ATW Trainee conductor assessment & interview. What to wear?

[Y Ddraig Coch]

Hi everyone, my first post on the forums all though I have been a follower for a while now.

I'm just looking for a little advice from anyone who has experience please.

I have an assessment and interview day for trainee conductor with ATW on Tuesday.

I have been told if I pass all of the tests in the morning we will be interviewed in the afternoon and then on passing the interview have a medical in the middle of november.

I just would like to know what the best thing to wear for the day will be? Should I wear a full suit? Maybe just a smart shirt and trousers? I really don't want to get it wrong as I'm very keen to do as well as possible. I have been going over and over the practice material sent!!

Any advice on this and any tips for the interview will be warmly received

 

[Johncleesefan]

suit and boot it every single time, you want to give your best possible impression right? let their first impressions of you be the very bet they can be, simple!

 

[Y Ddraig Coch]

Exactly what I thought but just wanted a little reassurance I think.
Many thanks.

 

[trentside]

Yes, absolutely - suited and booted. They'll likely ask about how you feel about wearing a uniform, so it helps to give that good first impression by turning up in a suit.

 

[craigybagel]

Went through that process with ATW earlier this year (I'm one week away from finishing all the training and working trains by myself) and pretty much everyone at my session was fully suited and booted.

 

[Y Ddraig Coch]

Went through that process with ATW earlier this year (I'm one week away from finishing all the training and working trains by myself) and pretty much everyone at my session was fully suited and booted.

Great, thanks for the information and congratulations on making it! I have been practicing the tests they sent out and have been doing well in all of them so am not too concerned about them. I am more worried about the interview afterwards if I make it.

Can you remember what they asked at the interview? It would be helpful for a rough idea on what to prepare.

 

[craigybagel]

Thanks

My interview may have been slightly different because I was an existing railway employee who'd already passed the aptitude tests so it was done in the morning whilst everyone else was doing their tests. From what I remember though it was pretty standard for conductor interviews - what do you know about the company, how will you deal with shift work or difficult customers, safety issues etc, name a time when you have provided great service/coped with a difficult situation, stuff like that.

Bottom line, for almost every railway interview, safety first, then customer service, then everything else.

 

[Rmorsey]

Hey guys, Im totally new to this forum and didn't know how else to ask. I'm a young enthusiastic chap looking for a career change into the conductor side of things.
Is there any out there that can give me pointers or help me as to what ATW keywords or attributes are looking for the personal statement.

Many thanks.
Reece.

 

[Greenback]

Reece, the best advice I can give you is look at the job description and the advert wording and try and fit your personal specification to the role. Remember that safety will be paramount.

 

[trentside]

Personally, I always print out the job description and make a check list of key words for when I'm writing my application. Quite correctly, it appears that the Arriva job specification puts safety first, then shifts its focus to customer service. These are the things you should focus on - also mention cash handling experience if you have it. As you go through, tick off the key words each time you use them, relating them to your personal experience - but try to strike a balance of using their words and saying it in your own way.

I find this approach helps me and seems to reap rewards, so hopefully it will help you.

 

[Rmorsey]

Thank you ever so much