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No vacancy after successful interview

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gaerne58

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Has anyone ever gone for a position on the railway, succeeded in the interview, and then told that there are no vacancies at that particular depot for that particular role? Seems a bit of a hollow victory to be honest after a couple of years of trying to get in, not quite sure if I should be excited or not to get my hopes up. I've got up to 6 months of waiting now to see if a vacancy does arise, otherwise I guess it's back to the drawing board...
 
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UTC123

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Yes. November 2018 I was successful for a FOC, and awaiting my medical date. They subsequently lost the contract that was the bulk of the depots work... "we'll put you in a pool".

Nigh on 3 years later I am driving for the firm that won the contract, same depot.

Keep on trying
 

Horizon22

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Has anyone ever gone for a position on the railway, succeeded in the interview, and then told that there are no vacancies at that particular depot for that particular role? Seems a bit of a hollow victory to be honest after a couple of years of trying to get in, not quite sure if I should be excited or not to get my hopes up. I've got up to 6 months of waiting now to see if a vacancy does arise, otherwise I guess it's back to the drawing board...

Wasn't a depot-based role but yes I have. The role was "indefinitely suspended" about 5 months after I interviewed and reappeared about 12 months afterwards, but I had moved onto another role.

Essentially what you're describing is a "talent pool" though whereby successful candidates are placed into a pool until a vacancy is available.
 

gaerne58

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Wasn't a depot-based role but yes I have. The role was "indefinitely suspended" about 5 months after I interviewed and reappeared about 12 months afterwards, but I had moved onto another role.

Essentially what you're describing is a "talent pool" though whereby successful candidates are placed into a pool until a vacancy is available.
Well that's what I thought, but no such words were used in the email(s) I received, but it does sound like if a position becomes available they would call me. It's strange because during the interview they said there was a recruitment drive to employ more Shunters... I'm just wondering if some existing Shunters changed their mind about leaving hence this outcome. At least I'm not alone!
 

Driver0202

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Effects of covid unfortunately and the wait to see if public transport will be cut; it’s recently happened at northern rail at certain depots.
 

GB

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Yes. November 2018 I was successful for a FOC, and awaiting my medical date. They subsequently lost the contract that was the bulk of the depots work... "we'll put you in a pool".

Exactly the same thing though it was 2004 and eventually got the job 2008.
 

skyhigh

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Has anyone ever gone for a position on the railway, succeeded in the interview, and then told that there are no vacancies at that particular depot for that particular role? Seems a bit of a hollow victory to be honest after a couple of years of trying to get in, not quite sure if I should be excited or not to get my hopes up. I've got up to 6 months of waiting now to see if a vacancy does arise, otherwise I guess it's back to the drawing board...
Yes, sadly it's not uncommon. Often recruitment is for a talent pool with openings coming up when people currently in the role move on. This has the benefit for the company of being able to get new starters in more quickly when roles do come up as there's a pool of people waiting to start. Unfortunately Covid has delayed a lot of training for people who might be moving onto other roles, so the knock on effect is delays and expired applications in the talent pool.
 

voyagerdude220

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I was successful at my first interview with my now employer TOC, but put into a talent pool. Officially it was for up to 6 months, however, around 8/9 months, out of the blue, they emailed me offering me an interview for a different location to the one I applied for and got offered the job.
 

gaerne58

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Interesting to see so many different experiences then. I don't give up my current day job just yet then!
 

G30RG3

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Always worth having a back up plan. I moved area on the strength of a "successful" final interview only to wait a full 9 months (as informed) and find out there were still no openings and no guarantees that a vacancy would become available. Fortunately I was able to move in my current employment and have since applied for alternative roles within the railway. Unfortunately still no offers. Covid hit so a lot of additional set backs, however reading further it appears to be common within the railway application process, and somewhat a lottery success rate. Remaining hopeful none the less :)
 

gaerne58

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Just think it's a bit unfair to advertise a vacant position, with no mention of a talent pool, be successful and be told sorry they're no jobs. Like everyone, could really do with some good news in my life right now! I guess I could go for a walk and laugh at all the morons panic buying at the forecourts, that'll cheer me up!
 

G30RG3

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You have to remember it's a very sought after sector to work in, high numbers of applicants with lots to offer, rail companies can pick and choose who and where they want the best candidates to be placed. Like any competitive industry it makes it very cut throat at ground level with hefty waiting times for those that get through. I'm sure these rail companies have their cause however as you say, it does make it tough
 

joshuan542

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Yes this does happen, usually it means you passed absolutely fine on points etc.. but someone else or a few others got more points or were more suited to the role.
Likely they may keep you in mind if one does arise again but I'm not aware of them doing this they often will recruit again
 

scrapy

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A driver will have to give less notice (usually between 3 and 6 months) than it takes to train a new driver. Therefore TOCs often have to speculate over their recruitment needs in advance or be short and if somebody they may have been expecting to leave the vacancy is no longer there.

I know at Northern there are drivers who are coming up to retirement age hanging on as they feel they may be offered voluntary redundancy or especially if on the final salary ex BR pension may see their pensions increase significantly if a deal is reached to bring Sundays in the working week as a payrise will likely be part of a deal.
 

gaerne58

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Yes this does happen, usually it means you passed absolutely fine on points etc.. but someone else or a few others got more points or were more suited to the role.
Likely they may keep you in mind if one does arise again but I'm not aware of them doing this they often will recruit again
In that case I would just like a simple thanks but no thanks email to end my misery and get on with searching for more roles.
 

voyagerdude220

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In that case I would just like a simple thanks but no thanks email to end my misery and get on with searching for more roles.
Understandable, however as someone who got employed on the Railway thanks to a talent pool, I disagree.

Also the job I got had only been advertised internally and I was offered an interview for it despite not being internal at the time, presumably because I was in the talent pool.
 
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