6 years and 25 applications later and I still can't crack the railway. I'm not sure whether to put my efforts into something else now or to continue.
How many applications did you make it until you got that offer?
6 years and 25 applications later and I still can't crack the railway. I'm not sure whether to put my efforts into something else now or to continue.
How many applications did you make it until you got that offer?
Maybe? I passed DMI, rail operator. Close, but not close enough!Ten out of ten for perseverance, but maybe, just maybe, time to look elsewhere, for something that better suits your talents?
(You'll know what you're really good at!)
I know how you feel. Do you get any useful feedback? What job are you doing now?I still haven't 'got in' so expect the list below to grow:
Manchester metrolink x2
Northern driver
Swr guard x 3
Swr shunter x2 (interview)
Gwr driver
Gtr shunter x3
Gtr station assistant x2
Overground driver
Tramlink x2 (interview)
Lner station assistant
Lner driver
Avanti driver
Tfl train maintainer (interview)
Freightliner groundstaff x2
Db cargo groundstaff
Overground station assistant
Network rail signaller
Network rail operative
Balfour Beatty (I think?) Tamper driver
28 over about five years, if I've not missed any.
I don't really want to give up but it is starting to affect me mentally
Congratulations! What TOC?Got trainee driver job at my second and final go at the psychometrics
I still haven't 'got in' so expect the list below to grow:
Manchester metrolink x2
Northern driver
Swr guard x 3
Swr shunter x2 (interview)
Gwr driver
Gtr shunter x3
Gtr station assistant x2
Overground driver
Tramlink x2 (interview)
Lner station assistant
Lner driver
Avanti driver
Tfl train maintainer (interview)
Freightliner groundstaff x2
Db cargo groundstaff
Overground station assistant
Network rail signaller
Network rail operative
Balfour Beatty (I think?) Tamper driver
28 over about five years, if I've not missed any.
I don't really want to give up but it is starting to affect me mentally
Here’s my story , started with SWT/R in February 2016I want to know more about the people who got a job at the first or second try, what experience or training do they have?
I suspect luck and contacts are not often decisive
I didn't know anyone in the industry, researched the tests and questions I was likely to be asked and went thoroughly over it all so I knew it, with the mmi and dmi it helps if you can think on your feet also for when they put you under pressure.I want to know more about the people who got a job at the first or second try, what experience or training do they have?
I suspect luck and contacts are not often decisive
I want to know more about the people who got a job at the first or second try, what experience or training do they have?
I suspect luck and contacts are not often decisive
I was driving coaches before I applied. I had originally wanted to apply long before I actually did but back then I didn’t feel I had anything like the experience or skills they were looking for on the applications. But after being in my coach driving job for 3 years I felt ready to apply. I passed everything with my first application in 2018 and was placed in the pool for freightliner just before Christmas that year. At the start of 2019 I saw an advert for a toc near me so applied to that as well, I quickly had a dmi with them and 2 days later had a firm offer with a start date and medical booked.I want to know more about the people who got a job at the first or second try, what experience or training do they have?
I suspect luck and contacts are not often decisive
Didn't know any one in the industry. Emergency service background helped with the questions in the MMI.I want to know more about the people who got a job at the first or second try, what experience or training do they have?
I suspect luck and contacts are not often decisive
only one interview provided me with feedback and the advice was to provide more eye contact, clearer communication, and stronger examples to the main competency questions. As it was a shunter job I thought "fair enough"....
I know how you feel. Do you get any useful feedback? What job are you doing now?
Glad to hear it dude, we were at the 1st FL assessment together. Been driving nearly 18 months now!I was a bus driver and heard through colleagues about opportunities with train companies. Looking into the industry more I realised that there were a lot of parallels between my job and the railway.
I applied for Freightliner in 2018, passed stage 1 assessments to National standard which halted that application. Unfortunately the concurrent application I had with DB cargo had to be withdrawn as I wanted to focus on one.
I had applied to WMT in 2018 but they were pretty slow and I forgot about them. I applied for GWR in 2019 and went straight to the 2nd stage assessments as they accept national standard.
I passed, did my DMI and passed to land in a Talent Pool.
I was disheartened not to hear anything more about that and applied to other places, whilst still putting in applications to any other TOC within an hours driving distance. I've still at this current time got a live application with TFW but I'm a few weeks away from starting as a trainee driver with WMT.
My previous experience was ten years as a shop manager, dealing with mobile phones, sat nav and mobile phone accessories sales. I spent five years driving buses and in both jobs became comfortable with responsibility. I feel that running bus services gave me a awareness of the importance of safety and instilled a safety focused attitude.
My advice if your not getting anywhere with applications is try working in a similar safety focused job first. I get the impression that the interviewers are very certain of the kind of person they need and that you won't be able to treat TOC interviews like any traditional job interview, they need real evidence of specific skills and a convincing demonstration of your own safety focused mindset.