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Applying for a job during lockdown

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amateur

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Hi,

I’m currently working from home (checking my email once a day) and thought of applying for a job at a local supermarket (as that’s where the current demand is).

On the other hand, apply for an agency job at the railways. It’s my real passion!

supermarket = extra cash
railway = career choice

It it a good idea, or silly idea?

Obviously, the current risk is you’re more exposed, as you’ll be dealing with the public.

Are staff and commuters adhering to social distancing at stations, or is it impossible?

Competition is very hard. What are the drawbacks?
 
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RailUK Forums

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Hi,

I’m currently working from home (checking my email once a day) and thought of applying for a job at a local supermarket (as that’s where the current demand is).

On the other hand, apply for an agency job at the railways. It’s my real passion!

supermarket = extra cash
railway = career choice

It it a good idea, or silly idea?

Obviously, the current risk is you’re more exposed, as you’ll be dealing with the public.

Are staff and commuters adhering to social distancing at stations, or is it impossible?

Competition is very hard. What are the drawbacks?
I've never seen an agency job for the railway, do they exist?
 

GB

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There is no harm in applying to railway companies, however to be realistic, with most railway companies furloughing staff I would imagine a large percentage of recruitment would be frozen...particularly on the passenger and freight side.
 

amateur

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Thanks for the replies.
Have a lot of agency workers been “laid-off”, then? Because they have cut services by well over a half.

For those who still have to work at stations at the moment, how are you finding it? It it stressful/anxious, boring, or do you have more time for a chit chat with colleagues?
 

Daveyboy2407

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Network rail have put up quite a few new operative positions in my area in the last week so it seems work is carrying on as normal
 

Busyboy89

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I've never seen an agency job for the railway, do they exist?

yeah only gate line \ customer assistance roles (well they use agency at the TOC I work for). I don’t quite understand why they do it they train them up and then let them go and it’s just a constant cycle.
 
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Undiscovered

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Apply for both jobs. As you'll read on the forum, it can take many years and attempts to secure a job on the railways.

Down our way, a lot of the major engineering works are still going on, especially over this weekend. As I understand it, there are altered workings for social distancing, where appropriate, but infrastructure still needs maintaining and upgrading. Probably a bit less stressful with fewer services running.
 

Stigy

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There is no harm in applying to railway companies, however to be realistic, with most railway companies furloughing staff I would imagine a large percentage of recruitment would be frozen...particularly on the passenger and freight side.
Are most TOCs furloughing staff though? I know recruitment is frozen for a lot of roles, but with the exception of trainees (Drivers and Guards), most frontline staff are still working?
 

Rockhopper

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I've noticed that on the NR careers web site they usually have around thirty to forty jobs within a 60 mile radius of my home. Today its down to twelve.
 

Ivor

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Thanks for the replies.
Have a lot of agency workers been “laid-off”, then? Because they have cut services by well over a half.

For those who still have to work at stations at the moment, how are you finding it? It it stressful/anxious, boring, or do you have more time for a chit chat with colleagues?
Yes ‘laid off’....I work for an agency & we received an email two weeks ago stating there was no shifts for that coming week, no notification of shifts this week (it’s often volatile getting shifts in ‘normal times’)

Speaking to a couple of TOC staff I know they are now standing around as the footfall has dropped dramatically so no surplus or cover work for agency staff & I don’t think there will be until things get back to some sort of normality & who knows how long that will be? :'(
 

Horizon22

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Are most TOCs furloughing staff though? I know recruitment is frozen for a lot of roles, but with the exception of trainees (Drivers and Guards), most frontline staff are still working?

The industry has come to an agreement with the DfT not to furlough (in my experience anyway, feel free to correct). Various roles deemed not urgent have been sent home to act as "spare". Reduced numbers of safety-critical staff (drivers / guards / platform staff) actually required in due to reduction in service / passenger numbers / higher sickness levels.
 

Horizon22

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For those who still have to work at stations at the moment, how are you finding it? It it stressful/anxious, boring, or do you have more time for a chit chat with colleagues?

Incredibly dull. In my role, we have reduced shifts to just cover the core hours. There's fewer passengers and trains, so the service is running as smoothly as you could ever expect. The days are dragging.
 

Ivor

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The industry has come to an agreement with the DfT not to furlough (in my experience anyway, feel free to correct). Various roles deemed not urgent have been sent home to act as "spare". Reduced numbers of safety-critical staff (drivers / guards / platform staff) actually required in due to reduction in service / passenger numbers / higher sickness levels.
Those that are sent home as ‘spare’ I assume the TOCs are still paying them?

Rightly if so I might say as not of ‘their doing’
 

Horizon22

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Those that are sent home as ‘spare’ I assume the TOCs are still paying them?

Rightly if so I might say as not of ‘their doing’

Yes. But obviously overtime bans all around.
 

amateur

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Incredibly dull. In my role, we have reduced shifts to just cover the core hours. There's fewer passengers and trains, so the service is running as smoothly as you could ever expect. The days are dragging.
It almost sounds like you enjoy it when there’s chaos. i.e. signal failures, points, delays, cancellations, (wind, snow, rain)!

I would imagine it would be dull. But perhaps other people prefer the slower pace, and see it as getting paid for doing “less work”!
 

Busyboy89

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It almost sounds like you enjoy it when there’s chaos. i.e. signal failures, points, delays, cancellations, (wind, snow, rain)!

I would imagine it would be dull. But perhaps other people prefer the slower pace, and see it as getting paid for doing “less work”!

Im with horizon22, it’s dull and empty out on the trains.....never thought I’d ever say this but I miss the passengers lol :)
 
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D365

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The aslef emails I have had , said Hull trains , grand Central and Eurostar. Also several foc's

I would have found it strange if HT and GC were not allowed to furlough, bearing in mind that they've suspended all their services.
 

Horizon22

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The aslef emails I have had , said Hull trains , grand Central and Eurostar. Also several foc's

All open access operators plus Eurostar. No franchised TOCs have furloughed anyone.
 

baz962

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I do believe the posts I was replying to , just said toc's , which they are. I didn't notice anything about open access operator's. Apologies if that was the question.
 

Horizon22

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I do believe the posts I was replying to , just said toc's , which they are. I didn't notice anything about open access operator's. Apologies if that was the question.

Fair enough. Yes, its just a small but significant distinction.
 

Horizon22

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Drivers are still working rest days at my TOC.

I know your TOC is highly reliant on overtime anyway, but I am surprised giving the reduced services and turns required!
 

Busyboy89

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Guards are working rdw at our place, drivers aren’t. Think it because Sundays aren’t part of the working week for guards so they struggle to cover them But nearly all drivers opted in and have Sunday as part of the working week.
hope everyone is doing ok in these strange times though, it’s killing me being at home so much lol :) mrs keeps giving me jobs to do!
 
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