JOHN SIMMS
HNI Vice President Risk-Business Solutions 

Creating an effective driver recruiting strategy begins with taking a good look at yourself in the mirror. Ask yourself the question: why would drivers want to come here and work? What makes your company any different from your competitor down the street?

Once you think you have the answer to that question, ask someone else in your company and see if they agree.  The answers may surprise you but in the end, you will identify your company’s greatest strengths and weaknesses.

Play to Your Strengths When Recruiting Drivers

Whatever your strengths as a company, you must begin building your driving hiring strategy around them.  Focus your messaging to reflect these strengths, and frame them in a way that is meaningful to potential recruits.  Communicate the value of working for your company in a way that will hit home with them.

If you are recognized by the industry as an elite fleet, or if you recently were recognized as the 2012 Best Fleets to Drive For, make sure you send that message with the pride and enthusiasm it deserves.  Drivers want to work for a company with a great reputation in the industry.

Effectively Recruiting Drivers Requires Everyone to be on the Same Page

Make sure all of your communication aimed at recruiting drivers reflects the message you want to convey, including print media, social media and of course, your web site.  Make sure all channels of communication send the same message loud and clear!

Recruiting drivers can’t be the job of just the HR department.  Every employee in the organization should reflect the same message you’re putting out with pride and enthusiasm.  If you’re saying one thing, but your people are saying and doing another, drivers will see through your empty claims.  Anything less than a first-class, full company effort, and you will be doing your company a tremendous disservice.

One Last Thought…

One last thought before I quit for the day – you only get one chance to make a good impression! The new first impression isn’t happening in your office – it’s happening at the moment when the drivers grab their mobile phones, laptops, iPads etc. and start to research your company on the web. [what Google has termed the “Zero Moment of Truth”]

You may have built the kind of company that any driver would want to work for, but if a prospective candidate’s first impression of your company is a poorly trained recruiter, a hastily-prepared, poorly-designed ad, flier or website, well…you will figure it out!

Related Posts:

Driver Retention: the Importance of Investing in Your Driver Fleet

Benefits for Truck Drivers: The Secret Weapon for Retention

Driver Retention: the Unmentioned Wicked Problem

Zombie Recruiting: How Carriers Are Ignoring Drivers With Brains

Photo via Wikimedia Commons