Employment History Hysteria

Hey everyone, thanks for taking the time to read this post. I've been lurking here a few months and taking everything in from the articles, Brett's book and your wonderful and informative forum posts and appreciate all the knowledge here.

I am on the cusp of getting my DOT physical and taking my CLP tests. I feel confident that I will overcome these first hurdles to my first job in trucking because I am pretty healthy and have been studying my a** off.

There is one thing that has been absolutely freaking me out though! And that is my employment history. I have done everything I can think of to make sure that it won't be an issue and I'm still not sure it will be enough.

To give the briefest rundown possible...

I moved to a new area with my parents after flunking out of my senior year at college during covid (off to a great start, I know.)

I left school in late May 2021 and arrived to my new home in early June 2021. I was not doing well but managed to land a job doing warehouse and merchandising work.

That job was from Mid June 2021 to Late December 2021. I left when I no-call-no-showed because I was in a really bad spot and couldn't handle it anymore.

I was without a job until February 2022 when I got hired as a barista at a big company. I was there a whole year and met my wonderful fiancee who did a lot to help set me straight.

Everything was going great until we started being discriminated against for being a couple. Despite carrying ourselves more professionally and working harder than the supervisors who had it out for us. After HR and management could not resolve the issue I ended up leaving so the heat would die down and she could keep her job of 3 years without being harassed. That was in February 2023.

I had started looking into trucking a month prior but did not know as much as I know now. Especially the emphasis on verifiable work history.

About two weeks after I took a job working under the table at a restaurant because I couldn't be without an income and I could not even get an interview anywhere else (most job positions I applied for in-person and on Indeed had over 500 applicants).

I knew it was not verifiable work but I actually like it here and am paid better than the other positions I was looking into prior to getting hired here.

I planned to start driving for Uber as well because I am able to request employment verification from them... until some knucklehead rear-ended me at a red light and put my car out of commission until last week.

I finally started driving with Uber yesterday. I am left with a fat four month gap in my employment history though. I basically spent all of that time studying to become a truck driver and researching the industry, working under the table, as well as taking care of my health and domestic relationship. But I don't know if the gap in my employment history is a disqualifier, even if I explain that I was preparing to enter the industry during that time.

I assembled all of my W2s, my Wage and Income Transcripts for the past 10 years (I have only been able to legally work for 8, I'm 24) in the hope that they will smooth over the employment verification process. Where possible I have also reached out to my references, even at the jobs where I made an ungraceful exit to salvage what I could.

I am trying to fill the gap in my history with Uber because the population in my area has become so saturated that it is hard to get an interview even for a job bussing tables.

I have been trying my best to clear everything up with my personal life and am really striving to become someone who can make it in this industry so my fiancee and I can have a better future.

I'm praying that this is something minor that I am freaking out about but I struggled to come up with an answer from browsing the other forum topics on this subject.

I really have tried to find a job and don't mean to come off like a bum. I have sent out hundreds of applications online and gone door to door in a suit and tie with resumes and am just trying to work with what I have at the moment.

Any input at all would be so much appreciated, especially comments on how bad my situation is and what else I can do to remedy it.

Thank you all so much for everything you do!

Companies have become more strict in their hiring requirements due to a slow down. Just be prepared to hear a lot of nos. You will probably need some references for your time unemployed. Getting some letters from friends and family, stating that you had been seeking employment, and not locked up will help.

Until you get that yes, try and keep a job for as long as possible.

Thank you for your reply Bob!

You will probably need some references for your time unemployed. Getting some letters from friends and family, stating that you had been seeking employment, and not locked up will help.

I read about this in other threads related to this subject but was confused as to how to go about it. Of course I can get these letters about how I was on the straight and narrow but how do I get them to seem credible?? I had seen in another thread someone mentioned getting letters like that notorized.

I don't know if I could get a notorized letter from my current employer stating that I have been working for them under the table. If I could it would explain away the whole employment gap but I doubt that under the table work is seen in a positive light. Or maybe they don't care, as long as I was employed.

Would I submit these letters to the recruiters I would be speaking with, how would they come up during the hiring process, etc.

Sorry to ask a million questions guys I'm just trying to claw my way towards a successful entry into trucking. Appreciate any responses. Thanks again Bob, grateful for your insight.

Paying you under the table noone will ever admit to. That could bring things down on them. However they could craft you a letter stating how long they have known you and their opinion of you and I’m sure they could atest where your living and not in jail or a foreign land.

I’m going to throw something out here just to see what other drivers have to say about this. It’s an idea, but it may not be a good idea, lol.

Could you claim that during your under the table gig you have been “self employed”? When I applied for a driving job back in 2018, most of my employment history was as a self employed individual and I was not questioned about this at all. Maybe things are different now.

Also, the letters would be potentially helpful. Get them scanned into digital files so you can email them to recruiters if requested.

Paying you under the table noone will ever admit to. That could bring things down on them.

This is the difficulty I have been dealing with. It's just such a pain because I feel like I'm just going to have to give up this great job and work at a gas station or something for a couple months just to set my employment record straight.

I live in a beachy/touristy area that has seen insane population growth over the past few years and it's difficult to find a job that pays decently or even get an interview for a ****ty one. I got my current job from a Craigslist posting I found at 2am in the morning. 😩

Anyways I hate to be a complainer and I'm willing to do what it takes to get into trucking.

Could you claim that during your under the table gig you have been “self employed”? When I applied for a driving job back in 2018, most of my employment history was as a self employed individual and I was not questioned about this at all. Maybe things are different now.

I guess I could say that I have been running some kind of handyman/landscaping business and that my clients are my family and friends... I've just read a lot about how honesty is the best policy when trying to get into trucking and I don't want something little to bite me in the a** later on. Would love to hear what others have to say about this though, thanks BK.

Something that would be great to get an opinion on is whether or not being an uber driver would be enough for my work verification going forward. Apparently I can request a transcript with my income and hours from the company. I can also keep a logbook to scan and send to a recruiter.

Thanks for everything so far guys. Would appreciate any additional insight into my conundrum, especially about whether or not Uber will cut it as a job if I do it 20-30 hours a week.

Have you tried looking into Amazon? They have warehouses dang near everywhere and are always hiring. They pay competitive rates and will even pay for your CDL training after you've been with them for a nominal period of time. I've worked at a couple of Amazon locations here in Central Florida and it is very quick and easy to get onboarded with them, usually less than 2 weeks from application to drug screen/background check to start date.

As long as you can account for the time being employed you should be OK. As Bobcat mentioned though that hiring has slowed at many companies so they can be more strict. The employment verification pre-cdl is mainly to account for where you were (not overseas being radicalized), and that you were employed or taking care of family. This career is demanding and those that have been employed consistently will likely fare better than someone laying on the couch for the last 10 years. This post is in no way meant to be an insult, but you mentioned numerous times being in a bad place. Are you sure you mentally handle it? The isolation and being so far from home is difficult for many new drivers. Also it seems to affect younger couples more being gone all the time.

If you haven't done so, take advantage of High Road CDL Training Program and Apply For Paid CDL Training

Please stick around and keep us updated.

Have you tried looking into Amazon? They have warehouses dang near everywhere and are always hiring. They pay competitive rates and will even pay for your CDL training after you've been with them for a nominal period of time.

Will certainly look into this. My cursory search on this subject didn't reveal any openings in my area but I'll dig deeper soon. Thanks!

As long as you can account for the time being employed you should be OK... [E]mployment verification pre-cdl is mainly to account for where you were (not overseas being radicalized), and that you were employed or taking care of family.

Thanks for clarifying this. Perhaps it would be good to write a letter explaining what I was doing during my time 'unemployed' and have the supporting letters from friends and family like the others have said. Basically just have a narrative that shows I was trying to be a productive member of society and not in jail or training with ISIS lol.

This post is in no way meant to be an insult, but you mentioned numerous times being in a bad place. Are you sure you mentally handle it? The isolation and being so far from home is difficult for many new drivers. Also it seems to affect younger couples more being gone all the time.

No offence taken whatsoever. Thank you for your concern and I completely understand why you would ask such a question. I don't want to go into too much detail but the cause was because of the circumstances I was in at the time (a mix of family, relationship, school, and job-stress issues that persisted over a number of years) and since then I have grown a lot and become a lot tougher. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger I guess.

As far as my relationship goes we'rs figuring out how we're going to make it work. We have goals for the future, no kids, and a lot of grit so we're planning to do everything we can to make it happen. We're aware it's going to take a lot and planning ahead as much as we can.

If you haven't done so, take advantage of High Road CDL Training Program and Apply For Paid CDL Training

Almost done with the High Road program and am waiting until I have this issue cleared up/have acquired my physical and permit to apply for training. Everything on this site has been so useful to help me start taking my first steps and understand what I'm getting into.

Cheers, thanks for all the helpful replies thus far. 👍

Don't worry too much about it. I was "unemployed" many years (15+), working for a shop 3 different times for cash. Did 2 years with a forklift dealer as field tech. Had 2 letters 1 from my buddy of 55+ years, and a boss I worked for 1 year, and have known for 20+ years (next to shop worked in) didn't "notarize em"

Of course, this was when things weren't as hard as now too. But otherwise, I was "self employed" doing mobile auto repairs.....That's really the reason for work history, as mentioned. To make sure you're not some crazy who was out of the states maybe being trained for bad stuff....

Of course the US has enough crazies already, that never left the country too, TY Brandon lol Good luck in your endeavor getting into the industry !