When there’s a shortage of drivers and a bounty of empty seats to be filled, it’s natural that companies would always be looking for new ways to attract top talent away from competitors and into their own trucks. But it’s important that your business not take shortcuts in its recruiting; the wrong techniques can attract the wrong kind of driver or lead to low retention rates, trapping you forever in a downward driver-seeking spiral.
You’ve processed enough applications and facilitated enough hires to know that driver recruiting involves knowing what not to do as much as what to do. Here are some of the top practices we think carriers should be saying no to.
Don’t Bend the Truth
As we’ve written about before, drivers won’t stay long at a carrier that doesn’t tell them the truth. Your future employees will want to know what they can expect to be paid, what routes they’ll be responsible for working, and what benefits they’ll get if they drive for you. Drivers are awash in options and you need them to say yes to you every day to keep them working for you. Misrepresenting yourself is a fast way to having that job posting up again before you know it.
Don’t Rely Only On Pay
Salary is a crucial consideration for a driver and is often a big way he feels his work is appropriately valued by his employer, but it’s far from the only thing a potential employee looks for in their next position. There are tangible benefits like medical benefits and home time, but people in all kinds of industries make employment decisions based on commute duration, relationship to their boss, flexibility of the work schedule, opportunities for professional development, word of mouth from friends, and dozens of other reasons, and drivers are no exception. Strive to build a desirable place to work in many aspects of your business to attract drivers with a range of priorities.
Don’t Be Impossible To Find
Maybe you’re a great carrier and have every advantage you could want – but it won’t matter if drivers can’t find you. Do you have a website? Does your company post on their social media pages? Do you have a referral program in place? Are you using an online application drivers can fill out easily from their phones? If drivers can’t find you, they can’t work for you.
Don’t Leave Out the Personal Touch
Drivers looking for a new job often apply to several carriers, so it’s important to stand out among the pack. Add a human touch to your application process by following up a timely automatic response with a personalized video voicemail letting applicants know you’re glad they applied and can’t wait to speak to them about their experience.
Don’t Expect To Make The Best Hires Immediately
The best drivers are the ones who won’t constantly be on the market – they’re the people who stay awhile at a carrier and seek stability in employment. These won’t be the first drivers you see applications from unless the timing lines up perfectly, so when you’re regularly recruiting new drivers, resist the urge to accept the first person who walks through the door unless they seem like a great fit, and make sure you have a process in place to stay in touch with your most attractive applicants.
Don’t Expect Every Driver Will Be The Right Fit
At the end of the day, drivers are individuals with different personalities, priorities, and styles of work. You may assume you’re the best company around for anybody who comes along, but every employer has a style that might not work for everyone. If you’re all about structure and an applicant prefers freedom and flexibility, it might not be a perfect match even if the candidate has a strong application. It’s important to always try to be the best company you can be, but it’s important to also acknowledge that you can’t be everybody’s perfect fit. Own the type of company you are and you’ll attract the kind of people who want to work at a company like yours.
Don’t Forget That Tenstreet Can Help
If you’re looking to turn these don’ts into do’s and want to refine and automate your recruiting process, call 877-219-9283 or email sales@tenstreet.com – after a quick conversation, we’ll be able to help you hire the drivers you’re looking for. Happy hunting!
