Rejection for Perth trainee driver

[col303]

I've just received a rejection email from Scotrail for trainee driver at Perth. Really disappointed as I thought the depot manager interview had gone quite well and I was able to answer all of the situation questions through experiences in the fire service. I'm hoping it didn't fall down on the fact I hadn't been able to visit the station in the week before the interview due to circumstances and that all the information and facts I'd studied about routes, depots, the company, first group etc. didn't include the managing directors name, which they did ask. Maybe a schoolboy error there I suppose but it's been 17 since my last interview for anything.

I'm a bit unclear now though as to whether that's me classed as having failed one of my 2 attempts at the driver tests. I'm guessing that's a yes but I assumed that if I was getting a manager interview then I had passed all the written stuff from the assessment day although I had not done a structured interview or the reaction test yet.

The email just said we would like to hear from you in 6 months, not sure if that's just the standard rejection though. I've emailed the careers department that the correspondance comes from asking if it's possible to get feedback on areas that could be improved on but does anyone have experience of getting any replies about stuff like that?

 

[royaloak]

Manager interview is not part of the assessment but the CBI is, so if you only failed the manager interview then you still have 2 attempts left.

 

[jaarus]

I could be wrong (and things are about to change soon in any case from what I hear) but, the Managers Interview is AFAIK outside of the assessment stage, so not securing a post wouldn't count as one of your two strikes - the 6m thing would seem to be a standard rejection for the current set of recruiting.

To actually get to that stage (depending on the order your TOC does it, some follow a different path) you will have passed the assessments to be 'fit for role' just failed to suitably impress them for whatever reason. If/when you reapply you should go straight to final interview again.

Really sorry you didnt get it though.

 

[daddy_badger]

I failed the managers interview many moons ago and recently the CBI. You have a psychometric pass use it to your advantage it's good for 2 years at least.

 

[scotraildriver]

They don't normally say "we would like to hear from you" suggesting you were probably close. Sadly knowing the MD's name is something they expect you to know and a depot visit is pretty much essential, put simply if there were 2 equal candidates for the job and 1 had made a visit and the other not, the first one would get the job. There are so many applicants for each job that everything and anything counts. Apply again and no, you won't have to do the tests again.

 

[jaarus]

Were you invited to visit the depo or is this something that you do off your own back?

 

[col303]

No it wasn't an invitation to a visit or anything, suppose its more just showing that you've done your research and can show them you've made an effort. I did all my prior work on the computer and from timetables I picked up at my local station. I'm not sure if they are looking for you to actually arrange to meet someone to get shown around, that would be a bit of a nightmare for them if several hundred applicants were on the phone looking for a tour. I had planned to go to the station just for some familiarisation but in the end due to various things at home it came to the day of the interview itself so I went earlier on that day and had a look around at platforms etc. Maybe they would've preferred an earlier separate visit plus the chief exec / MD name is just an error on my part I suppose. I'll know the next time.

Still a little unsure if the parts I've passed will stand as I had not say the reaction test by that point.