How to solve one of the America’s Toughest Recruiting Challenges

Hey, Tech Recruiters your job is really hard isn’t it?  Do you want to know a recruiting job that is about a hundred times harder than yours? Try recruiting Truck Drivers!

The Truck Driving recruiting industry is insane.  It’s reported that right now there are 36,000 Truck Driver open position in the U.S.!  Go to any major corporation that has a shipping component that is handled by semi-trucks and they have openings, many will have openings in the hundreds!  The largest trucking firms in the country have recruiting teams that dwarf the size any of the major Tech companies in Silicon Valley.

So, how do you solve such a major recruiting nightmare?

By doing this:

Okay, I hear you! “Wait, there still has to be a person in the seat!” You don’t solve the ‘driver’ problem at all!

The main problem with the Truck Driving profession is too fold:

1. They can’t attract younger workers into the profession.

2. They have high turnover.

Being able to use and operate the latest technology in any industry will attract a younger workforce.  Can you imagine the people lining up to be able to operate one of those trucks above?!  I can only imagine how this tech will revolutionize the profession of truck driving, and the skill sets needed.

Truck Drivers turnover because they don’t see a future in driving truck.  It’s seen as a low skill occupation, and a lonely one at that. Hours, weeks, months, years on the road.  Throw in the nasty-ass truck stops and you can see why our best and brightest are jumping at the thousands of open jobs.

Self driving technology opens up a whole new capacity level for the people sitting in those vehicles. I can imagine how organizations could begin training and teaching these operators an entire additional skill set to use while in vehicle, and even upon getting to their destination.  It would easily be foreseeable where your self driving vehicle operators could also become your field sales reps, quality control, etc.

If the operator, theoretically, only has to pay attention to vehicle operations 15-20% of the time, this gives them so much time to concentrate on other ways to add value to the company and to themselves.

From a recruiting perspective, I can sell that.  It’s hard to sell dirty bathroom and lot lizards to a kid who believes he has a future.

5 thoughts on “How to solve one of the America’s Toughest Recruiting Challenges

  1. Right now the world is becoming desperately short of young people willing to become professional pilots, military or civilian. The pay and conditions stink, and young people won’t do it. A fancy truck isn’t ever going to be cool enough to attract young people to a crappy lifestyle, if driving a jet airplane doesn’t attract them. How about decent pay and conditions instead?

  2. “…only has to pay attention to vehicle operations 15-20% of the time, this gives them so much time to concentrate on other ways to add value to the company and to themselves.”

    Like… They can now be an HR blogger the other 80% of the time. 😉

  3. First, Mercedes is onto some very cool technology. Working with the latest and greatest technology will attract a new workforce, but with a caveat. 1. Will the licensing for commercial truck drivers adapt in time to permit new technology? 2. Will truck driving be considered as “cool” as a Pilot? Ladies – who would you rather tell your father you’re dating, a pilot or a truck driver? For my money, I’m banking on Amazon’s Drone Army to solve the logistics and shipping issues facing the world economy.

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