SE'trn Looking for Drivers

[I like cheese]

I originally applied for a South Eastern train driver job in May 2013, Assessment in April 2014, which I passed, interview in July, which I was eventually told I had passed after a 3 week wait only to be told that there are no vacancies at the moment so I'm onto another waiting list. After informing the powers that be that I would relocate to any Depot in the South East!
So I was a little confused when I saw the vacancies advert, I contacted Recruitment and was told that there are no immediate vacancies, the advert is for projected jobs over the next 3 - 4 years due to the new pay deal and the expected driver jump to Crossrail as and when it opens.

Good luck to all and be prepared for a long wait.

 

[Pepperami]

Great... just great

 

[jamess115]

I originally applied for a South Eastern train driver job in May 2013, Assessment in April 2014, which I passed, interview in July, which I was eventually told I had passed after a 3 week wait only to be told that there are no vacancies at the moment so I'm onto another waiting list. After informing the powers that be that I would relocate to any Depot in the South East!
So I was a little confused when I saw the vacancies advert, I contacted Recruitment and was told that there are no immediate vacancies, the advert is for projected jobs over the next 3 - 4 years due to the new pay deal and the expected driver jump to Crossrail as and when it opens.

Good luck to all and be prepared for a long wait.

Surely there must be rule(s) that people have to follow when advertising for jobs (such as listing whether there is a job). Unless there has been unforecast changes since publishing an advert, you cannot advertise and then say there is no job or there maybe a vacancy in 3 years... It is misrepresentation and a complete waste of an applicants time. Who in their right mind would apply for a potential opening in 3 years time ?

 

[red2005]

Surely there must be rule(s) that people have to follow when advertising for jobs (such as listing whether there is a job). Unless there has been unforecast changes since publishing an advert, you cannot advertise and then say there is no job or there maybe a vacancy in 3 years... It is misrepresentation and a complete waste of an applicants time. Who in their right mind would apply for a potential opening in 3 years time ?

quite a lot of people if it's the career they truly want! if I was offered a driving job at 24 after applying at 21 I'd still be chuffed to bits! besides depending on the position you apply for on the railway it could take you longer than that to get the job anyway!

 

[jamess115]

quite a lot of people if it's the career they truly want! if I was offered a driving job at 24 after applying at 21 I'd still be chuffed to bits! besides depending on the position you apply for on the railway it could take you longer than that to get the job anyway!

I can see this point of view. Fair enough

 

[red2005]

I can see this point of view. Fair enough

From my first application to eventually getting my job was 7 years! App after app!

I think it's down to cost a lot of it nowadays, Do 1 recruitment drive fill up one of these talent pools and that's your job vacancies filled for years to come I suppose.

Must be a nice feeling though, almost forgetting you'd even applied then getting a phone call out of the blue telling you that you've got your dream job lol!

 

[jamess115]

From my first application to eventually getting my job was 7 years! App after app!

I think it's down to cost a lot of it nowadays, Do 1 recruitment drive fill up one of these talent pools and that's your job vacancies filled for years to come I suppose.

Must be a nice feeling though, almost forgetting you'd even applied then getting a phone call out of the blue telling you that you've got your dream job lol!

The rail industry must be different to others and not having this background, I don't know. However I know that employers have to recruit in advance and I think the point i'm making is that it should be made clear to candidates in the job description and at point of application that you are applying to go into a pool. Then, if you are happy to wait for 3 years (I know this is not all cases..) its ok, but most people don't have the luxury of this amount of time.

 

[Pepperami]

some of us are 50 lol so for us time is running out to be in the job they really want
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I've spoken to SE HR This morning to ask how long before we might hear about the positions

The applications are being sorted now, they are doing as many a day as they can, and hopefully within the next few weeks we will find out if we've been successful or not, the guy I spoke to said there were a LOT of applications so hence why its going to be a little while before anyone knows

I did broach the subject of when the role is happening, and there will be future intakes next year and that will be ongoing, but there is definitely one or two intakes towards the end of this year, so you never know it might happen before Christmas, that would be a nice way to head into the New Year

 

[red2005]

The rail industry must be different to others and not having this background, I don't know. However I know that employers have to recruit in advance and I think the point i'm making is that it should be made clear to candidates in the job description and at point of application that you are applying to go into a pool. Then, if you are happy to wait for 3 years (I know this is not all cases..) its ok, but most people don't have the luxury of this amount of time.

I'm sure that I have seen employers (not necessarily this industry) doing that now.......but on the other side I suppose when you apply for an industry like this or the emergency services for example where the numbers that apply are so high knowing that you may go into a talent pool for a while isn't actually worth knowing until you are a certain way into the recruitment process, a lot can happen in the early stages in terms of paper sifts and assessments and it's not like you'd hand your notice in at your current employer until you've been offered a job and got a start date!.

yes I can imagine it takes the wind out of your sails a bit but hey....you are 90% there if you are in a talent pool and if you'd passed assessments to get there which are transferrable there's nothing to stop you applying to other companies where you'd miss out the assessments altogether having already done them! every cloud has a silver lining dude! think positive....be pro active and you'll soon be there
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

some of us are 50 lol so for us time is running out to be in the job they really want
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I've spoken to SE HR This morning to ask how long before we might hear about the positions

The applications are being sorted now, they are doing as many a day as they can, and hopefully within the next few weeks we will find out if we've been successful or not, the guy I spoke to said there were a LOT of applications so hence why its going to be a little while before anyone knows

I did broach the subject of when the role is happening, and there will be future intakes next year and that will be ongoing, but there is definitely one or two intakes towards the end of this year, so you never know it might happen before Christmas, that would be a nice way to head into the New Year

hey one of the trainees on my course celebrated his 50th with us! equal opportunities remember chief! there's a lot of positives that come with life experience! besides it's not like you are a fossil he he he

 

[Pepperami]

hehehe feel like it sometimes

 

[red2005]

ha!! the railway won't improve that feeling any lol....talk about stress!! ha!!

 

[TDK]

hey one of the trainees on my course celebrated his 50th with us! equal opportunities remember chief! there's a lot of positives that come with life experience! besides it's not like you are a fossil he he he

As rule of thumb if a company can get 5 years guaranteed service they will take a trainee driver on so with the retirement age at 66 as long as you are medically fit any age up to 60 should be worth applying

 

[DmanPoppet]

3 weeks and not even an email confirming receipt of application. Anyone heard anything further with regards to timescales/courses etc?

 

[red2005]

joys of the railway mate! just have to wait and see!

 

[Pepperami]

If you log onto the site where you first had to register to apply you will see you have an internal mail which should say that the application has been received?

You will need to log on to the site to check the status of your application

 

[DmanPoppet]

If you log onto the site where you first had to register to apply you will see you have an internal mail which should say that the application has been received?

You will need to log on to the site to check the status of your application

Thanks for the info. All received at Southeastern's end

You're right, it's just a waiting game now. Doesn't make it any easier but at least now I know I'm in with a shot.

 

[quick978]

has ayone done the group bourdon test with southeastern?
i'd like to know if its pc or paper based please.

 

[Pepperami]

As SE are the same group as Southern I would guess paper based as they were with southern when I took then back in the spring

On a side note I got an email from S E thanking me for the application and as expected high numbers of applications mean we will be waiting for a while

 

[Bradders1984]

I received the same email today saying my application had been received. Told to be patient and wait.

 

[darren111]

Received same email too. I thought it was a rejection until I read it.

 

[Pepperami]

Positive thoughts Darren

 

[rchta455]

As did I!


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[Big Trainz]

I received the same email 3 times

 

[echodelta31]

Same again here...3 times. At least it was actually the same email and not a rejection. The wait continues....

 

[Kukua]

Any updates?

 

[Pepperami]

Only that the vacancies are for future roles there will not be any intake this side of Christmas according to the guy I spoke to

 

[darren111]

Thanks for that update Pepperami x

 

[Lee Place]

Have you heard anything back from your apllication yet?

 

[darren111]

Have you heard anything back from your apllication yet?

I dont think we will hear anything this side of xmas, going off info from Pepperami x

 

[jamess115]

I can understand why people are asking what the situation is re, applications. For me, it has been 7 weeks and I am a little surprised at not hearing at least something.
When I spoke to recruitment recently, the guy told me that they are going thru the applications but wont be contacting everyone together as there are too many.

Does this mean that they will contact us to let us know of an outcome or not ?

I don't know whether this is typical of rail companies but just think this is a bit odd.