Signaller talent pools?

[kbreen]

About a month ago externally advertised were "Signaller opportunities for Three Bridges area" and "Signaller opportunities for Sussex and north downs area". I applied for both and today have received an email from Network Rail HR saying:

"We are pleased to say you have been successful at the initial selection stage, but at present do not have any suitable opportunities however if any opportunities become available we will be in contact with you."

I have never seen Signallers job's advertised like this before, always as a single location and when they actually have a vacancy. So what i'm wondering is, are Network rail trying to do a talent pool for certain area's where they know they'll have a lot of vacancies? This is just my theory of what the above could possibly mean, anyone know anything about this?

Many Thanks,
Katherine

 

[Goggy02]

Hi Katherine

Had an interview at Three Bridges ROC a month ago and today received the same email as you today, not sure what to make of it! Did you have an interview too?

 

[kbreen]

No i didn't, i know there have been some internal interviews (are you internal or external? Im external) but didn't know if there were any external interviews? The status of my Three Bridges application is "Test Completed" for about a month and a half now, so this email i got was a bit strange!

Got an email earlier to say my application for Oxted (which i believe is sussex region) had been unsuccessful (not had an interview) yet i received an email for the "North Downs and Sussex Areas" that said my initial application had been successful, so i'm a bit confused.

 

[LBSCR Times]

My understanding of what is happening is that NR require signallers in the ROC, but the positions are coming available as and when. In the meantime NR are hoping to drop applicants in to existing boxes as and when the current signallers either retire, move on, or go in to the ROC. So the posts could be anywhere within the Sussex Route.

 

[kbreen]

Yeah that makes sense, seems a lot better than advertising for each one and taking months and months to actually hire someone!

What i'm confused about is my application for Oxted is being taken no further (after the initial sift it seems), even though i have done my signallers assessment and just last week had an interview for a grade 7 box! But i wonder whether its got something to do with the "North Downs and Sussex Area's Opportunities". I don't know? Do you think it's worth emailing HR about this?

 

[TomBoyd]

That does sound a bit odd.

There were external candidates at the interview day I was on.

What time did you guys get this email today? I didn't get anything on the internal.

 

[kbreen]

I got mine at about 4 pm, maybe the email was only for external candidates? But if Goggy got an email even though he was interviewed that sounds even more strange, i'd probably contact HR about that email Goggy!

 

[Goggy02]

Yes, I am external as well. got the email same as you about 4pm. When I was interviewed it was explained to me that there were 88 being interviewed and the vast majority were obviously internal but the positions available in the ROC were a lot less than 88 although they couldn't state how many. As someone mentioned, when the internal guys who are successful move to the ROC there will be places that require back filling.

 

[TomBoyd]

Well, speaking as an internal candidate, I didn't get that email.