4 Secret Ways to Get Drivers to Apply to Your Trucking Job

Last updated 14 August 2020. About 7 min read.

Written by Rick Acosta

If you’re not doing all of these things in some way or another, you’re probably missing out on solid driver leads. Read on and find out if your recruiting process is overdue for a revamp.

If you’re reading this, you’re probably a diligent recruiter looking for new ways to elevate your hiring and become more efficient. If that’s the case, you’re in luck because I’m here to let you in on four surprising and often overlooked ways you can start getting the word out about your trucking jobs so you can fill any trucks you have sitting empty.

Even if you’re already doing some of the things I’m about to mention, it’s worth having a quick read-through anyway. You never know when you’ll unlock hidden nuggets of inspiration that might direct you towards better recruiting practices.

Without further ado, here’s are some things you can do.

1. Target passive drivers

We all know that drivers actively looking for work can be targeted on job boards such as Craigslist and Indeed, but where on earth do you find drivers that are passively looking for work? And beyond that, why is it even worth targeting passive drivers over active drivers? Aren’t the active drivers the ones that would make better candidates since they’re eager for new opportunities?

First of all - slow down, kiddo… that’s a lot of questions. Second of all, no, and I’ll tell you why.

When you advertise on job boards, you sandwich yourself between hundreds of other trucking jobs that all look and sound the same. Active candidates in this case will have no reason to favor your job over another. Also, advertising on job boards and other conventional avenues makes showing off your value as a company difficult.

On the other hand, when you target passive candidates through programmatic job ads or Facebook ads, you get to bypass the competition altogether.

By advertising your jobs using our pay-per-candidate model and on platforms such as Facebook, you can expect to get the full attention of drivers that are open to changing jobs without actively looking for opportunities. This means you'll get more varied candidates, as well as those that are more likely to be interested in your position.

If you are interested in successfully targeting passive candidates online, reach out to us at sales@youcruit.com with your company name, contact info, and number, and one of our customer success managers will reach out to you with a free consultation to evaluate your hiring needs and suggest the right course of action for your company.

As for how you get the most out of any online job advertising campaign...

2. You need to create a killer job ad

You need a job that shows off your role and not only makes the promise of working for you exciting and enticing, but also shows the driver that you’re an honest and solid company.

When creating a killer job ad, you need to make sure you’re clear about what you’re offering, and avoid any underhanded tactics. Those may work in the short run, but they won’t be doing you any favors in the future.

Ask yourself the following questions when you create your job ad:

  • Are you setting the right expectations?

  • Are you being dishonest about any part of the job’s requirements?

  • Are you transparent about how the driver will be paid?

  • How much information are you sharing about the job in general? The more information you share, the more likely you will be to attract drivers that are serious (and ones that show up to orientation).

Drivers need to trust you, and trust comes with transparency on your end.

We help make that process easier by having your job descriptions be automatically compiled by our software each time you post a new job. By default, any job you post on YouCruit gets added to the Lanefinder app for qualified drivers in your area to see and apply to.

What’s great about an app like Lanefinder is that drivers that see your jobs will already know they’re qualified and ready to start - they don’t need to worry about being unqualified or not having the job match their needs.

You can’t go wrong with a solid job ad and a transparent job offering.

3. Diversify your presence and tools

Think about where you’re being seen as a company. Most importantly, think about whether or not you’re being seen on the platforms that truck drivers use the most. Here’s a checklist of ways you can be present online and offline to attract drivers and be seen as a big player:

Online ideas
  • Create social media pages on platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, YouTube, Twitter - You can promote and advertise your company on all of these platforms and receive a steady stream of applications and referrals over time. The best part about being on social media is that drivers who drive for you can easily share your vacancies and announcements.
  • Make use of mobile apps - By being present on Lanefinder, for instance, you can get your job seen by hundreds of thousands of drivers, or at the very least drivers living in your area. Drivers deemed qualified according to your specific hiring requirements. Upload your jobs to Lanefinder here.
  • Place adverts on high traffic sites - This might sound like a good idea, but like many other advanced strategies, this one requires research and thought to approach correctly. Instead of taking on all that responsibility yourself, you can employ agencies or even services like YouCruit to advertise your job for you. Since paying for professional services like this is usually expensive, we recommend a model where you only pay for results, and have full control over your spend. If you are interested in an advertising option that gets your job seen all over the internet, and where you only pay for results, get in touch with us.
  • Have a website or career site - This is a pretty obvious one, which is why it’s quite low on the list. Regardless, you’d be surprised at how many trucking companies overlook their online presence. Even if you don’t have the means to invest in a fully fledged website, you can use services such as YouCruit’s career site builder to easily set up a custom and functional career site out of the box. With a good career site, you’ll be able to attract more drivers and have fewer drivers drop out during the application process. Read more about why you need a career site here.
  • Use an ATS that helps you message and sort candidates - With an applicant tracking system that helps you send bulk emails and SMSes such as YouCruit, you can easily message and contact drivers in your pipeline without spending hours sending individual emails or rooting through your inbox. ATSes that offer unlimited collaboration with your colleagues also allow you to stay on the same page and track events as a team to avoid any further confusion and stay as efficient as possible.
Offline ideas
  • Advertise your business in magazines, newspapers, and radio stations - This might cost a bit of money, but it's never a bad idea if you have the cash to justify it. However, weigh out the pros and cons before you choose to go this route as usually online options will yield results quicker, and for less money.
  • Sponsor community programs - Get out there and have your trucks and companies seen during community events. The more you're seen in the local space, the more likely you are to get people talking about you and referring you.
  • List your company on local directories - Whether it's the yellow pages or other local directories, it's always good to tick the boxes and make sure your business can be found anywhere that local drivers might be looking for work / evaluating their options.
  • Make sure your workers wear branded shirts and make sure your trucks are branded - This one's a real no brainer, but your trucks and trailers are like massive portable billboard space, and you don't need to pay for the exposure. Just make sure you're represented with a memorable name, logo, and color scheme. If your drivers are well behaved and leave a good impression on customers and motorists, you'll get buzz going.

4. Incentivize referrals

I've spoken to many recruiters at trucking companies of all shapes and sizes, and found that there's a common thread. Drivers that are referred by existing employees are more likely to stick around.

In fact, according to the 2019 Overdrive connectivity report, 39% of owner operators and 56% of company drivers stated that word of mouth is their go-to method when finding a job.

However, referrals aren't just something you can get from your existing employees - they can come from anywhere.

Remember to encourage your best customers to promote your trucking business.

Beyond that, create clear financial incentives for your employees and potentially recruiters to send over good driver leads.

If you're worried about losing too much money and having the referred drivers jump ship prematurely, pay out referral bonuses once a driver's been with you 3 months, for instance.

It's all about making the driver referral worth it! The value of a hire in the trucking industry is huge, so share it with the people that helped you out. Paying $1000 to $1500 is common for many fleets. You need to make it desirable for your drivers to spread the word about you, and with strong referral programs, you can turn your workers into professional advertisers.

Want to make referrals smooth as butter?

Here are some ideas to make your referral program smooth and functional.

  • Provide drivers with business cards for easier referral tracking.
  • Use apps or create forms that new drivers can fill out on their phone.
  • Have referring drivers email recruiters and CC the new driver into the email.

Overall, having a strong referral program can say a lot about you as a company. It's proof that you appreciate your current drivers and you're more likely to attract drivers that want to work for you. By investing back into your people and your company you'll show that you appreciation and reward strong work ethics, which will lead to better retention in the long run.

Remember, word of mouth is a powerful and mighty tool in your arsenal.

Conclusion

Well, how many of these unconvential methods are you ready to implement? Hopefully this blog has given you some food for thought as well as some inspiration to think outside the box and tackle your recruitment in a creative and thrilling way.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, reach out to us at sales@youcruit.com if you have questions or would like a consultation regarding your recruitment. Happy hiring!