Shunter driver application questions???

[Ipperwash]

Hello to all,

New to the forum.
I just made an application for a train maintenance/ Shunter driver position for GTR.
Things got a bit bizarre, as some of you will no doubt know, when the series of aptitude type questions came up- They were all pertaining to actual train driving, and requiring a knowledge of company safety policy that you could only have if you were already trained as a GTR driver.
I will be applying for any more shunter type positions that come up, so I was wondering if there was anywhere that I could find study materials to get the knowledge for passing this part of the application process.
Thanks in advance,
IP

 

[Stigy]

It’s a bit naughty that any technical questions are asked for these roles, but I know they exist. Unless of course it’s advertised only internally and part of the pre-requisite for applying is to have a technical knowledge.

As long as you have an understanding of the role and what it entails, surely the rest will be taught in the class room and/or in the field? That’s usually the idea anyway. If you’re internal to GTR, all policies etc should be easy enough to come by via the company Intranet etc, or be obtainable from specific management.

If you’re external, it’s unreasonable to be expected to have knowledge of company procedures that aren’t generally in the public domain.

 

[Ipperwash]

Or-
Shunter training handbooks or PDFs of some sort?

It’s a bit naughty that any technical questions are asked for these roles, but I know they exist. Unless of course it’s advertised only internally and part of the pre-requisite for applying is to have a technical knowledge.

As long as you have an understanding of the role and what it entails, surely the rest will be taught in the class room and/or in the field? That’s usually the idea anyway. If you’re internal to GTR, all policies etc should be easy enough to come by via the company Intranet etc, or be obtainable from specific management.

If you’re external, it’s unreasonable to be expected to have knowledge of company procedures that aren’t generally in the public domain.

Hi, and thanks.

Yes, it was an external application, I'm not inside GTR.
It is what it is, and friends tell me that it's a way of reducing the massive amount of applications way down, but as it literally doesn't discern between anyone's particular "aptitudes", it seems totally random. Other than common sense safety things, there's no way in Heaven I will have passed through that gauntlet to get to any further consideration. I would really like to prepare myself for these questions for my next application.
Do you know if that sort of stuff is published anywhere? Can I buy it?

 

[Marshy]

They know you won't have company policies and you aren't expected to know them. What they want to see is what kind of thinking you would have in that situation.

Don't overthink it, just put down the answers that you think are right. If they're right, you move on. If not, then you just have to accept that you either aren't cut out for it or do a bit more research. There's loads of info on this forum that will help you understand what tocs are looking for.

 

[Stigy]

Or-
Shunter training handbooks or PDFs of some sort?



Hi, and thanks.

Yes, it was an external application, I'm not inside GTR.
It is what it is, and friends tell me that it's a way of reducing the massive amount of applications way down, but as it literally doesn't discern between anyone's particular "aptitudes", it seems totally random. Other than common sense safety things, there's no way in Heaven I will have passed through that gauntlet to get to any further consideration. I would really like to prepare myself for these questions for my next application.
Do you know if that sort of stuff is published anywhere? Can I buy it?


View attachment 108804

Ah, I was under the impression you were referring to interview questions. In that case, it’s as @Marshy has said.

 

[iwasyoungonce]

Yes, it was an external application, I'm not inside GTR.
It is what it is, and friends tell me that it's a way of reducing the massive amount of applications way down, but as it literally doesn't discern between anyone's particular "aptitudes", it seems totally random. Other than common sense safety things, there's no way in Heaven I will have passed through that gauntlet to get to any further consideration. I would really like to prepare myself for these questions for my next application.
Do you know if that sort of stuff is published anywhere? Can I buy it?

You cant really prepare for questions like that they are Non technical skills its about you as a person nothing to do with knowledge of data

 

[Ipperwash]

They know you won't have company policies and you aren't expected to know them. What they want to see is what kind of thinking you would have in that situation.

Don't overthink it, just put down the answers that you think are right. If they're right, you move on. If not, then you just have to accept that you either aren't cut out for it or do a bit more research. There's loads of info on this forum that will help you understand what tocs are looking for.

So, yes,

That's what I'm looking for. Some direction toward documents or pages on this forum to do a bit more research. Before I actually, you know, accept I'm not cut out for it and move on.

 

[Stigy]

So, yes,

That's what I'm looking for. Some direction toward documents or pages on this forum to do a bit more research. Before I actually, you know, accept I'm not cut out for it and move on.

I’d disagree with the bit about doing more research, generally speaking. These situational judgment tests are meant to assess whether your thinking is in line with what’s the right thing to do. Just base your answers on what YOU would do in any given circumstances. There’s generally no wrong answers in these tests to be honest, and in the real world, if you did any of the things they ask you to select, you’d not necessarily be in the wrong.

I mean, sometimes there’s one frankly bizarre possible answer, but usually the questions which are more operationally motivated will present you with very similar possible answers. Just base everything on safety first, followed very closely by customer service. If there’s not really a safety element to the question, then customer service and keeping trains running to time should take priority.

In the particular question you shared, I’d probably put the one about not wanting to blame the company in the least likely category, because it’s just worded as if they wouldn’t want you to say that (otherwise why mention blame in the first place?).

 

[Marshy]

So, yes,

That's what I'm looking for. Some direction toward documents or pages on this forum to do a bit more research. Before I actually, you know, accept I'm not cut out for it and move on.

Apologies if I came across as rude, it was not my intention.

You wouldn't find any documents available to the public. There's a pinned thread titled "A career as a train driver" in the forums and I'm sure if you type non-technical skills in the search box, other threads will appear about it.

I also agree with what @Stigy and @iwasyoungonce said. It's designed to test your thinking in that situation and not what their policies are.

 

[Ipperwash]

I’d disagree with the bit about doing more research, generally speaking. These situational judgment tests are meant to assess whether your thinking is in line with what’s the right thing to do. Just base your answers on what YOU would do in any given circumstances. There’s generally no wrong answers in these tests to be honest, and in the real world, if you did any of the things they ask you to select, you’d not necessarily be in the wrong.

I mean, sometimes there’s one frankly bizarre possible answer, but usually the questions which are more operationally motivated will present you with very similar possible answers. Just base everything on safety first, followed very closely by customer service. If there’s not really a safety element to the question, then customer service and keeping trains running to time should take priority.

In the particular question you shared, I’d probably put the one about not wanting to blame the company in the least likely category, because it’s just worded as if they wouldn’t want you to say that (otherwise why mention blame in the first place?).

Sure, of course, and that's exactly what I did, as I had no choice, hahahaha. I really thought there had been a strange glitch and I'd been given the wrong questions.

Apologies if I came across as rude, it was not my intention.

You wouldn't find any documents available to the public. There's a pinned thread titled "A career as a train driver" in the forums and I'm sure if you type non-technical skills in the search box, other threads will appear about it.

I also agree with what @Stigy and @iwasyoungonce said. It's designed to test your thinking in that situation and not what their policies are.

Not at all, no worries.
I'll try the non- technical skills route, too.
Thanks