Driver Ghosting: 3 Ways to Put an End to Qualified Driver Candidates Going Dark

We all hate being ghosted. More specifically, it’s human nature to feel let down by something you’ve put effort in, whether it’s in your personal or professional life. 

The hard reality of ghosting is especially prevalent in the world of CDL driver recruiting, where the recruiting process can sometimes feel like a black hole of conversations.Here is what modern CDL driver recruiters need to remember:

  • Thanks to the ongoing driver shortage, drivers have their pick of carriers to work with. 
  • Most drivers would rather be on the road as soon as possible instead of jumping through endless recruiting hoops. 
  • Which means that recruiters need to step it up – and shorten the recruiting timeline – to prevent ghosting. 

While it might not be quite so black-and-white in practice, there are a few proactive strategies CDL driver recruiters can put in place to prevent ghosting and keep qualified driver candidates from going dark:

  1. Streamline your recruiting process. 

The first thing to do is to streamline your recruiting process as much as possible. Start at the very beginning – is it easy for drivers to find your application and actually apply? How long does it take for you to follow up on new application? What about the interview process? Break your recruiting process down into manageable chunks and cut out any unnecessary or inefficient steps.   

        2. Eliminate unnecessary back-and-forth. 

One of the biggest reasons that drivers end up ghosting recruiters is that they move too slow. Drivers don’t want to waste time waiting around for a phone call asking for an interview. They want to move quick. Recruiters can eliminate unnecessary back and forth by ensuring that all driver data is compiled in a single, easy-to-access repository, making it easy for any recruiter to reach out or answer questions with drivers. Additionally, recruiters should implement digital solutions like text message follow up, AI-powered chatbots, and video interviews to speed up the process.

       3. Balance personal engagement and digital innovation. 

Technology is one of the biggest reasons that modern drivers expect a quick application and recruiting process, but it is also one of the reasons that so many drivers feel okay ghosting recruiters. While this has created somewhat of a catch-22 situation for recruiters, it’s not the end of the world. Instead of putting all of your focus on digital solutions or all in personal, traditional recruiting, look for a balance between the two. 

If you’re using chatbots on your website to collect potential driver information, try to follow-up with a phone call or video message. Try to create a personal connection and relationship with a driver without sacrificing speed and efficiency.  

Want to learn more? Schedule your personal demo of DriverReach to see how the modern applicant tracking solution can help prevent driver ghosting! 


Stay up to date on CDL trucking trends! Be sure to check out the DriverReach blog or follow us on LinkedIn for other relevant articles and head over to our webinars page for an up-to-date list of upcoming events and on-demand recordings.

Interested in seeing DriverReach’s modern Recruiting Management System in action? Request a demo!

 

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