Hard Time Looking For Work Need Help

companies may not mind....they need drivers that are able to protect their trucks....never know

 

i have the exact same thing as you. can you tell me how you explained it to the companies, and how it hurt you, if at all?

 

In some cases, but not all, you can get your record sealed. This ensures that no one but law enforcement agencies can read what's on your record.

Call up a lawyer and ask for information on getting someting called an "expungment". If you can prove that having a criminal record open to public view is harming you, you can get it expunged (sealed) and no one outside law enforcement can see it. I believe that even law enforcement personnel will need a court order to view it.

You'll have to prove your case, though. You must prove that having your record open to just anyone's eyes is harming you more than society's "right to know" about you will be harmed if your record is sealed. This may be tough. Part of the reason a record will "follow you around" is because society wants it that way. Not as a deterrent for you, but as a deterrent for society in general. Those with records are discriminated against, and society can point to those people and say "see what happens when you screw up" to others, especially younger folks. It works.

I always thought it is "interesting" that a guy who robs a bank, does twenty years, gets out, and gets a truck driving job can actually get that job. Here's a guy who'll not be allowed to come within ten miles of a good job, such as working at a bank, because he's such a "threat". The bank is afraid he may steal 20 bucks from the house, I guess. But this same guy can get a truck driving job, a job where he will often pull half a million dollars in freight across wide open expanses, often without a lock. This is because it's really a game. Trucking is one of those "last resort" jobs. Jobs that society has assigned to those who need to serve as "examples" of what not to do. And it works, just like all those prisons along the highways serve to make people think twice about committing crimes.

 

Thats true Tip, but it also works the other way. I have a 30 year old felony conviction (for robbery). I just retired after spending the past 23 years as an air traffic controller at one of the countries busiest airports. It was a government job (FAA) and I was subjected to an extremely thorough background check by the FBI before I was given a security clearance and hired. (Rightly so).

I've decided that I now want to give OTR a shot, so I filled out a few applications. The only company that even bothered to call me back was CFI, and that was to say no. I got no response at all from Swift, SNI, or Werner.

I've decided to go to CDL school anyway. I start at Sage tomorrow, so I should have my license in 4 weeks. At that time I'll start applying to a bunch of companies. Hopefully, I'll be able to find one that will give me a shot. I know that they are all within their rights not to consider me, but since I've spent a career doing one of the most responsible jobs on earth I didn't think that it would be this difficult to just get a foot in the front door.

I realize that I'm taking a $4000 gamble that I can find a job, but I don't really know how optimistic I should be. If anyone knows of a company that might be worth applying to I would welcome the suggestion. I live in SE Fla., and don't really care too much about home time or what the starting pay is.

 

why did you leave air traffic control post?
don't see why you would have a problem most trucking companies at the most say after 10yrs with conviction.


give this guy a call

Kirk Drury
(405) 630-0899
road.commander@yahoo.com

 

GroundControl, if I MYSELF owned a trucking company, I'd hire you tomorrow. But I'm one of the few guys who is about giving people a second chance. Most people aren't, however, and I believe it's because the "good job, bad job" thing is really a game.

Why did you give up that air boss job, if you don't mind me asking?

 

I left ATC only because the time was right. We are eligible to retire at 50 (just got there) and are forced out after 55. In the past year or so there has been a very bad working environment. FAA management decided that our union (NATCA) had too much influence and decided to "take back the FAA", so there has been a long list of petty and vindictive things they have done to "punish" the controllers and get us back in line.

Many of us controllers got hired at the same time (in the first 5 years after Reagan fired everyone for going on strike) and now we are all eligible to retire in the next couple of years. Part of the personality make-up of us is that we are strong willed and independent minded (as are most truckers) and don't want to play their reindeer games, so most of the work force is retiring as soon as the are able. There are other issues (financial, etc) that make now a good time to hang up the ol' headset. I will say that I loved my job, I couldn't have asked for a better career. It was personally fulfilling and financially rewarding ( and will continue to be so due to a generous pension). I'm sure you'll be reading in the papers about the wave of retirements in the next year or two.

I appreciate the encouraging comments. Today was my first day of CDL school and I'm feeling optimistic. I plan to talk to every recruiter who visits just take it from there. "Looking Up", I'll give your guy a call, thanks for the info.

 

I don't judge you on it. unfortunately society does. I have the same thing, and IMO, the man is probably more teh victim in that case than anything... enuf said there...