Hi I’m a Newby on here, can’t believe how hard it’s been to get a job after being out of the industry for 10 years. Have my class 1 but even on class 2 no one would hire me. Finally got a job through an agency which is naff but could go to permanent on class 2 nights. Hate to think how newly qualified drivers are supposed to get work after spending all that money getting a licence when everyone wants at least six months experience before they’ll even consider you
I came back after 20 years. Knocked on doors and got work. Look for small independants hauliers always looking for weekend or holiday cover
All is not lost, just get your cv out knock on a few doors, sign up with a few more agencies and request class 1 work. Coming up to crimbo you should have no problem.
Just be a bit creative with your CV and invent some experience over the last 10 years 
Big Roy:
Just be a bit creative with your CV and invent some experience over the last 10 years
Put in your CV that you did the last 10 years driving HGV for a government agency but you are legally bound not to discuss it any further than that 
Brand new driver with no previous experience in a tough area for jobs. Spent a week digging around and had 5x interviews - offered all five jobs. Yes it is tough and hard work but there is work out there. There is a shortage of drivers but then there is a number of employers who have treated their staff badly and wonder why they can’t get good staff.
Only advice I can give is start making calls, be a little pushy, dress smartly (shirt, tie and jacket) and if they have a job say ‘can I pop over and have a chat with you about the vacancy’. Try to solve their problem by being there an not just adding your cv to their in tray. But most of all be positive… It is not what you have not done in ten years… It is what you did achieve when driving.
Also joined two agencies claiming to have more work than drivers an not had a single call from them… Both have been a waste of space…
Hope that helps…
If you want to be creative find a haulier that has gone out of business and say you worked for them. Not easy getting a reference from a company that no longer exists.
Myself I was honest and said i was returning after a long layoff. I offered to go out for a day unpaid with a driver to get my eye back in. Did that and the next day they were short of a driver and asked if i wanted to do it. The rest is history.
spanlass:
Hi I’m a Newby on here, can’t believe how hard it’s been to get a job after being out of the industry for 10 years. Have my class 1 but even on class 2 no one would hire me. Finally got a job through an agency which is naff but could go to permanent on class 2 nights. Hate to think how newly qualified drivers are supposed to get work after spending all that money getting a licence when everyone wants at least six months experience before they’ll even consider you
Leave the industry again, go back to what what you were doing before or look for something else…
I have a job now, useless at lying but using out of business firms is a nice idea. Just feel for new drivers trying to get their first jobs. I signed on with Driver Hire, useless. Signed on with Polaris and they got me in on a job the very next day where they take you on full time after the 13 week trial so I’m very thankful
spanlass:
I signed on with Driver Hire, useless.
Ive said this 
I came back after 6 years, tried ADR Network and was told I’d need a refresher course so went to Milestone, made up a story and got 4 weeks work with them.
Gone back to ADR now and they’ve put me in Lidl’s fulltime.
Did worry about my first assessment though but found as soon as you get behind the wheel it was like I’d never been away.
After 10 years away I was lucky to drop on a small agency that sent me into Culina, they where happy with my background to give me a shot first weekend after signup and told when asked to say I have had assesments at Wincanton and a few others.
Worked great, apart from the auto box which took all of 10 minutes to get used to (thanks to this forum and some googling) and I was straight into a Volvo (funnily enough the last truck I drove before my 10 year break). Anyway fate is not without a sense of irony so I had to come off the agency when a Wincanton job came up that i couldn’t refuse.
If Culina had offered me a job full time I would have taken it but maybe I was too crap…
midlifetrucker:
…
Myself I was honest and said i was returning after a long layoff. I offered to go out for a day unpaid with a driver to get my eye back in. Did that and the next day they were short of a driver and asked if i wanted to do it. The rest is history.
Almost exactly the same story here
Hi guys i need some help how i can get work with my lorry as self employed thanks in advance
It depends what sort of lorry you’ve got…
spanlass:
I have a job now, useless at lying but using out of business firms is a nice idea. Just feel for new drivers trying to get their first jobs. I signed on with Driver Hire, useless. Signed on with Polaris and they got me in on a job the very next day where they take you on full time after the 13 week trial so I’m very thankful
adam at Polaris? Trafford park? Ben Dover in the transport office? The only decent one is pete Kenyon in the office upstairs! 
good luck