A career as a signaller

[Midlands_lad]

Does anyone know if pre-employment medicals have an expiry date? It looks like my training will be starting around 7 months after my pre-employment checks were completed and I'm wondering whether I'm going to be asked to attend another medical before starting.

I believe the medicals are age related. If you pass the medical under the age of 40 I believe it is valid for 10 years and then every 5 years after 40.

 

[Gallius]

I believe the medicals are age related. If you pass the medical under the age of 40 I believe it is valid for 10 years and then every 5 years after 40.

Yea, I'd heard that too, I just wondered if it was any different for pre employment ones as I've seen on other posts on this board people having to re-take their pre-employment medicals as they expired after 6 months. They weren't for jobs with NWR though.

 

[Midlands_lad]

Yea, I'd heard that too, I just wondered if it was any different for pre employment ones as I've seen on other posts on this board people having to re-take their pre-employment medicals as they expired after 6 months. They weren't for jobs with NWR though.

No surely they are valid for the time that it states on the website.
If you pass a medical surely it can’t expire just because you are waiting to take a position?

 

[ChrisRS]

Does anyone know if pre-employment medicals have an expiry date? It looks like my training will be starting around 7 months after my pre-employment checks were completed and I'm wondering whether I'm going to be asked to attend another medical before starting.

They certainly do. Can't remember the exact timescale, sure it was 12 weeks before starting but don't quote me on that.

I had to wait to take mine, and get it rebooked as the start date was too far ahead in the future for them to do the medical.

 

[Gallius]

They certainly do. Can't remember the exact timescale, sure it was 12 weeks before starting but don't quote me on that.

I had to wait to take mine, and get it rebooked as the start date was too far ahead in the future for them to do the medical.

That's annoying, looks like I may need to have another one then! Seems like a waste of time and money.

 

[headshot119]

Hi everyone.


New to the forum, been reading back to gain some insights. I've applied for a local grade 3 position in Workington, Cumbria.
Passed the application and assessments, got an interview on the 29th June. Any information on the box I'd be working at such as shift patterns, etc if I was successful. Also does anyone know if there is opportunity for progession to higher grades in West Cumbria?
Any help would be greatly appreciated

Regards

Shifts are 05:15 - 14:30 and 14:30 - 00:00 Monday to Saturday. 08:00 - 1400 and 14:00 - 00:00 Sunday.

Long weekend Friday - Tuesday in weeks 1 / 2 and a Wednesday and Thursday off in week 3 then repeat. With some random extra days throughout the year.

Progression opportunities are either into a local relief job (Grade 3 + 24% not 32%), or into a grade 7 at Carlisle. There's no boxes higher than a 3 apart from Barrow but that's a long way from Workington.

 

[nom de guerre]

Decent area to MOM in, I would have thought ...?

Also the possibility of becoming an SSM at Carlisle (not sure if G8 or G9). I know someone who transferred from G3 relief on the S&C to do this.

 

[headshot119]

Hmmmmm now I'm wondering who you are!

Decent area to MOM in, with them located at Appleby, Carlisle, Barrow, Whitehaven and Carnforth. Always competitive when they do come up though.

SSMs in Carlisle are grade 8.

 

[desrudy]

I have a question , how do you become Rail Incident Officer ?
What training do you have to follow ?

 

[headshot119]

I have a question , how do you become Rail Incident Officer ?
What training do you have to follow ?

RIO is a competency held by MOMs / LOMs (And I guess OMs?), you go on the training as part of those roles.

 

[jmoz]

Hi All,

Does a job status of Invite to Assessment 2 Pending mean you can expect an interview? I think I read here recently that it does but I'm sure I have had a previous Invite to Assessment 2 Pending go to Unsuccessful without any other comms. apart from the standard letter

 

[Jay_123]

Hi All,

Does a job status of Invite to Assessment 2 Pending mean you can expect an interview? I think I read here recently that it does but I'm sure I have had a previous Invite to Assessment 2 Pending go to Unsuccessful without any other comms. apart from the standard letter

Im 99.9% sure you will have an interview, but the usual dont get your
hopes up until HR email you. They are probably just finalising a few things

 

[RashidaR]

New entrants; if you do want to read something, read Red for Danger by Rolt. It gives some history about the excellent job you are moving into, and how things have progressed.

Thanks for the suggestion, started this one today.

 

[LOM]

Does a job status of Invite to Assessment 2 Pending mean you can expect an interview? I think I read here recently that it does but I'm sure I have had a previous Invite to Assessment 2 Pending go to Unsuccessful without any other comms. apart from the standard letter

It means you are in the top 6 scores for that vacancy. However that does not guarantee an interview.

 

[Billyc87]

It means you are in the top 6 scores for that vacancy. However that does not guarantee an interview.

I thought for the tests you just get a pass? And no official score?

 

[LOM]

I thought for the tests you just get a pass? And no official score?

You get a %score for the SHL tests and a score for the questions. Recruitment combine these somehow to produce a ranked list of the top 6 candidates. They then set the status of each of these to "Hiring manager to consider for interview" which puts the status in the candidate portal to "Invite to assessment 2 pending". When shortlisting for interviews the hiring manager is supposed to review these applications first before looking at any others.

 

[89jordanbj]

Hi All,

Does a job status of Invite to Assessment 2 Pending mean you can expect an interview? I think I read here recently that it does but I'm sure I have had a previous Invite to Assessment 2 Pending go to Unsuccessful without any other comms. apart from the standard letter

Is this for the Didcot crossing keeper position?

 

[89jordanbj]

You get a %score for the SHL tests and a score for the questions. Recruitment combine these somehow to produce a ranked list of the top 6 candidates. They then set the status of each of these to "Hiring manager to consider for interview" which puts the status in the candidate portal to "Invite to assessment 2 pending". When shortlisting for interviews the hiring manager is supposed to review these applications first before looking at any others.

Does this not show as 'under consideration for assessment 2' on the candidate portal? Either way, take nothing for granted until you get an official interview invite via email.

 

[LOM]

Does this not show as 'under consideration for assessment 2' on the candidate portal? Either way, take nothing for granted until you get an official interview invite via email.

No the hiring manager portal shows that as "Successful at initial selection test".

 

[89jordanbj]

No the hiring manager portal shows that as "Successful at initial selection test".

Ah rite I see. So the top 6 get the 'invite to assessment 2 pending' whilst the other candidates will get the under consideration status? Makes sense.

 

[ILoveLamp]

So I presume going by my login page you can go from status Application Under Consideration to Application Under Consideration For Assessment 2 prior to possibly getting Invite to Assessment 2 Pending? I have 2 applications showing Application under Consideration for a few months with no change (obviously a tough time at present, understandably) and one with Application under Consideration for Assessment 2 which has been like that for at least a month. After the post above mentioning that HR score the 70 questions it sounds like I may need to re-write mine...again! It’s a tough gig getting an interview! All these new candidates suddenly applying are not gonna help either unfortunately.

 

[ILoveLamp]

Ah rite I see. So the top 6 get the 'invite to assessment 2 pending' whilst the other candidates will get the under consideration status? Makes sense.

Surely if 6 have been chosen, the other six are no longer under consideration??

 

[Billyc87]

You get a %score for the SHL tests and a score for the questions. Recruitment combine these somehow to produce a ranked list of the top 6 candidates. They then set the status of each of these to "Hiring manager to consider for interview" which puts the status in the candidate portal to "Invite to assessment 2 pending". When shortlisting for interviews the hiring manager is supposed to review these applications first before looking at any others.

Judging by this do you think it’s unlikely I will get an interview if I have only scraped through the shl tests and have no railway experience?

 

[89jordanbj]

Judging by this do you think it’s unlikely I will get an interview if I have only scraped through the shl tests and have no railway experience?

There is no way of telling if you have 'scraped through the shl tests' as we do not get given the results.

 

[LOM]

Judging by this do you think it’s unlikely I will get an interview if I have only scraped through the shl tests and have no railway experience?

It depends totally on who you are up against, your CV and test score/answers. What I would say is that railway experience is absolutely not a requirement. Do not write yourself off at this stage. Good luck!

 

[LOM]

Surely if 6 have been chosen, the other six are no longer under consideration??

Once candidates have been picked for interviews then everyone else will have their application terminated. Until that point they stay ‘under consideration’. The hiring manager does not have to pick any or all of the top 6 candidates, though Recruitment prefer that you do.

 

[Tom Quinne]

Why do people try and over understand or analyse the whole process ?
Just put a good CV together with a stonking application, and try the best at the SHL tests then leave the rest to the relevant people.
There is literally nothing you can do once you’ve submitted your app, and completed the online assessments. Having any kind of understanding of how your score is calculated isn’t have any good in the real world.

i remember a day before forums, and the internet when you submitted you PAPER application and literally waited for the letter to arrive if your successful or not at all if you weren’t.

 

[Mi&Li]

i remember a day before forums, and the internet when you submitted you PAPER application and literally waited for the letter to arrive if your successful or not at all if you weren’t.

Totally agree. However disappointing it is to receive a rejection, there are so many employers out there that won’t even give you that. Slow or not, you can’t take that away from Network Rail.

 

[cpowell93]

Anyone had a rejection before stating due to the reason 'an unsatisfactory result regarding vision'?

Just a new one for me to get, wondered if others have had it before.

 

[LOM]

Why do people try and over understand or analyse the whole process ?
Just put a good CV together with a stonking application, and try the best at the SHL tests then leave the rest to the relevant people.
There is literally nothing you can do once you’ve submitted your app, and completed the online assessments. Having any kind of understanding of how your score is calculated isn’t have any good in the real world.

Excellent advice as always! I do wonder if my pulling the curtain back to reveal the wizard actually helps people here...