Useless, repete, Twilight Flyer and GMAN brought up many good points and questions. Let's see if i can clarify my thinking for everyone.
My intent is to leave trucking. I may use a local position as a springboard to leave OTR. My thought being that if an interview comes up for a position I desire I would "miss" a day of work to go to the interview. Yes I know this would have to be done cautiously, as many absenses will make me an unemployment statistic.
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Another problem is that your employment opportunities will be confined to what work is immediately available, as opposed to what is more likely to be a suitable fit.
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This is so true. This is why I like the idea of a springboard job to distance myself from OTR. If the springboard job is in my new intended field or a local driving job I feel that would better position myself to reach a more desirable position in the future. Trying to do this one step at a time.
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If you think that being able to schedule a job interview while you're currently employed as an OTR driver is difficult, then let me assure you that having plenty of time to interview because you're unemployed will make landing an employment interview and a decent job far more difficult.
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I understand your point. I would appreciate any suggestions on how to get through the hiring process while still being on the road earning a living. My employer will "throw me under the truck" if I ask for assistance to go to an interview with a prospective employer. It is difficult enough to get them to get me home for scheduled doctor appointments and vacations.
What might be some solutions for the OTR driver who will need to interview with prospective employers.
MY current ideas are to first attempt to steer the prospective employer into a phone/skype interview. If that is not acceptable then attempt to schedule an appointment near a time that I might be passing the yard(we run "out and then back" or "circles" over and over) and then claim some sort of fabricated emergency to get home for a day to do the interview. I am open to your ideas.
Transitioning to a local driving job is, as previously mentioned, a possibility but only to aid in eventually securing a retail management position(I have a large amount of experience in both management and retail).
Useless, repete, Twilight Flyer and GMAN all correctly brought up the fact that I do not have the funds to do this properly at this time. All of you are right and I know it. This was my main concern when writing the original post. I obviously did not communicate clearly in the initial post.
I am trying to formulate a plan with the most CYA options that I can come up with. To do this I am prepping in every way I can. From the resume (on its second revision) to interview clothes (gained some weight in the 12 years since my last real interview :-( ) to ideas how to make interviews happen while OTR to how to lessen the financial hardship of not having enough cash on hand to make the transition properly.
I appreciate the points that all of you made regarding the pitfalls that I can and very well might be heading into. Most importantly I hoped for solutions as well. I know not every idea will work for me but please put forward any solutions you can think of. If I can't use them possibly a driver with the same issue will use the knowledge when they do a search for their "exit strategy" ideas.
Thanks again for the help you have already given, and thanks in advance for any ideas you may have,
Dan