Why Won’t Trucking Companies Hire Me?

So you’re always hearing about the ‘truck driver shortage’ and reading articles about how hard it is for companies to hire and keep qualified drivers. So why is it that you’ve applied for numerous trucking jobs and no one seems interested in hiring you?

Why Can’t I Find A Trucking Job?

There are errors on your DAC report. It isn’t unheard of for errors to pop on your DAC report — errors that could keep you from getting the job that you want. Click here to learn how to get a copy of your DAC report and how to dispute an error if you find one.

Your social media presence stinks. There are actually companies out there that comb through truck drivers’ social media to let employers know if there is likely to be a “problem with hiring.” One company called Enlistics says that they use a job applicant’s social media data to let an employer know if an applicant is worth a hire: “by comparing applicants to known-good and bad truckers, Enlistics can instantly determine whether an applicant is likely to turn over in the next 12 months.”

Our advice — don’t bad mouth former employers or fellow employees. Don’t post videos of yourself doing anything unsafe. Try to maintain a positive online image. And when in doubt, don’t post.

You have unrealistic expectations. You might not be able to find a high paying local job that gets you home every night and off on the weekends fresh out of CDL school. Most drivers have to spend at least a little time with a carrier that is not their ideal choice when they first start out until they can get enough experience to get the job that they actually want. 

You have problems with the law. Whether you had a DUI a few years back or drug charge last week, your past can come back to haunt you when you’re looking for a new trucking job. Always be honest with your potential employer about any past problems with the law because they will likely find out eventually.

You were fired from your last job. If you’re not able to provide solid and satisfying answers about why and how your last trucking job ended, you might have trouble when you look for something new.

It could just be bad luck. Sometimes things just don’t work out in your favor. If this is the case, keep trying! No matter how many ‘no’s you get, you only need one ‘yes.’