Looking for how to hire truck drivers? The perfect recruitment strategy doesn’t exist. Instead, each company should mix and match hiring strategies until they find the right fit for them. For some, a staffing agency might be necessary. For others, their in-house team is equipped with the time and skills necessary to find CDL drivers. Here are a couple of avenues to keep in mind to get you started.
Have a Digital Presence
Hiring of all kinds in the modern age requires a robust digital presence, and learning how to hire truck drivers is no different. Your recruitment strategy should include a few basic components, including:
Posting to a job board
Go digital with your job post by adding your open position to free and paid job boards available on the internet. This is where your potential recruits will be looking, so this is how to hire truck drivers, too.
A social media presence
Post your job ads to your social media accounts. This allows your followers to spread the word about your job opening. Better yet? It’s free!
Paid social media campaigns
You can also go one step further and invest in pay-per-click ads. Google AdWords can get pricey, though it is an option. Alternatively, you can pay to sponsor your post on social media platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn.
Work with a Staffing Company
Plenty of staffing companies focus on the transportation industry, which means they have a roster of qualified, licensed professionals looking for a role at your company. Particularly if your company has a small HR department (or no HR department at all), a staffing agency might be the best fit for your recruitment efforts. If you decide to work with a staffing firm, here are a couple of things to keep in mind:
Be specific about your qualifications
Outsourcing your recruitment efforts doesn’t mean you don’t get a say in who you hire. Write a careful, detailed job description so that you attract the right recruits.
Be part of the interview process
Once the staffing agency sends you possible drivers, it’s still your responsibility to vet them thoroughly. You’re looking for skilled drivers who will stick around, so keep that in mind while interviewing. Don’t just hire to fill the role; hire to find a lasting employee.
Don’t Skip the Background Check
Background checks are a required part of hiring truck drivers because the DOT mandates them for the trucking and transportation industry (link to “Your Guide to DOT Background Check Requirements for Drivers”). But the background screening process benefits you beyond compliance, too. Investing the time and money into an experienced, comprehensive, compliant background screening partner will allow you to hire the best possible fit for your position. And in some cases, the right screening partner will help you expand your talent pool. Read on to find out how.
An MVR
The required motor vehicle report will alert you to a history of unsafe driving, including DUIs and suspended license infractions. If a driver continues this behavior while working for you, you risk insurance liability, pricey repairs, and troublesome—if not fatal—accidents.
Pre-employment and random drug and alcohol testing
Much like the MVR, your drug and alcohol testing (both prior to hire and randomly during employment) ensures that your new employee is fit for the road.
Employment verification
The DOT requires an expanded employment verification that vets out a history of unsafe driving practices. An employment history verification in general, though, also ensures that your driver is being truthful about their skills and experience. If you’re hiring someone with a decade of experience in cross-country driving, you want to be sure that’s what you’re actually getting.
In addition to these mandated requirements, though, a background check can also include services like continuous criminal monitoring or driver monitoring. Driver monitoring ensures your new hire remains a safe fit for the duration of employment, and many employers are using continuous criminal monitoring (a 24/7 scan for new arrests) to extend employment opportunities to people with existing convictions that don’t impact their current position.
One last thing: don’t overlook women! Learn How to Attract & Retain Women Truck Drivers to Your Business (link to “How to Attract & Retain Women Truck Drivers to Your Business”). Looking to expand your trucking business and bring on more people? Let Gold Star get you on the right path. Our consultative services might be just the thing you need to get started.
