In 2016, women made up just 6 percent of total employed truck drivers in the United States. This is an industry that offers many opportunities – and not just for men. Even so, many women are hesitant to try and seek a job in this field.
The fact is, it doesn’t matter if you are a man or a woman, getting your Class A CDL license and pursuing a career as a professional truck driver is a great way to build a successful future for you, and your family – especially with the truck driver shortage going on now.
While many women have heard the stereotypes that trucking is just a “man’s job,” this isn’t the case. Today, more than ever, the trucking industry is a more viable option for women. If you want to pursue a career in this field, use the tips here. You will find this can be an extremely lucrative and rewarding career choice.
Be Confident
When you are pursuing a career in the trucking industry, make sure you believe in yourself. There are all sorts of information out there about the “confidence gap” that’s present between men and women.
There are some studies that have even shown that men are much more likely to enter into a competition, apply for a promotion and go after new opportunities confidentially, and women are more hesitant to even try.
However, what has been found is that when women do go for a new opportunity, they perform just as well as the men.
This doesn’t mean you need to be reckless, but if you are thinking about being a professional truck driver, and the only thing that is stopping you is the thought you may fail – just keep in mind that you are as qualified as any man who is taking advantage of the opportunities offered by a career in trucking.
Use all the Resources Available to You
In some cases, even if you know you should believe in yourself, it’s still difficult to do. The good news is, you don’t have to go through this process alone.
There are countless resources designed specifically to help empower female truck driver hopefuls. From finding the right training to truck financing advice, there are tons of free resources out there.
A great place to start is with WIT – Women In Trucking. Their website offers all types of information and tools to help you build a successful truck driving career.
There are also services that can help you get trucking permits and set you up with compliance packages.
Select the Right Training School
Another great way to feel and really be prepared for a trucking career is to seek out professional training. To do that, be sure you select the proper truck training school. This means you need to take some time to find a school that encourages women truck drivers and that treats all students with the same level of respect. If you work in the trucking industry, managing your fleet of vehicles can be difficult. Make sure you invest into the best fleet management software for you best chance of success.
As a woman, there’s no career field that isn’t within your grasp. However, you have to put yourself out there and try. Otherwise, you will never know what is possible. Use the tips and information here to begin you pursue a career in the trucking field. This will help ensure you can meet your career goals.