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How to Find an HGV Driver:
A step-by-step guide to hiring top-quality HGV drivers. Includes a full hiring process that will help you find, hire, and retain the best HGV drivers.
Attract the best HGV drivers.
Determine what sets your vacancy apart from others.
Before crafting a job description, list all the reasons why an HGV driver would want to work for you. While drivers expect the many challenges that come with the job, there are a number of things they look for in a job that make it all worth it.
Some things HGV drivers value:
- A positive work environment and culture.
- Minimal micromanagement.
- Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance.
- A good pension.
- Paid holiday and sick leave.
- Respect and appreciation for the work they do.
- No forced dispatches.
- More flexible schedules.
- Bonuses.
Build your employer brand by showing your solidarity with and support for HGV drivers by going all out for National Lorry Week every November.
Create an appealing HGV driver job post.
An attractive job post needs to clearly define the responsibilities of the role, and advertise any benefits that the successful candidate will receive. To find a good HGV driver, you should also make it clear which certifications, skills, and experience the ideal candidate should have.
If there are unfavorable aspects of the job, for example, working on weekends and over the holidays, be transparent about this. You increase your chances of hiring the ideal HGV driver when you're honest about working conditions and responsibilities.
Clearly outline the duties, requirements, limitations, and benefits of the role.
Be sure to mention the type of HGV driver you require. If possible, go a step further and mention the type of vehicle(s) they will be expected to drive.
You must include the requirement of a valid CPC (Certificate of Professional Competence).
Use an HGV driver job description template.
A CDL driver job description template will work perfectly for crafting an HGV driver job description. It provides much of the basic information needed, such as responsibilities and certifications.
Advertise the position.
Post your job to general sites.
Start by posting to general job posting sites such as Reed.co.uk, Totaljobs, and CV-Library to reach as big a local audience of job seekers as possible.
Make sure your job is picked up by Google.
Google for Jobs allows your posting to be seen in search results. This can greatly increase your job visibility. You can get it picked up by Google by having someone properly format it on your website, or by using a service (such as Betterteam) that creates a properly formatted jobs page for you automatically.
Target job boards dedicated to HGV drivers and truckers.
This will narrow your search to HGV/LGV drivers who have the necessary experience, skills, and certifications to fill your vacancy. Use a lorry job posting site to advertise available positions to this niche labor market.
Ask current employees for referrals.
A great way to find and hire your next HGV driver is to ask current employees for referrals. Create an employee referral program to motivate employees to participate in the recruiting process.
Make sure it is clear to your employees that the HGV drivers they refer should have the right skills, qualifications, work ethic, and attitude.
Share new job openings on social media.
To attract the best talent, create social media posts that are engaging, informative, and professional. Maintain an active presence on social media and respond to any questions, comments, or queries in a timely manner.
Post multiple times every day
Ensure that 65% of your posts are original and that 35% of your content comes from other sources.
Use images and videos to highlight workplace culture, and to showcase aspects of the job HGV drivers would be interested in.
Engage as often as possible with your audience by liking and sharing posts.
Ask your current employees to like and share your posts.
For a more active approach, use Facebook and LinkedIn to research and recruit experienced HGV drivers working elsewhere, or to target new talent.
Make use of multiple social recruiting tactics and tools to reach passive and active job seekers.
Start a blog or a vlog about trucking.
Starting a blog or a vlog is a fantastic way to create networks in the trucking industry and build your employer brand. Whether you're sharing your adventures or giving your audience tips on how to keep healthy on the U.K. roads, blogging and vlogging are great ways to become a trusted name in the industry.
When the time comes to hire HGV drivers, you'll have a network of them right at your fingertips.
Drivers can get to know you and your organizational values and culture through your blogs and vlogs, so be sure to highlight these aspects.
Vet your candidates.
Screen your applicants.
Even if you bold the requirements for the job in your posting, people often overlook those and apply anyway. Find the qualified ones by sending out a short email that asks a few basic questions, such as:
- How long have you worked as an HGV driver?
- Do you have any infractions on your license?
- Do you have experience driving lorries?
- Are you available to work evenings and over holiday periods?
If you're worried that your applicants may not be responsive to an email, you may want to try delegating someone to make short phone calls to ask these questions.
Conduct a phone interview.
In-person interviews take up a lot of time for everyone involved. You can schedule short phone interviews and quickly learn which candidates are the best to continue learning about.
During these interviews, check that their expectations for salary and benefits line up with yours, and find out why they are no longer at their previous job.
Example questions:
- Why did you leave your last HGV driver job?
- What do you expect for salary and benefits?
- What days are you available to work?
- When would you be able to start?
- Have you ever had a DWI?
- Can you pass a urine and hair drug test?
- What made you interested in this job?
What you're looking for, mainly, are things that would disqualify the candidate. If the reasons they left their previous job are bound to crop up in this one, they won't be a good fit. If they want a salary that's outside your range, or they cannot work during your business hours, you have a problem.
Keep a copy of the answers to the screening questions at hand when conducting the interview. If the candidate gives entirely different responses, this should be seen as a red flag.
For candidates that meet your standards at this point, be sure to review the highlights of taking the job, and see if there are any other questions they have.
Pay attention to why they're interested in the job, and reiterate particulars of it they're most attracted to.
Do a drug test.
While employers in the U.K. are not required by law to do any drug testing, individual drivers themselves must undergo a full medical checkup in order to maintain their HGV license and CPC status. This checkup includes substance misuse. Simply ask prospective HGV drivers for their latest D4 medical examination report.
Do background checks.
Depending on the type of vehicles your HGV drivers will be using, there are two background checks you should do.
The driver abstract can be done online and will give you information on the driver's license details, the vehicles they may drive, and disqualifications.
The DBS check is a criminal record check and is particularly important for drivers that will be driving school children or making deliveries to schools.
Conduct tests and interviews.
Schedule a road test.
Verifying that a driver has an HGV may not tell you the full story about their qualifications. You'll want to give them a road test that covers the basic skills they'll need for a day on the job, and in some cases, you'll be required to do this.
Check your local laws to be sure that your road test covers what it needs to, and make sure the test puts them through the real challenges a workday represents.
Conduct an in-person interview.
At this point, you've got most of what you need to know if a candidate will make a good HGV driver, but an in-person interview will give you insight as to how you'd work with the candidate, whether they are punctual, and how they present themselves.
More importantly, it's a chance to continue selling them the job. Introduce them to co-workers, show them around, review the reasons they want to take the job and the benefits you offer.
It is advisable to schedule the interview directly after the road test.
Encourage the candidate to ask their own questions and to voice any concerns about the job during the interview.
For inspiration, read through our list of CDL driver interview questions. They work for HGV drivers, too.
Hire your new HGV driver.
Make an offer.
Once you've found an HGV driver who meets your qualifications, you'll want to make them an offer fairly quickly to take them off the job market.
Make an informal call to offer them the job first, followed by a letter.
Follow this up with a letter or email that provides the job description, salary, and benefits information.
Use our job offer letter template to craft a compelling and professional letter.
Onboard your new HGV driver.
Onboarding is a key final step in the hiring process that is not to be overlooked. Make a good first impression and get the new hire up and running fast by having a detailed and organized onboarding process.
Be sure to assign driver trainers to each of your new HGV drivers. These trainers will help with a smooth transition and ensure that all drivers understand their goals and expectations.