HELP!!!
just spent 10 years in the forces, ive put my CV forwards to a local company and they want me to go for an interview at 1400.
Ive never been to an inerview in my lide i joined the forces from school. tips please…
what to wear ( im thinking trousers, belt and shirt with shoes )
What to expect?
What will they want to know?
Im currently trying to do some research on the company trying find out exactly what they do so i can fit my answers into the job role.
Hi Stracks,
I would wear smart trousers or jeans with a shirt not a suit and shoes or boots plus take hi viz if you have one.
Also remember to take required documents and licence, Digi card and cpc card if you have one.
As you mentioned try and do some research on company and have a look at drivers hours,WTD on here.
Be yourself and look interviewer in eye.
Remember they will know your a newbie so relax and good luck mate.
Let us know how it goes and who is it with out of interest ?
Good luck
cpc and docs all together waiting, only got the call an hour or so ago.
There is not a great deal of information available for the firm other than they are a family run buisness.
looking at their fleet they have a mix of vehicles from mercs, dafs, mans to scania and they seem like an all rounder doing curtain sides, adr, low loaders ect.
The company is called JDC Transport based in Stoke-on-Trent.
Im going with trousers and shirt no tie.
Im really hoping its not night work or regular nights out which is something ill need to ask, i left the forces to see my daughter more it wouldnt make sense to work away or do nights as i wouldnt see her again.
im feeling really nervous but the way i see it is they should be selling them self to me. They are looking for employers and with a national shortage of drivers im sure somebody would take me. Like you said i just gotta be my self.
I did sign on the agency last monday and had to do a driver proficeiency test which i passed and most of the questions were eu working time directive and drivers hours. my main downfal will be if he asks me how i fould find places as my geographic knowledge of the Uk is poor, ask me anywhere in Germany i can get there but UK im bad. but to counter that weakness of mine im a very strong map reader which 10 years as a soldier gives me good naviagtional experience, and there is always satnavs to aid me. which ill probable just use as an aid in cities to avoid bridges.
You know the drill, handshake, eye contact, smile, and get an early ice breaker in if you can…
Humour can be a very good way of doing so imop, something situation related.
Appearance you’ve covered.
Docs/kit you’ve covered…take a cv if you can just in case.
Company background, you’ve a rough idea, so that’s your questions for them covered.
Have a reccie of their office, see if they a family person, again will help with negotiations of hours.
Take a deep breath, eat something like a banana before you go in…(potassium boost)…drink plenty of water so your thermostats not making u drip with fear…
Right imop your done, oh if ya driving in give the car a wash!!
Best of luck fella 
with regards to washing my car that in my opinion is very good advice, my motor is my pride and joy and gets cleaned weekly anyway but i can see the logic.
If you cant look after your own property then your most definitely not goingto look after somebody elses.
Just a quick update,
I got offerd a position to start monday for an induction , ill get my hiab and moffat from the company.
pay £8 for first 40 and £12 after but he said thats soon to come under a review.
start times between 0300-0900 depending on workload
job haulage mainly building materials into the dreaded London from Stoke-on-Trent.
nights out? average 2 nights out a week but sometimes 5 again depends on workload. (£25 a night out )
Training vehicle familiarisation , hiab, moffatt ( if i leave in 12 months i pay the cost back )
class he said ill be employed as a class 1 driver but i will start in class 2 which is fine by me i get more experience out of it.
What do you guys think then?
Poor pay for a rigid,■■■■ pay if it’s class one…
Edit just read the rest of your post,so they are employing you as a class one driver and their rate of pay is £8 an hour…mate that is crap!!
Try Stobards @ jct 15 M6 Hanford,always looking for drivers there and even they pay more than £8 a hour !
Or…
Sainsuburys @ Stoke
Dunelm @ Stoke
Asda @ Chesterton
New look @ Chesterton
Pets @ Home @ Trentham Lakes
Screwfix @ trentham lakes & Stafford
Cullina @ Market Drayton & Stafford
All pay more than £8ph!
If you accepted that job and hated it you’d be stuck there or leave owing them I’m guessing near a grand for your hi-ab & Moffat licences.
If i do two nights out a week though thats an extra 50 notes and past 40 hours it goes to 12quid an hour.
Im thinking about sticking with it for a year to get my hiab and moffatt. although ive possesed my licence for 9 years im very much in experienced the army use civilian contracts to bring spares and supplies in, leaving 5 year old vehicles on the park with less than 20k on the clock!
I got really wound up sat in a hangar watching other people doing the job i should be doing.
He said we would average 50-60 hours a week, im pretty sure with work time directive though you can only average 45 can anybody elaberate?
Have you considered applying for UPS doing 7.5t work delivering parcels?
Mon - Fri,no nights out £12.99 ph
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=134605&p=2114004#p2114004
He said we would average 50-60 hours a week, im pretty sure with work time directive though you can only average 45 can anybody elaberate?
45 hours is the average that you can drive I believe as it’s 90 hours over any two weeks.
There is an average working hours under WTD (48 hours) which is the total time driving and doing other work, but you have the ability to opt-out of that.
Stracks:
He said we would average 50-60 hours a week, im pretty sure with work time directive though you can only average 45 can anybody elaberate?
If I’m right, Im still a noobie too, you should have a min 11 hours off a day going down to 9 twice a week if needed. That means you can do 3 x 13 hour shifts and 2 x 15 hour shifts (69 hours) to adhere to EU regulations, WTD is less but you can opt out to do more hours. if I’m wrong im sure someone will correct me… But this is what I have worked out looking at what my partner does…
He gets paid per shift not per hour but on average does about 60 a week… And this also depends whether or not he does a 6 day week or 5 day week…
Hope I’m right and that’s helpfull…
That means you can do 3 x 13 hour shifts and 2 x 15 hour shifts (69 hours)
You’re right about the rest periods but driving hours are limited to 9 hours between daily rest periods though it can be extended to 10 hours twice a week I believe.
In other words…
3 x 9 hour driving time
2 x 10 hour driving time
I believe I have these two posts correct, I know my WTD but I’m new to trucking and drivers hours.
LittleCar:
That means you can do 3 x 13 hour shifts and 2 x 15 hour shifts (69 hours)
You’re right about the rest periods but driving hours are limited to 9 hours between daily rest periods though it can be extended to 10 hours twice a week I believe.
In other words…
3 x 9 hour driving time
2 x 10 hour driving timeI believe I have these two posts correct, I know my WTD but I’m new to trucking and drivers hours.
Driving time, yes you are right… But that is only driving time… As in behind the wheel. Other work is included in WTD but POA and breaks are not… So… In a 24 hr period you have to have 11 hrs down (or 9) leaving 13 (or 15) hours to work… In that period you are only allowed to drive 9 (or 10) hours…
Correction to earlier post… Rest period should be 11 hours a day going down to 9 no more than 3 times a week… Not 2.
In other words…
2 x 13 hour shifts, with max 9 hours driving time (3 shifts if it’s a 6 day week)
3 x 15 hour shifts, with max 9 hours driving time
On 2 occasions this driving time can be increased to 10 hours.
Does that make sense. WTD will restict you to 48 hours working per week unless you otherwise opt out, which only applies to domestic rules. EU rules max average of 48 hrs usually over a 17 week rolling period (which can be increased to up to 56 week if agreed with all parties) Again if I’m wrong I’m sure someone will correct me, this is what I understand from the DSA book… And what I have learnt from my partner who stays with his limits all the time.
Ack, I missed a paragraph there. That’s what I get for rushing. But yeah as I understand it Mistiek has it exactly right there though the best advice I can give is to look through any threads on here about wtd and driver hours, they are gold mines!
Stracks:
with regards to washing my car that in my opinion is very good advice, my motor is my pride and joy and gets cleaned weekly anyway but i can see the logic.If you cant look after your own property then your most definitely not goingto look after somebody elses.
I always get mine cleaned before an interview. It’s amazing what employers will look for without you knowing. I know one employer I was with used that as an indicator for them as the interviewer commented on it during the interview.
Also you always need to have enthusiasm for the role, even if it’s a ■■■■ job that you don’t necessarily love as the slightest hint of disinterest may just put the job to someone else
NickW88:
Stracks:
with regards to washing my car that in my opinion is very good advice, my motor is my pride and joy and gets cleaned weekly anyway but i can see the logic.If you cant look after your own property then your most definitely not goingto look after somebody elses.
I always get mine cleaned before an interview. It’s amazing what employers will look for without you knowing. I know one employer I was with used that as an indicator for them as the interviewer commented on it during the interview.
Also you always need to have enthusiasm for the role, even if it’s a [zb] job that you don’t necessarily love as the slightest hint of disinterest may just put the job to someone else
Indicator? That would be novel Mr BMW! 
And yes please, I can’t wait to drive your bag of crap bin lorry! 
Evil8Beezle:
NickW88:
Stracks:
with regards to washing my car that in my opinion is very good advice, my motor is my pride and joy and gets cleaned weekly anyway but i can see the logic.If you cant look after your own property then your most definitely not goingto look after somebody elses.
I always get mine cleaned before an interview. It’s amazing what employers will look for without you knowing. I know one employer I was with used that as an indicator for them as the interviewer commented on it during the interview.
Also you always need to have enthusiasm for the role, even if it’s a [zb] job that you don’t necessarily love as the slightest hint of disinterest may just put the job to someone else
Indicator? That would be novel Mr BMW!
And yes please, I can’t wait to drive your bag of crap bin lorry!
You’ve got some cheek old man, you drive an Audi! Lol that makes you even more of a ■■■■ womble than I!
Let’s face it though if you look like you couldn’t care less at interview and they still give it to you it’s not going to be a good job!
NickW88:
Evil8Beezle:
NickW88:
Stracks:
with regards to washing my car that in my opinion is very good advice, my motor is my pride and joy and gets cleaned weekly anyway but i can see the logic.If you cant look after your own property then your most definitely not goingto look after somebody elses.
I always get mine cleaned before an interview. It’s amazing what employers will look for without you knowing. I know one employer I was with used that as an indicator for them as the interviewer commented on it during the interview.
Also you always need to have enthusiasm for the role, even if it’s a [zb] job that you don’t necessarily love as the slightest hint of disinterest may just put the job to someone else
Indicator? That would be novel Mr BMW!
And yes please, I can’t wait to drive your bag of crap bin lorry!You’ve got some cheek old man, you drive an Audi! Lol that makes you even more of a ■■■■ womble than I!
Let’s face it though if you look like you couldn’t care less at interview and they still give it to you it’s not going to be a good job!
Agreed mate, I just couldn’t resist the dig!
Can you ever?! Lol I can’t decide what’s more fun with it, the fact it feels more comfortable than being in my living room or roundabouts in the wet haha
Well done on getting the job Stracks.
Don’t worry about the £8 an hour it’s your take home that matters at first.
Look at the big picture here, moffett + hiab + London experience will open many more doors for you in the future.
Even if you find this job isn’t for you which is unlikely as the challenge and variety will keep you on your toes. Just stick at it get the experience and the world’s your lobster.
Although I would prefer to drive an artic round London than a rigid just tickle her along and let the nutters do their thing and relax.
Oh and invest in a London A to Z. Sat navs are good if used as an aid but the back up of having a rough idea where your going is invaluable.
Good luck and keep us posted on your adventures.
Oh and working time and time your at work are two totally different things…