How to Become a Truck Driver Recruiter

With an increasing demand for truck drivers, you might be interested in how to become a truck driver recruiter. A steady and dependent flow of drivers is critical, and a truck driver recruiter plays matchmaker between a company and prospective drivers. Whether you are simply curious as to how the process works, or you are looking to recruit drivers yourself, this guide can give you insight on how to become a truck driver recruiter. 

Preparing to Become a Truck Driver Recruiter 

Without realizing it, you may already have the building blocks down to become an awesome truck driver recruiter. There is a mix of soft and hard skills that can bring you successful truck driver recruits. 

Education and Experience

For most truck driving recruiting jobs, all you need is a high school diploma. A bachelor’s degree is not required, however, it is a plus that can help you stand out. The best driver recruiter candidate will have a bachelor’s degree and prior experience in the trucking industry. Prior experience in truck driving recruiting is also not required, but experience in other fields–such as customer service or sales–can help you fare well. 

Interpersonal Skills 

Communication and organizational skills are key. You’ll be in contact with people at all times. If recruiters are not talking to a candidate, then they are seeking them or taking calls. Time management is also key. As a recruiter, you’ll have to juggle several things at once each with its own deadline. Staying on your toes with prospective employees is critical to a streamlined hiring process as well as establish a professional company culture. 

Industry Knowledge

Companies will have more confidence in you if you demonstrate an in-depth understanding of the truck driving industry. This will also give you excellent insight into selecting the most viable truck driving candidates. As a representative for your company, understanding and assessing your company’s needs is critical for sharpening that insight and for fostering an intentional and effective recruitment process. 

The other half of the coin is understanding and assessing truck driver needs. You’ll want to think about what is important to the driver. Is it the work/life balance? Their truck preference? Pay levels? Prepare for these conversations by researching what your competitors do and do not offer. Highlighting the strengths and unique opportunities your company offers will allow you to capture candidate attention without needing to talk down on competition. 

Helpful Hard Skills 

Social media is one of the best places to seek out drivers. Thanks to the rapidly digitizing world around us, in-person recruitment events require more work and are less common. 

Social media campaigning also involves knowing your way around paid advertising. Knowing how to use advertising tools is a big plus, so it doesn’t hurt to familiarize yourself with several platforms, including LinkedIn, Facebook, Google, and Twitter ads. 

To go the extra mile, familiarize yourself with newer apps that are trending, like TikTok, Reddit, and Snapchat. There are countless groups on social media both around the country and focused on specific regions that are valuable. In addition, familiarity with simple design platforms, like Canva, will help you create eye-catching and effective visuals for your ads. 

A Day in the Life of a Truck Driver Recruiter

When you first start, most companies won’t leave you treading in the deep end. Hiring drivers is expensive. Thus, companies will put you through thorough training to ensure that the most durable matches are made the first time around.

Once you’ve gotten a lay of the in’s and out’s of the truck driving industry, here are the responsibilities and duties that will fill your day. From initial contact with drivers to completion of the hiring process, you will work within a system that is designed to vet the best matches.

Job Expectations

In a given day, you could manage hundreds of leads while putting recruits through orientation. Paperwork must also be maintained in each driver’s file. Good record keeping is important to ensure smooth, organized operations.

Prescreening drivers is another important duty. This allows applicants to understand the particular job expectations and company benefits. It is imperative to paint a realistic picture of what the job is like. Avoid turnover by avoiding mismatched job expectations. 

Recruiters identify candidates whose qualities align with the company’s needs. For example, a company may require a certain amount of years on the road, a HAZMAT certificate, or a particular salary requirement. 

Forging Relationships

Retention is the best indicator of successful recruitment. Don’t be afraid to put extra focus on a qualified lead. Even if a driver hasn’t filled out an application, recruiters can easily follow up on a completed interest form or request for information.

Ultimately, show drivers that you care by being thoughtful. Striking a compassionate, human tone will help candidates be themselves. Ask about their outside interests, their values, and perhaps how they envision truck driving as an addition to their lifestyle. 

Staying in touch is an invaluable way to show that you care, and this extends to even after the driver has started their job. A few weeks after the driver has begun, check-in with them to see how they are doing, and perhaps how they can be better supported. As a recruiter, you can also foster internal support by assigning new hires an experienced driver to serve as a mentor.

Pick Up Experience With Truck Driver Institute

As a truck driver recruiter, you’ll serve the needs of both drivers and trucking companies. Starting off as a truck driver yourself will give you the inside knowledge advantageous to becoming a truck driver recruiter. 

Get your foot in the trucking industry with TDI, and equip yourself with the inside knowledge that will set you up for successful truck driver recruiting. Get your CDL in just three weeks at one of our 11 campuses across 7 states. Find a local Truck Driver Institute near you today. To learn more, fill out this form or call 800-848-7361..