Advice please! Newly graduate out of Memphis, TN

Hey everyone!
I just officially graduated school yesterday. I started back in January and our school regularly had recruiters come in to talk to us. In my first month I had decided on the company to go to. Small local company (30 trucks) with Christian values that I closely related to. After the first month we went to the next mod and 3 of the instructors quit. Ironically to work for this company. It was then I knew I had the place for me. I did my time, passed all my tests and got my CDL A 2 weeks ago. Set up an interview with the company (which I had this last Thursday) to be told their not sure yet it they will be hiring soon but will know better in a couple weeks. Ouch. I was assured that of the 5 people interviewed I was the top candidate. I have applied to many different companies over the last month, so, I didn't fill my eggs in only one basket. But I had my hopes to be there. It had great start out pay, home every weekend, great benefits and so on. If the others I've applied for they will generally only have one of the four main things I'm looking for. I feel like going to any of them will be like sacrificing what I want just for the job rather than committing to the career I got into this for in the beginning (if that makes any sense). I've applied to all the major trucking companies. I am however running into issues finding the smaller ones. I'm sure they're out there. I like Averitt for the pay and home weekends. I like Schneider for the tanker. TMC for the pay and equipment. However I'm not to interested in flatbed. I'm 37 years old and after sports when I was younger and a decade of lifting granite in my younger adult years my body has seen its best days lol. Not to say I couldn't do it but rather to say I'd rather not (this could be a good area for advice as well. Maybe flatbed isn't as bad as people are making it out to be.) So I'll end this abruptly with my question. If you were to choose a large start up company who would it be and why? Please feel free to post smaller companies you may know in my area as well. Thanks in advance!

 

Yeah, they have been my 2nd choice. I applied to them a little over a week ago. Waiting to hear back from them after background check. It's clean and clear but just a formality. I've been approved to work for Celadon, Knight, Schneider and a couple others. Just have to commit in order to go. Just feel like I'm settling and I don't want to get somewhere and be unhappy. I'm thinking Averitt might just be my best option at this point though and get the experience I need to move on. I don't like to hop jobs but in this case I may just have to do it.

 

Thanks for replying China! I regularly scan the forums and have seen you give some solid advice to us new guys over the years. Was really hoping you'd see this and reply.

I just applied to Abilene. Gotta love this intelliapp thing that they use to auto input your information. I'll apply to the others as well and see. I'm getting kind of antsy to work. It's been since Nov since I have. Was hoping that I would be working this coming Monday. Hopefully I can soon though!!! I really appreciate the help. My thing I've been noticing is that I know there are a lot of companies hiring students that either aren't advertising online or I'm just not liking in the right places. For example I've never seen Abilene until now. I've been looking here, Glassdoor and Indeed. It's all usually the same suspects. Thanks again!

 

So, only Averitt?