Windows, Doors, and Keys
My interview with a Freymiller recruiter

Part 1 of 3: Windows

By Kelin Finley - EveryTruckJob.com

So there I was, sitting at my desk answering the dozens of phone calls and emails I get every day from drivers in bad situations that are unable to find trucking jobs in the industry. To be completely honest, I really don't like getting these calls. It's not that I don't like spending time on the phone, and it isn't because these drivers are in a bind and I don't want to help them – It's the fact that I have to tell them that they probably will not be able to find a driving job. I have to tell drivers with sometimes 20 years of experience and a love for this industry that they will have an incredibly hard time getting hired somewhere. It never gets any easier for me.

It was on one of these days as I sat frustrated that I began to wonder, then to brainstorm a new idea for my monthly column. I had always looked to newsprint journalists and been envious at the platform that lay before them to educate the populous on whatever subject they deemed important. Then it struck me – I too have that platform! What if I began questioning some of the driver recruiters I work with through Trucking Jobs, Inc.? What if I asked them the same questions I get asked every day? What if drivers finally had the straight answers they need to hear – right from the source?

So this is it – the first part of a three part interview I conducted with Freymiller recruiter, Tamina Rawlins. This part, aptly named "Windows" is a glance into the daily undertakings of a driver recruiter – from the first look at an application, to the phone call to a driver. This is the process your application undergoes.

Q: What are the first three things you look for on an application?

A: When I first look at an application, I check to see if the applicant meets Freymiller's basic requirements. (work history, driving record, and criminal background). Questions I ask myself are: Does this driver jump from job to job, or do they stay with a company? How many points or infractions does this driver have on their driving record? What for? Has this driver recently had a felony or misdemeanor? Have they ever had a drug or alcohol conviction? These three items have a big impact on every application. They can make it or break it.

Q: What are the top five things that disqualify a candidate in your eyes?

A: The top fives things that disqualify a candidate from Freymiller are a drug and/or alcohol conviction, a felony within the last 3 years, their safety record (i.e. Accidents, or driving record), a bad DAC report, or a positive and/or refusal of a drug and alcohol report.

Q: What are some key characteristics you look for when deciding between two similar candidates?

A: If I have to choose between two drivers who are both similar, I would probably look at their work history. How a driver performs at a previous employer shows me the most at how they will represent Freymiller. Which driver left the best impression and did the best job for their past employer?

Q: What would you say the most important personality characteristics are of a successful driver?

A: Timeliness, professionalism, and appearance.

Q: About how many applications do you receive in a day?

A: I probably receive 20 – 30 online applications a day, in addition to the 5 – 10 applications that are faxed or mailed to me. So probably a total of 30 – 40 a day.

Q: Of all those applications, how many applicants do you contact?

A: I probably contact 50 percent of the applications that I receive.

Q: Of those that are contacted, how many are hired for driving jobs?

A: I probably hire anywhere from 10 – 20 drivers a month.

Q: Other than not meeting your company standards, what are some other reasons that candidates do not get contacted?

A: None.

Q: What are the major discussion points when contacting an applicant?

A: Pay, hometime, running lanes, and our pet and ride policies.

Q: How do you feel about getting the "special requests" from some drivers – drivers wanting specific home time or certain runs?

A: Each applicant is recruited on a one on one basis. We strive to fit the driver and company together, and to make employment with Freymiller successful for both parties.

Q: How can a driver best convey his desirable hiring conditions without coming across as "too demanding"?

A: The best thing a driver can do is be honest about what they need. Being open about their desires, not demanding, but just asking if we have anything open that can fit their needs.

Want to know more about what recruiters in trucking have to say? Interact with trucking companies and other job seekers in the Truckers Forum.

Do you want to know more about current driving jobs in the trucking industry? Login or fill out an online job application to get your account started and use one application for the rest of your driving career.

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