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First Group Trainee

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Hopeful2015

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26 Oct 2015
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Hi everyone I've recently applied for the role of trainee train driver with First Group, I've passed the first online test and also the second online test and now I'm through to the telephone interview.
I just wondered if anyone else is in the same situation or if anyone had any advice

Sorry everyone i applied for York.
 
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Sikes 88

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What set of vacancies mate. I applied for hull and Liverpool but haven't had a response regarding my second test
 

Mooresy

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26 Oct 2015
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I applied for York and have done the first 2 tests but not heard anything for about a week. Not sure if this is a bad sign or not
 

800001

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24 Oct 2015
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I've applied for Newcastle, done the 1st online tests and now got telephone interview this week
 

leaffall

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25 Jun 2014
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The phone interview is about 15 - 20 mins, they will start off with a little preamble about the role and ask whether you understand what is expected of you during the interview. They will ask some questions along the lines of "tell me about a time you gave excellent customer service" and "tell me about when you dealt with a difficult situation" its important to note that they are listening not only to your answers but how you deliver them, so try to present a good vocal delivery, be clear and polite, avoid waffling or repeating yourself and keep the 'ums' and 'ahs' to a minimum, although they do understand you may be a little nervous. Good luck
 
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I've applied for York, got a phone interview.

I've only had one phone interview before, but I had inside info then about what questions would be asked. I already worked for the company concerned and they had all the recruitment documents on the intranet (not in an easy to find place, but I have a curious mind so I found them . . . )

I'm not particularly worried about the phone interview, but I will make a few notes prior about some relevant situations I've been in.

Does First use Group Bourdon dots or SCAAT? The former would be preferable for me. SCAAT is the devil's work.

What are all the tests used now? I'm finding conflicting information on the web at the moment.

Am I right in thinking there's only one face to face interview now?
 

387star

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16 Nov 2009
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6,655
I've applied for York, got a phone interview.

I've only had one phone interview before, but I had inside info then about what questions would be asked. I already worked for the company concerned and they had all the recruitment documents on the intranet (not in an easy to find place, but I have a curious mind so I found them . . . )

I'm not particularly worried about the phone interview, but I will make a few notes prior about some relevant situations I've been in.

Does First use Group Bourdon dots or SCAAT? The former would be preferable for me. SCAAT is the devil's work.

What are all the tests used now? I'm finding conflicting information on the web at the moment.

Am I right in thinking there's only one face to face interview now?

Two face to face interviews the MMI which is part of the assessment centre and of course the traditional managers interview

Assessments...

Dots
Trp part one
Trp part two
Dfft (depends on toc)
Tea-occ in three parts

Wafv
Atavt
Hand-coordination
Sje
MMI

Other extras:

Otdpq
Vse
WCT

I past the phone interview it is very easy just motivation knowledge of the role with emphasis on the training plus they want key buzz words I got one question on customer service might be different for externals I have heard more questions are asked
 
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J4mes

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13 Aug 2015
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The phone interview is about 15 - 20 mins, they will start off with a little preamble about the role and ask whether you understand what is expected of you during the interview. They will ask some questions along the lines of "tell me about a time you gave excellent customer service" and "tell me about when you dealt with a difficult situation" its important to note that they are listening not only to your answers but how you deliver them, so try to present a good vocal delivery, be clear and polite, avoid waffling or repeating yourself and keep the 'ums' and 'ahs' to a minimum, although they do understand you may be a little nervous. Good luck

Already with TPE in a non-driving grade but I agree with this. You'll be speaking to controllers, signallers and such, passing on information that has to be 100% clear on it's meaning so to a degree how you present your answers is likely to be a factor as well as what the answer is.
 

Nick82

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Joined
20 Feb 2014
Messages
373
Two face to face interviews the MMI which is part of the assessment centre and of course the traditional managers interview

Assessments...

Dots
Trp part one
Trp part two
Dfft (depends on toc)
Tea-occ in three parts

Wafv
Atavt
Hand-coordination
Sje
MMI

Other extras:

Otdpq
Vse
WCT

I past the phone interview it is very easy just motivation knowledge of the role with emphasis on the training plus they want key buzz words I got one question on customer service might be different for externals I have heard more questions are asked


Otdpq
Vse
WCT

What tests are these, I have sat the above apart from these, does TPE require you to sit additional tests, even though you have conducted and passes the train drivers assessment in Doncaster.
 

387star

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Otdpq
Vse
WCT

What tests are these, I have sat the above apart from these, does TPE require you to sit additional tests, even though you have conducted and passes the train drivers assessment in Doncaster.

Outstanding train driver personality questionnaire
Visual search exercise
(Think Crossrail and LOROL use these)

Written communication test (FGW does this)
 

Nick82

Member
Joined
20 Feb 2014
Messages
373
When might be a good time too contact HR regarding a ongoing application to establish where my application sits in the recruitment process?
 
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Sussexdrummer

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30 Oct 2015
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I applied for York too. In the same boat as Mooresy. Completed the two assessments online, not heard for a week.
 

Des587

Member
Joined
21 Mar 2015
Messages
101
Hi all, not quite sure if you'll find any solace in this but I completed my online tests about 12 days ago and got an email today for telephone interview. I contacted HR a couple of days back and they are releasing interview slots in batches. So sit tight and fingers crossed for you all, hopefully see a few of you at the next phase (applied for York).
 

Nick82

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Joined
20 Feb 2014
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373
Hi all, not quite sure if you'll find any solace in this but I completed my online tests about 12 days ago and got an email today for telephone interview. I contacted HR a couple of days back and they are releasing interview slots in batches. So sit tight and fingers crossed for you all, hopefully see a few of you at the next phase (applied for York).

Thats good too hear thanks for that update, I did my online tests on the 18th Oct 15 and so far nothing either way, I do however keep checking my profile on Firsts website and as far as I believe my application is still active. May I ask when today did you receive your email?
 

Des587

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21 Mar 2015
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101
Thats good too hear thanks for that update, I did my online tests on the 18th Oct 15 and so far nothing either way, I do however keep checking my profile on Firsts website and as far as I believe my application is still active. May I ask when today did you receive your email?

I got my email at 0930 this morning.
 

posh

Member
Joined
11 Feb 2015
Messages
45
Two face to face interviews the MMI which is part of the assessment centre and of course the traditional managers interview

Assessments...

Dots
Trp part one
Trp part two
Dfft (depends on toc)
Tea-occ in three parts

Wafv
Atavt
Hand-coordination
Sje
MMI

Other extras:

Otdpq
Vse
WCT

I past the phone interview it is very easy just motivation knowledge of the role with emphasis on the training plus they want key buzz words I got one question on customer service might be different for externals I have heard more questions are asked

Hi, Just started to prepare for hopefully an upcoming assessment centre with FTPE - out of the above tests - do you know which tests First will use for assessment day 1 and which they will use for assessment day 2. Thanks in advance, Neil.
 

Johncleesefan

Member
Joined
4 Sep 2013
Messages
729
If they do the same as Fgw it will be

Assessment 1: Group bourdon (dots)
Trp 1 and 2


Assessment 2: Written comms
Tea occ (I believe this is in stage 1 now)
Computer tests and mmi interview
 

387star

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Anyone have a definitive answer on whether FTPE need these 3 'extra' tests or not?

Probably just the WCT though it can't be that important...

I past my tests with Freightliner and transferred them to FGW

They told me it did not matter I had not done the WCT

TPE like FGW use a test different to the VSE in the application phase- the name escapes me.. verify checking test I think

the OTDPQ is also not used- that is just a questionnaire type test where you put strongly agree to strongly disagree and is only used by LOROL, Crossrail and AGA
 
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kelv

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Joined
20 Feb 2015
Messages
249
Location
cheshire
To the uninitiated & newcomers that arrive looking for hints & tips regarding applications etc (like I did myself) this thread is like it's written in code with all of it's abbreviations.

A stickied thread of terminologies and abbreviations would be a godsend to a newcomer.

Maybe that'll be the next test that the HR (Human Resource) Departments introduce ...

TRTAART -The Railway Terminology And Abbreviations Recognition Test.


Are any of these used in their abbreviated form in the spoken sense, you know like those beuts that say "Lol" or "Rofl," I could see TOC being 1 that is but are any of the others ?
 
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