Right now, recruiting in any industry (trucking included) is a hard path to go down. There are not enough qualified applicants in the workforce to fill all of the open positions. One silver lining for CDL recruiters, however, is that this is nothing new. CDL driver recruiters have been facing driver shortages and recruiting woes for years now. This most recent era of driver recruiting will require all of the skills and strengths recruiters have gained over their careers.
Top issues in driver recruiting – and how to overcome them
While it seems as though there are nothing but challenges in the CDL driver recruiting space, there are plenty of available opportunities to overcome these issues as well. Here are five challenges facing driver recruiters and tips for setting your team up for success.
- Recruiting teams are having to do more with less. Between pandemic-driven layoffs and industry ebbs and flows, many recruiting teams operate on a smaller scale than before while still trying to recruit at the same level. Instead of letting critical operations slip through the cracks, look to automation to fill these holes and scale your recruiting efforts.
- Long-haul routes are becoming harder to fill while local jobs are booming. Some drivers realize that they can be closer to their families by signing with a local delivery organization. Your team can still attract this kind of talent, but you may have to update your benefits package to make long-haul routes more appealing.
- Everyone is looking for new talent. Trucking isn’t the only industry hit hard by a lack of talent. Other industries are in the same boat, and they are also upping their recruiting strategies to attract new talent, making it hard to break through to new applicants. The biggest trick here is to not give up on new applications. Sometimes, it can take 15 to 20 touches to seal the deal with a new driver. Stay diligent and on the ball during the recruiting process.
- Now is not the easiest time for recruiters, either. All of the competition, long workflows, and racing to attract new drivers is highlighting the new harsh reality of driver recruiting: it’s not easy in the slightest. While it won’t become easy overnight, recruiters can take steps to set themselves up for long-term success by being proactive, nurturing recruiting leads, and relying on technology to help fill in the gaps.
- Drivers are harder than ever to find. Even though CDL truck driving is a booming industry, finding a qualified driver can sometimes be like finding a needle in a haystack. Instead of panicking, recruiters should take a systematic approach to find drivers. Test out new online channels to attract leads, embrace technology to stand out, and ensure your internal team is tracking towards the same goals.
Ready to get started?
What are you waiting for? Although there are plenty of challenges facing driver recruiters, there is no better time to get started with new strategies for success. You can learn more about building your ultimate driver recruiting strategy here.
Stay up to date on CDL trucking trends! Be sure to check out the DriverReach blog for other relevant articles and head over to our webinars page for an up-to-date list of upcoming events and on-demand recordings.
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