My first conversation with a recruiter

I hope you keep up with posting about your job search, and eventual employment. First off, let me say that I have no personal experience or even first hand knowledge of Schneider.

But I want to caution you about taking everything a recruiter says, with a grain of salt. Ask yourself, "Self, now just WHY would the be hiring newbies to run a dedicated account?" Being as how many drivers would commit both sexual and criminal acts to get into a dedicated route, would it not make more sense for them to open these jobs up to current employees that are interested? When you have a dedicated account, you need to take care of the customer. So wouldn't it be more logical to put a known, trusted, experienced driver on that account, rather than putting a rookie on it?

In fact, some companies won't even consider you for a dedicated account until you have proven yourself to them. And it just makes sense.

So if this recruiter is leading you to believe they will put you right into dedicated, they may also try to sell you some other "goodies," such as per diem pay. May sound good on paper, and a few drivers find it works for them. Most of us, it was not good for, as it ended up costing us money.

I've been retired for a couple of years or so now. But it seems like some things never change. And one of those things, are what recruiters are willing to tell you to get you to sign on.

I don't want you to take this as my saying you should not go to work for Schneider. I really don't know. Just don't believe everything you hear from a recruiter, no matter WHICH company it is they are representing.

Also, as you are aware if you have been around here for a while, EVERY company has their share of horror stories. Just because a company did not work for someone else, does not necessarily mean it won't work out for you. We are all different, and view things differently.

Good luck in your schooling, and in your career!

Elendil, I just went back and read your profile. I see you really are quite new here. I encourage you to look through this forum at length. There is a wealth of knowledge here, particularly if you can ignore the speling misteaks!

 

I am in the exact same situation as you, Elendil, as a truck driving school student who's about to [attempt to] enter the trucking industry. Clean background, good driving record, just no experience. And I, like yourself, have been in contact with some of Schneider's recruiters, the last of which analyzed the options for me personally based on location and [lack of] experience, and here's what he had to say:

I can expect to be out up to 14 days, with 2 or 3 days at home afterward. I had applied for several different job postings which I'd found through Schneider's career search, one of which was a dedicated route which is close to where I live, however the recruiter who handles my area assured me that Schneider does not hire inexperienced students to handle their dedicated routes. Now I realize it comes down to a matter of whose word you choose to believe, but I'd take Big Don's advice and maybe not take every word you're getting from a company recruiter [no matter which company it is] as gospel.

I wish you the best of luck, and do let us know how things pan out, please. If the trucking industry is rebounding as quickly as my instructors have been telling us it has been, then n00bs like you and I should hopefully have no issues finding a decent job driving a truck.

Cheers.

 

So did jenny sound hot? I worked for schnider went through their school back in 99. They were good at first but then seemed like I always ended up in the north east. They were also always be hind on my toll reimbursement. Overall they were decent. A guy that works with me now also worked for schneider in the past and he loved it said it was the best company he worked for just wanted to be home more. Good luck.

 

When I first started at a different company, I was out for a minimum of 2 weeks at a time. Most of the time it was more like 4-6 weeks out. If they could have put me on a dedicated right off, with no experience, I would have jumped on it in a heartbeat.

 

Elendil

I do not see anything written in your post that sounds unreasonable.

I documented my start with SNI here
http://www.thetruckersreport.com/truckingindustryforum/schneider/117669-headed-for-indianapolis-orientation-august-7th.html

A couple of things that stand out to me, is that I was always paid the same loaded, unloaded, bobtail, etc. Maybe that is a contract issue with Target. I want to also be realistic about defining "2 days off". It is funny to guys on the road, but frustrating to new guys (like me). An example of two days off would be getting home Friday night at 8-10 PM, and leaving Sunday morning at 5AM. Actually, Schneider may consider that three days, lol. I was also told 5/2 but that usually meant I could sleep in my own bed two times, but only amounted to between 34-42 hours total at home. If you look on their site (or Roehl) they have a video and description of the pre employment work out screening you must do. Not to "scare" you, but my orientation started with about 15 people, and ended with 7. I think at least 4 or 5 left the day of the "workout" because their bp or heart rate was too high.

I also wanted to respond to some other posters. One of the reasons I feel that they will hire new drivers on dedicated runs, especially drop and hooks that require very little interaction with customers, is because they can pay them 30 cents a mile instead of 40 cents or more.

In closing I will say this. In my personal experience, about 99.5% of anything told to me by Schneider, either a recruiter, a DBL, a dispatcher, has turned out to be true. That is more honesty than I get from my spouse. I get teased about driving a pumpkin, and have read horror stories on this forum, but for ME PERSONALLY, I could not be any happier and could not see myself working anywhere else. If that means I am the exception to the rule, then fine by me. Do your own research and make your own decision. Do not let others make your decision for you.

Good Luck.

Raid3r

 

Elendil,

I HIGHLY recommend you read RoadRaid3r's experience with SNI from Orientation to his current status. He and I went through SNI Orientation at the same time but in different cities. While I threw in the towel just a week into OTR training with my TE (Training Engineer), I can tell you that everyone I encountered at SNI made a genuine effort in making sure I succeeded in passing their program.

When I asked for a different skills trainer during Orientation because I couldn't understand the guy's mumbling, I was immediately accommodated. When Orientation was over, I requested a week off before heading out with my TE and again my request was accommodated without any question.

My TE was the best trainer I could have asked for, and I felt really bad for calling it quits. However, the OTR lifestyle isn't for everyone and in one short week I found out that at 49 years of age I'm just too domesticated to take it up now. It's too bad I couldn't have had that week's experience BEFORE I even embarked on getting my CDL. Of course, if companies did that they wouldn't be able to get the first driver to sign on.

Personally, I think SNI is a great place to start and I wish you the best.

 

Pumpkin recruiters are some of the best.

I'd jump on their offer,

also, having a back-up plan is a good idea.

That pay kinda sucks, 660-750 a week gross !!!

But if you can live with it, go for it..............

 

its called gross pay because after taxes are taken out you feel sick.