When are you officially hired?

I'm currently in the application process, speaking with a recruiter about potential schooling/employment with a company, and things are happening fairly quickly. Nothing extreme, but there's a lot of past employment verification, reference-checking, preparing for the CDL permit. Feels like I've already got the go for schooling, and yet I'm not sure about employment...

I guess what I'm wondering is... At what point during the whole hiring process does a company consider you officially hired? Is it just like any other job, when you start filling out paperwork? It'd be great to hear from drivers who started with a company as a STUDENT and then became an employee. Were there separate processes to signing with the company as a student and then an employee?

Sorry if this seems like a dumb question. It's my first time trying to get a job in this industry and I want to make sure I don't get swept away in confusion.

 

Hahah.. well I would assume so at that point

Well, again, I think I'm confused since I'm joining a company as a student first. And from what I think I remember from speaking with the recruiter, I will technically be hired when I'm on the road with the trainer and start receiving a paycheck. That sound right?

If so... then before going out on the road, I'm just a regular guy taking classes at this company's school and interested in working for them... right?

 

Gotcha. So all this employment verification and reference checking is normal, even though I'm only coming in as a student at this point?

 

No kidding. I guess I can only do my best and hope they like my best!