Number of applications

Reading on here some people apply loads of times trying to get the job they want,how many times did you apply or have applied.

I've had 4 applications with South West Trains and 4 for First Great Western, all for various roles.

First Great Western took ages to process anything I applied for, so I took the role I was offered at SWT and withdrew any outstanding applications with FGW.

I submitted one application for SWT and was offered the post first time

I've made several applications over the last few years and am finally going through my first assessment centre (waiting for results of structured interview).

I think that not living particularly near some of the jobs may have been an issue with some of my applications but equally they could have just been crap applications!

mac said:

Reading on here some people apply loads of times trying to get the job they want,how many times did you apply or have applied.

Click to expand...

Once and I got the job

mac said:

Reading on here some people apply loads of times trying to get the job they want,how many times did you apply or have applied.

Click to expand...

Once, and I was successful.

1st application with SWT I failed the managers interview.....1 year later I was successful.
Before I found out I passed I also applied to Southern and was unsuccessful at the first stage.

Passed testing with Anglia, failed manager interview.
Failed testing with SWT.
Passed testing and manager interview with Central.

28 attempts, and was successful at getting Depot Drivers jobs, but not a mainline one, but at least I managed to get into some form of driving role so not bad going really

1 attempt in 2000-ish for trainee driver. Failed mechanical test. 2nd attempt for the same role submitted in October, interview Nov, tests Dec, medical Jan, started Monday. Wish I hadn't left it so long to apply again!

I have applied twice to First didn't get through the sift,once for Northern again no joy,applied for London midland and no joy there either.All for trainee Driver roles.A mate who is a driver helped me fill out my applications and he could not believe i wasnt offered an assessment day.

I served in the REME for 12 years,fully time served electrical/mechanical engineer plenty of life experience,just not the experience they are after by the looks of it,granted distance may have come into play with a few of my applications but i made it clear i would be willing to relocate,not going to bother again i have a job that pays £30k a year as a maintenance technician which involves a lot of PLC work so i can not afford to take a guard or conductor job as the pay would be too low.

Not too downhearted as i am lucky to have a skill set that is in demand but coming from a train family background it would have been nice to spend my last 30 years of employment following in my fathers footsteps and i think i would have enjoyed a career change.

Hope some of you have better luck.

Techie2 said:

All for trainee Driver roles.A mate who is a driver helped me fill out my applications and he could not believe i wasnt offered an assessment day.

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Maybe they see through it and realised you had had help and did not use your own ideas??

First attempt with HEx 4 years back.

Numerous tries with other TOC's for various positions where I got nothing (sometimes not even a reply).

An attempt with LOROL for a Guard, where I screwed up in the assessment due to not listening.

An attempt last year with FGW for Trainee Train Driver, which I failed at the interview stage.

And most recently passed with Southern for a Platform Assistant.

I've always tried, and never let it get me down if I fail. Take a "No" on the chin, and look to improve yourself to make you worth their time!

TDK said:

Maybe they see through it and realised you had had help and did not use your own ideas??

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He only gave me a few pointers,all my experiences where my own (real ones),its a hard role to get into being an outsider so to speak,maybe if i had a HR background or could tick the box that said degree in some useless ology i may do better,all my quals where gained through the forces and dont seem to count for much.

Thanks for the input though.

Techie, where do you live? Quite a few ex REME and other Forces guys work here...

Hi Techie2. I worked in HR but found the interviews challenging. Yes, I know the theory of how to answer questions, but the examples on my application form related to relevant experience gained through volunteer work on a heritage railway (sorry TDK, probably making you shudder as you read that ) as did many of the examples I gave during the manager interview itself. I was full of a rotten cold on the day. I never get ill and really thought I'd fluffed it. The structured interview is something that you can either handle or you can't. I found it challenging at times but the way in which you react during it is more about your character / personality.

The Forces will have, I suspect, given you discipline, the ability to remain cool etc. These are traits that are in my opinion important to help you succeed on during the whole recruitment process and that is where you may have the edge over others.

There is a wide variety of people who work on the railways and I can guarantee that they haven't all worked in HR and don't all have ologys (ologies? sp?) It really is a shame that you can't take the financial hit because I know I now have a career for life (subject to passing the training) and the pay will ultimately be better than what you currently receive, with financial stability and security for life. Of course, pay is personal to everyone and some have more financial obligations than others.

What I guess I'm saying is that if you really want it and you can afford to take the hit for a year, go for it. It's the best decision I've made in a long time. Not sure if this helps, just my opinion.

Techie2 you are obviously aspiring to be a driver but why dont you use the skills you have as a techie to get a techie job in the railways and then move towards driving. You will find most technical jobs are already paying the salary you are acheiving.

Techie2 said:

He only gave me a few pointers,all my experiences where my own (real ones),its a hard role to get into being an outsider so to speak,maybe if i had a HR background or could tick the box that said degree in some useless ology i may do better,all my quals where gained through the forces and dont seem to count for much.

Thanks for the input though.

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The sifting is worked out from a points system with some - the first instant failure is an incompltet form, even if you miss out your height and weight and have been driving trains for 10 years you will not pass the sift. Then the points system works on your experiences for instance:

1. Shift work experience
2. Previous mechanical experience
3. Working alone or spending time alone
4. Working with the public
5. recent participation in carrying out classroom work or training
6. Working to strict rules and regs
7. Own transport and distance from the depot applied for

Marks out of 10 so there are 70 points there - Think back to what you put for these situations if they were included in the applicationa and also did you miss anything out?

TDK said:

The sifting is worked out from a points system with some...

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At least I now know that I would have regularly scored 0 for my location then! All but one of my previous applications were miles away - in fact the only one I ever got a reply back from (an unsuccessful reply albeit) was a local job.

4 For me 1 Driver, 3 Guard.

Have just been taken on as a guard...!!

My final application I spent hours on really going into detail on every answer. I don't know if this was the difference or if I just got lucky on shortlisting.

I made between 10 and 15 applications for jobs at Network Rail had three interviews, one a follow up, and got one job

I also made about 20 applications for various roles to various TOC's, got no interviews and got no jobs

Note; i still don't have a railway job, but doing my dam hardest to get one!

I currently have 6 pending 4 with Northern & 2 with FTPE (with 2 of then being trainee drivers) the rest are conductors and station staff. Previous to this round of applications I had submitted 1 for metrolink manchester & got though to the assessment day & failed on the dials test. Many years before that I had one to First Northwestern before they became northern rail & failed on the DOTs test. I also submitted several apps for British Rail when I was 16 to become a traction trainee, but never got anywhere.

So i've done quite a few application so far, finger crossed........