Jillian Garcia never planned on a career in trucking. She was a self-described introvert who'd spent years in childcare and the restaurant industry before a temp agency placed her at Schneider.

Ten years later, she's a Senior Territory Recruiter covering Wisconsin and Upper Michigan — and she's talked to more drivers than most people will meet in a lifetime. In this conversation, she opens up about overcoming social anxiety, what she actually looks for when she's evaluating candidates, why the first year breaks some drivers and builds others, and the career paths in trucking that most people don't know exist.

WHAT WE GET INTO

— How a girl who was "terribly shy" with social anxiety ended up doing presentations and connecting with people for a living - and why pushing past that fear changed everything

— The traits that separate drivers who build long careers from the ones who don't make it past year one (hint: it's not driving skill)

— Why "being teachable" is the single most important piece of advice she gives every new driver

— What the day-to-day actually looks like at a company like Schneider — home time, truck setup, dedicated vs. OTR, and the options most people don't realize exist

— Schneider's mirrorless truck technology and why they're always first to test what everyone else eventually adopts

— The real talk on safety: cameras that protect drivers, tech that prevents accidents, and why "you're the captain of your ship" isn't just a slogan

ABOUT JILLIAN GARCIA

Jillian is a Senior Territory Recruiter at Schneider National, covering Wisconsin, Upper Michigan, and Northern Illinois. She's been with Schneider for ten years, starting as a temp in customer service before moving into recruiting. Her grandfather drove for Schneider in the late '70s.

She travels to CDL schools, hiring events, and job fairs across her territory, connecting with students and career changers who are figuring out their next move.

📩 GOT A QUESTION ABOUT THE TRADES?

Leave a comment or send us a message — we'll get into it on a future episode.

LINKS

Connect with Jillian: https://www.facebook.com/JillianGarciaSNI

Midwest Truck Driving School Lineman Program: midwesttruckdrivingschool.com

North Country Heavy Equipment & Electrical Line School: https://ncheschool.com/

🔗 CONNECT

Website: midwesttruckdrivingschool.com

Email: marketing@midwesttruckdrivingschool.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CDLMidwest

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/midwesttruckdrivingschool/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@midwesttruckdrivingskool

New episodes every Friday!