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Passed stage 1 conductor assessment 4 weeks ago...

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EmmaRDG

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7 Aug 2019
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Hi everyone,

I attended a stage one conductor assessment at GWR Swindon on 20th Aug and received an email same day to say I'd passed, but have heard nothing since.

The email did say "Should you be shortlisted, the next stage of the process will be a group exercise and interview for which you will be contacted by email in due course to confirm the details".

I emailed the careers team a couple of weeks ago and was advised "We are still waiting for an update, we will be in contact once an update has been received".

Has anyone had a similar experience and been shortlisted for interview after such a long time, or is it safe to assume I've been unsuccessful on this occasion? Just seems odd as all the communication up to that point was swift and professional and then it just stops...

Thanks,
Emma.
 
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Supertrains19

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18 Apr 2019
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Emma,

Firstly well done on passing your assessment. 4 weeks is nothing in railway recruitment as many many threads on here will tell you. What role have you gone for? It can be months rather than weeks, as soon as the 2nd assessment is finalised you will get the call.

But for now it’s a waiting game.

John
 

EmmaRDG

Member
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Hi John,

Thanks for your response :) It's for a conductor role, based out of Reading.

Good to know that it doesn't seem like an unreasonable time in railway terms though. I'm interviewing for other roles and have declined a couple of offers which weren't quite suitable. I'm really keen on the conductor role, it's still my preferred choice so hopefully it'll come off.

Emma.
 

Supertrains19

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72
Location
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Emma,

It will just have to be patient, as I say i’ve Known people who have waited upto 6 months, the 2nd assessment involves a good number of management roles to be present as a result it can take time to organise, also priority will be given to depots in greater need, there team is only small so all adds to the delay.

Good luck

John
 

EmmaRDG

Member
Joined
7 Aug 2019
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Many thanks John - really helpful replies. I'll wait (a little more patiently!) to hear more.
Cheers,
Emma
 
Joined
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This has made me feel a million times better. I passed my assessment on September 5th and had the "we'll be in contact in due course" email. Been going out of my mind awaiting contact as again, I've turned down roles that just dont interest me. But thank you @Supertrains19 for the reassurance.

Best of luck @EmmaRDG and congratulations on passing the assessment. How did you find it? I found the ticket pricing part really hard. Only answered about 8 of them .
 

EmmaRDG

Member
Joined
7 Aug 2019
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@ProteanReptile oh good - I'm glad it's not just me and this has reassured you too!

I found the scaat tests, rules & regs and ticket pricing fine but I struggled with the ticket checking! I think I only answered 7 or 8 of those and I marked ALL of the tickets invalid! Then I second-guessed myself and started going back to check them and the time ran away with me.

Really thorough selection process so far and actually I've kind of enjoyed it! Just wish they sent another standard/automated response email explaining that the next stage may take a while.

Good luck to you too - maybe see you at the group interview stage! Fingers crossed.
 

Train Boy

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28 May 2012
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318
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Hi everyone,

I attended a stage one conductor assessment at GWR Swindon on 20th Aug and received an email same day to say I'd passed, but have heard nothing since.

The email did say "Should you be shortlisted, the next stage of the process will be a group exercise and interview for which you will be contacted by email in due course to confirm the details".

I emailed the careers team a couple of weeks ago and was advised "We are still waiting for an update, we will be in contact once an update has been received".

Has anyone had a similar experience and been shortlisted for interview after such a long time, or is it safe to assume I've been unsuccessful on this occasion? Just seems odd as all the communication up to that point was swift and professional and then it just stops...

Thanks,
Emma.

I had done the stage 1 assessment back in the early part of the summer, stage 2 for me came 12 days later. I spoke to other people on the 2nd assessment, the others had been waiting for as long as 7 months! It was just pure luck, but as seen, it can certainly take its time.

Best of luck with your application!
 

EmmaRDG

Member
Joined
7 Aug 2019
Messages
13
Thanks @Train Boy :)

How did you find the 2nd assessment? I'm boning up on GWR and all the other things you'd do for a 'normal' interview. Is there anything else you'd recommend to prepare for stage 2 (if I'm actually shortlisted)?

Were you offered a position and if so what do you think of the job?

Cheers,
Emma
 
Joined
3 Jul 2019
Messages
13
@ProteanReptile oh good - I'm glad it's not just me and this has reassured you too!

I found the scaat tests, rules & regs and ticket pricing fine but I struggled with the ticket checking! I think I only answered 7 or 8 of those and I marked ALL of the tickets invalid! Then I second-guessed myself and started going back to check them and the time ran away with me.

Really thorough selection process so far and actually I've kind of enjoyed it! Just wish they sent another standard/automated response email explaining that the next stage may take a while.

Good luck to you too - maybe see you at the group interview stage! Fingers crossed.

Honestly, I had majority of the ticket validation ones as invalid, too. Then it just seemed to illogical that 90% were invalid... just weird.
But I've got my fingers crossed for you as well, and you never know... we may see each other at 2nd stage and maybe posted at Reading together!
 

EmmaRDG

Member
Joined
7 Aug 2019
Messages
13
Now I'm really baffled - the conductor role at Reading is being advertised again with a closing date of 2nd Oct.

I still haven't heard anything about progressing to Stage 2 after passing my Stage 1 on 20th Aug and now the role is being advertised again I'm assuming that is not a positive sign as far as my application goes.
 

Supertrains19

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18 Apr 2019
Messages
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Location
Worcester
Emma,

No it does happen, I suspect they don’t have enough people from the last campaign so have opened it up again, it can take a while so don’t read anything into it.

Your stage 2 invite will come but it can take many months upto 7-8 in some cases as I said previously it depends on the depot/business requirements.

John
 

TM Hopeful

Member
Joined
15 Jul 2019
Messages
71
Emma,

No it does happen, I suspect they don’t have enough people from the last campaign so have opened it up again, it can take a while so don’t read anything into it.

Your stage 2 invite will come but it can take many months upto 7-8 in some cases as I said previously it depends on the depot/business requirements.

John

as others have said, it can vary so much timewise, I’ve gone from first assessment to course start date in about five months (for TM role) the gaps in between each assessment stage and medical have been no more than three-four weeks at every stage, this is the longest gap now waiting to start! That being said it seems from other posts on here that the whole timescale can be a complete lottery dependent on TM or conductor, depot applied for and presumably the pass fail rate at each stage too.
Don’t give up hope just yet!!
 

MickeyClass37

Member
Joined
18 Feb 2019
Messages
18
Hi Emma

My own personal experience of trying to join the railway is this.

2013 applied for Conductor role, saved application thinking I had plenty of time to finish it. Job got took off system after 48 hours. They had enough applications.

2014 December: applied again Conductor role. Application worked. Got on line test, failed online test.

2016 Applied for Driver position, in March. Heard in June got interview in July. Successful in interview. Sept. Tests in Doncaster failed.

2017 Applied for Driver again. Waited 4 months before being told the job had been withdrawn.

2018 November: applied for Driver again....still waiting after having email saying application still live and more decision about position will be sent to me soon.

2019 Feb. Applied for Conductor, Application good. Email late Feb to do online test. In early March my test was successful, interview for mid March. Late March received a phone call to say they would like to offer me position, but training would be in November. In May, I passed my medical.

So from March I have almost waited 8 months to start. 4 weeks to go and counting.

Of course you can see I have kept trying from 2013. I have been determined and had the belief to keep going, which has paid off in the end.

Even writing this now, I still can't believe I'm about to join the railway.

So Emma what ever happens, don't give up.
 
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EmmaRDG

Member
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7 Aug 2019
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Thanks everyone. And wow mickeyclass37 that is some serious dedication and tenacity! Pleased it's paid off for you finally! And thanks for the info re timescales, it's really useful.

I've received news of Stage 2 - I'm booked in on Fri 8th Nov. So let's see how that goes :)

Any tips or advice gratefully received!

Cheers,
Emma
 

MickeyClass37

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18 Feb 2019
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Thanks everyone. And wow mickeyclass37 that is some serious dedication and tenacity! Pleased it's paid off for you finally! And thanks for the info re timescales, it's really useful.

I've received news of Stage 2 - I'm booked in on Fri 8th Nov. So let's see how that goes :)

Any tips or advice gratefully received!

Cheers,
Emma

Hi Emma

Firstly well done getting to stage 2.

The biggest tip I can give is be confident.
You have to think that you are a real contender.
This what the employer is thinking. They have seen something in you they like,so they the employer have given a real chance to become an employee.
Many people who apply never get to the later stages.

The other positive is the 2nd stage has come round quick from stage one.
To me this means planning has been put in place a head of stage two for medical dates, for final candidates.

So be confident and positive.

All the best Mickey
 

EmmaRDG

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7 Aug 2019
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Thanks @MickeyClass37 !

One more evening to prepare! I feel about as confident as I ever will!

Hopefully they won't Ann Robinson me after the group exercises o_O

Cheers,
Emma
 

Emmsie

Member
Joined
13 Feb 2018
Messages
186
Thanks @MickeyClass37 !

One more evening to prepare! I feel about as confident as I ever will!

Hopefully they won't Ann Robinson me after the group exercises o_O

Cheers,
Emma
Good luck for tomorrow, I'm booked in for the 22nd and have applied for Redhill, been told that 60 others got to this stage for 1 job at Redhill but they are adding another service in May so maybe there are a few positions there now. In the group exercise remember to take part but don't overpower the discussion, there is no right answer just a way to see how you interact and make decisions as a team. I've got all the way to the interview before and then flunked there so I'm not confident at all, I hate competency based interviews, I've been in some form of customer service for 30 years but just don't seem to be able to form my answers adequately in interview. C'est la vie I have a back up plan.
 

EmmaRDG

Member
Joined
7 Aug 2019
Messages
13
Good luck for tomorrow, I'm booked in for the 22nd and have applied for Redhill, been told that 60 others got to this stage for 1 job at Redhill but they are adding another service in May so maybe there are a few positions there now. In the group exercise remember to take part but don't overpower the discussion, there is no right answer just a way to see how you interact and make decisions as a team. I've got all the way to the interview before and then flunked there so I'm not confident at all, I hate competency based interviews, I've been in some form of customer service for 30 years but just don't seem to be able to form my answers adequately in interview. C'est la vie I have a back up plan.

Oh I hate competency based interviews too. The STAR technique does help you to frame your answers well.

I found this youtube video quite helpful:

Good luck for the 22nd!
 

Emmsie

Member
Joined
13 Feb 2018
Messages
186
Oh I hate competency based interviews too. The STAR technique does help you to frame your answers well.

I found this youtube video quite helpful:

Good luck for the 22nd!
Thanks, practicing STAR and will defo look at that video.
 

Emmsie

Member
Joined
13 Feb 2018
Messages
186
Well done you, you must be chuffed to pieces, they really let you know quickly didn't they, now I'm panicing that they have already offered the Redhill position.
 

LordCreed

Member
Joined
28 May 2014
Messages
424
Well done you, you must be chuffed to pieces, they really let you know quickly didn't they, now I'm panicing that they have already offered the Redhill position.

There's a large number of vacancies at Reading, hence why the offer of employment being speedy.

Redhill is a much smaller depot, which probably explains why they're not in a rush.
 

Steam Man

On Moderation
Joined
9 May 2019
Messages
95
Hi Emma

My own personal experience of trying to join the railway is this.

2013 applied for Conductor role, saved application thinking I had plenty of time to finish it. Job got took off system after 48 hours. They had enough applications.

2014 December: applied again Conductor role. Application worked. Got on line test, failed online test.

2016 Applied for Driver position, in March. Heard in June got interview in July. Successful in interview. Sept. Tests in Doncaster failed.

2017 Applied for Driver again. Waited 4 months before being told the job had been withdrawn.

2018 November: applied for Driver again....still waiting after having email saying application still live and more decision about position will be sent to me soon.

2019 Feb. Applied for Conductor, Application good. Email late Feb to do online test. In early March my test was successful, interview for mid March. Late March received a phone call to say they would like to offer me position, but training would be in November. In May, I passed my medical.

So from March I have almost waited 8 months to start. 4 weeks to go and counting.

Of course you can see I have kept trying from 2013. I have been determined and had the belief to keep going, which has paid off in the end.

Even writing this now, I still can't believe I'm about to join the railway.

So Emma what ever happens, don't give up.
I’ve applied for Virgin Atlantic and EasyJet been rejected both times I keep thinking that one day I may get there eventually
 

Emmsie

Member
Joined
13 Feb 2018
Messages
186
I’ve applied for Virgin Atlantic and EasyJet been rejected both times I keep thinking that one day I may get there eventually
I've made the final cut twice at Easyjet and twice at BA, offered once at Easyjet which I had to turn down as they have a rule that you can't have booked holiday during training and I had to see my Sons father in the US and been rejected twice at BA, got the OBS role at southern but that was probably the best competence interview ever.
 
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