LNER Trainee Driver Jobs (18/03/2020)

[ILoveLamp]

I last applied early last week, I am going to give it one more try but feeling really disheartened. Feel it may not be meant to be this time round but don't know u til I exhaust all possibilities.

I think the standard is set high but all my answers were customer and safety focused. It was the family engagement questions I feel I struggled with and the very similar options

Are you saying that you applied, then failed a test, so reapplied so you could redo the test? Sorry if I misunderstood.

 

[Mark1234]

Congrats Mark, I don't want to know the exact questions you were asked but are you able to give any indication as to the type of and how many questions were asked in the video one please? Need to do mine by Thursday. Cheers

I wouldn’t give any indication of what questions you are to expect other than what you have already read on here. My advice would
Just be to relax, there are no trick questioms, answer honestly and if you have the relevant skills they will come through for you! I still am waiting to hear back after mine. Good luck to you!

 

[Eski]

Got my video interview to do too

 

[BigB89]

Wish I'd seen this thread earlier today before doing my recorded interview. Nevermind.... like most have said it was pretty straightforward. I was really nervous initially but then calmed down as soon as the first question was out of the way. I did have trouble with one of my responses timing out during it uploading- but I emailed LNER and they got back to my straight away to help.

Does anyone know how long it would be before hearing if we have progressed to stage 3?

Hopefully not as long for us but previously on this thread people have had to wait months

 

[DriverEight]

Hopefully not as long for us but previously on this thread people have had to wait months

I wouldn't hold your breath! The online tests can be disposed of by computer which will quickly sift through the answers, knock back the fails and set up the video interview for the passes, all without any human intervention. The video interviews, however, will have to be viewed and discussed individually so will take considerably longer. Let's hope there's considerably less of them and they rattle through them! It would be interesting to know how many applied, and how many were filtered out at each stage of the process. Anyone got a mole in LNER recruitment?

 

[HLZ77]

Does anyone know at what stage in the process you would be asked to provide your GCSE certificates? I've applied with AQA for a statement of results but it can take up to 4 weeks to arrive. I also need to apply to Edexcel for a copy Maths certificate and can either pay another £43 to recieve it in 4 weeks or pay £63 to fast track it in 5 days.

 

[DriverEight]

My guess would be if you reach the face to face interview stage. They'll list things yoy need to bring along, and certs etc would be included. If you don't have them, take a copy of the confirmation email from AQA and tell them that you'll forward your results as soon as you get them. I'd also speak to AQA before you apply to Edexel as I think AQA may hold the results for some of the other examining bodies

 

[Emilali]

If you

Does anyone know at what stage in the process you would be asked to provide your GCSE certificates? I've applied with AQA for a statement of results but it can take up to 4 weeks to arrive. I also need to apply to Edexcel for a copy Maths certificate and can either pay another £43 to recieve it in 4 weeks or pay £63 to fast track it in 5 days.

If you pass the DMI and then pass the psychometric tests then they ask you to provide your education certificates.

 

[cliffy1209]

If you

If you pass the DMI and then pass the psychometric tests then they ask you to provide your education certificates.

When they say A - C or equivalent, what would be classed as equivalent? I have 4 financial services qualifications, does anyone know if they would be acceptable. I can get the GCSE certs if needed but that seems like there'd be time implications with that

 

[HLZ77]

My guess would be if you reach the face to face interview stage. They'll list things yoy need to bring along, and certs etc would be included. If you don't have them, take a copy of the confirmation email from AQA and tell them that you'll forward your results as soon as you get them. I'd also speak to AQA before you apply to Edexel as I think AQA may hold the results for some of the other examining bodies

Thanks for that, I just contacted them but unfortunately they don't have records for edexcel so I'll have to pay the extra £43, not to worry, at least I'll have them for future even if I'm not successful this time round.

If you

If you pass the DMI and then pass the psychometric tests then they ask you to provide your education certificates.

Ahhh brilliant thank you, that definitely buys me time then, if I'm lucky enough to get that far of course haha

 

[theironroad]

Disagree with the one about the lady with her bag, I am a driver and will always help anyone who needs it, yes getting my train away on time is important but so is delivering excellent customer service. That question states there is no-one close enough to help so you would help her, these people pay our wages by buying tickets and travelling on our services, that to me is equally as important.

Three different people (obviously yourself a qualified train driver already) and 3 different answers...

I directed her to staff at end of platform because A: you need to get the train away on time as there are strict financial penalties and B: She is asking for help and can't carry her bags on the train so that would leave you carrying them on for her (see A) or leaving them on the platform while she gets on the train and searched for a member of staff, who may well be the other end of the train anyway...

Clearly that one is open to very wide interpretation...

So you’re telling me you would make your train late for 600 passengers, to help one person, and for train drivers safety comes first, customer service last. Hmmm not sure still.

That one person is equally as important as everyone else on that train. Yes safety comes first and you would still carry out your cab prep etc you would never rush this. I answered all my interview questions this way and was successful, like I said as this process goes on you will be asked customer service questions - there is a reason for this. My tip is don't forget about the customers, you are still there to help them when you can.

I tend to agree with train-safe, of course it all depends on circumstances. If I'm walking down the platform and someone is ready to board/disembark and by the door needs help getting a bag on or off a train I'd happily help, regardless of whether someone else is nearby. That said, if I'm pressed for time, it will be just helping get the bag on and off the nearest suitable door, I'm not going to be trawling up and down the train (luckily we don't have reservations!). I'd probably do it as a human being whether in uniform or not.

Anyone trying to join the driving grade these days who says that customer service is last isn't going to get very far. Yes, safety responsibility comes first but it's possible to balance tasks.

Another tip and a massive red flag is talking about financial penalties. Yes, everyone wants trains to run on time but if you're driving under cautionary signals and running late and your focus is on "financial penalties" you are going to end up with safety of line incidents and a short term job.

 

[HLZ77]

I tend to agree with train-safe, of course it all depends on circumstances. If I'm walking down the platform and someone is ready to board/disembark and by the door needs help getting a bag on or off a train I'd happily help, regardless of whether someone else is nearby. That said, if I'm pressed for time, it will be just helping get the bag on and off the nearest suitable door, I'm not going to be trawling up and down the train (luckily we don't have reservations!). I'd probably do it as a human being whether in uniform or not.

Anyone trying to join the driving grade these days who says that customer service is last isn't going to get very far. Yes, safety responsibility comes first but it's possible to balance tasks.

Another tip and a massive red flag is talking about financial penalties. Yes, everyone wants trains to run on time but if you're driving under cautionary signals and running late and your focus is on "financial penalties" you are going to end up with safety of line incidents and a short term job.

I think this is really interesting..... I actually answered this question where I'd apologise that i couldn't help but pointed them in the direction of someone who could. I passed that stage of the assessment too

My thinking behind it was that customer service is a priority but there is also many many other passengers who also deseve a good service, and their customer experience would be diminished somewhat if they were all late arriving at their destination. Plus the impact of the financial penalties.

It seems everyone has answered differently and still managed to pass ‍♀️

 

[sjc94]

Just finished my prerecorded interview. Thankful that bit is over with! I've read on here that after that is done it's just the medical? But the website says that there's another interview after this with the driver manager.. Anyone have any idea what the next stage is? Thanks!

 

[Gigmole]

These tests are designed to identify character traits that are either desirable or less desirable. They give an indication about an individuals likelihood to become a successful employee. The answers given are passed through an algorithm which produces the success or failure result. The answers to each question are analysed for patterns, not in isolation.

This is why people answering differently can achieve the same result.

 

[mechanic2]

The video was definitely a different experience. Just a waiting game now.

Did anybody find out about the pay increments once passed? I know you start on 28 but wondering roughly what the increments are after that?

 

[HLZ77]

Just finished my prerecorded interview. Thankful that bit is over with! I've read on here that after that is done it's just the medical? But the website says that there's another interview after this with the driver manager.. Anyone have any idea what the next stage is? Thanks!

On the job advertisement its suggests the recorded interview is stage 2 of a 5 stage process. Stage 3 is a Microsoft teams interview. Stage 4 is physcometric testing and stage 5 is a medical.

 

[DriverEight]

On the job advertisement its suggests the recorded interview is stage 2 of a 5 stage process. Stage 3 is a Microsoft teams interview. Stage 4 is physcometric testing and stage 5 is a medical.

So my next step will be find and install Microsoft teams!

 

[Ana D]

I think this is really interesting..... I actually answered this question where I'd apologise that i couldn't help but pointed them in the direction of someone who could. I passed that stage of the assessment too

My thinking behind it was that customer service is a priority but there is also many many other passengers who also deseve a good service, and their customer experience would be diminished somewhat if they were all late arriving at their destination. Plus the impact of the financial penalties.

It seems everyone has answered differently and still managed to pass ‍♀️

Thank you, I never said ignore the person and walk away but balance both of them. And as you said, I passed too this test, and i never said you have to think financially but always safety and of course customer service.

 

[dmarshall3]

What was the average wait time before people found out if they had passed the verbal reasoning assessment as the other 2 assessments I found out pretty much straight away.

 

[Ana D]

I tend to agree with train-safe, of course it all depends on circumstances. If I'm walking down the platform and someone is ready to board/disembark and by the door needs help getting a bag on or off a train I'd happily help, regardless of whether someone else is nearby. That said, if I'm pressed for time, it will be just helping get the bag on and off the nearest suitable door, I'm not going to be trawling up and down the train (luckily we don't have reservations!). I'd probably do it as a human being whether in uniform or not.

Anyone trying to join the driving grade these days who says that customer service is last isn't going to get very far. Yes, safety responsibility comes first but it's possible to balance tasks.

Another tip and a massive red flag is talking about financial penalties. Yes, everyone wants trains to run on time but if you're driving under cautionary signals and running late and your focus is on "financial penalties" you are going to end up with safety of line incidents and a short term

 

[HLZ77]

What was the average wait time before people found out if they had passed the verbal reasoning assessment as the other 2 assessments I found out pretty much straight away.

After I completed the VR it was about 3 days before I was invited to do a recorded interview.

 

[dmarshall3]

After I completed the VR it was about 3 day before I was invited to do a recorded interview.

Ok, cheers for the heads up

 

[PG28]

I completed my final online test yesterday afternoon and was invited to do a video interview this morning, but it sounds like there's quite a bit of variation in how long people wait that's probably down to LNER's seemingly automated system than anything else.

By the way, hi everyone. Nice to hear about the experiences of fellow applicants in this ultimate game of jumping through hoops!

 

[Sb80]

I applied during the last round and got to video interview .... it took them 3 weeks to decline me so I’m assuming the wait this time will be three weeks too. Worst part is that you get no feedback so you don’t know where you went wrong. I did my video interview for this round last Friday. Good luck everybody.

 

[HLZ77]

I applied during the last round and got to video interview .... it took them 3 weeks to decline me so I’m assuming the wait this time will be three weeks too. Worst part is that you get no feedback so you don’t know where you went wrong. I did my video interview for this round last Friday. Good luck everybody.

Out of curiosity, did you feel you answered the 6 questions any differently/better this time round?

3 weeks doesn't sound too long to wait so fingers crossed it is the same again. Good luck!

 

[Sb80]

To be honest I thought the last interview went well so it was disappointing to not get through. This time I feel like some answers were better and some weren’t. . It’s the waiting that’s horrible. I’d just rather know either way.

 

[HLZ77]

To be honest I thought the last interview went well so it was disappointing to not get through. This time I feel like some answers were better and some weren’t. . It’s the waiting that’s horrible. I’d just rather know either way.

Its so hard to tell isn't it, I feel like I did well, but without knowing the key words they want you to say there's just no telling.

 

[Cyclist]

Just finished my prerecorded interview. Thankful that bit is over with! I've read on here that after that is done it's just the medical? But the website says that there's another interview after this with the driver manager.. Anyone have any idea what the next stage is? Thanks!

Unfortunately, you are far from complete with the process. There's another interview to pass along with the industry-standard psychometric tests of which there are at least 7 plus another interview!

 

[PastyBruiser]

Having just completed the video interview, I feel I can safely say that everyone else has one less person to compete with. I sincerely hope post Covid, this interview method isn’t more widely adopted.

 

[Bob Wilson]

Hello all, I have been a lurker here since Monday.

I popped in a last minute LNER application on Sunday afternoon on a whim and straight away was invited to do a few rounds of questions and verbal reasoning. Something I certainly was not expecting. Then on Monday evening was invited for a video interview and have just done it, Wow it was a challenge!!!

To everyone who has done it, my mind went blank on question 1, it threw me even though I practiced it. My mind just went blank!!! It was possibly the most important question too!

I believe I was much better on the other 5 questions and got in alot of relevant information so I feel as confident as I can with those.

To anyone in the know.... will partially fluffing one answer from nerves hold me back? Will 5 strong answers redeem me? Is there a score to achieve???


Im just looking for something, anything to make me feel less of an idiot