When companies interview candidates for over-the-road trucking jobs, they look for specific personality features that indicate a good chance for success. Turnover is relatively high in these positions because many individuals find they simply cannot handle the unpredictable hours and being away from home so much. Still, a large number of men and women truly enjoy their OTR truck driving jobs and don’t want to change careers for a long time to come.
Some companies hiring for OTR truck driving jobs require candidates to complete personality tests online or in the office. Others rely entirely on their interviews with applicants to determine the odds each person will be successful in this career.
Flexibility and Acceptance of Variation
The ability to be flexible with a schedule and acceptance of variation in destinations is important for long-haul truckers. This is not a 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. job, and the drivers commonly go to a broad range of locations for pickup and delivery. Sometimes they may have to drive at night and sleep during the day. They may need to deal with downtime far from home while the company finds a load for them to bring back.
Stress Management Skills
Good stress management skills are also necessary. Unforeseen events can happen that cause delays, for example. Unexpected traffic congestion is possible and so is bad weather that compels drivers to slow down. Truck drivers need to stay calm in these circumstances since they are operating a huge piece of machinery on the open road.
