself - only takes one day for something to go wrong and your best defence is “Well so-and-so said it would be alright”. Ta-da.
Let us know if you get it.
Yeah like I said I always do a walk around, I wouldn’t dream of not doing one but I did say “Do you want me to demonstrate a walk around” and he said "no it’s okay, i just done one on this vehicle 20 minutes ago for the last assessment (which was the first of the day). It’s none of the companies mentioned in here either.
Got a phone call this morning to say I got the job. Induction is on Wednesday.
Sam Millar:
Got a phone call this morning to say I got the job.
Nice one kid! Told you you’d get it. If it’s owt like bread deliveries with other companies you’ll find it hard graft and the wagons probably not in the best shape, but it’s good learning experience for newbies.