Key Challenges Driver Recruiters Face (And How to Overcome Them)

Key Challenges Driver Recruiters Face (And How to Overcome Them)

After the last few years in driver recruiting, most driver recruiters are anxious to just take a deep breath and relax. While things may not be as dire as they looked at the end of 2020, there are still some unique challenges facing driver recruiters this year. Luckily, with the proper planning and solutions in place, recruiters can face these challenges head-on and set themselves up for strategic success this year and beyond.

Challenges to be on the lookout for this year

While the supply chain snags may not be in the rearview mirror yet, the demand for qualified CDL drivers is at an all-time high. With application pools shrinking, every single applicant counts - making recruiting outreach, touchpoints, and follow-up even more critical than ever.

Here are a few recruiting challenges to be on the lookout for this year:

• Competition is fierce, especially with non-industry jobs. Every single industry from food service to hospitality is on the hunt for qualified applicants, which means trucking as a whole needs to step up to the plate in a big way.
• Long-tenured drivers are stepping down. After extended breaks from the road during the pandemic, many long-tenured drivers are deciding to step back or retire altogether.
• Reduced team capacity means fewer recruiters managing more. Recruiting teams themselves have experienced burnout the last few years, which means many teams are being forced to do more with less.

Set your team up for success in 2022

So how can recruiters tackle these challenges head-on? With a combination of technology, strategy, and streamlined processes, your team can address these challenges instead of coping with them. Here are a few tips to get started:

• Step up your marketing game to attract new talent from this shrinking talent pool. Give your website a makeover, highlight key benefits and perks of the position, and promote driver success stories.
• Double-down on your current drivers to increase retention. Engage directly with drivers to learn what they are looking for and what matters most to them, and then work diligently to deliver on these requests.
• Investments in technology, including CRM or Applicant Tracking System solutions, can help recruiting teams be more efficient, effective, and successful. With the right technology streamlining internal processes and workflows, your team can get more done without having to worry about critical items slipping through the cracks.

More resources

Want to learn more? While DriverReach is the ultimate modern CRM and ATS solution for success-focused driver recruiter teams, we have one of the largest libraries of thought leadership and educational resources for CDL driver recruiters, drivers, carriers, and industry professionals. You can learn more about building a successful recruiting strategy this year with these additional resources:

• Webinar: Driver Recruiting Today: Why Is It So Hard, featuring Wendy Bartz, Director of Recruiting Services at DriverReach and Priscilla Peters, VP of Marketing & Training at Conversion Interactive Agency
• ebook: Your CDL Driver Recruiting and Retention Playbook – 5 Steps to Success
• Podcast: Taking the Hire Road, a DriverReach and FreightWaves production

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.

Listen to Taking the Hire Road podcast, hosted by Jeremy Reymer and in collaboration with FreightWaves, for timely conversations with industry experts. For more information, or to join a live group demo, visit www.driverreach.com/livedemo