| Dear {FName}, |
February 1, 2013 |
Looking for a New Driving Job?
Keep your old Job till you get hired.
Derek Hinton - DOTJobHistory.com
Sometimes this is easier said than done. Steve Martin used to have a comedy routine that started out something like this: “You can be a millionaire and never pay taxes. First—you get a million dollars in cash. Okay now…”
And so you may not always have the luxury of searching for a new job while still employed (or figuring out how not to pay taxes on one million in cash). But I talk with drivers who make two common mistakes when looking for a job.
- There is a dispute or you’re not getting the hours, routes or respect you deserve. Your natural inclination is to channel Johnny Paycheck and live out the words from “Take this Job and Shove it, I ain’t working here no more.” Good song, good singer, but poor paycheck advice from Paycheck.
There’s a couple of reasons to line up a new job prior to quitting your old job. For one, rightly or wrongly, many employers will prefer a currently employed applicant because they assume that if the driver is still employed, he or she is doing an average to good job—or they would be unemployed.
The other issue is that if you leave without notice/on bad terms, your reference you receive from the company in the future may be poor.
Be professional, give notice and needless to say, never abandon your truck/load.
- Let’s say you take this advice and are looking for a job while still employed. Another mistake commonly made is applying for many jobs and allowing potential employers to contact your current employer. This can have a negative effect if your employer is getting a lot of calls and wonders if you are going to leave him “high and dry.”
Most potential employers and screening firms will respect your request not to contact your current employer until the process is close to a done deal from both sides. In fact, the National Association of Professional Background Screeners Accreditation program has a clause requiring them to “have procedures in place to contact consumer’s current employer directly only when authorized by client and/or consumer.”
It should also be noted that if you are currently employed, that employment will not be on your “DAC Report” until after you terminate employment. Let’s say you have been working for an employer for two years and are still there. If a potential employer orders a DAC report on you, your two years of experience with that company will not show up. So you’re safe there.
To summarize, if you want a new driving job, look while you’re still employed, give written notice when you leave and keep a copy of your notice. While you are looking when still employed, wait until mutual, serious interest is established before authorizing a potential employer to check with your current employer.
Latest Forum Topics
How many women truck drivers here?
How old is your truck?
Bruce Wehner
Trucker Buddy of the Month
December 2012
Bruce Wehner, a driver for Cliff Viessman, Inc., of S.D., has been named December 2012 Trucker Buddy of the Month following his nomination by Rose Wenzel and her Assumption BVM Catholic School’s first and second grade classes in Pulaski, Wisc.
Wenzel gives four reasons why Wehner deserves to be awarded this honor. “First, he writes us once every week but these letters are not just brief snapshots of his trucking experiences. They are lengthy and detailed diaries of his of his endeavors and expeditions!” says Wenzel. “My students are captivated by his writing skills and precise choice of language to illustrate his journeys. He also converses with us through weekly emails; my students love to read his email on our smart board!”
The second reason Wenzel says she nominated Wehner is that he shares his experiences he had as a student with her class. “We know his favorite subjects as a child and the topics which caused him a little learning grief,” she says. “If we could, we would add him as an addition to our multi-age classroom.”
Thirdly, Wehner sends photos to help the class understand the structure of the truck, his love for his wife and animals, and his quest to share his treasures in life.
“Finally, he expresses his commitment to education by always reminding us to study hard and to daily do our best,” Wenzel says. “He is an inspiring role model and my students and I eagerly await his trip to Pulaski.”
Congratulations to Bruce Wehner for being awarded the Trucker Buddy of the Month for December 2012.
We must say that you caught us by surprise on the TruckDriver.com Split Survey. We had our money on Split-Axle!
What is your favorite split?
Banana Split - 57%
The 7-10 Split - 6%
The Split End - 6%
Split Personality - 10%
Split-Axle - 21%
We can’t help but wonder how many of you made a split-second decision on this one.
By the way, does anyone have a connection inside Dairy Queen, we may have discovered, and named, their next delicious frozen treat, The Banana Split-Axle! Think of the topping possibilities!
Until next time, keep on truckin’ and please drive safely.
* * * * *
Your Comments Are Always Welcome
We do like to hear from you and invite you to let us know how we can
improve the e-Report. Please send your ideas and suggestions to: jobs@truckdriver.com
“Technology makes it possible for people to gain control
over everything, except over technology”
~ John Tudor ~
Featured Jobs
Owner Operators, Deck - Western Canada
Bonuses! (Fuel, Safety, Referral, Credential!)
Driver - Dedicated Truck Driver - Class A CDL
Phoenix Regional
|
