How NOT To Have A Good Looking Application...

So I get at least one application like this every day. Today, when I called (We promise to call and talk with anyone who fills out an application, even when its a rejection) to tell them we were considering candidates with stronger work histories, this driver got pretty rage-y. Raised their voice. I tried to recommend something else for them, but I was just another evil person who was out to ruin their life, and that was it.

This is exactly what was on the app they sent to me, and then they got mad when we wouldn't "just give me a chance!".

I wanted to say "Looks like a lot of places gave you a lot of chances, driver" But I didn't.

PS - I know my numbers are backwards, but I didn't feel like re-typing them all, sorry!

(All names and identifying features have been removed - but trust me when I say he went from decent companies to OK companies to companies I had never heard of to "3rd chance" companies...)

Now I'm not posting this to shame anyone, I'm just trying to show you what happens when you DON'T heed the free and valuable advice that the pros here at TruckingTruth offer you. This driver can't get out of a vicious cycle, and can't understand why this has happened to them.

Again, this is just a random choice, I see at least one of these apps per day. I don't have the answers, but trucking or not, its gonna be tough to find a company who will hire someone with a work history like this. And the companies that WILL hire someone with an app like this... they probably aren't going to be great or treat their drivers very well. Like I said - vicious cycle.

I have no way to verify this, but my guess is that these are the drivers who post the angry rants online about being mistreated by "X Trucking Company".

So I get at least one application like this every day.

This is exactly what was on the app they sent to me, and then they got mad when we wouldn't "just give me a chance!".

I wanted to say "Looks like a lot of places gave you a lot of chances, driver" But I didn't.

PS - I know my numbers are backwards, but I didn't feel like re-typing them all, sorry!

(All names and identifying features have been removed - but trust me when I say he went from decent companies to OK companies to companies I had never heard of to "3rd chance" companies...)

Wow...can't imagine filling out all the paperwork for all of them !

Jrod, I'm super glad you posted this. I've said many times that there are plenty of drivers out there with many years of experience that never do figure out how to make their way in this industry, and you've given a perfect example of that.

I can understand that a rookie driver may not at first realize that it's not a matter of choosing the right company, but being an awesome driver. An awesome driver will get great miles and make great money at any major carrier. I specify "major carrier" because the majors are the ones with tons of freight and proven logistics systems in place. There's no question the opportunities for great miles are there at the major carriers. I can't guarantee that for small companies, like those with fewer than 50 trucks. There's no telling what experience you'll have at a small company.

It's astounding to me that there are so many drivers who never figure this out, even with many years of driving experience. It's a very simple concept - any large company has all of the opportunities in the world for great miles and great paychecks. If you're not getting these opportunities, then who is???

And why aren't you one of them???

Folks, I want you to understand something. When you want to be successful at something you need to seek out experienced professionals who have found happiness and success in their field and ask them what you can do to achieve the same.

Do not take career advice from people who are failing to perform or are unhappy with their situation. Do you think you'll find happiness and success by following the advice of people who are miserable and unsuccessful?

As amazing as it is that there are experienced drivers who never figure this industry out, it's just as amazing to me that so many people take career advice from them. If someone is miserable and failing, why would you listen to them?

If you want to understand why there is so much unwarranted negativity in trucking, and how you can handle it, check these out:

• You're Getting Career Advice From The Wrong People
• Terminal Rats Are Derailing Trucking Careers

I had a rough job history until I started following this site years ago. I have been slowly working on getting better. However, I did not have the same issues the driver did per say, but I had a rough time adjusting and finding my fit when I got out of the Army. I also worked 3 or 4 jobs at a time and discovered that this apparently looks bad to new employers as all they see is someone that worked 4 jobs in a year rather than someone working 4 jobs simultaneously while raising 2 kids and going to school. In my mind I thought "Man I look dedicated!" but that's not really how most companies see it apparently. I also am willing to admit a majority of my past issues were self inflicted.

It is surprising to hear how many applications you get though! And its wild seeing job history like this. I hope something clicks for this person! I was involved in a single vehicle rollover accident in 2016 in my personal vehicle with no tickets or citations issued and no property damaged and no one else involved except for myself and I had minor injuries. This was prior to having a CDL. How do companies look at this? I have some say no and some have said come back in a few years and then I have had some say they do not care. If it is an insurance thing how do they know without checking with their insurance? Some say safety has to clear me? I do not have to worry much right now as I thankfully have a job but I mainly just wanted to know how they determine these things?

Sometimes the COMPANY IS THE INSURER. It's called being self insured. Many companies who are willing to take on inexperienced drivers and give them a chance are indeed self insured completely or have an extremely high deductible, allowing them to be able to afford the risk of hiring/training inexperienced drivers.

For example, I work for a relatively smaller company (not a mega) with 550 trucks. We are self insured for the first $350,000. So yeah, you can bet Safety is going to be looking hard at every applicant and if they do decide to take a chance on them, they're going to be scouring their truck stats and driving until they've really proven themselves. I'm betting even larger carriers might be fully self insured? Swift? Etc?

Start date - Dec 17 End date - Dec 17 Reason: Too long of a commute

I was involved in a single vehicle rollover accident in 2016 in my personal vehicle with no tickets or citations issued and no property damaged and no one else involved except for myself and I had minor injuries. This was prior to having a CDL. How do companies look at this? I have some say no and some have said come back in a few years and then I have had some say they do not care. If it is an insurance thing how do they know without checking with their insurance? Some say safety has to clear me? I do not have to worry much right now as I thankfully have a job but I mainly just wanted to know how they determine these things?

If it was deemed a "preventable" accident by your company, it's not going to be great. Failure to maintain lane of travel, Leaving the roadway, having a tow away accident (Or needing a wrecker to get it upright), and a DOT reportable accident with injuries (yourself included) doesn't get most insurance companies really excited. If there is a ticket included, its probably going to be a 3 year disqualifier for many places. No matter what, I would highly recommend having a copy of the accident report available for any potential employer to inspect. (that goes for any accident, always get and keep a copy of the accident report, and dash cam video if there is any. Otherwise, the company you were driving for will have 100% of the narrative for all future employers going forward.) Of course, there are a lot of companies out there that get to use their own judgement. Rarely is any single incident going to be enough to make a driver "un-hireable". You'll find a decent job out there, just make sure you're honest with yourself, figure out WHY your accident happened, and work really hard at making sure that never happens again. I know, you know, everyone knows - accidents happen. But... I also look at applications daily where you have OTR drivers with 10+ years of no accidents, no moving violations, etc - it is possible. They are driving down the same interstates, with the same trailers, surrounded by the same idiots... You can do it too!

I had a rough job history until I started following this site years ago. I have been slowly working on getting better. However, I did not have the same issues the driver did per say, but I had a rough time adjusting and finding my fit when I got out of the Army. I also worked 3 or 4 jobs at a time and discovered that this apparently looks bad to new employers as all they see is someone that worked 4 jobs in a year rather than someone working 4 jobs simultaneously while raising 2 kids and going to school. In my mind I thought "Man I look dedicated!" but that's not really how most companies see it apparently. I also am willing to admit a majority of my past issues were self inflicted.

I'm in a bit of the same predicament as far as job history goes. Three jobs in three years and part of that is having been unemployed for 7 months while doing whatever under the table work I can find to pay bills as well as contracting gigs.

It hasn't made it any easier trying to get into a paid CDL training course since when most of them see that, they reject it on the spot. I can't say I blame them since, while I have reasons for all of it, my resume reads like I'm a job hopper.

I had a rough job history until I started following this site years ago. I have been slowly working on getting better. However, I did not have the same issues the driver did per say, but I had a rough time adjusting and finding my fit when I got out of the Army. I also worked 3 or 4 jobs at a time and discovered that this apparently looks bad to new employers as all they see is someone that worked 4 jobs in a year rather than someone working 4 jobs simultaneously while raising 2 kids and going to school. In my mind I thought "Man I look dedicated!" but that's not really how most companies see it apparently. I also am willing to admit a majority of my past issues were self inflicted.

I'm in a bit of the same predicament as far as job history goes. Three jobs in three years and part of that is having been unemployed for 7 months while doing whatever under the table work I can find to pay bills as well as contracting gigs.

It hasn't made it any easier trying to get into a paid CDL training course since when most of them see that, they reject it on the spot. I can't say I blame them since, while I have reasons for all of it, my resume reads like I'm a job hopper.

I am in the same boat. Two jobs in the last three years. The first job did everyone dirty. Walked in just to be told we were all let go. In the interim I applied at anything I could get so I wouldn't lose my car.Nothing.

With all my savings in the bank getting low and no work to be found I tried unemployment to be told that I quit. I found out the company president split.I lost my car.Eight months later I was taking the bus to work. Another eight months this company was fined for not having security guards with current registrations. Laid off again. Been a year now.

I can't take jobs that are only 16 to 20 hours a week at minimum wage and live let alone survive off of. So....this fall I return to school for a year. After that I'll work two more years then apply to some trucking companies.

Doing what I need to so I can become a driver and enjoy a career that I can take pride in.

What I like about trucking is, YOU...not anyone else makes or brakes it. You are the one that "owns it."It all falls on your shoulders. I am an over achiever and have been at all my jobs and have always been promoted.

I know I'll do well. Just need to take the steps to get there.

JRod, I am glad too see this on here, if it were not for this site and everyone on here, I wouldn’t be the driver I am today. Its good to see the other side of the spectrum from the personnel side of things. Gives insight into the selection process, seems like the same old excuse.

I am not one to judge, I am the person who understands the most. I had a rocky first few years partly because of my wife having cancer x2 and beating it, and because I was a knucklehead and kept trying to improve my paycheck status and home time, however if it were not for learning and applying what I have learned on here, I wouldn’t be what people call a top tier trucker.