Trainee train driver - leaving for another job during recruitment process?

[BoldLobster]

Apologies if this is the wrong thread.

I applied to a TOC for a train driver in February. Got a call a week later to attend assessment centres (very surprised as I thought it would be much longer). Attended assessments at the start of April and passed. Recently called to ask about interview and there was no time frame given.

I’m currently in a job which I’ve been looking to leave since January due to many reasons and I’m really becoming burnt out. I don’t want to simply resign and hope that in the next four weeks I get an offer as that sounds incredibly unrealistic and is reliant on luck. I’ve been given an offer from my previous employer to return in a promoted role and a pay rise, however train driving would be my main career choice if I was successful in the next stage. That’s a big if too as this seems so competitive!

I guess what I want to ask is a few things:
- how long roughly is the process between driver interviews, medical and start date?
- should I take up this opportunity and risk messing people about by leaving soon on but gain some valuable experience and I guess a comfort blanket should I be unsuccessful in the train driver role?
- would it harm me by leaving my current role in between my train driver application?

Thanks in advance

 

[funbox55]

should I take up this opportunity and risk messing people about by leaving soon on but gain some valuable experience and I guess a comfort blanket should I be unsuccessful in the train driver role?

YES- be selfish

 

[BoldLobster]

Haha thank you, guess I deep down know the answer. Just don’t want to harm my train driver application by leaving for another employer.

should I take up this opportunity and risk messing people about by leaving soon on but gain some valuable experience and I guess a comfort blanket should I be unsuccessful in the train driver role?

YES- be selfish

 

[AverageJoe]

First don’t burn any bridges with your current/previous employer.

Hopefully you will pass the interview and be offered a trainee driver role, however I know many who have got to this stage and failed.

I’m not saying that to scare you but please don’t make any rash decisions yet.

Also it can take months before the interview date will be set and even if you passed you could then be put in a talent pool for years.

My experience was that from application to start date was around 1 year, but many take longer and some are left in limbo in these talent pools.

Edit:

Regards your previous employer and the promotion offer, if possible I would ask them for time to consider it.

 

[BoldLobster]

First don’t burn any bridges with your current/previous employer.

Hopefully you will pass the interview and be offered a trainee driver role, however I know many who have got to this stage and failed.

I’m not saying that to scare you but please don’t make any rash decisions yet.

Also it can take months before the interview date will be set and even if you passed you could then be put in a talent pool for years.

My experience was that from application to start date was around 1 year, but many take longer and some are left in limbo in these talent pools.

Edit:

Regards your previous employer and the promotion offer, if possible I would ask them for time to consider it.

Thank you for this. Rail recruitment can be tough, my issue is that I haven’t got an interview date (which I completely understand) but I’m not sure how much longer I can carry on working for my current employer as I’m really getting burnt out.

I’ve always tried to avoid burning bridges as you never know when you need them. Obviously if I went back to my previous employer, I’d feel bad if I left in under 6 months if I am successful for the trainee train driver role as I have a lot of contacts, however that is if I am successful which is a another thing altogether! There’s also the training to factor in. If I didn’t pass the training, I’d need somewhere to go if I was unsuccessful in the training stage.

 

[AverageJoe]

Thank you for this. Rail recruitment can be tough, my issue is that I haven’t got an interview date (which I completely understand) but I’m not sure how much longer I can carry on working for my current employer as I’m really getting burnt out.

I’ve always tried to avoid burning bridges as you never know when you need them. Obviously if I went back to my previous employer, I’d feel bad if I left in under 6 months if I am successful for the trainee train driver role as I have a lot of contacts, however that is if I am successful which is a another thing altogether! There’s also the training to factor in. If I didn’t pass the training, I’d need somewhere to go if I was unsuccessful in the training stage.

Most people pass the training once in. If they don’t it’s either because they find they can’t handle the shifts, have a fatality early on in their hours or are just not putting the work in.

As regards leaving your role after 6 months, well who are you worrying about upsetting? Your boss? The owner? If either of them was offered their dream job would they turn it down for the sake of their colleagues? I doubt it.

I had a similar situation at my work before I became a train driver, I was just honest, I text my manager and asked if I could have a chat with him the next day, then basically told him I’d applied for train job ages ago and now it become a reality and I really can’t turn it down.
He understood, thanked me for my hard work and wrote me an excellent reference.

 

[BoldLobster]

Most people pass the training once in. If they don’t it’s either because they find they can’t handle the shifts, have a fatality early on in their hours or are just not putting the work in.

As regards leaving your role after 6 months, well who are you worrying about upsetting? Your boss? The owner? If either of them was offered their dream job would they turn it down for the sake of their colleagues? I doubt it.

I had a similar situation at my work before I became a train driver, I was just honest, I text my manager and asked if I could have a chat with him the next day, then basically told him I’d applied for train job ages ago and now it become a reality and I really can’t turn it down.
He understood, thanked me for my hard work and wrote me an excellent reference.

To be honest you’re right, I view it as a once in a lifetime opportunity especially as this is my local station. Probably overthinking it. Thank you for your advice, really appreciate it.

 

[RossMc]

Look after number 1, because no one else will. Take the job. Be stupid not too.

 

[MichaelAMW]

Right now what you actually have is a job and an offer of another job, and nothing more. It may well be that you have seen off many rival candidates for the driving job, by getting as far as passing the assessment centre, but there's still not a 100% chance you'll end up with an offer (I have no idea what that percentage is - I'm familiar with recruiting but not this). So, carry on as if the train-driving job won't happen and think again if it does. A others have implied, your employer is not your friend and you're not indispensible - you have obligations and rights under your contract, and one of those is the freedom to hand in your notice. If you get the railway job then you'll probably not be able to return to the potential new employer, if you left very quickly, but there are other jobs should the driving not work out and if driving trains is your dream I would imagine that's a chance worth taking.

 

[BoldLobster]

Right now what you actually have is a job and an offer of another job, and nothing more. It may well be that you have seen off many rival candidates for the driving job, by getting as far as passing the assessment centre, but there's still not a 100% chance you'll end up with an offer (I have no idea what that percentage is - I'm familiar with recruiting but not this). So, carry on as if the train-driving job won't happen and think again if it does. A others have implied, your employer is not your friend and you're not indispensible - you have obligations and rights under your contract, and one of those is the freedom to hand in your notice. If you get the railway job then you'll probably not be able to return to the potential new employer, if you left very quickly, but there are other jobs should the driving not work out and if driving trains is your dream I would imagine that's a chance worth taking.

That’s a great way of viewing it. Treat it as if it’s not a thing and when the interview comes up deal with it then. If for whatever reason the railway doesn’t work out (which I don’t see why it wouldn’t as I’ve researched it but you never know) then I guess there’s plenty of other roles. Thank you

Look after number 1, because no one else will. Take the job. Be stupid not too.

Very true thank you

 

[dctraindriver]

What TOC is it for? If it’s SWR you’ve still to sit the driver manager interview and MMI so that could take quite a while yet. Just leave if you’re burnt out in your role and go for the new one. Then just sit and wait…. And wait…… and wait a bit more.

 

[BoldLobster]

What TOC is it for? If it’s SWR you’ve still to sit the driver manager interview and MMI so that could take quite a while yet. Just leave if you’re burnt out in your role and go for the new one. Then just sit and wait…. And wait…… and wait a bit more.

Yeah, still a long way to go but surreal that I’ve got it to this stage so early on in the original applications. At least I’ll be happier in my new role, gain some valuable experience, and a pay rise so then I can put this potential dream job at the back of my mind until I hear back and go from there. Plus I might not even be successful in the interview/MMI so isn’t a wise choice to put full stop on my current sector for an extremely competitive position. Thank you.