Truck Driver Jobs

Avoid These All Too Familiar...

mistakes and be extemely prepared and in the position to grab the best truck driver jobs when the opportunities arise. If there is one common mistake that I have seen dedicated, hard working truck drivers make through the years it's poor career decisions.

It happens all too often where a truck driver leaves a profitable trucking company with a solid business model and a good record of taking care of their truck drivers to join another company that is offering an unrealisitic compensation package. Only to realize that they could have avoided making an incredibly bad career move, had they only thought through the process more carefully and asked more questions during the interview process.

This article discusses a few of the most common career move mistakes made by truck drivers and how to avoid them.

Listen Carefully. If the Truck
Driving Job Sounds Too...

good to be true, it usually is! It's not uncommon to think you interviewed and might be offered what you would consider the best truck driving job in America! In most cases, these truck drivers are unable to see the forest through the trees and end up making incredibly bad career decisions due to a lack of knowledge. Understanding the company's philosophy on sourcing qualified labor fill their truck driver job positons should be a key component in your decision making process.

Recent trucking industry estimates indicate there are more than 80,000 truck driver jobs available nationwide. As with any career, the simple law of supply and demand come into play. The bottom line is with this many truck driver jobs available right now, you can afford to be selective and take your time in finding the ultimate truck driver job that you aspire to achieve. 

The key to a successful truck driving job search is to plan your work and work your plan. The first step in any considerable life changing move is to be realistic with your expectations and create a list of objectives to help you achieve your emotional and financial short and long term goals.

Most truck drivers fail to set realistic career goals. If you were an olympic archery expert would you not agree with me that you would be highly focused on your target during your event. Of course you would. Then why is it many truck drivers fail to set realistic career goals? Setting career goal strategy has two major benefits. First, it helps you develop laser focus in establising career priorities. Second, it will dramtically improve your self esteem for this highly stressful process.

How Does An Archer Hit
The Target? They Know What...

they're shooting at! Is you long term goal to become and independent owner operator, or are you more likely to work for a trucking company? There are positives and negatives with each opportunity. As an employee of a trucking company, you're more likely to be offered a compensation package that includes salary and a benefits package. Most employers consider an employment package to include approximately 70% salary and 30% benefits. This may be more suited for someone with a young family with a wife who has decided stay at home with the children.

Inadequate pre-employment research is a primary factor in whether or not a truck driver is happy 1-2 years following a job change from one company to another. The last thing you or your family wants to do is to accept a new truck driver job position by hastily jumping to a company that offers you $.50 more per hour or $.05 more a mile. Far too many times good truck drivers make a quick move from an established company that has treated you well to a company that offered you the sky for a small, short term economic gain. This can ruin your mind emotionally and reak havoc on your family. It is imperative that you take this process seriously and spend the necessary time to thouroughly research all truck driver job opportunities.

Work Smarter...Plan Your Work
Then Work The Plan

The first step in the process is to make a list of potential truck driver jobs you would be most likely to consider. If you are already employed in a good paying truck driver job, ask yourself, what is it you want that you are not gettting from your current position? Write these thoughts down on paper and number them. Do not stop until you have at least 3-5 key objectives that you want to get out of your next move. Then, force rank them in order of importance to you. If you are married, make sure you review them with your wife and family if you want to keep the peace at home. It is important to do for more than your own desire, it's very important that your wife is involved as well. she needs to feel part of the process as well.

Don't Forget To Consider which trucking companies overall culture and compensation package best match your priorities. Once you have forced ranked your top 5 fundamental priorities (and received the blessing from your better half!) it's time to create a preliminary list of companies that fit this profile. How is this accomplished?

Use Google to search for the websites of 10 companies you would like to consider to make a truck driver job career move. On a scale of 1-10 list out on paper how close this company meets each objective. For example, if one of your priorities is benefits, give each company a grade based upon your research of their benefit package. If necessary, call the company's human resource or recruiting department to clarify an issue you might have questions about.

In addition to ranking the perspective companies as far as how their compensation plan meets your needs, make sure you list out your skill sets and make a determination as to how well you fit the the needs of the company. The bottom line is that your objective is to find the company that best meets your needs and has strong demand for your skill sets. When you achieve this balance in your the truck driver job search process, you put yourself in a positon to leverage your skill sets and achieve the best possible overall job satisfaction