Recruiter Phone Call

Don't tip your hand. They (most) will tell you what they think you want to hear. They determine this by how you phrase your questions and more particularly any statements you may inadvertently use.

Don't tell them so much what you're hoping for but keep them guessing and they'll have to generally be more or less truthful in how they discuss what you can expect, you can then proceed from there.

Think of them as used car salesmen. Question and doubt everything they say and try and trip them up rather then let them have the satisfaction of conning another victim.

 

When I started my career at May 9 years ago, I spoke to an older (woman) recruiter. She was straight forward on everything she told me.

In other words, there weren't really any surprises after I got on the truck with the trainer and soloed out within a couple of weeks.

Part of that was probably due to the fact I needed a job badly at the time and I knew I was going to have to pay my dues for the first year or two anyways.

It's turned well for me personally. Trucking has been "berry, berry good to me"

 

As a follow-up, when I was in orientation I was asked if I wanted to go 11 western or 48 States. I didn't hesitate in requesting 48 States refrigerated.

I wanted the option which would give me the widest exposure and opportunity for the most miles.

That's the way it turned out too.

 

I would do most of your research here then you will pretty much know which companies you want to work for. Then when you call the recruiter you are just signing up. Thats what I did. People in these forums will be a lot more honest than your avg recruiter. Their job is to bring you in, they filter and send home the undesirables during orientation.

 

Recruiters tell half answers. Like you might ask if you get home on the weekend. They say yes, what they don't say is their definition of the weekend is 34 hour off. So you get home 10pm Saturday and have to leave out 8am Monday. They got you home Saturday and Sunday the weekend.

They say stuff like our top drivers make $75,000 a year. They forgot to say they are trainers running the truck as team.

They say your pay or home time is up to you. If YOU are a hard worker you can make great money and home time. Everyone is a hard worker. They say this because when you don't get the pay or home time you want. It's because you're not a hard worker, it not there fault. They did not say you had to live in your truck and never go home to make they money you want.

 

Not at all like an interview. An interview is where you talk to a person looking for reasons not to hire you. Talking to a recruiter is exactly the opposite. They only make money if they hire you, so they will do absolutely everything they can to get you into orientation. Period. Unless there is something blatantly outside of their hiring guidelines, they usually even try to bend the rules. Ask them whatever you want and they will tell you whatever you want to hear. They’re as close to a drunk frat boy hitting on the first girl who says “I’m drunk” as it gets.

 

I would enjoy attempting to answer your question. However I will not make it a public one. If you desire to read my answer I need to know if you will accept a private conversation.

 

Think of the recruiter as a human robot that has a script from the company "our driver average 2500 miles per week; average $x per year, and think we are the best company in the business." They MIGHT tell you about benefits. Not one thing a recruiter says is binding on the company. Some recruiters don't work for the trucking company, they just answer 800 numbers and email. They get paid either per accepted application or hired driver. if you can read a web page you can be a recruiter.

 

If your record is clean you are more valuable to them they are to you. You have your pick of dozens of good companies.