Application questions, and other hiring

I am applying online here tonight and I had a couple questions. Nothing too big, I just wanted to look nice and professional and do this right.

For my work history. I have some periods where I was not employed by a company. For two years I worked for an individual that ran a small tourism company. This was three years ago and I cannot find the person and the contact phone number is now someone else's. This means that this period would have to remain unverified.

Should I just put myself as self employed? If you put self employed what do prospective employers do to verify you were self employed?

If a company wants a stable work history, it seems anyone could just put self employed and make their work history look better. This is probably my weakest part of the application. I have a good year of recent trucking, but before that it is more sporadic.

Here is from their website:

"Must provide valid names, addresses, and phone numbers of previous 10 years of employment history"

Second:
There is a segment on tickets. Last time I got a job I put I had one ticket. Once I was in orientation they started asking me about parking tickets or something else I got. I can't remember what these were, I don't know where to find them, and they are definitely not moving violations, should I just leave it blank and anything they find I tell them what I remember.

I want to be as forthcoming as possible, but at the same time, I don't want to go around telling recruiters I may have some parking tickets I don't remember. I just want to do the application the best I can, so any tips and tricks for making them look as good as possible would be appreciated.

One more thing. Is there anyway that once you get to the orientation they can try and trick you into running as a team?

 

thanks. I did get a copy of my driving record from the state and it doesn't have anything except that one speeding ticket on it.

Hmm. I can put that I worked for the one employer. Basically it was taking tourists on evening sailboat tours. My last trucking company verified it through the owner of the boat, but I can't find him anywhere and the boat has been sold. So if I put him down they won't be able to verify it. Im concerned that a large company would not appreciate honesty and would instead just have requirements to be met and if you can't me them they send you home. A smaller company yes, them you can talk to more easily and explain the situation.

Part of the problem too, is that some of these places bring you into orientation before they have made sure they want to hire you. Last time I went they hadn't even pulled my dac or mvr until I got there.

 

Is there any downside to me applying to a couple different companies? The one I want the most, also does more thorough research before they bring you in, which is a good thing, I think. However, I would hate to sit here hoping for them to call and they either never do, or call and say they can't use me at this time.

Can I apply to several? Let's say I applied to a more aggressive recruiting company and they offered me orientation, how would I put them off, just ask for a couple of days to consider their offer? If I apply to a company and end up going somewhere else, does it hurt my chances of ever applying there again?