Difficult process to become a conductor..

[Charlie.P10]

Hi

Just wondering if anyone else has had the same experience as me when applying for a conductor role with Northern. I've applied around 8 times in total now (over the years) and each time I get to the shortlisting stage but never get invited to an interview. Most recently I applied way before the deadline and was sent the psychometric test, told the next day via email that I had "passed that to the standard they were looking for", then less than 24 hours later was told my application would not be taken any further (3 days before the actual deadline for the job...)
I'm at a loss as to where I'm going wrong really... all of my previous roles have been customer service based - over 16 years experience (7 in a safety critical role too) I answered all the answers in great depth giving examples and used all the "buzz" words but it seems impossible to even be given a chance at an interview. Im sure there's many people applying I'd have just thought that given the fact I currently work in the rail industry and with all my previous experience I might at least get an interview. I'll keep applying whenever the role comes up but I honestly don't know how I can improve anymore
Anyone who has applied for a conductor role can I ask how many attempts it took?! Any advice would be greatly appreciated, thank you!

 

[LCC106]

Maybe you could contact their recruitment team for feedback?

 

[Charlie.P10]

Maybe you could contact their recruitment team for feedback?

Thanks - in their email it says they're unable to provide feedback at this stage (prob due to the amount of people who receive the same email) so I'm non the wiser

 

[LCC106]

Yes, I can understand that, but the amount of times you have applied it would be useful if you could get the feedback. If you travel on the trains maybe you could get talking to a conductor for their take on it?

 

[skyhigh]

I'm assuming you're within the required distance for the depot you're applying for?

 

[Newapplicant]

Hi

Just wondering if anyone else has had the same experience as me when applying for a conductor role with Northern. I've applied around 8 times in total now (over the years) and each time I get to the shortlisting stage but never get invited to an interview. Most recently I applied way before the deadline and was sent the psychometric test, told the next day via email that I had "passed that to the standard they were looking for", then less than 24 hours later was told my application would not be taken any further (3 days before the actual deadline for the job...)
I'm at a loss as to where I'm going wrong really... all of my previous roles have been customer service based - over 16 years experience (7 in a safety critical role too) I answered all the answers in great depth giving examples and used all the "buzz" words but it seems impossible to even be given a chance at an interview. Im sure there's many people applying I'd have just thought that given the fact I currently work in the rail industry and with all my previous experience I might at least get an interview. I'll keep applying whenever the role comes up but I honestly don't know how I can improve anymore
Anyone who has applied for a conductor role can I ask how many attempts it took?! Any advice would be greatly appreciated, thank you!

Please don't take this as me trying to rub salt in the wound when I say this but I applied first time and reached an interview, however, I wasn't progressed any further. In fairness, the interview wasn't the best from my point of view.

As others have very rightly said given the number of applications that you've put in and the fact that you're not progressing past paper sift I'd reach out to HR. I did that for train driver which I'm now in for, as I was in the same boat, my applications were never getting picked up, just constantly rejected. I got a lovely email back just advising me on competencies and where I could improve them. So re-wrote all my competencies and I'm now at psychometric stage for driver.

I would have thought that if you're not progressing past paper sift then it might be your competencies and it might just be worth re-writing them but the fact that you've progressed onto the online testing would indicate that you've passed that stage already.

As @skyhigh mentioned, are you within 45 minutes of the depot that you're applying for as that's usually one of the first things they check. If you're not then you don't progress.

Best of luck with it all, I hope you do get some light at the end of the tunnel with it (pardon the pun lol).

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Are you answering the questions (correctly)?

Are your answers too long rather than concise?

 

[Charlie.P10]

I'm assuming you're within the required distance for the depot you're applying for?

Yes I live 30 mins drive (or just 20 mins on the train) from Manchester vic and pic.

Please don't take this as me trying to rub salt in the wound when I say this but I applied first time and reached an interview, however, I wasn't progressed any further. In fairness, the interview wasn't the best from my point of view.

As others have very rightly said given the number of applications that you've put in and the fact that you're not progressing past paper sift I'd reach out to HR. I did that for train driver which I'm now in for, as I was in the same boat, my applications were never getting picked up, just constantly rejected. I got a lovely email back just advising me on competencies and where I could improve them. So re-wrote all my competencies and I'm now at psychometric stage for driver.

I would have thought that if you're not progressing past paper sift then it might be your competencies and it might just be worth re-writing them but the fact that you've progressed onto the online testing would indicate that you've passed that stage already.

As @skyhigh mentioned, are you within 45 minutes of the depot that you're applying for as that's usually one of the first things they check. If you're not then you don't progress.

Best of luck with it all, I hope you do get some light at the end of the tunnel with it (pardon the pun lol).

Hi
Thanks for your reply that's really useful - I think I will just contact HR and see if they can let me know where I'm going wrong.. it could just be the psychometric test and even though I pass it I could just be a point or two behind others perhaps. I think you're right that I've already passed the paper sift to get to that point (I made sure to include all the buzzwords in all my examples with a big focus on safety and customers). It's frustrating as I really want to work as a conductor and I believe I have all the experience from previous jobs (dealing with customers, working in the airline industry etc ) I already work for the railways too just not in the position I'd ideally like to be. Maybe it's just a long waiting game and eventually they'll notice me haha

Well done on getting to psychometric stage for the role of train driver too - I wish you the best of luck with it all and hope it all works out for you!

Yes, I can understand that, but the amount of times you have applied it would be useful if you could get the feedback. If you travel on the trains maybe you could get talking to a conductor for their take on it?

Thank you - yes I think I'll email and ask for feedback as you suggest

 

[RailwayFan90]

Yes I live 30 mins drive (or just 20 mins on the train) from Manchester vic and pic.


Hi
Thanks for your reply that's really useful - I think I will just contact HR and see if they can let me know where I'm going wrong.. it could just be the psychometric test and even though I pass it I could just be a point or two behind others perhaps. I think you're right that I've already passed the paper sift to get to that point (I made sure to include all the buzzwords in all my examples with a big focus on safety and customers). It's frustrating as I really want to work as a conductor and I believe I have all the experience from previous jobs (dealing with customers, working in the airline industry etc ) I already work for the railways too just not in the position I'd ideally like to be. Maybe it's just a long waiting game and eventually they'll notice me haha

Well done on getting to psychometric stage for the role of train driver too - I wish you the best of luck with it all and hope it all works out for you!


Thank you - yes I think I'll email and ask for feedback as you suggest

As far as I am aware Northern don’t require psychometric assessments for the conductor role - especially not before interview.

Do you mean it is the online assessments? As it is my understanding that if you pass the online assessments I believe then the application is reviewed. This may be where you are then unfortunately regretted?

 

[Charlie.P10]

Are you answering the questions (correctly)?

Are your answers too long rather than concise?

I honestly don't know how I can improve my answers anymore - I've applied so many times and each time I believe I write better responses (I always get others to check over my work too) and I included so many buzzwords with a big emphasis on safety, customers etc. I don't think they're too long either and I use the STAR technique too so I believe it's concise. I don't actually think it's an issue with the initial application/ answers as I always make it through to the final shortlisting stage it's just getting over that hurdle to an interview.

As far as I am aware Northern don’t require psychometric assessments for the conductor role - especially not before interview.

Do you mean it is the online assessments? As it is my understanding that if you pass the online assessments I believe then the application is reviewed. This may be where you are then unfortunately regretted?

Yes it's the online assements that you're sent as part of the application process (it's verbal reasoning and then a numerical test) sorry I always call it a psychometric test - i think i've done so many over the years and they seem to change them about a bit. I always seem to pass both of them though everytime and get sent an email to say I've been shortlisted and the next stage will be an interview but then less than 24hrs later I'm told that my application won't be progressed any further.