I am an antisocial MBA student considering a whole new career in trucking.

Hello,

I am a Master's student in Business Admin. I have nearly a 4.0 GPA. However, I feel like I have learned nothing at all.

I have Asperger's syndrome. As a result, I am not good with people. I am terrible at job interviews. Also "networking" simply isn't for me. I'm just learning that it just isn't the life for me. A lot of it also feels phoney. Also, my employablility doesn't seem very secure, mainly because I am bad at communication being Aspergers.

However, I have been looking at my strengths. I have the ability to concentrate intensely for long periods of time. That's why I do so well in school. I don't mind working long hours and being away from home. I also prefer being by myself most of the time. The more I've been thinking about it, trucking seems to match these attributes.


I graduate in May. I am also an intern at my school. That ends in May also, and I will be officially unemployed. I have saved up about $10,000 from the internship plus student loans because I am paranoid about finding a job. I've heard it costs about $5000 for a CDL. Therefore, becoming a trucker would be a large investment. I just have a question.


Is employment pretty much secure if you become a trucker, even if I am terrible at job interviews? If its not, then I wouldn't want to spend the money for CDL training. I have nothing on my driving record, no driving restrictions, and have a great credit score (which I guess would help lower my insurance cost). I also don't drink, smoke, do drugs, visit prostitutes, use a cell phone while driving etc, so I should have no legal issues. Does pretty much anyone who wants to work find work with a CDL, even if they are terrible at job interviews? That's what I hear in the media, but I see noone better to ask than the truckers themselves, so I'm asking it here. Do most truckers make at least $30,000 a year after all fees, etc, if they are willing to put in the time?

My internship currently offers a full ride scholarship, so I will definitely continue until i graduate by May. However, I'm posting this here to consider my options. I will have plenty of time to think before then. I don't know how common it is for people in my situation to become truckers, but I don't feel like school made me "smarter." I know these are very basic questions, and I know next to nothing about the industry. However, all the help wanted signs I keep seeing for trucking companies got me interested. If this is something I want to do, I am a very quick learner, but I still have plenty of time to decide. Thank you anyone who has taken the time to read this.

 

Thank you for your reply Double Yellow. I am glad to a fellow Aspy who is in trucking.


I don't mind talking to dispatch. Mainly what I mean is I am not a "social animal." I don't really do networking which is how most people get jobs. Also, in job interviews, the following stuff get me. Its questions like Why do you want to work here? (You are supposed to something else than to earn a living... WHY?) What are you greatest strengths, weaknesses, where do you see yourself in 5 years? Give an example of How you have handled conflict... Something always trips me up and I screw up the interview. So are you saying that I would not be selected based on my ability to answer questions like that? If so than great. I'm sure being an aspy yourself, you fully understand my point of view here.

I just have a question about this application process. When you say I will be conditionally hired if I meet their critieria, could you elaborate on that. Currently my resume would look far better applying for a bank than to be a trucker. Do you mean past history, or are they looking to make sure I have the CDL, a good driving record, and obey the law etc? You mentioned that there are 100 applicants for every 1000 jobs. That certainly sounds great. Does that mean if I am willing to do the training, obey the laws and rules, and am willing to work long hours, someone will hire me? If so, this is probably something I want to learn more about. I think that you would agree that aspies can make good truckers.

 

bigdogpile, I am not going to be "fixed." I have asperger's syndrome, which actually means that I have differences in my thought processes. I will always be this way. Double Yellow has it, and should be this way his whole life as well. Maybe I should be more clear what I mean by "anti social." It just mean I prefer to be myself, and don't really mingle socially. This is very normal for people with aspeger's. You can go to this wikipedia link to learn more about it. However, Asperger's comes with traits that could be positive for truckers as well such as the ability to concentrate intensely.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asperger_syndrome


I'm not getting into trucking to "fix myself." I am considering it, because it seems to be a field that matches my skill set. That's all I am saying. That's why I am here asking about it.

 

Chinatown, thank you for reply.


I have a community college in my area. If I do consider trucking, I will definitely look there. I do believe they have a trucking program. Thank you for this suggestion.

 

Zenaddler, thank you for the reply. I'm glad trucking has worked out for you. I would have no problem with the classroom side of things in training, because that's pretty much what I have done all my life. I'm not too worried about the training in general. I don't generally have trouble getting along with people, so I don't think I'd have trouble getting along with any trainer. Making small talk or general ####-chat is what the bigger problem is for me.