racism, sexism, disability discrimination in Network Rail recruitment

[knightrider]

I'm going to guess this is going to cause quite an uproar (and lots of abusive messages- both private and public) because most people don't want to accept it exists. But has anyone attended a job interview for Network Rail, thought it went really well, only to be told you didn't get the job because you simply didn't meet the criteria? Did you later wonder if it could be down to your protected characteristic i.e. race, sex, religion, disability........

 

[Thedispatcher]

I don’t have any personal experience of this but which of those protected characteristics do you feel have been held against you, if you don’t mind me asking? At New Street the staff seem to be fairly diverse but I’m interested to hear what your particular experience is.

 

[mresh91]

Been in the same position as you perhaps. Had a NR interview, went well.. but never got the job. This happened on multiple occasions btw. That being said, it absolutely has NOTHING to do with discrimination in my opinion, and I never thought of it that way as well. Railway recruitment in general can be a huge mindf### and is very hard to comprehend, believe me I've failed interviews so many times.

Favouritsm and nepotism is a possibility, but discrimination along the grounds you have mentioned is a pretty heavy accusation based on what I can only assume is a hunch on your part. Accept it and move on.

 

[Mag_seven]

NR is very strong on Diversity and Inclusion (it has a formal D&I policy) so any prejudice in recruitment I would expect to be stamped out very quickly.

 

[Emmsie]

I found the railway incredibly diverse so if you interviewed well but didn't get the position it is probably that someone else interviewed better and ticked more boxes rather than a reflection on you personally. Transport industries are one of the few that do not discriminate over age so get a big tick for that as ageism is definitely the poor relation amongst other isms.

 

[Tom9748]

Not with NR but with London Underground. Passed everything for a driver position and had to attend a competency based interview as the final hurdle. I was told I had the job as long as my medical went ok and this was just a formality.
Answered everything I was asked but had the feeling the person doing the interview had already made up her mind. Two days later "dear Mr 9748 we are sorry to say........"

Two months later I had the same competency based interview with a FOC, same questions as with London Underground and answered with the same answers as before, have been driving now for 15 years.

Who wants to drive around in a big tunnel all day anyway!

 

[Darandio]

But has anyone attended a job interview for Network Rail, thought it went really well, only to be told you didn't get the job because you simply didn't meet the criteria?

People have attended interviews at thousands of companies and been told they didn't get the job because they didn't meet the criteria. This is not unique to Network Rail and isn't discrimination either.

 

[Wirewiper]

As well as ageism, you missed out sexual orientation - was that accidental, or deliberate?

 

[Tom Quinne]

Maybe you just weren’t good enough on the day ?

Why does there have to be some kind of discrimination these days ?

You didnt get the job, dust yourself down, rework your CV, application form etc can crack on again and again until you get the job !

 

[theking]

Always got to be some kind of discrimination.

Maybe you was just not good enough.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I'm going to guess this is going to cause quite an uproar (and lots of abusive messages- both private and public) because most people don't want to accept it exists. But has anyone attended a job interview for Network Rail, thought it went really well, only to be told you didn't get the job because you simply didn't meet the criteria? Did you later wonder if it could be down to your protected characteristic i.e. race, sex, religion, disability........

Or is it more likely that you simply did not make the grade in what is often a very competitive process.

Have you requested feedback? Not that you get much in most jobs.

 

[carriageline]

Request feedback, you should be well in your right to do so from the hiring manager, go via HR.

Remember, there are often internal people going for these jobs, people with more experience but external to the company etc etc.

On the other hand, you can also feel like you interview well, but infact don’t. You may not of come across as the sort of person they want to hire (some may even say this post proves that?).

Find your weak spots and improve, that’s all you can do. We’ve all had interviews where we thought we “had it in the bag” but subsequently don’t.

 

[route:oxford]

I'm going to guess this is going to cause quite an uproar (and lots of abusive messages- both private and public) because most people don't want to accept it exists. But has anyone attended a job interview for Network Rail, thought it went really well, only to be told you didn't get the job because you simply didn't meet the criteria? Did you later wonder if it could be down to your protected characteristic i.e. race, sex, religion, disability........

Why do you expect "lots of abusive messages"? Is it something you generally seek as part of an agenda?

Clearly it depends on the role, but if I were to manually review your CV post interview and find that you had used legacy punctuation such as i.e. instead of ie, it would make me wonder if you were capable of adapting to change. Likewise using an 8 dot ellipsis "........" is generally considered an outrage.

So, go on. Tell us what your protected status is...

Are you a colour-blind, English, Catholic, individual who presents as a woman trying to get a job in Glasgow?

 

[EM2]

I can't say for Network Rail as a whole, but the team I was recruited for has:
White males
White females
BAME males
BAME females
Straight males
Straight females
Gay males
Lesbian females
Trans females
Christian males
Christian females
Muslim males
Muslim females
Hindu males
Hindu females
Sikh males
Sikh females
Atheist males
Atheist females
British-born males
British-born females
European-born males
European-born females
American-born males
South American-born females
Asian-born males
Asian-born females
African-born males
African-born females
Australian-born males

I *think* that's it...

No trans males, no-one Jewish, and no-one physically disabled, I'll grant you.

 

[LRV3004]

Going off personal experience, it can feel like discrimination but I very much doubt this is the case, and even if you do suspect you are being discriminated against, you then have to prove it!
I have been knocked back for various railway positions no less than 22 times in two years and found it incredibly frustrating and disheartening. Keep at it - persistence does pay off in the end; I've finally had success and am in the talent pool of a train operating company awaiting further news......don't give up!!!

 

[Southernsig]

Often people look to lay blame others or somthing else instead of accepting that they were simply not good enough and that someone else was more suited to the role and moving forward and adressing their own shortcomings in the process thst led to the undesired outcome!

You may feel you have had an excellent interview but what is to say someone else didn't have an even better interview or equally as good but with more experience.

I think often as well a big part for a recruiter is looking at how someone will fit into the team they are joining. They will not want to upset the apple cart so to speak and recruit someone who will distabalise the balence of the team but look for a candidate that will be able to slot in easily. That is not descrimination bit instead effective recruiting.

That being said if you feel you have been unfairly discriminated against you have a right to raise a complaint and have it looked into if you feel unfairly treated.

 

[R Trevithick]

Until 12 months ago I had never failed a job interview.

I have since failed 7 in 12 months. 3 in the last month. I sincerely felt that I had at least 4 of the 7 in the bag. Clearly I didn’t.

Do I feel discriminated against. No it is simply that I did not do sufficiently well at the interview and the people interviewing me didn’t feel I was a good fit for the role.

 

[Llanigraham]

I wonder why Knightrider hasn't been back to make further comment?

 

[Southernsig]

I wonder why Knightrider hasn't been back to make further comment?

Probably because their ego isnt being massaged sufficiently with nobody agreeing that tneir failure to secure the job was infact everybody else fault but their own!

 

[cin88]

My NR team: three BAME staff, 5 female staff (one BAME), BAME female manager standing in for female manager on maternity (said manager in same grade and similar role anyway), five white males (including myself). One person actually has a disability affecting their back (and restricts their duties to strictly the day job, no alternative duties as required for them) and has had adjustments made for it.

If you fail your application at any stage then boo hoo, you weren't good enough on the day. Go back to the drawing board and try again. It's your ability to do the job that's being assessed and if they don't think you're good enough then you're not. Move on, improve your weak areas and try again when the opportunity arises.

 

[daylightatthegrids]

I'm going to guess this is going to cause quite an uproar (and lots of abusive messages- both private and public) because most people don't want to accept it exists. But has anyone attended a job interview for Network Rail, thought it went really well, only to be told you didn't get the job because you simply didn't meet the criteria? Did you later wonder if it could be down to your protected characteristic i.e. race, sex, religion, disability........

I understand your frastrustion on not getting the job you wanted (I believe).
There is always somebody who could have better qualifications/experience and nothing wrong with your profile.

My experience with Network Rail was fantastic and got the job offered 2 hours I left the interview.

 

[Saracen_83]

Positive descrimination exists in all sectors of work and I’m sure network rail are no different, they need to show they are a diverse working environment.....

Just look at the police, the fire service and even the BBC, all been guilty of late of positive discrimination.....

However just because you didn’t get the job doesn’t mean that you was discriminated. You might not have interviewed as well as someone else or someone who interviewed was deemed a better match to their criteria.....

Just dust yourself off, pick yourself up and go again. As disheartening as not getting. Job is you have no other option if you want to work within network rail! Just keep applying and hopefully one day you are successful!

 

[Gemz91]

As well as ageism, you missed out sexual orientation - was that accidental, or deliberate?

How would someone know another persons sexual orientation in a job interview? Race, sex and disability is all visible (disability I understand isn't always visible) but someones sexual orientation isn't obvious.

 

[TheGreatISA]

I currently work for Network Rail and have attended several interviews within the company and also have a few friends that have been for interviews.
Firstly in regards to the interview going well and not getting offered the job, the chances are there was a candidate who was better for the role. Another possibility is that there was a person already acting in the role at the depot and has applied for the job thus making them favourite for the position.
I am currently in the technical maintenance role and a few of my friends who are in similar positions they have also been unsuccessful with interviews. Despite the interview going really well the reason they didn't get the job was because they didn't have enough experience.

Just to add I am of an ethnic minority. Not that it matters but generally it comes down to the discretion of the interviewer if you are successful.

 

[YorkshireBear]

I have not been given jobs in Network Rail after good interviews because I do not meet the criteria. I am a white english male.

I very much doubt there is anything to do with discrimination!

 

[Wirewiper]

How would someone know another persons sexual orientation in a job interview? Race, sex and disability is all visible (disability I understand isn't always visible) but someones sexual orientation isn't obvious.

It might be sometimes. The point I was making is that people who call for minority rights don't always include all minorities, and often because of their own personal prejudices. Although I am not saying that Knightrider is personally prejudiced against LGBT people, perhaps we were just off their radar when they posted.

 

[Bletchleyite]

How would someone know another persons sexual orientation in a job interview? Race, sex and disability is all visible (disability I understand isn't always visible) but someones sexual orientation isn't obvious.

It sort-of can be, though not with 100% accuracy. Think about what some gay blokes refer to as their "gaydar", which is more an observational thing.

 

[TeaTrain]

I think that will be Knightrider's one and only post

 

[GMT]

I think that will be Knightrider's one and only post

It definitely was a slaughter

 

[Emmsie]

It might be sometimes. The point I was making is that people who call for minority rights don't always include all minorities, and often because of their own personal prejudices. Although I am not saying that Knightrider is personally prejudiced against LGBT people, perhaps we were just off their radar when they posted.

Human nature is such that if we feel that we are personally being discriminated against we will only focus on our own personal ism at that time. As I am now of an age that it appears I'm practically unemployable thats where my focus is.