Fezza74
New Member
Thank you.
That's a positive sign anyway. My fingers are crossed I get an appointment through soon...hopefully before July as I can't wait to get started!
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A career as a signaller
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That's a positive sign anyway. My fingers are crossed I get an appointment through soon...hopefully before July as I can't wait to get started!
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Rab2018
Member
Hello, this is my first post here. I am sure my questions have been answered previously but I am just looking at the current vacancy and would be very grateful if somebody could explain, in layman's terms what 'Signaller (Relief) 18% flexible premium X 4' actually means in terms of what the job actually entails regarding of what would be covered and what the salary would be. Any help would be great. Cheers in advance
Dave Tasty
Member
Think it might be this one.
https://iebsprodnwrl.omcs.networkra...DISPLAY&p_svid=2183970&p_spid=7001280&refsh=0
Is this post being readvertised? I am sure they were looking for relief signallers here a couple of weeks back.
https://iebsprodnwrl.omcs.networkra...DISPLAY&p_svid=2183970&p_spid=7001280&refsh=0
Is this post being readvertised? I am sure they were looking for relief signallers here a couple of weeks back.
thebigmusic
Member
Hi folks just thought I’d update you on progress etc.
Applied for three Grade 2 roles in Cumbria back in March, passed all the tests and initial sifts etc, was unsuccessful for two of the three roles (they were both at the same location).
Then two weeks ago I got a phone call inviting me to interview as part of their final six candidates - was interviewed over the internet last Thursday and received my unsuccessful letter a few minutes ago. Oh well. Pleased to have got down to the final few, considering the sheer volume of applicants, so that’s a positive sign.
I do however feel the interview situation was made needlessly difficult by the use of Microsoft Teams, a notoriously buggy software (I’ve used Zoom and Skype this whole lockdown at my current job and both have been very good, Teams not so much) - the manager who sat in the interview with the LOM was in a different location and their connection kept scrambling which was very distracting. So a heads up to anyone doing a remote interview to make sure you let them know if it’s causing you an issue, as it can’t be said 100% that every candidate experiences the same disadvantage, so is currently a flaw in an otherwise extremely thorough and fair application process.
Also, the nature of the interview being conducted like that means you may be more likely to talk too much (I certainly think I did) because you can’t read their body language in the same way to gauge whether to expand, but this will be the same for every candidate.
Anyway for my first experience of such a thorough “off the shelf” interview process I think I did okay! Certainly a useful exercise and the main thing I’ve learned from going through the various stages is this:
Don’t be put off if you haven’t been in the police/fire service/forces etc as even though I have spent 50% of my career in teaching and 50% in manufacturing, only recently with any managerial responsibilities, the examples I gave for my pre-screening questions were obviously good enough to get me to the last few candidates, so if you’re doubting your experience don’t - give it a shot anyway.
Applied for three Grade 2 roles in Cumbria back in March, passed all the tests and initial sifts etc, was unsuccessful for two of the three roles (they were both at the same location).
Then two weeks ago I got a phone call inviting me to interview as part of their final six candidates - was interviewed over the internet last Thursday and received my unsuccessful letter a few minutes ago. Oh well. Pleased to have got down to the final few, considering the sheer volume of applicants, so that’s a positive sign.
I do however feel the interview situation was made needlessly difficult by the use of Microsoft Teams, a notoriously buggy software (I’ve used Zoom and Skype this whole lockdown at my current job and both have been very good, Teams not so much) - the manager who sat in the interview with the LOM was in a different location and their connection kept scrambling which was very distracting. So a heads up to anyone doing a remote interview to make sure you let them know if it’s causing you an issue, as it can’t be said 100% that every candidate experiences the same disadvantage, so is currently a flaw in an otherwise extremely thorough and fair application process.
Also, the nature of the interview being conducted like that means you may be more likely to talk too much (I certainly think I did) because you can’t read their body language in the same way to gauge whether to expand, but this will be the same for every candidate.
Anyway for my first experience of such a thorough “off the shelf” interview process I think I did okay! Certainly a useful exercise and the main thing I’ve learned from going through the various stages is this:
Don’t be put off if you haven’t been in the police/fire service/forces etc as even though I have spent 50% of my career in teaching and 50% in manufacturing, only recently with any managerial responsibilities, the examples I gave for my pre-screening questions were obviously good enough to get me to the last few candidates, so if you’re doubting your experience don’t - give it a shot anyway.
Tom Quinne
On Moderation
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There are four jobs available at grade three which is £32,873 with a 18% flexibility premium onto £39,790 total yearly salary.
Youd be based at Oakham SB, but cover a number of SB in the area. You travel to these from hone not your base SB.
As a relief you’ll know your base rest days, and booked to work days - but what you’ll be working or as a multi SB relief where.
All in all a fantastic role to have so best of luck. If your not to bothered about knowing what turns you’ll be working until the Thursday before a relief role is for you, personally I love it.
Youd be based at Oakham SB, but cover a number of SB in the area. You travel to these from hone not your base SB.
As a relief you’ll know your base rest days, and booked to work days - but what you’ll be working or as a multi SB relief where.
All in all a fantastic role to have so best of luck. If your not to bothered about knowing what turns you’ll be working until the Thursday before a relief role is for you, personally I love it.
Dave Tasty
Member
Hi Tom,
Just a bit of info if you don't mind. As a relief are you there to mainly cover things like holidays, meal breaks, training and sick leave? Does this tend to mean you work a disproportionate amount of nights or are the shifts fairly random? Also do you have periods where you might work 3 or 4 different boxes in single week or if covering breaks could that be 3/4 boxes a shift?
I am lead to believe that you do not do any Sunday working as this falls to the residents is this correct? Is this also the same for rest day working or are you first port of call for the roster clerks for covering extra shifts.
Finally if you have none of the above i.e. nothing to cover what do you do? Are you just assigned to your home box for training? I really like the idea of variety and learning different boxes and systems (if that applies.) Just trying to get a wider picture of the role.
Just a bit of info if you don't mind. As a relief are you there to mainly cover things like holidays, meal breaks, training and sick leave? Does this tend to mean you work a disproportionate amount of nights or are the shifts fairly random? Also do you have periods where you might work 3 or 4 different boxes in single week or if covering breaks could that be 3/4 boxes a shift?
I am lead to believe that you do not do any Sunday working as this falls to the residents is this correct? Is this also the same for rest day working or are you first port of call for the roster clerks for covering extra shifts.
Finally if you have none of the above i.e. nothing to cover what do you do? Are you just assigned to your home box for training? I really like the idea of variety and learning different boxes and systems (if that applies.) Just trying to get a wider picture of the role.
High Dyke
Established Member
Hi Dave, just to interject here. There will be a number of forthcoming vacancies, as a result of a change to Network Rail's fatigue management standard - there is talk of 30+ new jobs in the East Midlands area alone.
As you may be aware there are two types of relief. Rest Day relief (RDR), basically as it sounds. These tend to have a number of locations to be worked shown on a base roster, as you are there to cover a resident signal(wo)man on their rest day. These are the jobs that may have a lower flexi-premium (FP) payment. A General Purpose Relief (GPR) may attract a higher FP payment, but it all depends on the amount of locations/distance the particular role covers. As a GPR you will only know your rest days across the roster period. Essentially we're the 'Swiss Army knife' of the signalling world.
It isn't uncommon for a relief to work different shifts in the same week, or even at a different location every day. More so from the point of a GPR, rather than an RDR; however, they can also agree to a change of location on a particular day. Neither type of relief is base rostered to work Sundays, and you can refuse to work one if you like.
When it comes to rest day working then there is a defined priority structure, but it tends to be set in marzipan. Designated spare days may be shown on your roster, and you will be expected to be available for work, though you won't attend a signalling location unless booked to work at it. You may have a 'spare turn' changed to training - should you need it - be it refresher training at a location or learning a new location within your mileage/flexi band. Equally a 'spare turn' shown on a roster could be changed to a booked shift, for example due to someone going sick.
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Dave Tasty
Member
Hi High Dyke,
Thats pretty comprehensive, I was aware that there was different types of relief but not exactly sure of the differences. Thanks for taking the time to reply, it is very insightful.
Thats pretty comprehensive, I was aware that there was different types of relief but not exactly sure of the differences. Thanks for taking the time to reply, it is very insightful.
Tom Quinne
On Moderation
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- 8 Jul 2017
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- 2,225
Mr High Dyke has pretty much said it all really.
I tend to find I work more nights than anything else to be honest, especially Saturday nights !
Continuing the nights theme, Sunday night is also a favourite - Sunday day turns are rare however.
I’m not a Swiss arm knife unfortunately, more a one hit wonder so I couldn’t comment on the multiple locations over different days, I can’t see why it wouldn’t happen however.
At the moment if your spare, you stay at hone on standby for your turn.
I tend to find I work more nights than anything else to be honest, especially Saturday nights !
Continuing the nights theme, Sunday night is also a favourite - Sunday day turns are rare however.
I’m not a Swiss arm knife unfortunately, more a one hit wonder so I couldn’t comment on the multiple locations over different days, I can’t see why it wouldn’t happen however.
At the moment if your spare, you stay at hone on standby for your turn.
Dave Tasty
Member
Cheers Tom!
High Dyke
Established Member
No problem Dave, glad it helped. As a GPR you take the rough with the smooth. Personally I'd like permanent nights, I'm a night person. However, I'm currently mid-way through a third consecutive week of late turns; albeit my roster is basically a four-day week - it mostly has two rest days every week.
Regarding Sundays, then it can depend on the amount of vacancies in that area and the roster requirements. For example where I'm working most of this week none of the residents are at work (one on leave, one vacancy and the third is long-term sick). Add to that many of the boxes in this area have just gone to two shifts on Summer Sundays; so there's a good chance of an available Sunday shift, but it's not to be relied upon.
LOM
Member
Do not worry about the questions too much, just answer what you can. Your application will certainly be considered as everyone has a fair shot at it.
Totally agree, Teams is awful. Though all candidates are equally disadvantaged by its limitations in terms of body language etc.. so it is still a reasonable way of doing things. I am holding off doing interviews until HR allow socially distanced face to face ones to start up again. Hopefully at the start of next month.
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Chumba
Member
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- 13 May 2019
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- 164
Totally agree, Teams is awful. Though all candidates are equally disadvantaged by its limitations in terms of body language etc.. so it is still a reasonable way of doing things. I am holding off doing interviews until HR allow socially distanced face to face ones to start up again. Hopefully at the start of next month.
[/QUOTE]
personally as an interviewer and an interviewee, I don’t like video interviewing, whatever platform is used. As an interviewer I like to look at peoples body language, which can show a lot. As an interviewee I prefer being in the same room as you can build a rapport and express yourself better. I once had an interview via telephone for a job abroad, and when they asked certain questions I was able to google them and give spot on answers ! Can’t do that face to face
[/QUOTE]
personally as an interviewer and an interviewee, I don’t like video interviewing, whatever platform is used. As an interviewer I like to look at peoples body language, which can show a lot. As an interviewee I prefer being in the same room as you can build a rapport and express yourself better. I once had an interview via telephone for a job abroad, and when they asked certain questions I was able to google them and give spot on answers ! Can’t do that face to face
Chumba
Member
- Joined
- 13 May 2019
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- 164
error !
headshot119
Established Member
In terms of GPR some weeks I'll basically work one persons shifts if they've got a weeks leave and our rest day pattern lines up. So that'll be one box with whatever shifts the resident had.
Other weeks it can be fairly random, I think the most I've managed is six different boxes in a week, and that included a mix of earlies, lates, nights.
LOM
Member
Another LOM was telling me they had interviewed someone by phone last week and it was very quickly obvious that they were referring to lots of written notes and also googled the NR Safety Vision during the interview. They could hear the mouse clicks and typing.
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Was just going to say this.they obviously hadn’t learnt the skill of using a headset mic and a quick mute
thebigmusic
Member
Yeah that’s probably the impression a lot of interviewers will be getting. I interview people as part of my current job and even I ended up wondering if they thought that about my interview - I made notes during it, and I specifically remember looking away from the camera during the question about NR’s safety vision because it’s a body language tic I have to help me remember things! It could so easily have come off like I was reading answers from notes or looking things up, stuff which would have been immediately obvious I wasn’t doing if I’d have been interviewed in person. It’s deeply unprofessional and I should imagine probably against any number of guidelines to second guess what interviewees may or may not have been doing whilst they were being interviewed online or on the phone. The answers interviewees give should be the only barometer in that situation, otherwise it becomes a subjective part of a process that hitherto has been democratic and laudably objective. [edit: interviews by their nature have some subjectivity involved of course - what I mean here is basically the interviewer shouldn’t be assuming the candidate is looking things up, that could then form part of their opinion of the person being interviewed which isn’t fair because the interviewer can not verify that is definitely the case!]
I’m sure I wasn’t the person mentioned by the LOM you spoke to as I did none of the things mentioned, but the candidate you described could very easily have been someone like me. This is a perfect example of why it isn’t a fair part of the process at the minute. Not for one second saying this is anyone’s fault, this pandemic has landed everyone in a very poor situation, but I think although it should be, it definitely isn’t the same level playing field for each candidate at interview in this situation.
[edit: sorry if this sounds like sour grapes - I’m genuinely pleased someone else got the role advertised because that’s good news for them, but also I think it’s fair to criticise the social distancing influenced new interview process]
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LOM
Member
I am sorry you have concluded that my colleague is deeply unprofessional based on an anecdote posted anonymously online. For what it is worth we have had no specific guidance on remote interviews above the generic HR training on interviewing everyone gets when starting the role. We are still finding our way in this brave new world.
thebigmusic
Member
Haha - apologies, I didn’t mean it to come across like that, but fair point!
Tom Quinne
On Moderation
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- 2,225
Remember you only get one chance to make a first impression...whether that be online or in person.
Probably not a good idea to give negative feedback on the performance of an interviewer.....
I think LOM is doing the right thing, as in holding off until social distancing interviews can be undertaken.
A lot of people (including myself) hate seeing themselves on camera, as you know an interview is stressful enough without the seeing yourself on camera.
Rab2018
Member
Tom. many thanks for your reply and to High Dyke also...very helpful. To interject into the conversation re interviews, I had one recently and I don't think I come across well on camera. I fully understand the need to d othem in the current climate but am much more comfortable face to face.
After my interviews, i am currently reserve candidate. Happy with that as it was my first interview and only applied in March so gives me good hope for trying again. I have been told I will find out soon if anything is to come of this.
I noticed today though that a new listing has popped up under my applied for list. It is for the same box but a different code and next to grade and pay, it's just marked with XXX.
The updates (both todays date) show
Application under review
Assessment 2 complete.
Is this likely to mean anything or just a random thing from NWR?
Thanks
I noticed today though that a new listing has popped up under my applied for list. It is for the same box but a different code and next to grade and pay, it's just marked with XXX.
The updates (both todays date) show
Application under review
Assessment 2 complete.
Is this likely to mean anything or just a random thing from NWR?
Thanks
headshot119
Established Member
It depends if you're original listing has "Application reassigned to new vacancy" on it.
No, still saying assessment 2 complete. I had an email yesterday from the LOM who interviewed me saying I would hear soon. I had contacted him because 4 more positions have just been advertised for the same box. So I was asking about whether there would be much point in applying for them so soon.
Sounds like I shouldn't get my hopes up in any case.
Thanks
Allaboard78
Member
Can you advise what this means?
When I applied for my role, I was told at the interview that there were 3 vacancies in the same box. I’ve ended up being offered not the one I actually applied for but one of the other 2. To do this they had to create another listing and it’s that one I have been given. The original listing I’m showing as unsuccessful. I expect that what’s happened to you maybe?