Jobs for retired truck drivers can range across many different industries and professions. A retired truck driver’s skills in the logistics industry can carry over to many different jobs, and will likely be highly valued by employers throughout every sector. Once you’ve gotten your fill of truck driving, it may be time to broaden your horizons – read on to learn more about jobs for retired truck drivers.

Jobs for Retired Truck Drivers: Exploring Your Options

Before you can get started finding another job in the logistics industry, it’s important to explore your options. What type of job do you want? What locations would you like to go to? What skills do you possess? Taking stock of these factors can greatly increase your chances of finding a job you actually enjoy, and one that takes advantage of your experience as a truck driver.

Take Stock of Your Skills

Having a good understanding of what you’re good at is essential for finding the right job for you, as well as advertising yourself effectively to that employer. Certain jobs aren’t for everyone- it’s important to understand which jobs will take advantage of your unique skillset and which won’t. Additionally, when applying to jobs for retired truck drivers, listing your skills accurately on your resume can make a world of difference to your prospective employer. Not only will they see if your skillset is a good fit for the position, but listing your unique skills will help advertise yourself to any employer that’s looking at multiple resumes a day. Sticking out is what’s important- taking stock of your unique qualities is the easiest way to do so.

Expand Your Horizons

The logistics field is a broad industry. There are nearly an infinite number of jobs outside of those that are strictly related to trucking, so it’s important to expand your horizons and see what’s out there. For example, jobs in the logistics field may include:

• Supply Chain Manager: As a retired truck driver, you’re going to have extensive firsthand experience with how the supply chain is run, how to manage it, and the various factors that go into having a successful truck-driving run. Employers understand this and may be looking for people that can leverage this experience into a successful career as a supply chain manager.

• Truck Driving Instructor: You have the experience; why not pass it on? Becoming an instructor can be a fulfilling way to contribute to the future of the industry while using your own extensive experience as a driver. Your years of experience can be used to educate the next generation of drivers and make the roads a safer place. Truck Driver Institute is always looking for experienced instructors to join our ranks. Check out our careers page to learn more.

• Truck Driver Dispatcher: Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be the one routing trips, communicating with clients, and planning the workload for drivers? If so, then a career as a truck driver dispatcher may be for you. Dispatchers manage many of the client-facing relationships for their company and – as the name would suggest – dispatch their drivers on trips. Experienced truck drivers are likely to be a good fit for the role as they know exactly what it’s like being on the road and can plan trips accordingly. For more information about being a truck driver dispatcher, read our blog post on the subject.

• Become a Driver in Another Field: Your driving experience doesn’t need to stop with trucks. Bus drivers, personal drivers, mail carriers, and other driving professions are always in demand and may be a nice change of pace from truck driving. Spending countless hours on the road can benefit you when driving any type of vehicle, regardless of size or load. Leverage your experience driving trucks to transition to another driving role, it may be the breath of fresh air your career needs.

If you would like to learn more about careers after truck driving, check out our blog post, “What Are Other Truck Driver Careers?” A career change can be a much-needed breath of fresh air for anyone growing tired of trucking and may prove to be fruitful for your long-term career.

Apply

The final, most-anticipated step of the career change process is the application and hiring sequence itself. The application step in particular should never be overlooked- your resume is often the only point of contact an employer has with you before ultimately deciding whether or not to interview you.

Employers may receive hundreds of resumes per position, and often spend less than 10 seconds viewing every resume- this means that your resume must be one that stands out and draws attention. Here is some general advice for crafting an effective resume:

• Keep it concise. As mentioned previously, employers rarely spend more than 10 seconds on a resume. For this reason, it’s important to keep your job descriptions and skills concise and your communication effective.

• Check for spelling or grammatical errors. Nothing turns away an employer more quickly than carelessness. Check and re-check your resume to assure that it’s free of careless mistakes.

• Be unique. Everyone knows the responsibilities of a truck driver- make an effort to convey how your unique experiences have shaped you as an individual.

• Cater to the position you’re applying to. When you’re applying to multiple jobs per day, it can be tempting to use your resume as a cookie-cutter submission to any job you’re interested in. Each employer is going to be looking for different things, however; it’s for this reason that you should cater your resume to each position you’re applying to, emphasizing relevant skills to that job. 

Explore Jobs for Retired Truck Drivers With Truck Driver Institute

As we mentioned previously, Truck Driver Institute is always looking for experienced instructors to join our team. That’s not the only position we have available, however- visit our careers page to learn more.

Truck Driver Institute is a truck driving school spanning 11 campuses nationwide focused on providing the best and most accessible CDL training in the nation. If you’d like to learn more, feel free to visit our website or contact us directly.