Convenient times and dates to attend interviews and medicals

Hi there

I would like some knowledge about the recruitment process. I have recently submitted applications for two posts with Northern but they are still at the paper sift stage.

I am eager to know when they invite you for say a medical, do they give you plenty of notice and is there any sort of flexibility to work around your current job? I presently work Monday to Friday in a office based role, so realistically I would prefer to do any 'away' days over the weekend to avoid taking leave from work and also not to alert my employer of a live application.

I simply don't want the recruitment process to impact with my current job. I would like to know how many actually dates does it take to get through the process (this includes medical, interview, any assessment day's)? Also if any members can provide guidance about what days and times of the week these things generally take place and again, how much warning do you get in advance.

Like I've said I'm current working in a temporary job but aiming to get into a railway role eventually. I may not even get passed the paper sift, but if I do, I simply don't want the recruitment process affecting my present job in case it jepordizes my employment (such as taking time off here and there!!!).

Can anyone on here offer some advice and guidance?

C J

From my experiences so far and from talking to others everything seems to be done week days, from the OPC testing days through to the DMI and medical. Does make it really hard with current work commitments.
I managed to get 1 testing day moved once but they were very clear that they would not do it again for me.

My experience is similar, everything is midweek, and with Northern, at very short notice as well. I have had a request to rearrange be rejected before too. I think for the more popular roles they get enough applications that everything is on their terms as there is a queue of people behind you that are willing to jump through the hoops if you can't.

Thanks for the reply.

Like I said, I'm presently in a temporary job that works 8-5 during the week.

I can try and squeeze annual leave days in here and there but I'm just very mindful not to compromise my present employment status and upset the company I work for.

Just to clarify - how many days in total are we talking about that are needed as part of the recruitment process and what time scale are we talking about (does it take six months to be invited for a medical then an interview?).

Regards

C J

You have not said which roles, but presuming its a driver position with Northern, they do DMI first, 1 hour long, followed by all of the psychometric tests done in 1 full day and then a medical for 1 hour before finally a job offer, often at only a few weeks notice.
These tend to come in quick succession after interview, but can be many months from initial application.

It’ll almost certainly be office hours, Monday to Friday for any assessments or medical. For trainee driver jobs, assuming the Psychometric assessments it all depends are done in two stages, it’ll be about 4-days in total (assesments, DMI and Medical). When I applied for Freightliner, because the stage 2 assessments I was invited to were held at 0900hrs, and at the opposite end of the country, I also had to book a hotel for the night.

It’s costly too if you have to stay away from home and travel halfway up the country. I’m lucky as I’m in the industry so hit 75% off the train tickets, otherwise that alone would have cost £240 for the two trips I had to make.

You’ll also find most TOCs aren’t too flexible as there are so many candidates for jobs, so if you can’t make it, it might be a case of “hard luck”.

Bear in mind the above relates to driver assessments, it will likely not be as many ‘visits’ for other roles.

I appreciate you may not need to worry about most of this, if Northern are local to you, but worth noting if you were to apply elsewhere.

To echo Stigy's point, the likelihood of getting through everything first time, although certainly doable is quite slim. I too like many others have traveled and stayed in hotels including for an interview that was then cancelled due to a mixup between HR and local manager and had to re-attend OPC testing due to another mix up not allowing all of the scheduled tests to go ahead on the same day. I've been lucky as a shift worker that many have been on days off but can see how difficult the process can be for Monday to Friday workers.

Static65 said:

To echo Stigy's point, the likelihood of getting through everything first time, although certainly doable is quite slim. I too like many others have traveled and stayed in hotels including for an interview that was then cancelled due to a mixup between HR and local manager and had to re-attend OPC testing due to another mix up not allowing all of the scheduled tests to go ahead on the same day. I've been lucky as a shift worker that many have been on days off but can see how difficult the process can be for Monday to Friday workers.

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I’ve always worked shifts and found it hard enough, I’d imagine working Monday to Friday would be even worse. I had to do a fair bit of blagging and appealing to the boss’s better nature.

Is your current temporary role likely to become permanent? If not, could you be open and honest with them about needing time off? They will understand you need to secure employment elsewhere and would probably welcome honesty.

Stigy said:

It’ll almost certainly be office hours, Monday to Friday for any assessments or medical. For trainee driver jobs, assuming the Psychometric assessments it all depends are done in two stages, it’ll be about 4-days in total (assesments, DMI and Medical). When I applied for Freightliner, because the stage 2 assessments I was invited to were held at 0900hrs, and at the opposite end of the country, I also had to book a hotel for the night.

It’s costly too if you have to stay away from home and travel halfway up the country. I’m lucky as I’m in the industry so hit 75% off the train tickets, otherwise that alone would have cost £240 for the two trips I had to make.

You’ll also find most TOCs aren’t too flexible as there are so many candidates for jobs, so if you can’t make it, it might be a case of “hard luck”.

Bear in mind the above relates to driver assessments, it will likely not be as many ‘visits’ for other roles.

I appreciate you may not need to worry about most of this, if Northern are local to you, but worth noting if you were to apply elsewhere.

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Static65 said:

To echo Stigy's point, the likelihood of getting through everything first time, although certainly doable is quite slim. I too like many others have traveled and stayed in hotels including for an interview that was then cancelled due to a mixup between HR and local manager and had to re-attend OPC testing due to another mix up not allowing all of the scheduled tests to go ahead on the same day. I've been lucky as a shift worker that many have been on days off but can see how difficult the process can be for Monday to Friday workers.

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Ah yes

I stayed in a hotel twice in both Watford and Crewe for freightliner stage one and two which I passed first time but failed the final interview in Crewe which thankfully I managed in a day

I later drove all the way to Bristol from the south for a managers interview (another hotel) which I passed but then there was a lengthy wait in a pool so after then going to London for a dfft test with Greater Anglia which I passed I then had to go to London again for an interview which I failed. I later went all the way to London again for another interview which I passed and finally got a job offer



Worth it but adds up

Thanks for the updates on here. I'm enjoying the forum and reading the threads. There's certainly a lot of knowledge shared between members which is a great help.

The jobs I have applied for with Northern are both kind of office based but I'm only assuming there will be an interview, and maybe a assessment and/or medical, I could be wrong about the latter two but certainly there will be an interview.

I fully appreciate the train driving roles are safety critical and require you to pass certain hurdles but maybe the office type roles only require you to attend a appointment on one occasion (the interview!) and perhaps a second day (the medical!). Again, I'm very rusty about medical procedures and I'm only assuming most jobs need them, even the ones that are not necessarily safety critical. Correct me if I'm wrong here?

I've also chanced my arm with one of the Virgin jobs for people manager. I was in the police for 15 years and I've evidenced some of my skills for their application to demonstrate leadership and coaching people.

As for the job I'm presently doing, I'm on a on going temporary contract. I left cop world at the end of last year and I'm really interested in getting set up with another career based role. The present job is okay on a short term basis just to keep the pennies trickling in, but the company is only small and I don't really want to stay long term. That said, I don't want to rock the boat and take unnecessary time off here and there to go to interviews, assessments, medicals or anything else on a regular basis as I would potentially be shown the door.

Again, if anyone can share what procedures you go through for admin/management roles I would be grateful.

C J

Static65 said:

To echo Stigy's point, the likelihood of getting through everything first time, although certainly doable is quite slim. I too like many others have traveled and stayed in hotels including for an interview that was then cancelled due to a mixup between HR and local manager and had to re-attend OPC testing due to another mix up not allowing all of the scheduled tests to go ahead on the same day. I've been lucky as a shift worker that many have been on days off but can see how difficult the process can be for Monday to Friday workers.

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I managed it all first time application. Must have been a good day with the planets in line!

Jimathy said:

I managed it all first time application. Must have been a good day with the planets in line!

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Same here....not sure how though

Jimathy said:

I managed it all first time application. Must have been a good day with the planets in line!

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Same it’s just luck of the draw! @Jimathy

Medicals for some non safety critical roles are nothing more than signing a declaration that you understand their drink and drugs policy.

Cheers

I received two e-mails from Northern when I dipped two previous applications at the paper sift stage.

Can anyone let me know if you are lucky enough to get passed the paper sift, do they still contact you via e-mail or do you get contacted via the traditional method of formal letters through the post?

C J

Email. (Spam folder as default with some providers)

I took a half day for my assessment in the afternoon, then for the interview I took some time off for a 'doctors appointment' and made a mad dash home to change! It isn't easy but my reasoning is if you really want the job you've got to pull out all of the stops.

Static65 said:

To echo Stigy's point, the likelihood of getting through everything first time, although certainly doable is quite slim. I too like many others have traveled and stayed in hotels including for an interview that was then cancelled due to a mixup between HR and local manager and had to re-attend OPC testing due to another mix up not allowing all of the scheduled tests to go ahead on the same day. I've been lucky as a shift worker that many have been on days off but can see how difficult the process can be for Monday to Friday workers.

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i went straight though first time as well

Static65 said:

Email. (Spam folder as default with some providers)

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It's crazy, no matter what I do, Arriva Careers emails always end up in the spam folder for me... Makes no sense... I now check my spam folder more than my main inbox...