Depends how many rest days you are prepared to work. I'm a grade 8 and last tax year nights, Sundays and an average of 2 rest days per pay period put approximately 40% on top of Headline pay.
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A career as a signaller
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Depends how many rest days you are prepared to work. I'm a grade 8 and last tax year nights, Sundays and an average of 2 rest days per pay period put approximately 40% on top of Headline pay.
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MylesHSG
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It obviously varies. Remember if it's 12 hour shifts you still only get the night premium between 22:00 and 06:00. Also how many guaranteed Sunday's are on the roster.
Also important to keep some sort of work/life balance. I personally don't work a night shift RDW in the middle of a block of rest days as it screws up your whole set of rest days, but if it's an early shift on a weekday where I don't have anything planned I'll do it 9 times out of 10.
On the other end of the scale I know a guy who doubled his headline base salary last year working only grade 3 boxes!
Did I read that right? a Grade 3 pulling in upwards of £60k??
Its good money as it is but to have the potential to earn so much more than your baseline salary is always such a bonus, obviously I know in such circumstances work life balance is massively affected, but at least if one desires that extension on their house, new car, or to pay off a holiday or whatever, they can put the hours in and get their rewards.
I also know the amount of extra work you can get varies from box to box too.
I think it's common to doubt yourself when you do those tests. I found the numerical one the most challenging because of the time constraints. You won't need to wait long though, I heard back within a day when I did mine.
Hope I'm just being hard myself. Doing the numerical one tomorrow. How many did you miss?
I didn't miss any on the first 2 tests but I can't be sure I got them all correct. On the numerical one I ended up guessing the last couple due to lack of time, and I wasn't 100% on a 1 or 2 of the other ones. I got an email to say I met the benchmark but still waiting to see whether I did well enough for an interview!
Hi, I have applied for Signaller based at Derby, after being prompted by a mate who works for NWR albeit in a different capacity. He knows I am looking for a complete career change(currently run a pub but coming out early next year) but knows me well and is confident I can do this job and has been brill at supporting me thus far, being my impromptu cheerleader as I doubted I would even get this far!!. Wading my way through this thread (currently page 32 lol, there is a lot of it!!)
I have done my online tests and been told Ive met the standard for those. Really after some info on what happens next, as regards timescales,( this 1st part has turned around in around a week from uploading CV and doing the 70 questions, much faster than I expected) I have read about an assessment day and then interview but others seem to talk about just an interview?
I don't yet drive (learning!) and I know this was listed on the job spec but I did include it in my info that I was learning, will this be a bar?this has been quite a year of upheaval for me after I ended a long marriage so really looking for whatever advice, tips and info you guys can give me please. TIA
I have done my online tests and been told Ive met the standard for those. Really after some info on what happens next, as regards timescales,( this 1st part has turned around in around a week from uploading CV and doing the 70 questions, much faster than I expected) I have read about an assessment day and then interview but others seem to talk about just an interview?
I don't yet drive (learning!) and I know this was listed on the job spec but I did include it in my info that I was learning, will this be a bar?this has been quite a year of upheaval for me after I ended a long marriage so really looking for whatever advice, tips and info you guys can give me please. TIA
I'm really not looking forward to the numerical one. Sounds like you've done better than me on the verbal one. Think I went too slow. No point worrying now. Hope you make it to interview.
No idea how many of them I got correct but nothing I can do about it now. I'm sure they take the answers on the application form into account too so it's not all on the tests. Good luck with the last test, hope it goes well for you
Thanks. When you reach the benchmark does that mean if you apply for other signaller jobs you dont need to do the test again?
Do they interview the top scores on test or do you just have to reach bench mark for them to then consider your application?
They keep your scores on file for 12 months and they use them for any other application you complete in that time. I dont think the hiring manager will see your application until you complete the tests but I dont know exactly how they score them
Just to show how things have changed over the years....my first box was a Grade 'A' the equiv of a Grade 2 now, the annual salary was £1145
(that was in 1972)
headshot119
Established Member
It's based on the November RPI which won't be published till December 18th.
Oh really? I was informed it was Octobers...well let's hope for a small increase if it is November!
SiggerSigAhh
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- 21 May 2019
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Irregardless of when you signed your contract, if your first day of employment was on or after 1st Jan 2019 you'll be on the newer rate.
Similar thing happened to me a few years ago. Signed my contract in October and commenced employment the following Feb, by which time the rates had gone up. So from day one I was on the newer salary.
Thanks. Think I'll have to call payroll I'm still on the old rate.
SiggerSigAhh
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Hi, just have a quick question about the pecking order for OT.
I know that first dibs go to a flexi who is rostered on, but after that should it go to a resident?
Reason I ask is in my location there were 3 nights going next week and I was originally offered them and accepted but then told I was no longer needed. They've been given to a flexi working his free days but I thought that, as a resident with the shifts which ran onto the OT (OT is for Mon-Wed night and I'm rostered on Thu-Sat night) I should take priority?
Not trying to be greedy and this is just for my own knowledge, but can anyone definitively say what the pecking order is please? Also are there regional arrangements or is it just a blanket policy for the country?
Cheers
I know that first dibs go to a flexi who is rostered on, but after that should it go to a resident?
Reason I ask is in my location there were 3 nights going next week and I was originally offered them and accepted but then told I was no longer needed. They've been given to a flexi working his free days but I thought that, as a resident with the shifts which ran onto the OT (OT is for Mon-Wed night and I'm rostered on Thu-Sat night) I should take priority?
Not trying to be greedy and this is just for my own knowledge, but can anyone definitively say what the pecking order is please? Also are there regional arrangements or is it just a blanket policy for the country?
Cheers
headshot119
Established Member
Hi, just have a quick question about the pecking order for OT.
I know that first dibs go to a flexi who is rostered on, but after that should it go to a resident?
Reason I ask is in my location there were 3 nights going next week and I was originally offered them and accepted but then told I was no longer needed. They've been given to a flexi working his free days but I thought that, as a resident with the shifts which ran onto the OT (OT is for Mon-Wed night and I'm rostered on Thu-Sat night) I should take priority?
Not trying to be greedy and this is just for my own knowledge, but can anyone definitively say what the pecking order is please? Also are there regional arrangements or is it just a blanket policy for the country?
Cheers
My advice in the first instance would be to ask your roster clerk why the relief got given the shifts over you, it might be simply down to equalisation.
Other than that ask your local rep what the score ism
It's under essential criteria,
§ Your own transport, so you can reach your base day and night
As with the unsocial hours you'd have to be able to travel to the box at all times including when no public transport is available.
I was asked in my interview how I arrived to attend, and if I had my own car.
Yes I am aware it was in the job spec but I did read in one of the early pages on this thread that another non driver got through. I am learning, have mentioned that on my application, and hopefully will be driving by early 2020, so quite possibly already on the road if I do get through. Also where I have applied for is city centre and on a public transport route 24/7.
SiggerSigAhh
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I don't drive either yet bud and still got through. Similar to you in that I work in a city centre so perhaps we get more leeway than rural locations. I guess if they have two identical candidates and the only thing which separates you is a driving licence then you may miss out, but other than that crack on
Well you shouldn't be at a disadvantage if you've got 24/7 public transport access to get there.
I don't drive either yet bud and still got through. Similar to you in that I work in a city centre so perhaps we get more leeway than rural locations. I guess if they have two identical candidates and the only thing which separates you is a driving licence then you may miss out, but other than that crack on
Thanks, if the timescale is likely to be several months anyway I have time to get passed!
Its Derby EMCC I have applied for which I believe is on BAteman St. There are buses in and out of Derby pretty much 24/7 with the night buses and its only a short taxi ride for the 3 hours or so when there aren't buses on weeknights but as said above I am hoping to be passed early 2020 in any case. Thanks for the replies guys!
Hi,
There was an advert on the jobs page for grade 2 in Manchester, but it mentioned a wider area of recruitment including hope valley, does anyone know if the hope valley position is likely to be advertised seperatly?
The original Manchester Post has also been taken down now.
Many thanks, dave.
There was an advert on the jobs page for grade 2 in Manchester, but it mentioned a wider area of recruitment including hope valley, does anyone know if the hope valley position is likely to be advertised seperatly?
The original Manchester Post has also been taken down now.
Many thanks, dave.
Defenestrate
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Anyone starting at Basingstoke in December?!
Sunset route
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Hi, just have a quick question about the pecking order for OT.
I know that first dibs go to a flexi who is rostered on, but after that should it go to a resident?
Reason I ask is in my location there were 3 nights going next week and I was originally offered them and accepted but then told I was no longer needed. They've been given to a flexi working his free days but I thought that, as a resident with the shifts which ran onto the OT (OT is for Mon-Wed night and I'm rostered on Thu-Sat night) I should take priority?
Not trying to be greedy and this is just for my own knowledge, but can anyone definitively say what the pecking order is please? Also are there regional arrangements or is it just a blanket policy for the country?
Cheers
You need to get yourself a copy of “The National Rostering Principles” which you can download from the unions website as you can for all the agreements that effect signallers terms and conditions.