For CDL driver recruiters, there has always been two clear paths in the sand: one leading to human interactions between recruiters and drivers and the other leading towards a digital recruiting experience that relied heavily on technology. Now, however, these roads are finally intersecting, and they’re doing so in a BIG way.
Today’s CDL drivers are looking for the type of seamless recruiting experience that has, until now, been associated with some of the most innovative companies in the world. Recruiting technology shouldn’t stand in the way of or hinder person-to-person interactions in any way. Instead, these tools should help reinforce and strengthen the relationships between CDL drivers and recruiters and, ultimately, the companies they are driving for. If your recruiting team is looking for new ways to engage with drivers and build meaningful, lasting relationships, here are a few tips to keep in mind:
1. Close any gaps in your recruiting process.
A sure way to turn a driver candidate off from working with your company is to have a poorly planned out recruiting process. Modern recruiting involves multiple platforms, data entry systems, communication channels, and touchpoints. It’s up to recruiters to ensure this process runs as smoothly as possible with as few gaps as possible. If drivers are able to easily navigate your recruiting process, they’re more likely to want to forge a long-term relationship with your organization.
2.Treat every candidate as if they’re your number one choice.
In recruiting, like many areas of business, there are ebbs and flows in the supply of new candidates. While it’s easy to give every single candidate your full attention when there only a few new applications coming in, this same focus should be scalable to the point that in times of high supply every single candidate feels appreciated and welcomed. While the interview process might determine certain drivers aren’t the right fit, it’s important to not burn any bridges by going dark or being unresponsive. CDL driving is a relatively interconnected community and your reputation will influence the types of candidates coming in.
3. Personalize the recruiting and retention lifecycle.
Although CDL driver recruiters of yesteryear might have relied on a one-size-fits-all recruiting approach, modern recruiters now know that finding the best candidates – and retaining them as drivers – means delivering a personalized, tailored recruiting and employee experience. In this way, recruiting is a lot like the sales process. Recruiters must be able to change their process, message, or engagement channels (without going too off script) to appeal to every single driver individually.
4. Give drivers the tools they need to be successful.
For a long time, the recruiter’s toolbox consisted of an online application and a phone for follow ups. Now, recruiters are the ones providing the right tools and resources to drivers for them to engage and connect with the organization. This can mean delivering a mobile-optimized application during the initial recruiting stage, video chatting with applicants during the interview stage, and building a robust social media presence to keep drivers engaged during the retention stage.
5. Use metrics to improve and optimize your applicant experience.
As with any industry, it’s hard to improve processes and procedures if you can’t identify gaps in your performance. This is why metrics tracking is so critical. By leveraging an applicant tracking management system, your team can pinpoint problems, identify areas of opportunity, and optimize the applicant experience for a driver-first, driver-focused experience.
Learn more about improving driver relationships
Want to learn more about how merging technology and personalization can help improve driver relationships? Schedule your call with a DriverReach recruiting specialist now!
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