A career in Railway or Grad job

[Jimmy12345]

Hi guys,

I seem to have the option between a graduate job in recruitment and a gateliner position on the railway. The recruitment role pays well in its first year, but is a lot of stress and hard work. It's a basic salary the same as the gateliner role, with commission on top.

The reason i'm starting this thread is just for some advice on the railway. Such as, whats the career progression like? How likely is someone to move up from gateliner to a higher paying role, such as train driver, manager etc. Are the jobs more secure than other careers? How long does it take to move up? Are there as many difficult people to deal with as I imagine their being? No problems with this if so, I'd just like to know as much as I can.

I feel like the world of recruitment is less for me than working in the railway, I know of people that work in the railway and love it. It's not a cut throat world of commission and KPI's. But I'm just looking to have as much information as I can before I make a decision.

Maybe also let me know what you guys would do given the choice?

Thanks for any responses in advance!

 

[matt_world2004]

Hi guys,

I seem to have the option between a graduate job in recruitment and a gateliner position on the railway. The recruitment role pays well in its first year, but is a lot of stress and hard work. It's a basic salary the same as the gateliner role, with commission on top.

The reason i'm starting this thread is just for some advice on the railway. Such as, whats the career progression like? How likely is someone to move up from gateliner to a higher paying role, such as train driver, manager etc. Are the jobs more secure than other careers? How long does it take to move up? Are there as many difficult people to deal with as I imagine their being? No problems with this if so, I'd just like to know as much as I can.

I feel like the world of recruitment is less for me than working in the railway, I know of people that work in the railway and love it. It's not a cut throat world of commission and KPI's. But I'm just looking to have as much information as I can before I make a decision.

Maybe also let me know what you guys would do given the choice?

Thanks for any responses in advance!

While I am not commenting on your choice. I would be careful in going after the recruitment role. I found some to be ote scams

 

[leightonbd]

Recruitment is one of the most volatile sectors of the economy (stating the obvious, perhaps). I'd expect a lot of hiring and firing with little job security.

If you have any long term interest in recruitment, you could build a better career by first working in an industry/ business area (e.g. Retail, financial services) and then going to a recruitment firm specialising in that area, where your industry knowledge would make you more valuable.

 

[theironroad]

Hi guys,

I seem to have the option between a graduate job in recruitment and a gateliner position on the railway. The recruitment role pays well in its first year, but is a lot of stress and hard work. It's a basic salary the same as the gateliner role, with commission on top.

The reason i'm starting this thread is just for some advice on the railway. Such as, whats the career progression like? How likely is someone to move up from gateliner to a higher paying role, such as train driver, manager etc. Are the jobs more secure than other careers? How long does it take to move up? Are there as many difficult people to deal with as I imagine their being? No problems with this if so, I'd just like to know as much as I can.

I feel like the world of recruitment is less for me than working in the railway, I know of people that work in the railway and love it. It's not a cut throat world of commission and KPI's. But I'm just looking to have as much information as I can before I make a decision.

Maybe also let me know what you guys would do given the choice?

Thanks for any responses in advance!

Well you seem ambitious, but who are these 'difficult people' you imagine dealing with?

 

[8J]

One thing to take into consideration is that the 2 roles couldn't be further apart. The gateline role is front line and requires a certain type of person who can deal with a different type of stress to the recruitment role. You will often get passengers shouting at you on the gateline especially during times of disruption. The thing to remember is that once your shift finishes, you don't take any stress home with you.

For me, I would hate to work in an office. I have had the chance to go into railway office based jobs and decided against it as it's not for me. You have to consider what type of person you are. There is only one person who can answer which is the best role for you and that is you.

 

[313103]

Sorry to put a dampener on this, but a career on the railway is not a good option. For a start numerous changes within the industry are taking place, no grade is safe for longevity with maybe the exception of drivers. Most infrastructure is outsourced so no guarantee of work there either.

Most importantly by some members of this forum who think that a career on the railway should not be allowed as they believe the railway is not a job creation scheme and that you should have a different job every other year.

 

[westv]

Recruitment agencies and estate agents are very similar in my view.

 

[fowler9]

If I had my younger years again I would have sacked off University and gone for a career on the railways. I have heard bad things about recruitment and working on the railways but in a risk versus reward kind of way I would deffo head for the railways. Recruitment sounds a lot more cut throat, up there with any kind of sales job. I'd rather deal with a stroppy customer than my own bosses playing me off against my colleagues/friends. Maybe some working on the railways would disagree and to be fair they would know much better than me. Ha ha.

 

[313103]

My previous post was deleted, However if i was in your position i would go for the Grad job, it maybe more rewarding in the long run..

 

[Moonshot]

My previous post was deleted, However if i was in your position i would go for the Grad job, it maybe more rewarding in the long run..

I would do the opposite......go for the gateline job, you absolutely do not want to be stuck in a 9-5 office job in front of a PC all day, there is no value in it.

 

[313103]

I would do the opposite......go for the gateline job, you absolutely do not want to be stuck in a 9-5 office job in front of a PC all day, there is no value in it.

In my experience i would rather do the 9-5 stuck in front of a PC, rather then having the vitriol the general public through at you on a daily basis, at least in front of a computer screen you dont have to put up with that.

I was also coming from the angle that being a grad could lead onto better things maybe not now, but in the future. The railways offer very limited opportunities now then they did.

I have made some bad choices and decisions in my career, hence where i am now, i wouldnt want someone to make the same mistake's as me. If i had to make the same decision then as this person is doing now i wouldnt pick the gateline role.

 

[Moonshot]

In my experience i would rather do the 9-5 stuck in front of a PC, rather then having the vitriol the general public through at you on a daily basis, at least in front of a computer screen you dont have to put up with that.

I was also coming from the angle that being a grad could lead onto better things maybe not now, but in the future. The railways offer very limited opportunities now then they did.

I have made some bad choices and decisions in my career, hence where i am now, i wouldnt want someone to make the same mistake's as me. If i had to make the same decision then as this person is doing now i wouldnt pick the gateline role.

And I wouldnt choose the Recruitment role. Personally I would do something far more practical and hands on. Having to answer e mails every day in an office is no way to enjoy work as far as I am concerned.

 

[trentside]

If you think you can deal with the stress of the recruitment job and have a thick skin then join the railway. The good thing about the job is that you can leave the stress at the door when you go home each day. If the money is about the same (which it often is compared to graduate jobs) then I'd always say go railway. There's a lot of options for other roles too, once your foot is in the door.

You also won't be working 9-5 behind a computer, which for me is the thing I love most. Couldn't face that on a daily basis.

 

[LAX54]

If the gateline job is with a TOC, once you have one foot in the door, there is always room to move upwards, or even once you have been around for a while, move to Net Rail or an FOC if that takes your fancy, if you are prepared to move around, there will nearly always bee a job on the Railway for you somewhere.

 

[al78]

I would do the opposite......go for the gateline job, you absolutely do not want to be stuck in a 9-5 office job in front of a PC all day, there is no value in it.

Rubbish. It depends on the individual as to what type of job they would like.

 

[cuccir]

I'm a lecturer at a university, so I regularly discuss career paths with students, though I'm not a careers adviser etc. I'm also 31 so have seen many friends experience grad schemes over the last decade! However I can't give a railway insider's thoughts.

Nonetheless, a few commets based on that:

• First, grad schemes are difficult to get: well done.
• Grad schemes are very much part of a journey rather than a destination. Of my friends who went on such schemes after uni, I only know of 3 who are working with the same employer now. You develop skills that are transferable to other professional roles. People do them and move on to more specialist jobs, more interesting jobs, more meaningful jobs etc. Or they earn a bit of money and then drop out to do something different entirely, using the cash as an investment or security. So going into recruitment at this stage does not limit you to being in that industry for ever.
• Conversely, not taking a grad scheme now doesn't rule it out later. If you work in the railway for a few years and then did a masters, or reapplied to schemes, you could still get into that sort of career. Many students leaving uni see entering a grad scheme as THE route but my experience tells me that people's employment paths are usually more complex!
• Think about your social world. Many of your peers may be going on to grad schemes. In many ways for the first 5 years or so, the world of grad schemes is a bit of a continuation of uni: you'll meet people of a similar age, with housemates who are in other similar jobs, who earn similar amounts. There can be a lot of fun to this! Equally, the railway job would probably put you into a more diverse and locally rooted social group. This might be fun and satisfying too.
• Consider what you want from a job beyond the tasks themselves. Prestige? Job security? Pay? A good pension? Flexibility in hours? Holidays? Interest? Routine? Sometimes these things are as important as to whether you're suited for the actual job
• Many people have noted the difference between a client-facing office job, and a public-facing outdoor/on your feet job. They are very different things to do on a day to day basis. Consider what you'd rather do on a cold February morning, a sunny July afternoon, when you're tired, when you're stressed etc.

If I were to summarize my understandings of the two jobs:

The grad scheme is the more conventional route and gets you straight into the world of professional jobs. This will be difficult at first but will get you more money sooner. However, you may find you don't have much time to spend that money! The scheme will probably lead to opportunities later in life, but those are some you'd have to seek yourself. Job security may be lower BUT you'd have a wide range of marketable skills for finding jobs.

The railway job sounds like it is more what you want to do on a daily basis right now. It will pay less but may be more meaningful and engaging for you. It gets you into an industry with a strong union and so good employment conditions, which may mean an easier life and may bring better pensions etc which you may appreciate in the future. Opportunities may be more narrow but are there and you're clearly talented.

Hope that helps!

 

[Carlisle]

I'd rather deal with a stroppy customer than my own bosses playing me off against my colleagues/friends.

Im afraid that happens on the railway too, particularly in ones probationary period, or if you join through an agency or sub contractor etc .

 

[Simon11]

In order for us to give advice, you need to provide more information about where you want to go in your career. Is frontline/ops where you wish to aim or would you prefer a role in HQ? Where in the UK are you considering working?

 

[LAX54]

Then of course there is the Graduate Scheme run by Network Rail.

 

[fowler9]

I think others have touched on this but what is the OP's degree in? Is there actually a degree in recruitment? Its a depressing state of affairs if there is. If you can get a job on the railways I would drop out of Uni now and take it unless you want to spend years in a call centre which is what most graduates do. Learn a trade unless you are a proper high fligher. If you aren't then Uni is a complete waste of time and money.

 

[king_walnut]

3 years ago I started on the railway as a part time Revenue Officer on a temp contract. At the end of this year I start as a trainee train driver.

Maybe I got lucky, but career progression is easy and ready for the taking on the railway for anyone capable who wants it.

 

[Shaw S Hunter]

A lot of seriously sweeping statements being made in this thread!

If you're bright enough to have a graduate level employment offer then I very much doubt that a gateline operator's position will keep you interested for more than a few days and that's before you consider the shifts that are likely to be involved. It could certainly be a way in to the industry if that is where you really want to be but there are no guarantees as to how long you might have to wait for suitable opportunities to come along.

In terms of long-term earnings potential then unless you have aspirations to become a member of traincrew (with driving being well-paid and guarding being somewhat less well-paid and probably with much less long-term security) then following your degree-led path is surely the better choice and as others have said you will almost certainly develop many more marketable skills that way.

Given your obvious interest in possibly working on the railway perhaps you already know, if only slightly, one or two existing members of railway staff: if so then a long chat, over a coffee or pint maybe, with one of them may provide you with more meaningful insight than you can get via an internet forum.

 

[donpoku]

Try the one you really want to do now and switch if its not for you. So the best.

Sent from my LG-H850 using Tapatalk

 

[tiptoptaff]

Have you considered a TOC/NR run grad-scheme? Best of both worlds. The Business Management scheme that my previous employer runs includes a chunk in the HR division - which is both recruitment and employee Relations. If that's what your degree is in, and what you would like to do, you could try that. Benefits of the railway and of the degree/experience you have.

TTT

 

[JetStream]

From my own personal experience, my advice is to decide what career you want, if indeed there is one. I've done office work, including grad work, I've done office/outdoor 'hybrid' jobs, and I work on the railway.

For me, a work/life balance is vital. I found it easier to get in an office compared to my current role, BUT dependent on what your rota/shift pattern would be, that can still be achievable on the railway - often in a much better way than the office.

Yes, you can progress on the railway, but not in the conventional way of promotions.

Prioritise what you want from a job/working life, and make the decision based on that.

 

[Bromley boy]

Hi guys,

I seem to have the option between a graduate job in recruitment and a gateliner position on the railway. The recruitment role pays well in its first year, but is a lot of stress and hard work. It's a basic salary the same as the gateliner role, with commission on top.

The reason i'm starting this thread is just for some advice on the railway. Such as, whats the career progression like? How likely is someone to move up from gateliner to a higher paying role, such as train driver, manager etc. Are the jobs more secure than other careers? How long does it take to move up? Are there as many difficult people to deal with as I imagine their being? No problems with this if so, I'd just like to know as much as I can.

I feel like the world of recruitment is less for me than working in the railway, I know of people that work in the railway and love it. It's not a cut throat world of commission and KPI's. But I'm just looking to have as much information as I can before I make a decision.

Maybe also let me know what you guys would do given the choice?

Thanks for any responses in advance!

This is not intended as a criticism, but you're looking at a rather strange choice of jobs which have nothing whatsoever in common. They are so different in fact that it strikes me perhaps you need to do a lot more thinking about what you want from your career in future.

Make no mistake, agency recruitment is not a cushy 9-5 (8-8 will be closer to reality!). It is a cut throat, hard-nosed sales role. You will be out selling like your job depends on it (and it will do!). There's nowhere to hide and you will live and die by your sales figures. I would hope the company you've been offered a job with has made these realities clear to you.

Whether this job suits you will depend on:
1. Whether you are able to "sell" (not something that can be taught);
2. How money motivated and hungry for success you are;
3. Whether you are self motivated and thick skinned enough to keep going after a lot of disappointments.

It can be lucrative for those who progress, and would offer transferrable commercial experience, but the sad truth is that large recruitment agencies take on graduates as cannon fodder; the majority of whom will only be industry for a few months before they are either sacked or leave of their own volition when the realities of the job begin to bite.

The railway gateline position is clearly very different. I admire those who do it, but it's not a role I would fancy personally. Shift patterns, aggro from the public and quite a bit of boredom will be involved without a great deal of progression. You *may* be able to progress to other railway positions but this isn't guaranteed as these jobs aren't a "promotion" from the gateline, they are entirely separate and often directly take on people from outside the industry. This job won't really offer much in the way of transferable skills and I suspect represents a bit of a dead end for a young person starting out in their career, especially if you have a decent degree.

For what it's worth it sounds like your heart isn't really in recruitment and if you're already having doubts about it that would be a big red flag for me. That said, I wouldn't rush to take the gateline role either.

Depending on your grades could you apply to a graduate scheme at a TOC, Network Rail or similar?