Is it just me, or does everyone else have the same problem?
Does anyone know of any agencies that don’t insist on references? Or are they best avoided?
My problem is, my full time employer, who isn’t involved at all in road transport, has no idea of my new found skills. I managed to get my licences during annual leave.
I can see the reaction now…
He’s going to be driving what?
Of course, it seems I can only drive, one shift, every other weekend due to full time job commitments.
I won’t name them but, one said straight away, no references no work.
I called another this afternoon to say I was available for a shift this weekend, but they came back saying, sorry, we don’t have you on the list! We will check it out and call you tomorrow.
I fear there response will be something similar, despite the initial reaction at interview being positive.
I had hoped my licences, coupled with having only had 2 jobs in 23 years might go some way to getting just a little driving work.
Speed Freak:
I won’t name them but, one said straight away, no references no work.
I called another this afternoon to say I was available for a shift this weekend, but they came back saying, sorry, we don’t have you on the list! We will check it out and call you tomorrow.
I fear there response will be something similar, despite the initial reaction at interview being positive.
I had hoped my licences, coupled with having only had 2 jobs in 23 years might go some way to getting just a little driving work.
I had that problem, and sometimes still do, before last year when I took up driving I was working for myself for the previous 3 years.
No reliable references and all the agencies got a bit funny about it. I just told them that I was reliable, and rather than take my word for it, give me a job to do and I will prove to you, and your customer that I am a good worker.
They gave me a days work, I went and worked my backside off for them and they appreciated the gesture.
If you want to get a foot in the door offer to do a day/half day for free just to prove it.
loosing one days pay to get a foot in the door is better than a weeks pay and a silent phone!
look at it from a different perspective. it shows the agency are interested in their own reputation which relies largely on their drivers. they want decent drivers so the chances are they will look after who they employ and they wont be supplying cowboy operators. i know my agency ask for references and make you sit a test before considering you but on the other hand they will not tolerate a transport manager messing their drivers around and if you are asked to do something illegal the managing director deals with it himself. i would say that is worth the hassle of getting a couple of references
I had a similar problem, I was unable to even put down one reference.
I put in the Training School and my Sisters Boyfriend who runs a refrigeration company. These did the job, well at least DH seemed happy.
Make up some references get a friend to be your reference, tell them about your current employer say can’t contact him because would cause to much trouble.
Most of the time agencies asking for references they are just paying lipservice to it and not that bothered.
i cant speak for the driving sector, but at our firm we almost never check them up as the previous employer cant legally give a bad reference anymore its pretty much a waste of time. its usually used as imagration control make sure your legal to work etc. i suppose a reference is the same in all jobs
If you want to get a foot in the door offer to do a day/half day for free just to prove it.
loosing one days pay to get a foot in the door is better than a weeks pay and a silent phone!
I am tempted to do this and see if they will give me a break.
Got some very bad news from the other agency I’d applied to. After chasing them again and advising I was available for a shift this weekend, they eventually called me back to say, sorry, we appear to have lost your application! Yep, everything, including address, national insurance number, date of birth, copy of licence and passport. I just hope it hasn’t found it’s way into the wrong hands.
They then enquired to my availibility tomorrow - to come back and complete another application - I think NOT!
Since passing my C on the 28th August I have been registering myself with a few agencys in the Exeter area I havnt had to give them any references as such from any of my current or previous employers all I have had to do is fill out the agency’s forms which included listing my previous employers and what I did for them.
I thought I was going to be in a simular dilema with agency work as wanting to start off with only part time work to gain some experience as I already have a full time role in IT, One of the agency’s called me earlier today asking me if I wanted to work this evening for 6 hours for DHL only to find that it wasnt driving they wanted me to do but warehouse work as I specified that I only wanted driving jobs at the beginning I said no thanks.
After asking around a few people they all refured me to an agency in exeter called draglink I gave them a call yesterday and explained my situation with working full time and wanting part time work with class C to gain some experience they seemed really willing to help me and said to pop along to there office to fill out there forms I went straight up and met the chap called Neil who was a really down to earth kind of guy he said he would beable to get me started at weekends no problems with a some evening work envolved also I just hope they can deliver the goods I shall wait and see.
As I expected I didn’t hear anything more from the agency that lost my application. I have an application for another agency, promising weekend work for one of the big supermarkets. Luckily, there not asking for any references. It’s not that I have anything to hide - I’d just prefer not to bring my full time employer into the loop till I’m handing in my notice.
