A career as a signaller

[Allaboard78]

I tried doing a search on internal vacancies, there are very limited responses

 

[HelixUK]

I have a question about internal vacancies....why would a post be advertised externally and how long after an internal vacancy goes out would it be advertised externally?

Up to the LOM as well. I know a recent vacancy near me where the LOM decided to advertise internally and externally at the same time.

I know sometimes this is the case because there's not much internal interest in my area.

 

[Tom Quinne]

Chance of getting transfer to closer station?

You’ll need to apply as a new job as such, application, interview as a qualified signaller there is no assessment stage. The weird thing is even if you want to drop down grades you’ll still need to apply and be interviewed.

I have a question about internal vacancies....why would a post be advertised externally and how long after an internal vacancy goes out would it be advertised externally?

Some jobs attract little to no internal signaller interest, this isn’t restricted to low grade jobs either - some grade 9 jobs aren’t desirable for a number of reasons to a qualified signaller.

 

[Midlands_lad]

Does that mean that you have to have an interview when applying for a permanent job when in a fixed term contract even if it is at the same centre or box?

 

[Speaker]

I know it's been mentioned already. But does anyone know if the 27/04 York future opportunities recruitment/signaller school is still going ahead?
I am going to have to hand my notice in shortly in a secure job and dont want to find myself with nothing if it doesn't go ahead or they end our contracts.
Any advice please?

 

[headshot119]

I know it's been mentioned already. But does anyone know if the 27/04 York future opportunities recruitment/signaller school is still going ahead?
I am going to have to hand my notice in shortly in a secure job and dont want to find myself with nothing if it doesn't go ahead or they end our contracts.
Any advice please?

To be honest, this forum isn't the place that you'll ever get a definite answer to a question like this.

Phone HR, or your LOM and ask directly.

 

[Speaker]

Thanks for your reply headshot119. I will contact them. Just aware that there are quite a few on the course so thought someone might have already asked the question.

 

[Allaboard78]

You’ll need to apply as a new job as such, application, interview as a qualified signaller there is no assessment stage. The weird thing is even if you want to drop down grades you’ll still need to apply and be interviewed.



Some jobs attract little to no internal signaller interest, this isn’t restricted to low grade jobs either - some grade 9 jobs aren’t desirable for a number of reasons to a qualified signaller.

Do grade 5 jobs get much interest fo you know?

 

[Danny Boy]

I know it's been mentioned already. But does anyone know if the 27/04 York future opportunities recruitment/signaller school is still going ahead?
I am going to have to hand my notice in shortly in a secure job and dont want to find myself with nothing if it doesn't go ahead or they end our contracts.
Any advice please?

You will need to speak to HR about contracts etc.

With regards to signal school as of today I believe that NWR have suspended all training except a course that is I believe on week 9 at Basingstoke who are now working full out to complete the rest of the course in a few days. I would think that this will be the case for at least the next 3 weeks until the government review the current restrictions.

I was on a course that started on Monday at Basingstoke and was then turned into a 2 week course prior to the tougher restrictions being put in place last night, the plan was to pass us out as grade 1 signallers to assist in boxes in whatever way we could, however I'm not sure how practical this idea was

This then changed at 11am today when it was decided to cancel the course and we were sent home.

What I would say for those like me nervously awaiting signal school my short visit there showed me that the instructors want you to get through and will help as much as they can to succeed.

 

[Rockhopper]

If you bank on there being at least 100 applications for each position regardless of grade then you wont be far wrong. The external ones appear on Indeed.co.uk, even grade nine positions - the entrance criteria are the same as for a grade two positions so every man and his dog applies as they just look at the £££££

 

[9tfrizzco]

Another new starter here was assured they will be honouring his contract. He isn't on the York intake but I doubt it would be any different for us. In the other thread up right now about new starters it seems NR are honouring the contracts of new starters in general and I almost feel like we would know by now if they weren't
Not sure what form the actual training will take yet though or when it will commence

 

[Tom Quinne]

Does that mean that you have to have an interview when applying for a permanent job when in a fixed term contract even if it is at the same centre or box?

Yes, I know a number of lads who where taken on under 12 month FTCs sent to signalling school then had to “apply and be interviewed” for their new job.

When I say apply and interviewed, I mean it was suggested to them they might like to apply...

 

[Tom Quinne]

Do grade 5 jobs get much interest fo you know?

It really depends on the location, shifts, work content, people who fancy a change at the the advert is online etc.

 

[Tom Quinne]

If you bank on there being at least 100 applications for each position regardless of grade then you wont be far wrong. The external ones appear on Indeed.co.uk, even grade nine positions - the entrance criteria are the same as for a grade two positions so every man and his dog applies as they just look at the £££££

Exactly, people see the pound notes but not the responsibility the job the job carries.

To ensure you are all available external jobs check daily the official network rail careers search page.

 

[Midlands_lad]

Yes, I know a number of lads who where taken on under 12 month FTCs sent to signalling school then had to “apply and be interviewed” for their new job.

When I say apply and interviewed, I mean it was suggested to them they might like to apply...

That just seems like such a waste of everybody’s time don’t you think? You have already been interviewed and deemed suitable, offered the job but within 12 months you have to have another interview at the same location!

 

[Tom Quinne]

That just seems like such a waste of everybody’s time don’t you think? You have already been interviewed and deemed suitable, offered the job but within 12 months you have to have another interview at the same location!

transparency I think they call it....

 

[nom de guerre]

That just seems like such a waste of everybody’s time don’t you think?

Welcome to NR HR.

 

[Allaboard78]

Thank you for your responses. If I passed the required benchmark for a grade 7 job, but didn't get the job, will my interview scores carry forward for any other jobs I apply for or will I have to interview again?

 

[Rockhopper]

Interview score won’t but the three tests scores will. You’ll have to do the sixty nine questions each time though.

 

[Tom Quinne]

Thank you for your responses. If I passed the required benchmark for a grade 7 job, but didn't get the job, will my interview scores carry forward for any other jobs I apply for or will I have to interview again?

You may be lucky and have been put in the location talent pool, if not you’ll have to apply from ground zero again I’m afraid.

 

[Danny5213]

Evening everyone. I'm looking to apply for a couple of roles but would be unable to start until Jan next year due to not leaving the forces until then. Would it be better to wait until closer to the time and if so what timescales would be sensible? I think what I'm asking is whether there's a part on the application form that you can advise them of your earliest start date or be up front with recruitment? I was content to wait until closer to the time but with what's going on I'm thinking waiting times for courses etc will be a lot longer?

 

[Tom Quinne]

With the virtual freeze on recruitment, we’ll currently training is apply for it now once you see a job you fancy and play it by ear.

 

[LOM]

That just seems like such a waste of everybody’s time don’t you think? You have already been interviewed and deemed suitable, offered the job but within 12 months you have to have another interview at the same location!

It is. We always joke that if we could just get 30 LOMs, MOMs and signallers together round a table we could thrash out all the staff moves in the area for the next 2 years within half an hour without involving HR at all.

 

[Danny5213]

Hi Tom, that's what I'm thinking. There's a couple going in ideal locations. I was going to ask all of these questions at an open day a couple of weeks ago but it was cancelled. I imagine even recruitment wouldn't have a definitive answer at this moment in time.

 

[Allaboard78]

You may be lucky and have been put in the location talent pool, if not you’ll have to apply from ground zero again I’m afraid.

Does this happen?

 

[Tom Quinne]

At the two locations I’ve worked at yes, I say it’s pretty much THE way externals get a job at my current location.

 

[Kraken]

Evening everyone. I'm looking to apply for a couple of roles but would be unable to start until Jan next year due to not leaving the forces until then. Would it be better to wait until closer to the time and if so what timescales would be sensible? I think what I'm asking is whether there's a part on the application form that you can advise them of your earliest start date or be up front with recruitment? I was content to wait until closer to the time but with what's going on I'm thinking waiting times for courses etc will be a lot longer?

I would just apply for everything you like the look of. I can't imagine the recruitment process will exactly be flying along for the next few months and you may as well have your applications in if and when the process starts moving along. Also even if you were offered a start date before January could you not apply for early release from your forces notice period? Certainly during my time if you were moving into a public sector job (like Network Rail sort of is) they would give you a bit of leeway in not having to serve the full 12 months.

 

[Rockhopper]

I'd imaging the forces would be more than happy to get rid sooner rather than later - reduces their costs if nothing else!

 

[Allaboard78]

Thanks for your replies.

Do intervals ever not start in a promotion? Is there any point even thinking about being the reserve candidate?

 

[Rockhopper]

Medical fails, unavailability, better job turned up, references no good etc etc - all reasons why they chosen candidate might not take up their post. Happens not infrequently if you read the whole thread!