Like recruiters across all industries, CDL driver recruiters have faced their fair share of setbacks this year. On top of the ongoing driver shortage, a widespread hunt for qualified labor has made finding and hiring drivers even more competitive. If you’re looking for new ways to stand out from the crowd, here are some creative driver recruiting ideas to try out this year:
- Get your current drivers involved. Your current drivers can be one of your most powerful recruiting tools. Connect applicants with current drivers to ask questions and learn more about the actual life with your company. Highlight drivers on your website, social channels, and in recruiting materials.
- Connect with applicants through thought leadership. Looking for new channels to connect with drivers can be tricky, so why not leverage channels that you’re already using? Set up an educational newsletter to engage drivers with thought leadership content - information valuable to them in their career.
- Leverage social media. Social channels are exploding right now, and your team needs to have a consistent online presence to stay top-of-mind with drivers. Set up LinkedIn and Instagram accounts, and post frequently enough that drivers will check back in to see what’s new with your team (and are notified when updates occur).
- Go multi-channel with your messaging. Instead of posting paragraphs and pages online with your team and/or role details, use multiple channels! Post videos of the ‘day in the life of a driver’, use sound bites from team members and include photos of your corporate culture.
- Set up (or attend) virtual events and job fairs. As virtual events are experiencing a true moment in the spotlight, recruiters can leverage this technology to connect with potential new drivers. Make sure you’re attending any virtual job fairs that make sense with your team, and even think about hosting one if you feel you have the pipeline to support it.
- Leverage chatbots and AI technology. To stay connected with applicants even during off-hours, set up an AI-powered chatbot on your website to keep in touch. By ‘teaching’ your chatbot how to answer questions, your team can engage with drivers at any time.
- Build a steady referral pipeline. Referrals can be an excellent way for your team to find qualified drivers, especially if your current drivers are happy and content. Building a solid referral program – with a good referral bonus attached – can ensure new drivers are always on tap for recruitment.
- Work with recruiting networks. CDL driver recruiters can also work strategically with different networks to find qualified applicants. Student organizations, veteran groups, and other specific networks like this are great for partnering to find new applicants.
Ready for a modern driver recruiting strategy?
DriverReach is the modern recruiting management platform for driver recruiting teams to deliver a best-in-class, driver-centric recruiting experience to applicants. From optimizing a seamless online application process to engaging with drivers where and when they want to connect, your team can leverage the DriverReach platform to build amazing recruiting experiences. Get started today to learn new, creative ways to leverage DriverReach! Learn more now.
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