Tips/advice/info regarding final line manager interview

[Hoolay88]

Hi guys,

I have successfully passed all assessment tests and the MMI and have my line manage interview booked with ARL in a couple of weeks, would appreciate hearing any feedback from someone who has been through one of these.

What sort of questions, was it a 1 on 1, how long did it last and how long after until you heard back?

Also, if anyone can throw me a bit of inside info about the company i could throw in and impress them for knowing, that would be great haha.

Anyway, thanks

 

[C.T.P.]

The final interview with the manager, being the last, very subjective hurdle, can be summarized in the following sentence: How much does the interviewer like you? It has absolutely nothing to do with how competent you are and it does not matter how much relevant experience you have in a similar field. Those who claim it does are talking rubbish.

 

[lambo89]

Agree with the above

 

[Hoolay88]

The final interview with the manager, being the last, very subjective hurdle, can be summarized in the following sentence: How much does the interviewer like you? It has absolutely nothing to do with how competent you are and it does not matter how much relevant experience you have in a similar field. Those who claim it does are talking rubbish.

I thought as much, otherwise the previous assessments/interview would be enough to decide ifnyou got the job or not, I guessed this final interview is literally the manager getting a feel for you and if you are someone he/she wants working for them.

Thanks.

 

[Juliet Barvo]

Know a Procedure and be convincing that you know it off by heart and will always apply it.

Convince them that you can Be positive and receptive when given feedback.

Know the company - know the company factsheet.
Know the Routes - know the company factsheet.
Know the Trains - know the 378 Specs which are available by googling them [what do they know, class 378 specs].

Have an example of when you gave excellent customer service. Offer to help the person, make them comfortable, go the extra mile to help them and tailor your efforts to the individual's needs.

Doing something repetitive.

Challenges of being a Driver and working alone.

Why do you want to be a train driver - it's an excellent job and all the people I know say you'll never quit this job, the director says it's the greatest job you can do, I want to progress my career DI DTL DTM Depot Manager, Head of Drivers.

Something you do which requires continual concentration.

Be prepared to think on your feet, and know the job of a driver.

Interviews are always Manager + Someone from HR and You.

At the interview, the interviewer [who may be the person who welcomed you into the building] is looking for you to display all of the required Qualities, and if you are lacking in one or more then you will not get the job.

 

[LCC106]

Do some research about the company, routes, traction, any awards they’ve received, stuff they’ve done in the community etc. to show you’ve taken a real interest in them. Good luck!

 

[Stigy]

The final interview with the manager, being the last, very subjective hurdle, can be summarized in the following sentence: How much does the interviewer like you? It has absolutely nothing to do with how competent you are and it does not matter how much relevant experience you have in a similar field. Those who claim it does are talking rubbish.

I agree with that mostly, however you can be the most likeable person they’ve interviewed that day and still not tick all the right competency boxes. They will still need to score the interview.

Agreed though that the crux of it is, you can be the most competent person fornthe job, but if they don’t ‘hit it off’ with you, you’ll lose out to one of the other hundred or so candidates they’re interviewing for the same role.

 

[axlecounter]

It’s not just about competency, I suppose?

 

[Paulm36]

To be fair I spent hours preparing for my final managers interview , and it definitely didn't just come down to how much they liked me . It took me about 3 years, and a lot of work , to finally land a job within the railway . Within that time frame I had a few interviews for various roles , and in some of them I couldn't have got on better with them , even having a cup of coffee after one interview with the guy , and still didn't get the job . However with every failed interview I learnt alot , changed my approach , and finally landed a job .

 

[dazzayid]

It’s all about your attitude, if you go in with the wrong attitude they will pick it up straight away and u will fail. Even in the training school they watch your attitude, how you are with your fellow trainees. With the wrong attitude u won’t get far at all.

 

[Trico382]

Do some research about the company, routes, traction, any awards they’ve received, stuff they’ve done in the community etc. to show you’ve taken a real interest in them. Good luck!

I did this and it worked for me. I would take this advice! Also the bit below about attitude is hugely important.

 

[Topcat999]

It’s all about your attitude, if you go in with the wrong attitude they will pick it up straight away and u will fail. Even in the training school they watch your attitude, how you are with your fellow trainees. With the wrong attitude u won’t get far at all.

OK define "attitude"

Is it the way you walk, talk, act., look, live...?

Is it possible one person could take your friendly "attitude" as cocky? Are they trained in human behaviour/ psychology? Trouble when you bring human psychology, judgement and "gut feel" into it you are just as likely to miss read it as get it right.

I guess this is the truth?
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The final interview with the manager, being the last, very subjective hurdle, can be summarized in the following sentence: How much does the interviewer like you? It has absolutely nothing to do with how competent you are and it does not matter how much relevant experience you have in a similar field. Those who claim it does are talking rubbish.

 

[Topcat999]

It’s all about your attitude, if you go in with the wrong attitude they will pick it up straight away and u will fail. Even in the training school they watch your attitude, how you are with your fellow trainees. With the wrong attitude u won’t get far at all.

How do they get to find this out in the interview?

so do they want "good/safe train drivers" or people that get along well with senior management?

 

[Topcat999]

To be fair I spent hours preparing for my final managers interview , and it definitely didn't just come down to how much they liked me . It took me about 3 years, and a lot of work , to finally land a job within the railway . Within that time frame I had a few interviews for various roles , and in some of them I couldn't have got on better with them , even having a cup of coffee after one interview with the guy , and still didn't get the job . However with every failed interview I learnt alot , changed my approach , and finally landed a job .

How did you change your approach?

 

[Paulm36]

How did you change your approach?

By taking on board the feedback that I received . I realise that not everyone receives great feedback , but I was lucky enough to be interviewed by 2 mangers that emailed me directly on request , and told me where I'd fallen short . Plus after every rejection taking the time to research even more , until I cracked it .

 

[dazzayid]

I know people who have gone into the interview thinking it was in the bag, this attitude came out during the interview, and guess what, they failed.

 

[C.T.P.]

I agree with that mostly, however you can be the most likeable person they’ve interviewed that day and still not tick all the right competency boxes. They will still need to score the interview.

Agreed though that the crux of it is, you can be the most competent person fornthe job, but if they don’t ‘hit it off’ with you, you’ll lose out to one of the other hundred or so candidates they’re interviewing for the same role.

The competency is assessed at the MMI. When you reach the DMI stage, it is assumed that you are competent to become a train driver. However, if your interviewer has certain preferences, your competency and qualifications might not matter that much. This is not a job where you are being chosen by meritocracy.

 

[Stigy]

The competency is assessed at the MMI. When you reach the DMI stage, it is assumed that you are competent to become a train driver. However, if your interviewer has certain preferences, your competency and qualifications might not matter that much. This is not a job where you are being chosen by meritocracy.

It’s a competency based interview nonetheless. That’s where there whole “tell me about a time where you’ve had to....” etc etc comes in to it. It still has to be scored under certain criteria.

The MMI is competency based to, but it forms part of psychometric testing which is the only difference to the DMI. Most interviews these days are competency based.

 

[Hoolay88]

Thank you to everyone who posted their tips and advise...pleased to say the interview went well and i was offered the job!!!

Really looking forward to getting my head down and get this tra!n!ng underway!

 

[Peeler]

Many congratulations!!

Nervous for mine in a couple of weeks. More so because I still will have the MMI to go thereafter as my TOC does the manager interview first.

 

[MidlandsChap]

The final interview with the manager, being the last, very subjective hurdle, can be summarized in the following sentence: How much does the interviewer like you? It has absolutely nothing to do with how competent you are and it does not matter how much relevant experience you have in a similar field. Those who claim it does are talking rubbish.

Having interviewed people for jobs I can confirm this correct to some extent, but not the whole truth.

When you break it down, a manager is generally looking for three primary attributes. Somebody thats (i) going to try their very best to do the job as well as they can, (ii) has natural aptitude/mental capacity to actually be able to carry out the job and is (iii) going to be easy to manage and generally well meaning.

Being easy to manage is usually worked out in the interview stage through personality and aptitude for the job will have already been tested via assessments. How well somebody has prepared for the interview will tell me how much effort they are going to put into the job. If they cannot be bothered to research the company, its a bit of a red flag in my mind as to how much effort they are going to put into doing the job, and so would not get them the job no matter how much I like them.

 

[Hoolay88]

Thank you to everyone who posted their tips and advise...pleased to say the interview went well and i was offered the job!!!

Really looking forward to getting my head down and get this tra!n!ng underway!

thats a bit silly as they are wasting their own time on deciding they want you, to potentially then you not passing the mmi...unless its about saving some pennies not sending everyone for the mmi

 

[Peeler]

thats a bit silly as they are wasting their own time on deciding they want you, to potentially then you not passing the mmi...unless its about saving some pennies not sending everyone for the mmi

They do the MMI in house too.....I suppose the way they look at it is that there is no point sending someone to the MMI if the managers wouldn’t pass them?