You’ve just gotten your CDL, and you’re eager to start driving, but to do that, you’ll need to land your first job. As daunting as this task might seem, it’s a lot easier than you might imagine.

After all, the trucking industry is in desperate need of drivers, so that alone already makes you valuable. However, trucking companies aren’t going to just throw jobs at you because you will likely have zero driving experience.

That’s alright because all you need to do is apply yourself a little to get a trucking job. If you want to know how to quickly and easily land your first trucking job, then follow our tips by reading below.

Apply and Then Apply Some More

Maybe there’s a carrier that you’re really interested in, but they’ve already turned you down. The simple solution is to find another carrier and apply to that one—rinse and repeat.

For your first job, you’re likely going to need to apply to a dizzying amount of carriers. That’s ok because all you need is for one carrier to accept your application so you can get behind the wheel.

Don’t limit yourself to just a few select carriers—send your applications out to everyone. You will likely need to apply to the mega carriers as well.

Although mega carriers may not be your preferred choice, you can get some experience with them and change to another company later.

Apply for Other Truck Driving Jobs

As mentioned, your biggest hurdle is the lack of experience. However, that experience doesn’t need to come from driving a tractor-trailer.

There are other trucking jobs that you can put your CDL license to good use. These types of jobs include companies with dump trucks, straight trucks, lumber yards with delivery trucks, service trucks, and more.

Trucking companies don’t care if your experience comes from driving a tractor-trailer or a dump truck. They’re only looking to see if you have experience and haven’t had any accidents.

Another bonus is that many of these other CDL driving jobs pay well. Who knows, you may end up sticking with a trucking job that has nothing to do with a tractor-trailer.

Take What You Can Get

Some large trucking companies offer an apprenticeship program. This program can be great for new CDL holders who can get training and a paycheck.

Although the payment may not be as great as other carriers, the training can be invaluable. You may be able to refine your driving skills and get experience for another opportunity later.

You might also be lucky enough to know someone who’s offering a trucking job as an independent owner-operator. If that’s the case, then it’s best to spring for any job at the beginning.

Moving on Up

Remember, to quickly and easily get your first trucking job—you’ll need to be flexible. That means that you’ll need to keep your options open and take what you can get.

Once you land your first job, you’ll want to keep your driving record flawless. So long as you have experience and a clean record, then you’ll be able to take your dream trucking job in the future.