Evaluating A Motor Carrier - The Interview

This is one of the most helpful posts I've seen and a very helpful thread. Thanks!

 

I once took my list with almost 60 questions to a job fair and started asking recruiters... One was kind enough to answer them all, the other ones would give me some BS (I knew they were lieing), they seemed not interested in answering, and some told me not to leave my co. cause they didn't have anything better to offer me... Actually, I am afraid of interviewing cos. over the phone and be treated poorly... Maybe I should find drivers and interview them instead...

 

Turbo, 1st, thank you for the info. 2nd. which company or companies have you heard of that would be good to drive for?

 

If you don't mind me interjecting my opinion here.... first you decide a few things: how long you want to stay on the road at a time, where you want to take your home time, what type of truck, transmission, equipment, etc you want to drive, what kind of freight you want to move, benefits you want and don't want, what labor you are willing to do or not (such as loading/ unloading, securing freight, carring equipment, etc),.... do some research and find cos. that offer what you want and then go from there....

I am looking for another co. I don't care about home time. I like to stay almost 2 months on the road and park the truck at the terminal for 7 days off. This co. but must have dry van, 10 speed, no electronic logs in the near future, truck with high roof, terminal no further than 2 hrs from Atlanta, GA, no mandatory per diem, no driver load/unload.... well, my list goes on and on.....

 

In the last 15 years when I had to apply for a job I'd pull out MY list of questions and if I got the kind of response from Mr. Recruiter as you say you'd would do I'd kindly tell you well thanks for the interview but you apparently don't need a good driver this month and hang up on your stupid arse!

It's an interview to see if you both are a good fit. Just like the smooth talk at the bar before you decide on the horizontal bimbo with the baby doll you're about to try on for size. It's the same thing.

The best job I had for 10 out of those 15 years the recruiter actually thanked me for asking the questions and agreed with me when I told him it's better to "waste" our time on the phone instead of face to face. A bus trip wasn't in the future as this company was 10 miles from the house and a bike ride away.

But because I did ask all these questions and was satisfied that this was a good company I had all the paperwork they needed to get hired. And was in the truck the next day!

If that company doesn't like being questioned then I bet they have this wonderfully high turnover rate that I just don't feel like standing in line for!

ANYONE who is going to interview the recruiter do not be afraid to ask them questions until you are satisfied. The best way to ask would be to make the call, give them your name and address and phone number and THEN politely ask him/her if you can ask a few questions to satisfy yourself if you and (put company name here) will be a good match and this way we don't waste each otters time or bus money to come to orientation. The last part of the sentence always gets them and they actually like that "saving bus fares" part!

The job interview will always happen and it's your life so ask away and do not be afraid!

 

If they are made uncomfortable by some of the questions or want to tell me just what they want to (like a car salesman or politician) and don't want to take the time to answer my questions then that will be worth more than a million of their shallow words.

Thanks so much!

 

I rest my case!

 

You are right, I wouldn't expect anyone to be that patient, but several of the things on that list I wouldn't have even thought of to ask and they are things that I would want to know.

 

And as I said, copy it to your word processor and cut and paste the MOST IMPORTANT questions for your own sheet! I did a little recruiting at the first of the year for a "pre hire" recruiting company and got burned but what I learned is drivers asked me very few questions when I asked them if they had any! That alarmed me somehow to tell the truth!
And as we have noted in a few other posts...If they want to blow you off do you really want to find out later that they are a BFI? What saves you today is better than loosing it later!