[Grammar] Past perfect and talking about myself

[Birne]

Hi,

Can I start talking about myself like this? I think, but not sure, that two options are possible here:

I had been/was a lorry driver for 3 years. I decided to quit that job and find another one. I am happy with the job I have now ...

I think I can use had been (that's to say before I quitted). In this case the sentence with had been is an abbreviation of a full one: I had been a lorry driver for 3 years before I quitted.

I think I can also use was without any additional information. With out conveying any additional information.
Both options are correct, aren't they?

 

[GoesStation]

The past simple and past participle of to quit are both quit.

I'm thinking about your question and will post again unless someone else beats me to it.

 

[Birne]

So you are dubious about it. Which one is more common to you as an American native speaker?

 

[J&K Tutoring]

Both are acceptable. The past perfect places the speaker's reference more precisely to the time of the decision. Your example statement is more general, so past simple is fine and, since the following sentence brings us to the present, I think past simple works better.

Past perfect would be better in: I had been a lorry driver for 3 years when I decided to quit that job and find another one. I am happy with the job I have now ...

 

[GoesStation]

The simple present in the third sentence makes the simple past better in the first.