What if you could enter a job field with steady employment and opportunities? This may sound like a dream come true for those seeking a new job, but it’s more than a dream: it’s a truck driving career.
No matter how the economy shifts and changes, we will always need truck drivers to transport goods from one place to another. And with the rising popularity of online delivery services such as Amazon, the truck driving industry is busier than ever before.
It’s a lucrative and rewarding field, but you must first understand how to become a truck driver. Use this handy guide to get started on your new career!
Assess Your New Career
The very first step is to honestly assess your new career. It’s easy to get caught up in the idea of a good paycheck and reliable work, but are you really prepared to work in this field?
Depending on your employer and job, you may be required to spend long weeks away from home. You will effectively be living on the road, sleeping in either your truck’s compartment or various hotels.
Not everyone has the temperament for such a job, so it’s best to be sure you do before pursuing truck driving careers. You must also determine whether you want to buy a truck outright and start your own business or work for a trucking company.
Once you are sure about becoming a truck driver, it’s time to go to school!
Pick the Best School
You will need to attend a driving school to get the training necessary for your license and your future career. It’s important to pick a school that best meets your different needs.
Sometimes, this is as simple as finding a job close to where you live, effectively cutting down on the costs of your education. You may also want to find a driving school that pays for your education in exchange for a future employment commitment.
This is doubly important because you will otherwise pay for schooling out of pocket. In that case, it’s important to explore your different funding options.
Pay for the Schooling
There are actually a wide variety of ways to pay for truck driving school. It’s important to understand the benefits and drawbacks of each option.
For instance, you can pursue a loan or grant for driving school by completing a Free Application for Federal Student Aid. You have nothing to lose by applying, but interest on loans could lead to paying back more than you want.
If you are a veteran, you may be able to obtain financing through Veterans Affairs. And even if you’re not, there are likely some educational loan opportunities available through your local banks and credit unions.
If you’re willing to go ahead and commit to an employer, then having the employer pay for your education is the most economical option. And once you’ve paid for your schooling, it’s time to get your license.
Get Your License
Everything has been leading up to this moment. When you’ve completed driving school and feel confident enough, it’s time to get your license.
Keep in mind that there are different kinds of endorsements depending on what you might be transporting. To be safe, you should always check with prospective employers and verify the type of license that you need.
Remember that a CDL driving test will be very different from driving tests you have taken before. Do not take it before you are ready!
Find a Job
The next step is to start finding a job. In some cases, you can pre-contract with an employer and get hired as soon as you get your CDL. However, most truck driving careers start by making phone calls to see who is hiring.
Don’t settle for simply figuring out who is hiring and who is not. Also, take the time to discover what their driving commitments are for new drivers so you’ll know what the job entails.
To get the best driving job possible, you should network whenever possible.
Network Whenever Possible
There is an old saying in the business world: “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” And while we think “what you know” is highly important, we cannot deny that your career will sometimes depend on who you know.
Try to make friends with others at the driving school so you can inform each other about various job opportunities. Also, take the time to talk to your teachers before and after class so you can benefit from their insight into the industry.
Finally, reach out to anyone you know who already has a trucking career. They can give you some good info and help you land your first job!
Prepare for the Interview
When you have applied for these jobs, you will start to hear back from some of them. Your final step to getting hired is to prepare for the interview.
Some companies may hire you based solely on the application. Others, though, will want to interview you via phone or in person. There are a few things to remember for any possible interviews.
First, be honest about your strengths and weaknesses as a driver. Also, be honest about what you want from the job: if you don’t already know, this is when you will find out things like the salary range and the driving requirements of the job.
The “rookie mistake” of most interviews is that drivers think it’s simply a matter of getting the job or not getting the job. However, asking the right questions is key to getting the job you want.
How to Become a Truck Driver: The Bottom Line
Now you know how to become a truck driver. Furthermore, you know the importance of finding job openings. But do you know what to do next?
That’s where we come in. At CDL Hunter, we help you find and apply to your dream driving jobs.
To see how we can help you in becoming a truck driver, come to complete a job search today!
