Can you get a white collar job after being in trucking industry?

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by Trucu, May 11, 2012.

  1. vangtransport

    vangtransport Heavy Load Member

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    If you graduated from college recently why would you want to drive a truck? Assuming you went to college for a particular degree, why not start in the field you have a degree in. If you want to throw a year or so away, throw it away on a internship, and work part time somewhere for money.
     
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  3. slomocopshow

    slomocopshow <b>MS GA RED</b>

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    Heh. Speaking as someone with over 20 years experience in the old cube farms of the corporate world before being laid off and returning to school to achieve my highly-held personal dream, a college education, "they" will only think you're a dumb, doping trucker if you act like one. It's not the job or position that may be the problem, but the person, themselves. Be proud of your work and yourself when interviewing; that attitude will come shining through. Furthermore, if a company looks upon you with contempt for being a trucker in a previous life, then tell them "thanks for your time" and move on, for that's NOT a company in which you wish to be employed. :biggrin_25525:
     
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  4. Permit09

    Permit09 Bobtail Member

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    OP: I understand what you mean. I've had HR personnel, say "well, we don't hire such and such types (click)!"

    It was the most superficial BS I had ever heard but it was the truth. The job market is flooded with white collar types. I'd say do trucking but, obtain more education in your white collar field.
     
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  5. leaper

    leaper Bobtail Member

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    You might have a little trouble getting your foot in the door, but if you can sell your trucking experience, you shouldn't have a problem landing a job. Pitch it as business experience, with a high degree of self-reliance and problem solving.

    Me? I'm one of those people who are looking to get into trucking as a way out of the rat race....

    I have an associates in business, a bachelors in sociology, a computer certification, and currently hold a job in product development (R&D) and product management. I essentially get paid to think, and it's making my head hurt. If I'm gonna work 80 hours a week, I'd much rather do it on the road. Driving beats making budget spreadsheets any day in my book, especially when you're doing at 2am to meet a deadline.

    I'm hoping trucking will be a good way to pay of my student loans, sock away some cash, and see the country. I'm getting rid of most everything and going all in. House? Don't want it. Car? Don't need it. "Home" time will be where ever I want to vacation when I feel like a break. I have plans for early retirement, and it's sure gonna help not to have a mortgage payment. When you look at what you're not paying in electricity/cable/internet/water/etc, it adds up fast. Not many white collar workers have that luxury.

    I know the first year I won't make that much, but I'm thinking of it as a type of internship. You have to put the time in if you want to make the money later. So I guess my question is, why would you want to leave after only doing a year? That's when the fun starts and you can move on to bigger and better places :)
     
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  6. Drifter42

    Drifter42 Hopper Heartache

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    Sure it's possible. Like some said dispatchers, terminal managers and even owners started out driving. Now in all unfairness, a lot of white even blue collar jobs look at truckers as wanderers and don't want to hire them, Example once I looked at getting back into sales[ Thats what I did before I got into trucking]. The manager outright told me that he really did not want to hire me, not because of lack of experience, but since I was a trucker and there are so many trucking jobs out there, he was afraid that any little thing that may happen to frustrate me, I may just say screw it and go back into trucking because I can get a job the next day. I tried to explain that it wasn't like that, but he was leery and did not hire me. Sad but true, so that something to look out for as well.
     
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  7. SatelliteSender

    SatelliteSender Bobtail Member

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    Feb 22, 2012
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    These days many people are graduting without jobs lined-up, but not by their choice.

    If you get into trucking as a temporary thing, make sure you pay attention to what is happening in your degree field while you are out on the road cause one of the first things you are going to have to answer during an interview is......"so what else have you been doing while you were driving a truck?"

    You need to have the answers that will dazzle them, and that means knowing what is going on in the XYZ industry and what the most recent, efficient, or productive methods that are out there.

    If you decide to make use of that degree, do it soon, cause going back to school for another degree might be out of financial reach for you. IMO, unless parents have planned very successfully, college educations are becoming for the rich kids again.


    SatSender For what it's worth.
     
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  8. Gizmo_Man

    Gizmo_Man Road Train Member

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    And where pray tell did you hear this, care to tell us EXACTLY?? Otherwise, are you here to start some stuff??

    It is true if you want it to be. Once a college degree, always a college degree. Seems to me, that for a college educated person, you really know nothing at all.

    I thought college educated people were supposed to be smart???

    Or is that something "I heard"????
     
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  9. Colorato

    Colorato Road Train Member

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    You can always drive for a bit then move into a DM or terminal manager role. Sure you might not know much about driving and it's not exactly white collar but you can pretend it is. The only major skill set you need is the ability to talk over people.
     
  10. duckdiver

    duckdiver Road Train Member

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    Well trucking is the only job I had where they actually have random drug tests and we are held to a higher standard regarding BAC
     
  11. dancnoone

    dancnoone "Village Idiot"

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    You'd be surprised how many people utilize trucking to further their education.

    Then move right into another field when they find an opening.
     
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