HGV driver recruitment tips for the South West
Our HGV driver recruitment tips give you a complete guide to finding and keeping the best driver jobs in the South West This easy-to-use guide covers the following:
- Finding your nearest HGV recruitment branch
- How to apply
- Employee benefits: what to expect
- Training and upskilling opportunities
- Top tips for career progression
The South West of England is a great place to be an HGV driver. We have some of the best scenery in the country, lots of interesting work opportunities and of course some very friendly locals. We’re a rural part of the world but that only increases the need for good logistics and good drivers to support the industry. Here we outline some simple recruitment tips to help you find the right employment opportunities and get you fast tracked to a great HGV driving career.
Finding your nearest South West HGV Recruitment branch
To get started you need to find the right driving agency. There are many ways to apply for jobs online but finding and contacting a local branch can be a much easier and faster way to get started. A good local HGV Driving agency will have a friendly team of experienced recruiters who share a wealth of knowledge and expertise. They can help with your application process, making sure you have the right paperwork, and giving you some tips on training and CPD to help move you along to the next level. Of course, we are biased, but at Backline Logistics we’ve built a comprehensive network of local offices across the South West to make it easier for you to find work in your area. We also like to think we are a pretty good place to work too! You can find your local Backline office using our interactive map, or use this list to pick the HGV driver agency nearest to you:
How to Apply
The application process is pretty straightforward. You can start by filling out the form below or just contact us and we’ll guide you through the process. Our Senior Branch Manager, Tim Rogers, says:
“We have a really varied selection of work here requiring all different types of skill sets. These include working with pallets, skips, plant machinery, multi-drops, food services and more so its helpful to have skilled people. But we are always prepared to train the right people up. Transport is a really diverse industry. We have many female drivers, we have ex-navy submariners, ex-service personnel, and even ex-bank managers. There are lots of people out there who just really enjoy driving a truck. It’s important that you can stay flexible. Things change quickly in logistics, demand can shoot up, vehicles can break down, so we need people who can adapt to those changes as they occur. We look for fast learners, and we reserve judgement as people will often surprise you. Getting the right experience is crucial, but we are lucky to have lots of hugely talented and experienced drivers working with us so we can always send new recruits out with them. For example, if you are interested in skip driving, we’ll send you out with Terry White. He’s the 20th person Backline ever took on, and still with us. There aren’t many people who know more about skips than Terry. Our main concern is finding people who are punctual, responsive, enthusiastic and accountable.”
Are you ex-Services? Don’t forget to check out our special guide The Ex-Service Personnel’s guide to HGV driving careers
Employee benefits: what to expect
Like all industries, pay and conditions for HGV drivers can vary across the South West. If you want to make sure you are getting the best rates, try asking around. Remember that the best drivers are paid based on their experience and specialist skillsets such as HIAB and ADR. Therefore, the surest way to get the best rates of pay is to keep investing in your skills. We can’t speak for other driving agencies, but here at Backline we’ve developed what we believe is one of the best and most comprehensive benefits packages in the South West. Our drivers all receive industry leading rates of pay, and can work their way up to our Backline Platinum Drivers scheme, which provides a whole range of fantastic benefits: These include things like:
- FREE CPC TRAINING
- GUARANTEED MINIMUM PAY
- ADDITIONAL UNIFORM
- FREE DEVELOPMENT TRAINING
- AGREED HOURS & SHIFT PATTERNS
- LIFE INSURANCE
- PERSONAL ACCIDENT INSURANCE
- PRIVATE MEDICAL INSURANCE
- ADDITIONAL FREE TRAINING
- PREMIUM UNIFORM
Training and upskilling opportunities
We keep saying it, but it bears repeating: The key to a great HGV driving career is continuous training and upskilling. When choosing an agency to work for, make sure you ask them about training opportunities, as without them you could find yourself becoming stuck and feeling like you’ve reached a dead end. We are now proud to be able to deliver fully accredited training for Driver CPC, ADR & ADR Awareness, First Aid, HIAB, Forklift, MEWP, Driver Assessments and Trailer Towing. To find out more about training opportunities with us, check our dedicated driver training page. Alternatively, check out some more of our great articles about training:
- 7 Myths About HIAB Training
- 9 Signs you should invest in HGV Driver Training
- Driver CPC; Know what you are getting
Top recruitment tips for career progression
We’ve already covered a lot of these in this guide. Our advice is pretty simple: Career progression is all about attitude. We actively want to find, recruit, and train the best drivers. So, what do we mean by the best drivers? Well, we can break it down (more or less) into 5 main areas:
- Having a plan – the best drivers always do
- Never missing an opportunity to upskill
- Focussing on yourself, not others
- Getting specialised
- Wanting and choosing to work with the best
We cover all this in much more detail in our article: 5 Hacks to Fast Track your HGV Career — We hope you’ve found the HGV driver recruitment tips in this guide useful. If you have any questions and want to find out more why not contact your local branch. Alternatively, you can get started by filing out this online form here: