Would you bother to mention

[constantine]

Truckulent:
However, that doesn’t help you much! I think fred’s advice is sound. Don’t give up your current job as after Xmas it may well go very quiet…or not, who knows? If driving is REALLY what you want then stick at it. From the sound of it you’ve done a fair bit of driving but full time would be very different from what you’re used to.

Thanks Truckulent

I’m suprised they think a degree is over qualified, its not really its proof of an examination process passed, nothing else. It don’t mean nothing really in the field I am in, the real qualification comes from experience and knowledge from the practical learnings in the industry. I haven’t had the pleasure of being treated like ■■■■ bar once in haulage and that ended bad for me, but I never want to run rings round people, unless they deserve it!

I only know of one and that’s my father and he doesn’t mention anymore but he 67 so his CV doesn’t portray a concern he disappeared for three years, 49 years ago!

S/E has intersted me for a long while, but alas I need to get experienced first before I can even say I can become one of these unfortunately!

Yes the Christmas will be a big tell tale, in my current sector, we’re on big time boom again, but I know that can wear out soon, but on the other hand it don’t like likely as its staggered demand, as in constant, not a huge rush!

If driving is REALLY what you want then stick at it. From the sound of it you’ve done a fair bit of driving but full time would be very different from what you’re used to.

I know you, Fred and my Dad, have my best interests at heart saying be very careful, but again on the other hand if I don’t try it, I will never know whether it is right or not.

In a serious sense, it can’t get any worse than what I am currently doing with regards to pay and hours. as that would break a few regs, I suppose if it went ■■■■ up, I could always go back to what I know

Why would full time be different, as in the rig marole of mundaneness?

Thanks for the good luck though, I’ll take it!

Ps Thanks for the back up below, it wasn’t my worst attempt at an English explanation by a long shot, well I thought any!

Truckulent:
This isn’t a CV, he was trying to explain his current situation. If you didn’t understand it, I suggest a course in basic English to assist you in future.

Short and simple hmmm… A lot of TM’s are certainly one of those in my experience…

[constantine]

alamcculloch:
Bakers usually keep the stock flour in a flour loft,which id in most cases up stairs.

The beers good then bud, mine has worn off since the inital post. I’m sure if I get back on it, then this may make sense by the next millenia!

C

[constantine]

summerley82:

alamcculloch:
Bakers usually keep the stock flour in a flour loft,which id in most cases up stairs.

I’m sure that’s helped him no end! No wonder people are avoiding this site when tripe like that is a reply.

So true about that, luckily I’m used to it, in the short time I’ve been on the forum. Fortunately there are a lot more who try to help rather than the normal doom merchants, nay sayers etc, etc.

However the “Baker comment” has helped to make me see that I must still have a chance to get behind the wheel though! As alamcculloch is getting a chance!

Thanks for trying to advise on the assessment drives etc, all useful stuff!

C

[constantine]

Hey Mrviking

martinviking:
I would’nt even mention the degree, if I was employing a driver with a degree, first thought would be " looking for a stop gap, so not worth all the admin’ to employ him, he’ll be down the road in a couple of weeks"

Interesting perspective that, never thought of that and I thought I had come across all committed and committing my free time to their interviews with no guaranteed commitments from them would’ve proved I was serious. As interviews have been during working days/holidays, so I’ve definitely gone to each one with serious head on!

And we know what happens on assessments, stays on assessment!!!

I understand the agency work is sporadic, but I might be able to make a go of it, with a few of them on the go. And I’ve been a good boy and worked on PAYE all the time on agency too, no legal and general umbrellas in use here!!!

Perseverance is the only thing I keep trying to achieve, as you well know from the last time I saw ye. However I’m only standing still while paddling furiously underneath.

C

[constantine]

Thanks bjd, made me feel a little better, however I don’t feel over qualified as I just bring the same tickets to the table and try to convey why I am the best for that company/manager/owner.

Loved the reply, but I wouldn’t be that quick or clever enough for that quip But it was a good un and like you I can’t be bothered to shotgun and do a few months here and there for work, unless agency, I’d find it’d be a waste of my valuable time, as well as theirs!

C

[constantine]

8wheels:

I am not looking for a chromed up V8 and £45k for a four day shift of 6 hours a day

■■■■, I was going to put your name forward for our new one

Could have sworn you’d have been interested.

Sadly still waiting for it myself.

Hahahahaha you’re the man!!!

I wouldn’t have made the list, let alone the interview to try it out for size.

Anyway you know I prefer 2000 reg scanny’s, where they have you on a minimum 50 hour week for minimum wage! Couldn’t possibly take all that glory of Chrome, V8, £45k wages in one hit!

You’ll get that contract four day a week, 6 hours a day by next month won’t you??!!!

C

[8wheels]

New contracts tomorrow I reckon, much like the oft promised free beer advertised in pubs.

[terry_t]

3. Why do I want to stay on Class 2, when I am training to get my Class 1 in October.

Problem here is, they’ll be expecting you to walk as soon as you’re offered a Class 1 job. If they’re looking for a long term Class 2 driver then a Class 1 driver is always going to be a risk for them.

I’ve been that risk myself. I took a Class 2 job and left inside 3 weeks after a Class 1 job I applied for several months previous came up trumps.

[bjd]

well i remember a few years back i was on the tippers and a guy started with us very well spoken chap got a chance to chat with him after a few days turned out he had spent years as a computer programer and a project manager for a large bank then bang redundant but he was a dam good tipper driver so it does prove your point no reason why you shouldent drive for a living if thats what you want far as i no hes still working as a tipper man now

[kemaro]

Im a class 2 driver for a builders merchants, I have class one , I am also a qualified teacher & have a degree in ancient history & archaeology, I’ve spent time in the the army , trained as a chef , worked on a cruise ship & run a successful pub & restaurant , all of which you won’t find on my cv , I can tie the so called management up in knots if I need to , you tailor your cv to industry , I find nobody is really interested in what I did ten years ago , the job I’m in they feel they can talk to & treat me like chimp , I’ve put up with it because its fitted my needs but most recently the job has gone very sour so I’m in the process of putting a cv together again myself.

[bazza123]

Hey Kemaro, sorry to hijack the thread, aren’t you the one who had all that aggro with your boss swearing etc? No wonder you want to quit

[silver_surfer]

Just lie. Can’t the agency get you temp to perm?

[kemaro]

bazza123:
Hey Kemaro, sorry to hijack the thread, aren’t you the one who had all that aggro with your boss swearing etc? No wonder you want to quit

Yes, it was the branch manager at the time but he got moved to main depot & we had a new manager in place for the last 10 months & for a while it has been ok , the odd nag here & there but bearable , but last week was the final straw , the old manager is now an "area manager " & is so far up the bosses arse its unbelievable , had the pair of them on the phone shouting , ranting & raving & every other word was f this & that , all to do with not getting loads delivered & not finding places , due to poor addresses being put down & wrong or no information being passed on to me , wrong phone numbers being given to me etc & just general bad communication between people so when I go out I’m basically looking for a needle in a hay stack & when there is no sign of it I’m told , well if you can’t find it bring it back ! No effort to get proper info & I ask for info before I leave but just told its down that way somewhere, we’ll let you know , or I turn up in the lorry & customer had requested van delivery due to access , I phone up to be told , see what you can do ! But I don’t expect to be spoken to in the manner in which I was by the boss , calling me q moron & to use a bit of f’ing common sense …

[bazza123]

kemaro:

bazza123:
Hey Kemaro, sorry to hijack the thread, aren’t you the one who had all that aggro with your boss swearing etc? No wonder you want to quit

Yes, it was the branch manager at the time but he got moved to main depot & we had a new manager in place for the last 10 months & for a while it has been ok , the odd nag here & there but bearable , but last week was the final straw , the old manager is now an "area manager " & is so far up the bosses arse its unbelievable , had the pair of them on the phone shouting , ranting & raving & every other word was f this & that , all to do with not getting loads delivered & not finding places , due to poor addresses being put down & wrong or no information being passed on to me , wrong phone numbers being given to me etc & just general bad communication between people so when I go out I’m basically looking for a needle in a hay stack & when there is no sign of it I’m told , well if you can’t find it bring it back ! No effort to get proper info & I ask for info before I leave but just told its down that way somewhere, we’ll let you know , or I turn up in the lorry & customer had requested van delivery due to access , I phone up to be told , see what you can do ! But I don’t expect to be spoken to in the manner in which I was by the boss , calling me q moron & to use a bit of f’ing common sense …

Well hopefully you can find something else soon matey.

[alder]

Learned a bit reading this thread. I am going to take my degree and all the IT experience off, I can see how that can be intimidating to a TM. The last 5 years I have been a self employed handyman anyway so there won’ be such a gap. If asked at interview I will mention it then. Thanks Constantine, good thread

[constantine]

Terry T:

3. Why do I want to stay on Class 2, when I am training to get my Class 1 in October.

Problem here is, they’ll be expecting you to walk as soon as you’re offered a Class 1 job. If they’re looking for a long term Class 2 driver then a Class 1 driver is always going to be a risk for them.

I’ve been that risk myself. I took a Class 2 job and left inside 3 weeks after a Class 1 job I applied for several months previous came up trumps.

Thanks for giving that perspective Terry, again another thing I really seriously considered. Thinking I put that in my covering letter, that may be read the wrong way!

My class 1 experience is always with Dad and has been putting me to sleep since I was a newborn and still does now when I’m in my thirties and in a passenger seat! Hence I’m worried about being behind the seat of an artic…in a rigid driving, I’m like a dubai owned stallion on steriods, always awake and raring to go on the old multi-drop!

Hence I’ve never thought of it as an interesting type of driving unless it was wide/long load stuff, then that was interesting for me to be in the passenger seat.

Also thinking back maybe he’s a very controlled driver and that’s what sends me to sleep, that way he doesn’t have to talk to me when we do meet up every so often

Trouble is the route I want to get into, has more varied work with rigids rather than the artics, so regardless of whether I have the Class 1 in October I have to convince someone I want to do that type of work more and don’t care about the type of lorry I’m driving. I’m only interested in looking after it and doing a good job when I am at work.

So the rock and the hard place comes to mind. The more I look at this job hunt thing, the more complicated it becomes and the goal posts change all the bloody time, that it’s purely down to luck that you get a job that you want to start in!

C

[constantine]

bjd:
well i remember a few years back i was on the tippers and a guy started with us very well spoken chap got a chance to chat with him after a few days…so it does prove your point no reason why you shouldent drive for a living if thats what you want far as i no hes still working as a tipper man now

Thanks for the encouragement bjd!

On sites I’ve personally worked on during my time in work, I’ve met similar types of “professional” people and even a specialised doctor who have had that redundancy thrust upon them or chose to follow a new path in the three trades I’ve met them in. That was plastering, carpentry and plumbing!

Trades that are supposedly not known for employing degree type people. It didn’t matter, as they were as good as the boys who weren’t degree educated and both were equally as good at the job as each other and that was all that mattered.

And something a few on the forum forget, just because you have a degree does not make you any clever than the next man in the street!!

It’s just a piece of paper to prove I can complete exams and write up a thesis…nothing important or that interesting in reality. The student union/club drinking and women were the most interesting part of that three years!

So I though I wasn’t trying to invent something new. I thought in this game you’d be judged on your experience and capabilities. Alas I have a lot to learn don’t I!

PS If I remember rightly there was a retired solicitor/lawyer on here who jacked it all in and got a class 1 gig on diary work, I wondered if he faced this ■■■■■■■■ going for a full time job in haulage?!

C

Edit - Spelling mistake…I know

[constantine]

Hey Kemaro,

I read a few of your posts with the zb you put up with, that reminds me of my current job, so I totally understand a) how you feel b) why you carry on doing it for the current time and c) it will change for the better as soon as the first opportunity stumbles over you!

Just to clairfy for all:

My CV is tailored for driving and as such shows all my experience to date and my top references are from my old Sat perm job and current agency. It doesn’t detail my construction experience for the last decade.

My degrees is only briefly mentioned in my education history with the rest of my exams to date. No other highlight, no special mention done, as rightfully said it has nothing to do with lorry driving, it just proves I have a full history from school where I was either in education or employment as some ask for and that’s not the national type companies!

As for saying something about my current job, that’s put down as my third reference “current employer” nothing more said.

So I’m trying to distance myself as much as possible from my current job.

But perhaps I have to think about that my history details, as I don’t do full time agency or perm driving. I thought I would have to show what I was doing in full time work, as otherwise I would look like a prospective vagrant not doing much with my time over the last 7 years!!!

Ironically the HIAB, Moffett, Construction Plant type work is the work I am looking for, looks like I’ll have my work cut out then potentially!

Best of luck with the next change you go for and thanks for giving me even more pointers to consider with regards to what prospective employers and my CV should start to look at.

C

[constantine]

Silver_Surfer:
Just lie. Can’t the agency get you temp to perm?

Hey Silver Surfer!

Tried that many a time, this particular agency I’m with, used to get me weekend driving easily. But when I spoke to him about temp to perm on the phone he was sincere and truthful and said those days are long gone or have within his particular sector of haulage in agency work.

He said the biggest demand is supplying ad hoc drivers where needed and not in placing them in jobs full time, as he wouldn’t make as much money etc. Not sure but I’m in South East, so perhaps it is plausible

The very same man, then positively disencouraged me to leave my full time work for agency only work, when I raised that idea with him.

He expressly said don’t do that, wait until you find yourself a full time driving job, that way you won’t be ■■■■■■ about by agencies and employers!

I know a agent who spoke the truth you lot do, it bowled me over at the time!

Thanks for the advice though, perhaps I need to find other agencies my way who do this?

C

[constantine]

alder:
Learned a bit reading this thread. I am going to take my degree and all the IT experience off, I can see how that can be intimidating to a TM. The last 5 years I have been a self employed handyman anyway so there won’ be such a gap. If asked at interview I will mention it then.

Looks like I going to have to consider this option too then. I’ve learnt a lot about perceptions of others on your percieved perceptions.

Its like a game of ■■■■■■■ chess and I was never good at that either!

Otherwise I won’t ever get an opportunity, anywhere by the looks of it!

C