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D B schenker Assessment day

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Gareth43

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19 Mar 2012
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Please can anyone here shed some light on whether attending a private assessment day for train driving with D B schenker is worth considering.
I have considered it, however I am reluctant to go through with it as I feel it may not be an advantage when applying for trainee train driver positions.
Would it be the case that TOC's would rather you attend their assessment days as opposed to doing them privately.
What are your views and or experiences; have any of you gone this route and been successful in securing a job with a TOC.

Many thanks in advance.

Gareth
 
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reddevil79

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i too have seen this http://www.rail.dbschenker.co.uk/training/pdad.htm but have similar reservations as you gareth,
upon successful completion of this course i take it you will still only be able to apply for 'trainee' posistions as you have no experience right?

as far as i can see this course would only shave the first 2 months off the initial recruitment/assesment process because you will then need to find a TOC that is hiring?

am i right in thinking?
 

Gareth43

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As far as I know if one completed the course and passed; then when applying to say FCC one would still have to attend an assessment, albeit only for the Glop test and final interview and medical, whether it would help in the short-listings or not I do not know but some individuals that I know who work in the industry say that it can help to be given an assessment quicker.
But then on the other hand there are a few people I know who stress you should not attend a private assessment but rather only attend the TOC'S assessments as just because one has passed privately does not by any means accelerate ones chances.

So basically I am none the wiser :|
 

TDK

Established Member
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4,155
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Please can anyone here shed some light on whether attending a private assessment day for train driving with D B schenker is worth considering.
I have considered it, however I am reluctant to go through with it as I feel it may not be an advantage when applying for trainee train driver positions.
Would it be the case that TOC's would rather you attend their assessment days as opposed to doing them privately.
What are your views and or experiences; have any of you gone this route and been successful in securing a job with a TOC.

Many thanks in advance.

Gareth

If you have already passed the assessments it used to be normal to automatically invite you to an interview, this is what used to happen with the company I worked for this in turn saves you having to worry about the sift. If you need more information on what needs to be done on application PM me.
 

Shrub Hill

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26 Aug 2009
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london
personally knowing what i do now i would consider it, all about getting yourself to the front of the queue! remember that the recruitment process for the TOC's is a costly affair and the sooner they can get bums on seats the better for them, logically you would think they would take the best that they have apply based on scores, and some might depending on the amount of drivers being recruited but for others the policy is if your good enough your in!

also keep in mind the cost issue as stated above, companies might not always advertise but if you put yourself out, get it done and let the relevent hr departments know, you never know what doors will open! best of luck
 

reddevil79

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15 Apr 2012
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If you have already passed the assessments it used to be normal to automatically invite you to an interview, this is what used to happen with the company I worked for this in turn saves you having to worry about the sift. If you need more information on what needs to be done on application PM me.

im very interested in your advice/opinions also tdk but i cant find the pm system ? or do i need to have made a certain amount of contributing posts in the forum before its unlocked?
 

jonnyb1978

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22 Oct 2009
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Personally im not sure this is beneficial. First the cost. Second it only lasts two years therefore is only worth 3 applications at best as you can only apply for one at a time and then can not apply for 6 months. Most tocs have a trainability so you will still have to do some sort of assessment exclusive to that toc.
It will not help in the shortlisting. The application is designed to sift out people. The trick here is to include key words that they want to hear ie. Remain calm, polite, assess the situation, prioritise, listen, understand, proactive etc etc.
The questions are irrelevent and are all broadly the same...they want the key word to see what kind of person you are.
This is the most important part. Master these words and you will get your assessment through shortlisting.
 

Safety365

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8 Dec 2010
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Personally im not sure this is beneficial. First the cost. Second it only lasts two years therefore is only worth 3 applications at best as you can only apply for one at a time and then can not apply for 6 months. Most tocs have a trainability so you will still have to do some sort of assessment exclusive to that toc.
It will not help in the shortlisting. The application is designed to sift out people.

I think you've got yourself slightly confused.

Firstly the cost is out-stripped by the potential benefits. A one off £145 for a job worth anywhere between £38,000 and £50,000 per annum... You do the math!

it only lasts two years

Quite simply, It doesn't. It depends which TOC/FOC you're applying to. At Southern it is valid for 5 Years. I'm guessing you didn't read the info via the link in post number 2 of this thread or you would have read this:

DBS Website said:
On passing the Train Drivers assessment you will receive your certificate, this will be valid for a period between 12 months and 5 years depending on which Train of Freight Operator you apply to. The results are Recognised by all Train Operating Companies


[...]is only worth 3 applications at best as you can only apply for one at a time and then can not apply for 6 months
You can apply for as many Trainee Train Driver vacancies at one time as you like. Whoever told you different was wrong.
If I recall correctly... If you fail one of the assessments you cannot re-take them for 6months. You get two attempts.


Most tocs have a trainability so you will still have to do some sort of assessment exclusive to that toc.

Some TOCs have extra tests that others don't. These do count towards your two attempts at the assessments. Fail the extra assessment(s) and you may not be able to apply to that TOC or TOCs that use them. For example LOROL (London Overground) and Heathrow Express both submit their candidates for a Personality Questionnaire which is 115 personality questions on a PDA followed by the structured interview. Fail it with LOROL and you can't apply to LOROL or HEX for 6 months.
Similarly with SWT, who have candidates undergo a Railway Verbal Comms Exercise. Neither of these are part of the core assessments, so will not count towards your two attempts at the assessments.


It will not help in the shortlisting.

It will! Got me to the front of the queue twice. Why? Because the TOC you're applying to won't have to send you The OPC or DBS (or whoever else administers assessments) and pay to have you assessed.

If I'd known I could've paid to do the assessments in 2009 instead of waiting around for trainee vacancies I might've become a driver sooner.

Hope this has helped
 

NS

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21 Jan 2012
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*I too am considering sitting the assessments with DB shenker, currently the website has the following assessments listed:

Reaction test
Concentration test
Mechanical comprehension
2 Trainability tests
Criteria based interview

Does anyone who has sat the assessments with DB Shenker privately know if the concentration test is scaat or dots, computer or paper based, and is there any other assessments which they test you on such as the fault finding test?
 

dugster70

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27 Mar 2012
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83
Please can anyone here shed some light on whether attending a private assessment day for train driving with D B schenker is worth considering.
I have considered it, however I am reluctant to go through with it as I feel it may not be an advantage when applying for trainee train driver positions.
Would it be the case that TOC's would rather you attend their assessment days as opposed to doing them privately.
What are your views and or experiences; have any of you gone this route and been successful in securing a job with a TOC.

Many thanks in advance.

Gareth

Hi Gareth,

I did the DB Schenker assessment day although it was not private. I was invited by Northern to do it. Since then I have noticed that on the most recent Northern application form for driver posts that there is a section where they would like you to put whether you have passed these assessments or not (this was not there when i did my application, Northern must have changed it) - my point is why would they do this if they weren't interested in whether you have or not. My answer to your question would be that you have an advantage if you have completed the assessment privately - to what extent who knows !!!
 

Gareth43

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19 Mar 2012
Messages
90
Location
Henlow
Hi Gareth,

I did the DB Schenker assessment day although it was not private. I was invited by Northern to do it. Since then I have noticed that on the most recent Northern application form for driver posts that there is a section where they would like you to put whether you have passed these assessments or not (this was not there when i did my application, Northern must have changed it) - my point is why would they do this if they weren't interested in whether you have or not. My answer to your question would be that you have an advantage if you have completed the assessment privately - to what extent who knows !!!

Thanks Dugster70, and everyone else who has posted here.

I have bit the bullet and booked my assessments for the 6 of June, I am as prepared as I can be now after spending the last 2 months researching and practising all the material I can find, although the material I have used is not the same as on the day I feel prepared and ready to take on the assessments.
The only thing I have not looked in to is the structured interview, it will be what it will be on the day so very much looking forward to this and hopefully I do well enough to pass.
 

reapz

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7 Jan 2011
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227
Thanks Dugster70, and everyone else who has posted here.

I have bit the bullet and booked my assessments for the 6 of June, I am as prepared as I can be now after spending the last 2 months researching and practising all the material I can find, although the material I have used is not the same as on the day I feel prepared and ready to take on the assessments.
The only thing I have not looked in to is the structured interview, it will be what it will be on the day so very much looking forward to this and hopefully I do well enough to pass.

the structured interveiw is the part most people fail on !! . if you say one thing wrong its a fail, search posts on here i think bev posted all the questions and answers
 

kart

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18 Aug 2011
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Having an assessment pass does not get you an Interview, simple! What it does do is if you do pass the application stage or the mangers interview it means you have nothing to worry about apart from getting the mangers interview spot on!

I am not saying for one minute not to take it at DB, but it won't get you pass the application or mangers interview!
 

Beveridges

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Well my private assessment pass got me a depot drivers position. It was the one thing that stood out in the Interview, that I had the pass while none of the other applicants had it made me the most qualified applicant. It might or might not work for everyone.
 

Gareth43

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Henlow
Having an assessment pass does not get you an Interview, simple! What it does do is if you do pass the application stage or the mangers interview it means you have nothing to worry about apart from getting the mangers interview spot on!

I am not saying for one minute not to take it at DB, but it won't get you pass the application or mangers interview!

Seeing as my applications are on hold for a few TOC's I do not see the harm in doing the assessments privately after all I have made it through the application stage.
 

kart

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18 Aug 2011
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Seeing as my applications are on hold for a few TOC's I do not see the harm in doing the assessments privately after all I have made it through the application stage.

I took it privately and I am on a Trainee course now! :D
 

dugster70

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27 Mar 2012
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I took it privately and I am on a Trainee course now! :D

Hi Kart, congrats on your success, do you think that some other applicants probably nailed the interview like you did, but (and this is only speculation) due to the fact that there were only limited places with so many successful applicants they preferred to select some of the applicants who had already passed the train driver assessments. This could have happened then again it might not have, some TOC's like Northern do the managers interview before they select you for assessment so in that instance it could go in your favour if you have already done it depending on how the interview went.
 

doubleamber

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6 Oct 2011
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Location
lincolnshire
i did the private test at DBS and found it very useful, still job hunting, but like every job at the moment is being applied to by everyone.

good luck.:)
 

TDK

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Thanks Dugster70, and everyone else who has posted here.

I have bit the bullet and booked my assessments for the 6 of June, I am as prepared as I can be now after spending the last 2 months researching and practising all the material I can find, although the material I have used is not the same as on the day I feel prepared and ready to take on the assessments.
The only thing I have not looked in to is the structured interview, it will be what it will be on the day so very much looking forward to this and hopefully I do well enough to pass.

FYI, an ex colleage of mine took the test privately and has now got a job with Euro Tunnel so I think that answers your question
 

lvaxb24

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23 Mar 2012
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http://www.railforums.co.uk/showpost.php?p=532586&postcount=8

This thread will help with the structured interview mate. It is spot on!

All I can add is listen to the interviewer, if you're asked the same question more than once you're rambling or not saying what they need to hear.

They're not there to trip you up but they do want the replies concise, to the point and relevant to the role.
 
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Gareth43

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Henlow
Thank you lvaxb24,
That is very helpful, I will make a note to rehearse my responses to these questions.

Cheers.:D
 

Lanc688

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20 May 2012
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Lincolnshire
On the same thread...... I passed my DBS assessment day a couple of months ago. I did very well in all the tests except the Reaction test, where I only achieved a 'borderline' pass. Although a 'pass', some of the icing was certainly taken off of the overall result for me.
I just wondered if anyone here had any experience of this being a hinderance in any application. I only achieved this result in the test due to cockiness and a little naivety, yet the result still stands.

I a have a very good job right now, but really want to change and become a driver and just hoped that a pass might still help a little when applying?

PS....first post....honoured to be a member and look fwd to much discsussion!
 

NS

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21 Jan 2012
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Does anybody know of any companies other than Db Shenker that hold private driver assessment days?
 
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