SWR Commercial Guard - Accept or deny interview?

[Mrec]

So I’m in a bit of a predicament

I had been waiting for an SWR commercial guard position to come up at my local station. Sadly it’s only a small station so I have been waiting a long time. I then noticed a position came up at my second choice of station which is about 50 minutes away from me and decided chances are this might be my best shot. Long story short, I’ve been through all the online stuff and passed the assessment day and have now been offered an interview. However, and just my luck, an advert has just been posted for my first choice of station. I spoke with recruitment who said that I can’t swap over my application to another position and that I would have to apply to that station and start all over. They would be able to use my assessment scores from my assessment day on the new application so I wouldn’t have to sit them again. So i applied, passed the online assessments and am now waiting to hear back. The closer station would be an awful lot better for me. I live 2-3 minutes away and would make life that much easier. I just don’t want to throw away the chance to do this job altogether.

Here’s where the predicament starts…

My interview is next week and I applied for the new position that’s closer to me last week. For me, the recruitment process has been quite slow so it’s unlikely I’ll hear back from the new application before then. So what do I do……? I know the assessment day results are valid for 3 years but I don’t wasn’t to cancel the interview and leave a bad impression. I also don’t want to attend the interview and then turn down any potential offer if I hear back from the closer station. If I went to the interview and passed and was offered a position but turned it down, would I be able to use that pass if I was offered the new application or would I have to interview for that station all over again? I know interviews are valid for 6 months but unsure if they are general or station specific.

Sorry it’s a lot. If anyone has been through similar or has some insight then that would be amazing.

Thanks

 

[kajojek3232]

Damn, that’s a difficult one. I’m sure some actual guards will be able to give you better advice, but what I will say is that a 50-minute commute will get to you after a while. Especially with the early starts and late finishes.

 

[J3053B]

Please message me direct

 

[1867Blue]

How confident are you of getting a job at the closer station? Do you think the gamble is worth it.

My advice is go for the interview. And see what happens. You may not get offered the job, and be able to take valuable experience from the interview into the closer position.

 

[Undiscovered]

If you decline this interview, you may not get another opportunity.
You can always mention your application for closer station at interview, as while HR have policies to follow, local management may be more pragmatic , or put in for a hardship move after you're qualified and served time etc.

 

[Tevion539]

Echo the above - accept the interview and apply for your first choice station. The worst they can say is no, and you can always put in for a transfer. If you reject the interview, you may not get another chance.

 

[Horizon22]

Just to clarify here when we're talking about "station" do we mean "depot"?

Ultimately you might not get an interview for the other one, even if it is the same role. Absoutely no harm in going to the interview and accepting it and you may be able to transfer in future. At the very least it is good interview practice. So I would keep going as you are now.

 

[Roger1973]

It's a well known and unwritten law that if you're job hunting, the job you want most comes up once you're already some way in to another application process.

I can't comment on the specifics with SWR but -

Can you apply for preferred location while keeping the current application going? Or would you have to withdraw the current application? My general principle on job hunting is to try and keep as many options open as long as possible. Turning down one interview / offer in the hope that something better will come along may be unwise (you know your circumstances and how big an issue it would be if you end up with neither job through doing that.)

Is your preferred location also going to be preferred location for more people? Will there be more competition for that? (e.g. it's somewhere housing is cheaper, or the shift pattern is better etc.)

As others have said, the chance may arise in the future of a transfer, but that's probably going to be a case of waiting for someone to leave. There might already be a waiting list of people wanting to transfer there (this can happen on the buses - I don't know if that's a thing on SWR) - although if they have a public advert out for vacancies there, that suggests it might not be the case.

With some organisations, there's a rule that you can't apply for a transfer to another job / location while you're in the probation period, or for X amount of time after starting. Others may be able to advise if SWR have a specific rule.

Is there a risk that if you tell manager at first interview that you're also applying for other location, that they will hold that against you? There's a risk they may think there's no point in taking you on if you're going to move on at the first chance. (others may be able to offer more specific advice here.)

 

[Driver121]

Take the interview & if you get the job, request/ speak to trainer for a transfer when you're in training school. I had a few in my class that got their transfer during training about 5 years ago, not sure if anything has changed since

 

[Urban Gateline]

I had someone in my Guards training who lived near Weymouth but went for Yeovil as that is what was available to them at the time, I think there's a lot to be said for getting your foot in the door, as others said you might not get another chance.

Saying that, if you fail the interview I believe you have to wait 6 months to apply for Commercial Guard again regardless of depot, also unless you get a hardship transfer then under normal circumstances you have to work 3yrs in the depot you chose from what I understand so there is the risk of you being stuck in that 50min commute for a while if you get offered that.

Tough one but I wish you all the best, only you know what is best for you

 

[swrcommguard]

The three-year rule about transfers is correct. There is an exception, though, you can move to another depot before that if you can find someone who wants to move to your depot so that it's a like for like swap. The company generally allows this even though some additional route and traction learning may be required.

Be aware that the official rule is that you should live no more than 45 minutes travel time from your home depot although I believe they have become a bit more flexible about this in recent years.

My advice would be definitely get your feet under the table first. Just because you have been shortlisted for a role at one depot definitely does not mean you will be for a different depot.