Yup. Unfortunately in the second paragraph. Same story every single time, will never ever make it past the sift.
I've just been downloading all of my applications for when the Northern site possibly packs in at the end of the franchise, I've managed to get through the sift for the conductor apps eventually by changing what was on the application until I managed to get what seemed to get me past that 1st hurdle. I passed the SHL tests but didn't get through the new Saville one for which they told me that there isnt necessarily a pass/fail it creates a profile that they assess against the job (story of my life that when I finally got to sit the tests they added that one tbh). Not sure where I got to with this application as they seem to progress you without a notification if you already passed the tests.
In Total there were 14 different applications I'd put in over 18 months from Customer Service Assistant, Dispatcher, Fitter, Wheel Lathe, Trainee Conductor & Trainee Driver. I reckon that some of the earlier applications for Cust Service etc I'd progress further with now as what I had in my application has altered quite a bit from the 1st to the last ... getting through the sift is a learning curve in itself really.
Very disheartening when you get the rejection emails but to be honest I wasn't too confident with this 1 due to a recent failure in a trainee conductor role, I'm presuming that my Saville 'result' is where my applications get to each time, which I would've liked another crack at really because Northerns HR told me that they'd had a go at it & found it to be both confusing & in some ways not appropriate to the job. I found out that the test they have you do is what is used for graduates going for senior management positions.
Anyway, here's hoping that with the new franchise will come a clean slate & a whole load of opportunities & hopefully some success.