EMT Senior Conductor Assessment

[Dimjim94]

I wonder if anyone would be able to help me, I have an assessment next week for a senior conductor talent pool for Nottingham or derby.

The email invitation is very vague as what to expect from the day. I've been given some practise material for the concentration and trainability tests, to which I have been practising on. I feel competent enough at those to hopefully get through this phase. Beyond that, it states 'group and individual tasks', to which I am looking for the help on. This could by anything.

Can anyone please help, and be able to give any idea as to what these might include and how to prepare for this assessment.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance

 

[PudseyBearHST]

Hey buddy! I don't have any advice but thought I would wish you good luck because I am also applying for a Train Manager at London Paddington (GWR) and I have a telephone interview next week!

 

[Dimjim94]

Hey buddy! I don't have any advice but thought I would wish you good luck because I am also applying for a Train Manager at London Paddington (GWR) and I have a telephone interview next week!

Hey, thanks for the reply, and good luck to yourself.

 

[Spankthemonkey]

I wonder if anyone would be able to help me, I have an assessment next week for a senior conductor talent pool for Nottingham or derby.

The email invitation is very vague as what to expect from the day. I've been given some practise material for the concentration and trainability tests, to which I have been practising on. I feel competent enough at those to hopefully get through this phase. Beyond that, it states 'group and individual tasks', to which I am looking for the help on. This could by anything.

Can anyone please help, and be able to give any idea as to what these might include and how to prepare for this assessment.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance

It'll be a zany group exercise like building an Eifel Tower out of newspapers.

 

[Max287]

Hi Jim

I had an assessment for TM with EMT myself a few years back and was offered a job at the end of the process but unfortunately an issue in my personal life stopped me
From taking the job at the time.

When I did it, the first part of the day was the tests, followed by a 15 minute coffee break and then we were split into groups of about 8 and given a group exercise to do. We were given a scenario on a sheet saying you were on a plane that crash landed in the rainforest, everybody was ok but the communication was not working on the plane and we needed to move away from the area.

We then had to discuss and decide as a group which items (I can't remember how many now) to take with us from a list of about 25 things. We had 10 minutes to discuss it and compile a list and then each group in turn had to address the room to explain which items you have chosen and why.

The exercise itself may now be slightly different but I'm sure it'll still be something similar.

My advice would be to make yourself heard but try to be constructive rather than just trying to talk over people and control the room as this didn't seem to do any favours to the ones who were like that. Ask other peoples opinions, especially if someone in the group hasn't said much, and keep an eye on the time, even mention it if you can as there are managers watching the discussion and taking notes all the way through; mentioning the time will show that you have organisation and awareness of the need to get the job done in the time frame set.

After the group exercise, you will be given some lunch and left to mingle for a while whilst the managers go off to discuss everyone's performance. One by one they will call you out of the room and tell you whether they want to interview you or not. If they do, that'll happens there and then.

Best of luck mate.

Ray

 

[PudseyBearHST]

Hi Jim

I had an assessment for TM with EMT myself a few years back and was offered a job at the end of the process but unfortunately an issue in my personal life stopped me
From taking the job at the time.

When I did it, the first part of the day was the tests, followed by a 15 minute coffee break and then we were split into groups of about 8 and given a group exercise to do. We were given a scenario on a sheet saying you were on a plane that crash landed in the rainforest, everybody was ok but the communication was not working on the plane and we needed to move away from the area.

We then had to discuss and decide as a group which items (I can't remember how many now) to take with us from a list of about 25 things. We had 10 minutes to discuss it and compile a list and then each group in turn had to address the room to explain which items you have chosen and why.

The exercise itself may now be slightly different but I'm sure it'll still be something similar.

My advice would be to make yourself heard but try to be constructive rather than just trying to talk over people and control the room as this didn't seem to do any favours to the ones who were like that. Ask other peoples opinions, especially if someone in the group hasn't said much, and keep an eye on the time, even mention it if you can as there are managers watching the discussion and taking notes all the way through; mentioning the time will show that you have organisation and awareness of the need to get the job done in the time frame set.

After the group exercise, you will be given some lunch and left to mingle for a while whilst the managers go off to discuss everyone's performance. One by one they will call you out of the room and tell you whether they want to interview you or not. If they do, that'll happens there and then.

Best of luck mate.

Ray

Wow that seems really intense! Out of curiosity, what is the salary for a TM and Senior Conductor at EMT? Also what is the difference because at GWR, a TM is essentially a Senior Conductor.

 

[Max287]

Wow that seems really intense! Out of curiosity, what is the salary for a TM and Senior Conductor at EMT? Also what is the difference because at GWR, a TM is essentially a Senior Conductor.

There are probably people better placed than me to answer that accurately but I believe a TM salary is around 31k, not sure for senior conductor. As I understand it, the only real difference between the two roles depends on which route and traction you are working. The TM's do the London work whilst the senior conductors are on the local work. As you say, they are essentially the same job.

 

[PudseyBearHST]

There are probably people better placed than me to answer that accurately but I believe a TM salary is around 31k, not sure for senior conductor. As I understand it, the only real difference between the two roles depends on which route and traction you are working. The TM's do the London work whilst the senior conductors are on the local work. As you say, they are essentially the same job.

Thank you

 

[LowLevel]

On EMT a train manager works trains to and from London. Traction is class 222/HST. London and Nottingham TMs work London to Corby/Sheffield/Nottingham, Derby TMs do that plus Lincoln, and Sheffield TMs do the basic routes plus Leeds, with some also working to York and Scarborough. Their duties include managing the catering staff and helping with first class service provision.

The Senior Conductors work any 15X services with some also signing HSTs and 222s for specific work. They cover the so called local work which is actually in the case of Nottingham in particular far more geographically spread than the 'mainline' work - going from Leicester in the South to Sheffield in the North, Liverpool in the West to Norwich in the East and plenty of places in between.

Unlike other TOCs there isn't really any consideration of a senior grade - both have their advantages and disadvantages. Train Managers have a slightly higher basic salary, but much worse terms and conditions (no booked breaks etc, different rules on leave) so it really just depends on the type of work you want to do.

 

[PudseyBearHST]

Unlike other TOCs there isn't really any consideration of a senior grade. T

Thanks- this clarifies it for me. At GWR you have Conductors and Train Managers and at SWT you have Guards and Commercial Guards. This is why I was confused when I heard EMT have Senior Conductors and Train Managers which I thought were essentially the same thing.

 

[Dimjim94]

Hey Ray!

Great, that's gives me a great insite as what to expect on the day. I've been doing plenty of research on the company, and competency type questions.
I seem to be getting the hang of these and confident enough to say I should be fine on those parts (that'll probably come back to bite me), I'm just less confident with the interview part.

It seems like a full on day but I hope I will be fine. Fingers crossed

Thanks guys

 

[Thedispatcher]

Hi,

I had an assessment about six months ago, and it involves the basic literacy and numeracy tests followed by the safe concentration test which involves shapes and letters, and identifying the odd one out.

After this, you'll be split into a group and given a scenario. For me, it was "You are the senior conductor on the 11:17 Lime Street to Norwich." Then it goes on to give you a list of problems and you have to talk about how you an resolve these problems. Stuff like broken toilets and drunk passengers. You create a presentation that lasts for say five minutes and deliver it to the other applicants as a group. Just don't go on for too long.

Finally, speed interviews: all candidates like uo ans go through one by one. There are two questions. They are what do you know about EMT? And I'm not sure about the second but I believe it's about your skills and what you can bring.

Hope this helps.

TD