Why do you want to work…

[winks]

An interview question I had recently.
“Why do you want to work for [insert TOC name]”

what is a good answer for this ? A guess saying more money is not quite the answer !?

 

[1867Blue]

Best thing to do is do some research into the company and look at the company values. And put this into your answer.

for example I can see on the website that one of your main values is customer driven, I feel that this matches my outlook in to work and I have been customer driven previously. Then give an example.

If you can find out any other information on the website use this to your advantage too. Could be something like how they’re trying to bring down their carbon footprint or how they’re trying to better themselves by investing in certain things. Then say that you want to be part of this.

 

[ComUtoR]

An interview question I had recently.
“Why do YOU want to work for [insert TOC name]”

what is a good answer for this ? A guess saying more money is not quite the answer !?

The right answer is the truth. Questions are typically followed up with so if you try and blag a generic response it will trip you up.

People are sigining up th ethe railway for money and it isn't a big secret. Why try and hide it ? They will smell BS a mile away.

 

[Undiscovered]

You can't fake or research this answer, it's what you feel.

And if you do fake it, it'll soon grate being up at 0200 in the cold and rain and snow to book on for a job you don't like, regardless of the money.

 

[Coach Carter]

I was truthful and to the point.
I explained that I really wanted to do the job as I was after job satisfaction and this was what I wanted to do but I also told them they were the only TOC hiring at the time and that I have a young family that I want to do the best for and the salary of this job would let me provide well for them.

 

[Stigy]

The right answer is the truth. Questions are typically followed up with so if you try and blag a generic response it will trip you up.

People are sigining up th ethe railway for money and it isn't a big secret. Why try and hide it ? They will smell BS a mile away.

I disagree. If I was recruiting for a job and someone just said “the money”, I’d have concerns about their work ethic.

I don’t think it’s wrong to mention the money as a factor, but it’s so much better to tell them even a semi-genuine reason other than that.

 

[Horizon22]

Well there's point saying money if every day you'll go in and resent the job.

 

[mmh]

"I think I'd like it, I think I'd be good at it, I think my existing skills and experience will help me and the security and benefits I hope it would give me are very attractive to me," if you're reluctant to use the M-word outright.

I don't think you need to make anything very much more elaborate up.

 

[ComUtoR]

I don’t think it’s wrong to mention the money as a factor, but it’s so much better to tell them even a semi-genuine reason other than that.

I don't think it's good to lie in an interview. Remuneration is a major reason for the influx of applications.

Don't get me wrong, if the answer came out as "money" I'd question it but if the answer was " I'm impressed with your reduction of your carbon footprint". I'd laugh them out the interview.

Generic, rehearsed, blagged answers are pulled apart.

Money and job security are important for so many people. If that wasn't part of their answer I'd be marking them down for that question and then question their honesty for the rest of the interview.

"I think I'd like it, I think I'd be good at it, I think my existing skills and experience will help me and the security and benefits I hope it would give me are very attractive to me," if you're reluctant to use the M-word outright.

I don't think you need to make anything very much more elaborate up.

Precisely. This is the kind of response is be looking for.

 

[deltic]

One way of thinking about this sort of question "Why do you want to work for [insert TOC name] instead of TOC Y”

 

[1867Blue]

I don't think it's good to lie in an interview. Remuneration is a major reason for the influx of applications.

Don't get me wrong, if the answer came out as "money" I'd question it but if the answer was " I'm impressed with your reduction of your carbon footprint". I'd laugh them out the interview.

Generic, rehearsed, blagged answers are pulled apart.

Money and job security are important for so many people. If that wasn't part of their answer I'd be marking them down for that question and then question their honesty for the rest of the interview.



Precisely. This is the kind of response is be looking for.

Haha to be fair mate you’re probably right. It was just an example and admittedly not a very good one.

I would do some research though and show that you’ve done some. I would never say things like “I think I would like it” or “I think I would be good” and even though the interviews know it’s a well pod job I wouldn’t mention the money. You need to be confident and show them you would be good “I think” doesn’t come across that way. “I would be good at this because….” Would be much better

I have always done some research and tried to get as much about the company into all my interviews and over the years I’ve had a fair few and always done pretty well

 

[Stigy]

I don't think it's good to lie in an interview. Remuneration is a major reason for the influx of applications.

Don't get me wrong, if the answer came out as "money" I'd question it but if the answer was " I'm impressed with your reduction of your carbon footprint". I'd laugh them out the interview.

Generic, rehearsed, blagged answers are pulled apart.

Money and job security are important for so many people. If that wasn't part of their answer I'd be marking them down for that question and then question their honesty for the rest of the interview.



Precisely. This is the kind of response is be looking for.

I’m not saying you should lie, but they want to know that you want to work for them. I guess it’s different recruitment methods then, as if I was told as a first answer “the money is the main factor” I’d not be compelled to recruit that person. Admittedly my recruitment/interviewing experience isn’t for a role that was paid on a par with a driver, but the money was decent.

I’d be more interested in hiring someone that wanted to go the job I’m hiring for. If they mentioned money being a factor in wanting to work in the grade, I’d not have an issue with it at all, but if the money was the only thing they mentioned, or the first thing they mentioned, I’d be wondering if it was just money they were there for.

I think we’ve done this here before about the salary and the fact that a lot of people join certain jobs solely with money in mind. I think that becomes dangerous to an extent, if one wants to become say…..a driver, just for the money.

 

[Islineclear3_1]

One way of thinking about this sort of question "Why do you want to work for [insert TOC name] instead of TOC Y”

Other alternatives to this question could be: "Why should I hire YOU?" (and not somebody else) and/or: what skills/attributes could YOU bring to our TOC?

Not to mention "Why would you want to get up at 1.00am in the middle of winter to book on and start work in a freezing cold train that probably hasn't moved for many hours when I'm sure you'd rather be tucked up in your nice warm bed...?

 

[winks]

Thanks for the replies guys, it turns out they recruited for an internal candidate which I think they always favour and must weight more heavily than an external candidate.

 

[mmh]

One way of thinking about this sort of question "Why do you want to work for [insert TOC name] instead of TOC Y”

"Because TOC X is recruiting, and TOC Y is nowhere near where I live."

A rubbish interview question in any business. I'd be surprised if it ever gets used by a railway company. "Why do you want to work for us rather than them" doesn't work in an industry where the employer is outside your control. Wax lyrical about the current franchisee's mission statement or corporate values nonsense, and I'd expect the cynical ex-BR manager interviewing to think "what twaddle, does this person expect to leave once FirstCoachBellio lose the franchise? They must know nothing about how the railway works."

 

[ComUtoR]

Thanks for the replies guys, it turns out they recruited for an internal candidate which I think they always favour and must weight more heavily than an external candidate.

What was your answer and no, internals do not specifically weigh more.

 

[winks]

My answer was that I wanted to work on the railway as it offers me secure employment and felt that I have transferable skills. (Para phrasing)

and when you say internals don’t specifically score more , are you sure on that lol ?

 

[CreamNCookies]

and when you say internals don’t specifically score more , are you sure on that lol ?

Gone are the days of who you know on the railway. It's all about demonstrating you are the right person for the job.

It may just be that the internal had more experience and could demonstrate they were more suited.

Get feedback for the interview and try again when you get the chance.

After any interview I take note of what was asked. I then work on the questions in my own time to see if I have the relevant experience needed to give a full answer and if I don't work on it and get the experience for the answer.

That way when it comes to the next interview (if lucky to make it) I can give a full truthful answer that if they interviewer tries to tear down I can fight back with confidence.

 

[ComUtoR]

and when you say internals don’t specifically score more , are you sure on that lol ?

Yes I'm sure.

 

[Bucephalus]

I think the best thing to do is imagine you're the hiring manager. You've got 20 candidates over two weeks, there's 10 positions, how would you go about it? Do you simply hire the least-worst 10 or is there a minimum benchmark?

How do you fairly compare the candidates once they've all been interviewed, do you give them points for each answer?

When you ask "Why do you want to work for us" what are the boxes that need to be ticked?

Thanks for the replies guys, it turns out they recruited for an internal candidate which I think they always favour and must weight more heavily than an external candidate.

I'm sorry to hear that winks. I'm inclined to agree with you about internal candidates, not because I think they technically weigh heavier, but because the interview questions are written for them

 

[Jozhua]

Okay, so I don't work in rail, but I think the sector has some really compelling reasons to want to work for it:
-If you're on these forums, you probably have an interest in rail, so wanting to apply that passion to a job role is good.
-Rail helps to connect communities, increase opportunity and reduce environmental impact - that's a great cause to be involved in!
-Rail has good career opportunities in interesting fields - recruiters will want to see someone who is passionate about progressing upwards.

It's really a mixture here. You shouldn't just say money, that's a "no s***" answer really. Lots of things pay money, why are you interested in this job specifically? Surely there is a reason, an interest, a specialisation?

I would reccomend doing research and preparing questions. What you ask in the interview and your preparation is probably more important than how you present yourself and how you speak. Preparing is an easy way to make the interview process smoother. If you are interviewing for a TOC, it is worth looking on glassdoor, they will likely have interview questions on there.