XC Reading onboard crew questions

[Bombaybob]

Hi, can any XC onboard crew at Reading give an idea of a typical week/roster for 1st Class Host? Is this role just for 1st class or do you serve the entire train? Any info on the role, t&c's would be really appreciated and what XC are like to work for. Thanks

 

[Jonfun]

Hi, can any XC onboard crew at Reading give an idea of a typical week/roster for 1st Class Host? Is this role just for 1st class or do you serve the entire train? Any info on the role, t&c's would be really appreciated and what XC are like to work for. Thanks

First Class Hosts work a 4 day week, and only Monday - Friday. You'll primarily be responsible for serving First Class customers with their complimentary at seat service, maintaining a clean and tidy carriage and galley area, and maintaining food hygeine standards through things like temperature checks on food and fridges. You'll also have to do other customer-y bits, like offering assistance and related stuff, and assist the Retail Service Manager with tasks like heating and delivering standard class hot food, and potentially helping with litter runs in standard as well as First if it's busy. You'll also be rostered some spare turns, where you'll sit around unless they can find a job for you to do - this may be an RSM turn, which you're also trained for.

It doesn't pay as well as RSM, but it is a better shift pattern, eg if you have a family and want to be free at weekends. In addition, there's always overtime going if you want to do that on your day off, although weekends/bank holidays/rest day work don't pay a premium, unless you're put on an RSM turn in which case you're paid for the higher grade duties.

Despite a lot of people slating them, XC isn't a bad company to work for. If you do your job, do it well, and work well as a 'people person' it's unlikely you'll come to grief. I'm afraid I can't help too much with where you'll work to from Reading, but I do know you'll see Birmingham and Manchester a fair bit.

Let us know if there's owt more you want to know.

Jon

 

[guy_in_wales]

depends if you get though a shambolic interview where you're told there are no jobs (sorry there is 1 job, but we don't need anyone), do 2 tests in Maths and English comprehension sit a group interview with 3 others, then told how they have such high standards, we will give you feedback (still waiting over a week now for that lol) thank you and goodbye. In fact I've been to quite a few interviews in my time, and to be honest XC trains was one of the worst.

Reasons:
1. Interviewees were placed in the mess room with current employees. That's uncomfortable.
2. When we entered the training room for the said tests, a quick low down on the job and then tests. It would have been a much better process if we had been allowed to introduce ourselves to the group.
3. At the end of the interview, XC trains would have had no idea what we could have offered to the company. Basically, they were not interested as they really didn't need any RSM at that station.

Oh and btw in you Flickr pics the BA aircraft isn't a 737, its a Airbus 318 used on LCY-JFK-LCY route

 

[Jonfun]

depends if you get though a shambolic interview where you're told there are no jobs (sorry there is 1 job, but we don't need anyone), do 2 tests in Maths and English comprehension sit a group interview with 3 others, then told how they have such high standards, we will give you feedback (still waiting over a week now for that lol) thank you and goodbye. In fact I've been to quite a few interviews in my time, and to be honest XC trains was one of the worst.

Reasons:
1. Interviewees were placed in the mess room with current employees. That's uncomfortable.
2. When we entered the training room for the said tests, a quick low down on the job and then tests. It would have been a much better process if we had been allowed to introduce ourselves to the group.
3. At the end of the interview, XC trains would have had no idea what we could have offered to the company. Basically, they were not interested as they really didn't need any RSM at that station.

Oh and btw in you Flickr pics the BA aircraft isn't a 737, its a Airbus 318 used on LCY-JFK-LCY route

Heh, that's a little embarrassing. And a little depressing that it's taken this long for someone to have spotted it :P You are of course correct, I was puzzled when you said that as I was sure I hadn't got any Boeing pics on there...

But fair doos, your interview went badly. It happens from time to time, and it's not particularly nice to have the knockback, but you can't slate an entire company's recruitment on one day that didn't go very well. If I did that, I think I'd be able to write a novel of criticism on most railway HR depts for one reason or another!

 

[guy_in_wales]

well if you are airline crew on A319/320/321 and the B767 for the very said company it helps

I`m sure XC isn`t that bad and "somewhere" they do have jobs, but unfortunately how that interview was conducted they have left themselves open for criticism. I was one person who perhaps wasn`t that disappointed due to my work circumstances at present. Its on par with the McDonald`s Management interview, (some years back) where the Branch Manager (who had only worked at said company) tried to compare and question me on a like for like bases between a McDonald`s kitchen and a DC9 galley! LOL

 

[Bombaybob]

Thanks guys for your input, it all helps