Walmart here I come!

So many drivers may live far away from a D.C. and they're probably missing out on a lot of highly qualified drivers so they can reach more of the type of drivers they're looking for by doing the phone interview. To travel hundreds of miles just to do an interview that most fail probably has a lot passing. Seems to me they still have extremely high minimum requirements and I can tell you from experience that the phone interview was still pretty intense!

 

I was told by more than one member of upper management that the recruitment focus was going to be for younger drivers that would put in more years of service. In most cases you cant have 20+ years and 2 million miles of experience in a younger driver. It was shortly after this that you started seeing a ton of drivers coming in to fill the new driver model. Also they were losing candidates because they washed out during the process,it had nothing to do with good candidates getting frustrated with the process. The long process meant they were getting the best of the best,It was how you played the game if you wanted in. Alot of us already had secure positions that many times were better than Walmart so waiting was just what you did. To obtain the best you have to search long and hard. Walmart has never had a problem with people knowing how good their drivers have it. I remember being told back in 1991 that it was one of the best and hardest jobs to get.

You laugh at the "newbies out of school scenario" but I bet guys would have had a big laugh if you had told them ten years ago that Walmart was going to be running ads for drivers on the radio.

 

you seem to have all the answers as a ex walmart driver. most of your comments start with I was told... why spread second or third hand info? I think the guys currently working here are well aware of whats going on and have offered pretty good advice when asked. Running ads over the radio is the best way to get the word out that walmart is hiring. It does not in any way change the standards and quality of driver they are looking for.

THE REQUIREMENTS HAVE NOT CHANGED......for some reason you keep wanting to make it seem like they have. I have had 18 drivers hired under me at my dc in one year. One is 35 in age the rest are all 40 plus......they went through 400 plus applicants to get 4 that made it through there screening to start in my class. They are still getting plenty of apps again just not meeting the standards or falsifying there apps and getting caught. There is no new driver model lol

I dont view myself to be above anyone but I have taken pride in keeping my record clean and being a courteous professional driver.

Anyone looking for walmart as a career choice I think you will be happy, There are drivers here with all different lengths of service driving for Wally... please chime in.......Have things changed ?yes some for good some for the worst change is going to happen everywhere. Just hope the good out weighs the bad......

 

The minimum requirements have not changed but since when (up until now) did you see drivers coming in with anything near the minimum requirements. In May of 2011 my class was made up of six drivers all with 20+ years and 2+ miliion miles,we were the best of more than 2000 applicants and we were all very proud. Do you think your going to see many classes made up with drivers of that level in the future? Come on man you know thats probably never going to happen again. For the most part they have exhausted the elite pool and now because of growth and attrition they have been forced to relax the standards. Im not saying that they are hiring a bunch of tools but your going to see alot more than you did in years gone by. You can spin it any way you like but thats the facts Jack.

No negativity here only the truth and as someone who made it thru the tougher screening process Im talking from experience. For now its still one of the best driving jobs out there,but they are taking the shine off aspects of the job that were attractive to that elite group of guys that considered the private fleet their final career acomplishment. Do you really think its going to be the same with guys that get hired because they meet the "requirements"? Let me ask you this,do you really think guys with good union jobs might be giving up high seniority and better than Walmart pay to come to the new private fleet? Let me help you out,I know of at least a couple that wont because its just not the job it was even two years ago. For example in my class there were four people that left union jobs to work for the fleet. Im sure your missing the point but Im not a bit suprised,soon everyone will see Walmart as a really good job but one thats not that tough to get.

Maybe you could answer my questions and offer up a decent argument on how these changes are going to improve things. Again I think your missing the point,but I would really like to see if you get it. There are alot of people following along that wont jump but I know their curious.

 

I agree it should be a simpler process, we had two guys fly in for their first interview one from florida and one from alabama. Then fly back a second time to accept the position. Thats a lot to ask for in my opinion but guys are willing to do it. Then sacrifice living away from home for one year until they can transfer to a dc near home. There are guys doing this daily so how bad can the job be to make these kind of sacrifices and commitments.......

 

I went through the same process you went through in 2011. How are they taking the shine of off things. Its still the very same job it was 2 years ago. Oh except the great new pay structure we got last year. Sounds like someone is a little bitter they are still not here.

3 out of 4 left union jobs in my class.......union jobs are not what they once where neither get real.... my father had 25 years in with the teamsters only to go to work one day and be told they where closed for good.

you started in 2011 and gone already ok........ enough said

 

Lets try and keep it on a big boy level were both professionals. I was "told" means its first hand because it came from a person directly involved in the process,I heard would be second hand or gossip like driver room #### chat. I would expect a fellow professional to know the difference. Everything I have said is fact based and its nothing secret. I have always said that the private fleet is a really good job and Walmart is a great company. For a guy coming from one of the megas where he is making 50k and gone all the time the private fleet is going to be a pretty big improvement. What about a guy thats at a job making 90k but wants a change and always liked the elite status associated with the private fleet,think the new way is as elite? I still dont think you get the point about drivers making the private fleet their last stop before retirement. Like it or not thats the way it was for alot of drivers and its why they have changed the process.

 

I get what your saying and totally understand. Left a great job to come here... I have said several times things are going to change and thats everywhere Do we have it good as the guys did 10 years ago here? Hell no the drivers that started back in the day retired wealthy men. We dont have to agree on all views and I do respect you as a professional. this is the best job some may ever have or it might just be a stepping stone for some as you say...

its all good

 

I was waiting for that shot. Not one bit of bitterness I just call it as I see it. My not being with Walmart has nothing to do with my opinion of the new recruitment process. Its not just guys coming from union jobs that are now viewing Walmart in a different light. We were all with very secure shops so that fear factor was not involved.

 

Dont think they will ever bottom feed,mid level feeding is where they are headed. Im not all that adverse to hiring guys that fall into the range between school and that mid level range if they have solid records. I may be needing to hire some drivers in the future and I think I can make good drivers out of guys from that group. But Im not Walmart and guys wont be expecting that elite status from a small fleet operation. My guys will be happy because I know what makes drivers happy and I have always done well.