Physcometric test fail

Brilufc · 14 Jun 2019

Hi everyone

I've just had my physcometric testing day recently for a trainee driver job and failed on 1 element (gutted).
My question is I know I am unable to take it again for 6 months, but is there an option after that period to retake the assessment day privately? I am prepared to pay for it myself, it just wasn't my day outside factors certainly didn't help, father in law had heart attack night before and was in a bad way so my preparation went out of the window. (He is ok for now and on the mend).
I know that my personal circumstances dont alter the outcome of the day and that I failed but I really want to retake it and pass.
Me not passing it gutted me but with recent events close to my heart it certainly put things into perspective.
Does anyone have any advice on what my next move should be to try again or do I have to sit tight and wait until another job opportunity arises with a Toc.?
And would I have to go through the selection process again with the same Toc again as I had already passed DMI interview stage with them?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated
Thanks.

RailUK Forums

Mel Smooth · 14 Jun 2019

What elements did you fail on? The ones you passed on remain valid for a good period of time, so you don’t need to re take them!

Twotwo · 14 Jun 2019

Which part did you fail on? Unfortunately you just gotta wait it out for 6 months then you can reapply.

Stigy · 14 Jun 2019

Brilufc said:
Hi everyone

I've just had my physcometric testing day recently for a trainee driver job and failed on 1 element (gutted).
My question is I know I am unable to take it again for 6 months, but is there an option after that period to retake the assessment day privately? I am prepared to pay for it myself, it just wasn't my day outside factors certainly didn't help, father in law had heart attack night before and was in a bad way so my preparation went out of the window. (He is ok for now and on the mend).
I know that my personal circumstances dont alter the outcome of the day and that I failed but I really want to retake it and pass.
Me not passing it gutted me but with recent events close to my heart it certainly put things into perspective.
Does anyone have any advice on what my next move should be to try again or do I have to sit tight and wait until another job opportunity arises with a Toc.?
And would I have to go through the selection process again with the same Toc again as I had already passed DMI interview stage with them?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated
Thanks.

Sorry to hear about your father in law and glad he’s on the mend.

You can take them privately but only a few people offer this. I heard DB do it, but have also heard they aren’t doing so for a while now?

As has been said, you only need to take the parts you failed again, so not even sure you’d be able to do this privately, and if you were, it might nice make sense financially. I would suggest waiting the 6-months you have to anyway, then look at who’s recruiting again.

UPS1550 · 14 Jun 2019

DB schenker aren't currently doing private asesments, if you call them you can be added to a waiting list IF they decide to start them again

NorthernM · 14 Jun 2019

Glad to hear that your father in law is okay..

Like others have said, the parts you have currently passed do remain valid. However if it was one of the computer assessments you failed. You will be asked to resit all the computer tests again. So just be aware of that so you go back fully prepared.

NJS71 · 14 Jun 2019

Glad your Father-in-law is on the mend.

Your not alone, I failed mine today. Needed enhanced on all tests which I got, apart from the group bourdon where I only reached national standard.

I’m gutted like you, but will take away the experience to help me improve next time.

Fingers crossed there will be trainee openings still.

amateugraphy · 14 Jun 2019

NJS71 said:
Glad your Father-in-law is on the mend.

Your not alone, I failed mine today. Needed enhanced on all tests which I got, apart from the group bourdon where I only reached national standard.

I’m gutted like you, but will take away the experience to help me improve next time.

Fingers crossed there will be trainee openings still.

How many line did you manage to do if you remember?

NJS71 · 15 Jun 2019

amateugraphy said:
How many line did you manage to do if you remember?

I really didn’t get time to count how many lines I did on each part of the Bourdon.
I could make a rough guess but I don’t want to mislead anyone.

Practice, practice then practice some more. Speed and accuracy is what they want.
I was 100% accurate but needed more speed, so next time I’ll be looking to get around 13- 15 lines.
I’ve got 6 months to practice now.

Swayed · 15 Jun 2019

NJS71 said:
I really didn’t get time to count how many lines I did on each part of the Bourdon.
I could make a rough guess but I don’t want to mislead anyone.

Practice, practice then practice some more. Speed and accuracy is what they want.
I was 100% accurate but needed more speed, so next time I’ll be looking to get around 13- 15 lines.
I’ve got 6 months to practice now.

I got a trainee drivers job last year. Practised the bourdon religiously before I went. When I started practising I was averaging 12-13 lines with 2,3,4 mistakes. I made a conscious effort to slow down slightly and by the time I came to sit the test was averaging 10-11 lines with 0,1 mistakes.

I passed to enhanced standard and got nowhere near 13-15 lines.
Speed is obviously important but I think accuracy outweighs that.

Just my take on it!

Arvz · 15 Jun 2019

Have to be careful with speed, I passed enhanced and I think I only did around 8 to 10 lines with no omissions.

Arvz · 15 Jun 2019

Arvz said:
Have to be careful with speed, I passed enhanced and I think I only did around 8 to 10 lines with no omissions.

Get the balance

NJS71 · 15 Jun 2019

Speed and accuracy is what you need. So overdo it with the practice is what I’m saying.

Theooboy · 15 Jun 2019

Swayed said:
I got a trainee drivers job last year. Practised the bourdon religiously before I went. When I started practising I was averaging 12-13 lines with 2,3,4 mistakes. I made a conscious effort to slow down slightly and by the time I came to sit the test was averaging 10-11 lines with 0,1 mistakes.

I passed to enhanced standard and got nowhere near 13-15 lines.
Speed is obviously important but I think accuracy outweighs that.

Just my take on it!

I was very similar , when I started I was focusing too much on speed slowed down practised to the point I was not making no mistakes in the test I did about 11-12 lines passed at enhanced level and got a trainee driver role yesterday

personally if you practise a lot you won’t see dots but start seeing shapes in my opinion

Swayed · 15 Jun 2019

Theooboy said:
I was very similar , when I started I was focusing too much on speed slowed down practised to the point I was not making no mistakes in the test I did about 11-12 lines passed at enhanced level and got a trainee driver role yesterday personally if you practise a lot you won’t see dots but start seeing shapes in my opinion

My thoughts exactly.

Congrats on the job btw, you’ll love it!

Matthew Vidler · 15 Jun 2019

Theooboy said:
I was very similar , when I started I was focusing too much on speed slowed down practised to the point I was not making no mistakes in the test I did about 11-12 lines passed at enhanced level and got a trainee driver role yesterday personally if you practise a lot you won’t see dots but start seeing shapes in my opinion

Hi

Do you think an enhanced pass makes any difference to selection if they only require national standard?

Also, how many did you answer in the dials test?

Congrats on the job!

Theooboy · 15 Jun 2019

X

Swayed said:
My thoughts exactly.

Congrats on the job btw, you’ll love it!

thanks can’t wait to start , really exciting times

Mel Smooth · 15 Jun 2019

Theooboy said:
X

thanks can’t wait to start , really exciting times

What toc you is job with?

Theooboy · 15 Jun 2019

Matthew Vidler said:
Hi

Do you think an enhanced pass makes any difference to selection if they only require national standard?

Also, how many did you answer in the dials test?

Congrats on the job!

It won’t make a difference an enhanced score is only required for certain TOC’s but I’ve had people tell me they have completed 8-9 lines and passed at enhanced

The dials I did 26 questions I found that test easy but you need great attention to detail

Theooboy · 15 Jun 2019

Mel Smooth said:
What toc you is job with?

London overground

Quin79 · 15 Jun 2019

Theooboy said:
I was very similar , when I started I was focusing too much on speed slowed down practised to the point I was not making no mistakes in the test I did about 11-12 lines passed at enhanced level and got a trainee driver role yesterday personally if you practise a lot you won’t see dots but start seeing shapes in my opinion

Amazing well done mate. Am chuffed for you

Theooboy · 15 Jun 2019

Quin79 said:
Amazing well done mate. Am chuffed for you

Cheeers

RyanB83 · 15 Jun 2019

I attended the 1st stage assessment for East Midlands Trains yesterday and revised like hell for everything that could be on the tests. The group bourdon test wasn't a problem, I reached line 7 with no mistakes on all 5 sheets. I think I may have answered 1 questions wrong in the GLOP test and the Telephone Directory and Tones test was very easy. I did flunk on the dials and gauges test, I answered the practice questions fine but when it came to turning the paper over my brain went to jelly and feel like I did not perform well enough. I followed the order of checking, for some unknown reason I followed the number in the gauges (went from Lowest to Highest) and answered in that way. I'm still not sure whether this was right or wrong as by the time I realised I didn't understand it properly it was too late to ask as the OPC invigilator could not have helped. I did really well in the other tests so I'm hoping those results will enable me to receive a pass grade to move onto the next level. Not holding out too much hope as I'm sure they'll only pick the people who are the creme de la creme of candidates who scored well on each test.

Quin79 · 15 Jun 2019

RyanB83 said:
I attended the 1st stage assessment for East Midlands Trains yesterday and revised like hell for everything that could be on the tests. The group bourdon test wasn't a problem, I reached line 7 with no mistakes on all 5 sheets. I think I may have answered 1 questions wrong in the GLOP test and the Telephone Directory and Tones test was very easy. I did flunk on the dials and gauges test, I answered the practice questions fine but when it came to turning the paper over my brain went to jelly and feel like I did not perform well enough. I followed the order of checking, for some unknown reason I followed the number in the gauges (went from Lowest to Highest) and answered in that way. I'm still not sure whether this was right or wrong as by the time I realised I didn't understand it properly it was too late to ask as the OPC invigilator could not have helped. I did really well in the other tests so I'm hoping those results will enable me to receive a pass grade to move onto the next level. Not holding out too much hope as I'm sure they'll only pick the people who are the creme de la creme of candidates who scored well on each test.

Keep the faith as you just don't know

Grannyjoans · 16 Jun 2019

My question is I know I am unable to take it again for 6 months, but is there an option after that period to retake the assessment day privately? I am prepared to pay for it myself, it just wasn't my day outside factors certainly didn't help, father in law had heart attack night before and was in a bad way so my preparation went out of the window. (He is ok for now and on the mend).
I know that my personal circumstances dont alter the outcome of the day and that I failed but I really want to retake it and pass.
Me not passing it gutted me but with recent events close to my heart it certainly put things into perspective.
Does anyone have any advice on what my next move should be to try again or do I have to sit tight and wait until another job opportunity arises with a Toc.?
And would I have to go through the selection process again with the same Toc again as I had already passed DMI interview stage with them?

I had exactly the same thing happen to me back in Oct 2008.
I had to wait 6 months to take it again. I then did the assessment privately at a cost of £200 of which I got a job 4 months later after passing application form and Interview.
I had to go through the entire selection process again even when applying with the same TOC.
I had to take the entire assessment again even though it was just 1 element of it that I failed first time.

dctraindriver · 16 Jun 2019

Brilufc said:
Hi everyone

I've just had my physcometric testing day recently for a trainee driver job and failed on 1 element (gutted).
My question is I know I am unable to take it again for 6 months, but is there an option after that period to retake the assessment day privately? I am prepared to pay for it myself, it just wasn't my day outside factors certainly didn't help, father in law had heart attack night before and was in a bad way so my preparation went out of the window. (He is ok for now and on the mend).
I know that my personal circumstances dont alter the outcome of the day and that I failed but I really want to retake it and pass.
Me not passing it gutted me but with recent events close to my heart it certainly put things into perspective.
Does anyone have any advice on what my next move should be to try again or do I have to sit tight and wait until another job opportunity arises with a Toc.?
And would I have to go through the selection process again with the same Toc again as I had already passed DMI interview stage with them?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated
Thanks.

I guess his heart attack played on your mind as it happened the night before your assessment as by then you’d have been ready to pass the thing.....

Sit it out and wait for your final chance mate, good luck......

Daydr3am3r · 18 Jun 2019

RyanB83 said:
I followed the order of checking, for some unknown reason I followed the number in the gauges (went from Lowest to Highest) and answered in that way.

In fairness you do have to rank dials in terms of the numbers rather than the level of the gauge. If you have stuck to that then you may be ok!

Physcometric test fail

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