In Gear - Today's Trucking

The recession has taken
its toll in many ways.
One of the most significant,
in my view, is that over
the past 18 months, the faces
of the people who come to
our company looking for work
have changed dramatically.
People are becoming more
desperate for jobs. It’s sad that
many people are being forced
by the poor economy to find
new ways to put food on their
table, but hard times also
mean that a lot of applicants
are resorting to more
desperate means; and, frankly,
more attempts at deception.
As a recruiting manager
for a large trucking company
and a former police investigator,
I’ve learned over the
years how to weed out the
dishonest applicants, and
those skills are becoming
more necessary than ever.
For one thing, are you not
finding that more and more
applicants seem almost
perfect; i.e., “too good to be
true?” And when you come
across things in other parts
of your life that seem too
good to be true, are you not
immediately suspicious?
My first piece of advice is,
follow your gut. You know
that feeling you get when
somebody says they are
happily married with kids
but when you visit them at
home you don’t see any family
photos or anything else that
reminds them of their family?
That’s the same sensation
you can get when you find the
“perfect driver” in front of
you; and you think “if he’s so
good why is he looking for
work?” If you have that gut
feeling, act on it.
With every applicant, you
will have to do what I call
background checks and
front-ground checks.
Front-ground checks come
first. Simple phone calls and
reference checks with past
employers are not enough to
fulfill a front check. To catch
a criminal, think like one and
ask yourself, “if I were to put
one over on the carrier, how
would I go about doing so?”
Discovering false company
names on an application is
becoming a common
occurrence. So call references
at least twice, at different
times on different days.
Drive by, if possible, the
addresses on the application,
including the one the driver
calls home.
Visit the past employer’s
office. Speak with drivers who
worked with the applicant
and ask if they knew him
(or her). What was he like?
Ask them if they would
allow him to work for them
and drive their equipment if
they had their own company.
Those are two telltale
questions.
Human resources departments
and recruiters can be
called later.
These days, carriers have to
do the unexpected. Think of
the other angles. Walk the
other sidewalk.
Guest Column
Desperate Times Call For
Desperate Measurements
strategies The recession has meant job applicants are different than ever.
Proceed with caution. By David Brown
Hard times also mean
that a lot of applicants
are resorting to more
desperate means; and,
frankly, more attempts
at deception.
We’re living in the time of
identity theft and just
because somebody’s licence
says he is John Brown and
lives at 125 Maple St. doesn’t
mean either statement is
true. Do what you can to
verify every last detail.
Maybe you’re a recruiter
who’s already been stung by
what I call the “twin switch,”
which is when you send
someone for a drug or road
test but they find another
person to attend the meetings.
After the testing procedures,
quiz the applicants on
the details of the tests—
what the offices and testadministrators
were like,
and so on.
You name it and a thief can
make it happen.
Be on guard for subtle
alarm signals that are bound
to go off during interviews or,
for that matter, during waiting
times when applicants are
sitting around the premises.
Tell your receptionists and
other staff to keep an eye on
applicants, too. When the
guard begins to drop, you
need to catch what is falling.
Don’t judge a book by its
cover because when you do
you find yourself reading
fiction with an unhappy
ending. ▲
David Brown is a former detective
with the Ontario Provincial Police
and the Recruiting Manager for
The Rosedale Group. He has been
an active advocate for the trucking
industry for over 10 years.
JANUARY 2010 25