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What were you before you joined the railway?
- Thread starter Dark Lightning
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R
RailUK Forums
Very nice good luck
Just a quick note on this, I was speaking to an old driver manager the other day about new applicants and he said there was 3 things he looked for that would immediately make him reject an application. One of them is any mention of guitar. One was fishing and I forget the other. Basically, he said that driver managers are very aware of these forums and know that there is a few standard responses that have worked in the past, but are now seen as a cheap cop out on an application.
I’m not saying don’t mention this, but if it’s on every application you send, maybe think about changing your approach. And don’t forget, spelling and grammar is vitally important. Mine was terrible when I first started applying, someone even shouted at me on here for it! Once I got that sorted I started getting past the sifts.
Good luck.
Probably any mention of being an enthusiast?
Thanks I'll keep it strictly about my work experiences. What about my cv as it's on there to. I'll need to have another look over it to see if theres bits I can add or remove, I'll make sure its grammatical and all things spelt correct, I never do on forums or any thing else really but when it comes to job apps I'm always making sure it's good and what about loving trains as I always mention it's my dream job and iv always wanted to do it ect iv seen alot of people mention lately not to put that in??
martin2345uk
Established Member
I think saying it’s what you’ve always wanted to do is fine, if it’s true - I told them that in my DMI and they liked it...
axlecounter
Member
I said that during my interview, they answered something like “yeah, good thing, but everyone told us that...”. Ouch.
Luckily I had some other things to say, had an idea of what a driver’s day looks like and explained what are the positive aspects of it in my view.
A candidate I was interviewing for a job a few years ago, when asked why he wanted to leave his current job, said “Well I want to be a driver really and figured this was a step in the right direction....”. Never say that when applying for a job which isn’t even a natural pathway to driving trains.
I’m all for people wanting to progress, but I’d want something back for the £3,000 it’s costing me to train somebody. Ideally I’d want some productivity too
GJL9916
Member
- Joined
- 19 Jul 2018
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- 181
Who are you going to be working for? I ask this as I am hopefully going to be on a conductor course with TfW on April 15th as well
I'm going to be working for Northern. Seems like a lot of new people starting around April.
GJL9916
Member
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- 19 Jul 2018
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- 181
So it seems! ok, good luck mate!
MYRTLE3000
Member
- Joined
- 8 Jul 2019
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- 36
C J Snarzell
Established Member
- Joined
- 11 Apr 2019
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- 1,506
I was in the police for 15 years. Presently working for a vehicle leasing company on a temporary contract but hoping to get on with a TOC eventually.
I have no regrets about leaving cop world as the job has so many stresses and pitfalls. I'm not saying being a driver or conductor is not stressful - far from it!!!
I find reading the threads on this forum very useful and like many members have stated a TOC want potential candidates to really sell themselves at least 110%.
I have no regrets about leaving cop world as the job has so many stresses and pitfalls. I'm not saying being a driver or conductor is not stressful - far from it!!!
I find reading the threads on this forum very useful and like many members have stated a TOC want potential candidates to really sell themselves at least 110%.
Llanigraham
On Moderation
Self employed shop keeper.
Choochoo0001
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- 28 Jun 2019
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- 28
Don’t take this the wrong way, because I obviously don’t know you and have no idea what your CV looks like - it might be amazing and I’m completely wrong, just want to offer my viewpoint.
Is it possible that your CV is just too generic? What I mean by that is, you’ve mentioned a few things that you’ve put in there because you read or heard that other successful applicants had done that.
A friend of mine, who is currently an LU driver and wants to move in to mainline driving asked me to look over his CV recently. It was basically a checklist of “buzz words” that he thought the company would want to read. But listing off every desirable criteria that they’ve listed on the job description doesn’t actually tell them anything about you.
My advice to everyone that I speak to regarding CVs and job applications is to make it personal to you. Obviously tailor it and demonstrate as many of the criteria that the job description appears to be asking for - but avoid just listing generic behaviours and criteria or using too many examples that you know everyone else is using.
After all, if you want to stand out - you have to do something different.
Is it possible that your CV is just too generic? What I mean by that is, you’ve mentioned a few things that you’ve put in there because you read or heard that other successful applicants had done that.
A friend of mine, who is currently an LU driver and wants to move in to mainline driving asked me to look over his CV recently. It was basically a checklist of “buzz words” that he thought the company would want to read. But listing off every desirable criteria that they’ve listed on the job description doesn’t actually tell them anything about you.
My advice to everyone that I speak to regarding CVs and job applications is to make it personal to you. Obviously tailor it and demonstrate as many of the criteria that the job description appears to be asking for - but avoid just listing generic behaviours and criteria or using too many examples that you know everyone else is using.
After all, if you want to stand out - you have to do something different.
Choochoo0001
Member
- Joined
- 28 Jun 2019
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- 28
Meant to quote Feaky4 in my reply, but obviously I fail at forums.
Myself as well.
RJ
Established Member
A 6th form student. I've been a TOC employee for nearly 10 years!
Mintona
Established Member
A student at sixth form. Left just before my exams to start on the railway. 11 long years ago now.
Mrztyson
Member
- Joined
- 27 Jun 2019
- Messages
- 7
Senior medical secretary at a hospital... I still am 2 and half days a week lol
Years ago I had a Guard assessment day with Southern . A lady said the only reason she wanted to to be a Guard was to go driving . The Assessor told her to keep that one very quietA candidate I was interviewing for a job a few years ago, when asked why he wanted to leave his current job, said “Well I want to be a driver really and figured this was a step in the right direction....”. Never say that when applying for a job which isn’t even a natural pathway to driving trains.
I’m all for people wanting to progress, but I’d want something back for the £3,000 it’s costing me to train somebody. Ideally I’d want some productivity too
Paddy O'Doors
Member
- Joined
- 21 May 2013
- Messages
- 52
Ever since I was a schoolboy I wanted to drive trucks, so I passed my class 1 HGV and did 25 years on the wagons.
Wanted to cut down on my hours so started as a freight train driver in 2014 at the age of 50.
Wanted to cut down on my hours so started as a freight train driver in 2014 at the age of 50.
You won’t regret it! I did the same and couldn’t be happier nearly 2 years on!
TheVicLine
Member
A composer, Dave Beethoven.
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