What is the Secret Sauce to Driver Hiring?

Driver Hiring

Operators routinely ask, “What is the secret to hiring drivers?”  This question focuses on handling a lead once the Operator receives it from a potential driver. In other words, how do I get the candidate hired and behind-the-wheel driving?

Five steps drive this outcome. Each is important and requires the Operator to respond quickly, schedule efficiently, and decide rapidly. Too often, operators delay, often for good reasons, and miss hiring opportunities. The Operator must focus on the hiring process and diligently monitor the candidate flow to be effective.

Here are the five steps:

1. First Contact – operators should respond to applications within minutes and not more than six hours. Applicants are gratified that a company is interested in their skills and desire to work. The goal of the first contact is to schedule a phone call to qualify the driver’s certifications and verbal communications. There are a variety of scheduling tools available to streamline this process.
2. Qualification – Ideally, qualification will occur within 24 hours of first contact. Not only are drivers qualified at this step, but companies should answer the question, “Why should I work as a driver for your company?”
3. Interview – This step is crucial. Your candidates will not wait for you. Ideally, schedule the interview at the candidate’s first available time. Don’t make the mistake of expecting the candidate to conform to you. There is some flexibility here, but not much. Another company will be available to interview them.
4. Conditional Offer of Employment – Upon the completion of an interview, the typical response from a company is, “We will get back to you.” Instead, make the candidate a written offer contingent on the successful completion of all required certifications, training, testing, and insurance approvals needed. Most importantly, tell them their pay rate and start date.
5. Compensated Company Training – The timing of this step is critical. Put yourself in the candidate’s position; they cannot earn a paycheck until they start. Giving a candidate the start date for training sets their expectations and enables them to plan appropriately. A goal for this is within seven days of the conditional offer.

The Operator must focus on the process and timelines of each step. Speed of response matters at every step matters! However, the challenge for many operators is that no one on staff has the time to focus on driver hiring properly, and the lack of focus produces marginal results, at best. For the best results, appoint one person and a backup accountable for efficiently moving candidates through this process.

Hire More. Hire Better. Hire Faster.
Jeff Rogers, Talent Acquisition Specialist