I just got my first 'turn down'. I've worked 2 out of the past 3 years.due to moving and (maybe because of the move) getting divorced. My "X" and I lived in Las Vegas for a long time and wanted to move. I worked in the hotels and she went to work for SSA. She ended up getting a promotion and the government moved us to Northern California. I took about a year off, wanting to do some investing and work on a couple of personal projects, (writing, etc..) and finally ended up as an independent contractor with Fedex for about a year.

Then the "X" got offered another promotion to move up to Southern Oregon, so we sold my route and the house, and moved up to Oregon. The marriage went to hell and we got divorced, split everything and both walked away with a good chunk of money.

I took my share and did a lot of traveling in Latin America (love it down there!), and now I'm back looking to go to work again. I'm in CDL school and putting out job applications, but today I got turned down because of too much 'unemployment'. My recruiter told me to call back after I've worked for somebody else for 6 months.

What gives? My background and driving record are spotless clean, good credit report, etc. What's the big deal with taking some time off from work? I'm 54 and have worked all my life, why can't I choose to take time off without being discriminated against? Grrrr...

Any suggestions? Thanks

I would keep on putting in applications. A lot of companies want at least 1 yr. of driving in 3 yrs.

Might be a rare case!

Good luck!

what company turned you down?

CFI.. The recruiter was nice enough.. said just get 6 months with some other company, then call and I can come right over. Seems like kind of an odd way to do things...

Some companies just have different standards. Not a big deal, move on to someone else. Most anyone will want you to take a refresher of some sort, but someone out there will take you.

My understanding on the whole unemployment and gaps in employment thing is that it's not so much a policy with companies, but a policy with the government. You need to verify everything that you've been doing for the last 10 years. That's just part of the new police state that we've become. Look at it this way, you bounced around a lot, spent a few spins unemployed and then on top of all that you decided to spend some time in one of biggest drug and terrorist movement areas in the world... If all you were doing is looking at someone's background that looked like that what would you think? Not trying to offend you just looking at it from the other side of the fence.

Don't worry about it, contact a few other companies and bide your time, 6 months really isn't that long.

Good luck.

FMCSA expects a full list of all CDL jobs for 10 years or 3 years of non-CDL and evidence backing any "gaps" in your work history. You need to produce some kind of affidavit or printed proof of your "travels" or it will not be easy to get a CDL job. Maybe...copying any plane tickets, itinerary passport stamps would help?

I have a 2 year gap from when I was beebopping around Asia after I retired from the military. The recruiter just told me to show up with my passport so they can see the stamps. He said no problem as long as I can show proof I was away.

The stamped passport may be his ticket, then its just getting a company not anal. His two years of experience should be enough.

I talked with a couple of recruiters at CDL school yesterday and they didn't think my time not working was such a big deal. The passport is a good idea and the recruiters said I just need a couple of notarized letters from friedns backing up what I say.

Just for clarification, I wasn't driving in a CDL job before -- therefore should only have to account for 3 years. For most of the past 20 years, I worked in the hotels in Las Vegas and then resigned -- career change.

Career change when you are past the age of 50 isn't always easy: hell, you become a little picky about how you want to spend your workday and off time. Throw a divorce in the mix, and it makes things more difficult.

From my time off, I've decided I'd rather work than be retired and the trucking industry *seems* to be something I can grow old with. But, I'm new and *green* and have much to learn.
Thanks for the replies

Don't call it unemployed- you weren't looking for employment, were you!
You wrote a book and went on vacation- call it a sabbatical or something... They're just worried you were claiming unemployment for that year and will do the same to them...