When you look at the current situation, the hiring reports are showing the shortage of drivers. This is a particularly delicate situation for small to medium fleet owners who compete with larger companies on the market. Finding and keeping reliable employees becomes exceptionally hard, considering the resources large companies invest in their recruitment systems. However, being a small to medium company has its own advantages. And you can easily highlight them to improve your recruiting process. With a couple of truck driver recruiting tips, you should attract and retain the best drivers for your company.
Truck driver recruiting tips - How to attract the best drivers for your fleet
A lot has been changing on the transporting market in the latest years, from the advance of new technologies to the number of regulations following the Electronic Logging Device mandate, for example. As a result, many working environments are altering. This leaves a significant mark on the recruitment process, making it a lot harder to find new drivers. Thus, it becomes necessary to adjust to changes and equally deploy old and new recruitment strategies.
To help you attract, hire, and keep a reliable new workforce, here are a few tactics that work great for companies with small to medium size fleets.
Join the social media world
The thing with social media is that, at first, they were used for mere entertainment. They have a massive audience of interconnected people who stay in touch regularly. But, this entertainment purpose is, more or less, a thing of the past. Many companies are now using social media for different types of business operations.
Advertising and making your brand stand out is one of them. So, you can join the club of social media users and try to find your drivers there. Make a company profile, say a few words about your company, and display what you have to offer. Don't hesitate to affirm your collaborations with other known companies. If you know that companies like PortaBox Storage provide storage options for gardening and other equipment, nothing stops you from sharing that information with your visitors. Someone looking for a transportation option might also be interested in other topics. The point is to create a diverse audience. The larger the audience, the further words will spread, and it will eventually reach someone looking for a job.
Also, social media is a great place to let images do the job for you. You can show off your company quarters, satisfied employees, and events and perks that come with the position. With the practice of "sharing information" this way, your offers will definitely come to the right eyes. If potential candidates like what they see, you can expect they will contact you.
Use job boards to list your offers
Without a doubt, job boards play a great deal in finding new employees. You should invest in popular large job advertising platforms to access the pool of active job seekers. There, the potential candidates will be able to:
See open job positions;
Inspect all the requirements;
Submit their CV and other necessary information;
Or find the means to get in touch with your company.
On the other side, it's also worth checking if there are any industry-specific platforms. Some places on the internet are more popular for a specific audience, so you might find your new driver there.
Utilize verbal affirmation to your advantage
Your current employees are also a good source of information. Satisfied workers will not hesitate to spread the good word about the company they work for. It's a common thing they share information this way among their associates. Actually, this way of finding new drivers is second only to large job boards that companies use in their recruiting efforts. With a good company culture and satisfactory working conditions, your existing drivers can recruit for you.
Take advantage of your size
In many cases, large companies have hundreds of employees. This makes it hard for an employer to know each driver personally. However, a company with a small fleet can take advantage of this. People like to be appreciated and to establish connections on a personal level. That makes us, humans, what we are - social beings. Take the time to develop personal communication with each of your employees. This will eventually create a family culture inside your company and will help with spreading the word further. Surprisingly or not, but many people prefer a pleasant working environment, great relationships, and other perks to high salaries. With such a company culture, you will have no trouble attracting reliable and loyal drivers.
Don't be shy with perks
Speaking of the company culture, offering good working conditions to your drivers will definitely improve your recruiting process. Normally, even if you have a large pool of potential candidates, nothing guarantees they will stay in your company. Maybe they expected more when they started working for you. If you don't comply with their needs, they may go away as quickly as they arrived. But, with a good package of benefits, you get to keep your drivers. Combine a pleasant working environment, including high-quality vehicles, with flexible working hours and days off. It will be a winning combination for finding and retaining quality drivers.
Invest in your brand
The best way to tackle the interest is if people have already heard of you. If you are completely incognito, your company may have a hard time attracting experienced drivers. But, if you have a well-known business everyone hears about, the situation will be quite the opposite. That's why it's crucial to invest in your brand. First, you will need a quality website. Just like with social media, you will be able to show everything you deem important and appealing about your business. Things you can use your website for are:
You can answer questions and establish relationships with clients and employees
Create a blog that will help you become the authority in the field
Display your expertise in the industry
Show off your satisfied team of existing drivers
Speak about the pros and cons of different technologies
Advertise your services
Present your fleet in good light
By establishing a brand that shows care for both clients and employees and displaying all your strengths, people will quickly decide if they are a good fit for your company.
With these truck driver recruiting tips, you will quickly find more candidates for your open positions. Of course, everything requires time and effort, but the results will make it worthwhile.
