GWR conductor interview

[Robert27]

Hi everyone, new to this forum site, wondering if anybody can give me a few pointers towards the GWR conductor role interview as I have mine coming up on 21st September, it'll be through teams so a bit different to the usual face to face.

What sort of questions are likely to be asked?

Safety side of things or more customer service questions?

Would appreciate all the help I can get please!

Thanks in advance

 

[paulwestwood]

Hi everyone, new to this forum site, wondering if anybody can give me a few pointers towards the GWR conductor role interview as I have mine coming up on 21st September, it'll be through teams so a bit different to the usual face to face.

What sort of questions are likely to be asked?

Safety side of things or more customer service questions?

Would appreciate all the help I can get please!

Thanks in advance

Hi, Good luck, have you tried doing a search on here as most of the GWR recruitment process is already in this forum. But you will be asked about the company and to explain where you have provided excellent customer service and they will expect you describe the event process, you will probably be asked when you haven't been able to get the outcome you hoped for and how did you deal with that and thought process amongst a load of Safety, following Rules and Procedures etc.
Which depot by the way.

 

[Robert27]

Hi, Good luck, have you tried doing a search on here as most of the GWR recruitment process is already in this forum. But you will be asked about the company and to explain where you have provided excellent customer service and they will expect you describe the event process, you will probably be asked when you haven't been able to get the outcome you hoped for and how did you deal with that and thought process amongst a load of Safety, following Rules and Procedures etc.
Which depot by the way.

I did have a look through, but I will dig deeper as I wasn't sure if the interview process had changed since it went online. Thanks for the advice though, really appreciate it. It'll be for Penzance. It's a talent pool so I'm unsure how long they keep you in that untill offering a job. What's your job and where you working out of?

 

[paulwestwood]

I did have a look through, but I will dig deeper as I wasn't sure if the interview process had changed since it went online. Thanks for the advice though, really appreciate it. It'll be for Penzance. It's a talent pool so I'm unsure how long they keep you in that untill offering a job. What's your job and where you working out of?

Hi, format of interview should be the same as previously apart from being held by zoom, and there Guards Managers and HR would also normally be present in these so you may get switched between screens. With regard to Talent Pool that depends on when spaces become available in the links in your case Penzance and also when and where your classroom training would take place. I'm not sure about timescales as it will probably depend on how many of the current team are awaiting a place on the Trainee Driver Course or any other position they may be moving to. Penzance has both TM & Conductor.
I am a TM at Exeter.

 

[michael74]

Hi @Robert27 I am applying for the talent pool at Exeter, just waiting to see if the SCATT test lands in my inbox (did the RAAT yesterday), which I believe is the last test before they sift again for interview, is that right? It's all a new process as I had last applied before to COVID and sat all the tests on paper at Newton Abbot, but my 3 years test pass results ran out just before the application for this talent pool came out (typical lol), I wasn't taken to interview after the face to face group session last time. Let us know how the interview went, good luck.

Hello @paulwestwood, would you know if this talent pool is in anticipation of a post COVID uplift of services following the move of guards to driver roles or retirement? From the perspective of the outside looking in and based upon vacancies advertised over the years I never thought of Exeter as having a massively high turnover of conductors, especially with Conductor/TM harmonisation (has that actually happened and has it made a difference to progression or a lack of for the old conductor grade)..... Sorry one big long question lol.

 

[paulwestwood]

Hi @Robert27 I am applying for the talent pool at Exeter, just waiting to see if the SCATT test lands in my inbox (did the RAAT yesterday), which I believe is the last test before they sift again for interview, is that right? It's all a new process as I had last applied before to COVID and sat all the tests on paper at Newton Abbot, but my 3 years test pass results ran out just before the application for this talent pool came out (typical lol), I wasn't taken to interview after the face to face group session last time. Let us know how the interview went, good luck.

Hello @paulwestwood, would you know if this talent pool is in anticipation of a post COVID uplift of services following the move of guards to driver roles or retirement? From the perspective of the outside looking in and based upon vacancies advertised over the years I never thought of Exeter as having a massively high turnover of conductors, especially with Conductor/TM harmonisation (has that actually happened and has it made a difference to progression or a lack of for the old conductor grade)..... Sorry one big long question lol.

Hi, currently we have a few spaces in the Links for both TM & Conductor due to retirements and both colleagues on both sides moving to Trainee Drivers. We still have both TM's & Conductors still waiting Driver course start dates as well as some conductors on a list awaiting to become TM. Exeter has also had some crew transfer to Plymouth when they advertised as they live closer to Plymouth. I cannot give you numbers as I don't know. Exeter has the additional work for the new Okehampton services to cover so this may have been taken into consideration, the conductors have recently also been route learning to Pinhoe. We also have some guards on maternity leave that will also need to slot back into the links. So once successful you may have a bit of a wait for start dates due to class size and Guards Course Instructors. Harmonisation hasn't yet happened and is on the back burner due to the on going Covid and GBR/DFT.

 

[michael74]

Hi, currently we have a few spaces in the Links for both TM & Conductor due to retirements and both colleagues on both sides moving to Trainee Drivers. We still have both TM's & Conductors still waiting Driver course start dates as well as some conductors on a list awaiting to become TM. Exeter has also had some crew transfer to Plymouth when they advertised as they live closer to Plymouth. I cannot give you numbers as I don't know. Exeter has the additional work for the new Okehampton services to cover so this may have been taken into consideration, the conductors have recently also been route learning to Pinhoe. We also have some guards on maternity leave that will also need to slot back into the links. So once successful you may have a bit of a wait for start dates due to class size and Guards Course Instructors. Harmonisation hasn't yet happened and is on the back burner due to the on going Covid and GBR/DFT.

Hello Paul. Many thanks for your really informative answer, really helpful. Just need to get the job now lol.

 

[EX-Counsel]

Hi All, I've been seeking out information regarding Talent pools and the process and this is the closest thread I could find. Please don't think I'm trying to hijack the thread.
I'm currently undergoing the online testing and would like some insight to other's experiences. When passing a test is the next one sent straightaway or is there some form of delay? I completed the first of 4 yesterday and am waiting for an update. I get quite antsy about waiting and this would help to quell my impatience! Thanks in advance

 

[Lmc1976]

Hi All, I've been seeking out information regarding Talent pools and the process and this is the closest thread I could find. Please don't think I'm trying to hijack the thread.
I'm currently undergoing the online testing and would like some insight to other's experiences. When passing a test is the next one sent straightaway or is there some form of delay? I completed the first of 4 yesterday and am waiting for an update. I get quite antsy about waiting and this would help to quell my impatience! Thanks in advance

Hi, if you get angsty about waiting then nothing about the railway recruitment process I can see is going to help reassure you. I have reached a talent pool before thinking I had made it only for my psychometric tests to expire 18 months later before I was offered a job therefore I’m back to square one again. You will need patience and lots of it through the recruitment process, all I can say is when they have an update for you either negative or positive you will be informed, how long the gap is between those updates is anyone’s guess.

 

[EX-Counsel]

Hi, if you get angsty about waiting then nothing about the railway recruitment process I can see is going to help reassure you. I have reached a talent pool before thinking I had made it only for my psychometric tests to expire 18 months later before I was offered a job therefore I’m back to square one again. You will need patience and lots of it through the recruitment process, all I can say is when they have an update for you either negative or positive you will be informed, how long the gap is between those updates is anyone’s guess.

Thanks for your response! I completely get it and should be used to it by now, having applied for a few different positions. I think my worry was that I hadn't passed the first test as, unfortunately, I hadn't answered all of the questions. But I've just received the next test invitation from the OPC with a date to complete by so I'm feeling pretty positive about that now!