Rail companies do not like employing....

[Johnny_w]

...enthusiasts.

This I've heard from a couple of people of late trying to break into the rail industry.

What's the feel from members here?

Just for clarity :- I'm never going to work in the rail industry and i'm a total enthusiast!

Cheers,

JW

 

[The Snap]

I'd say it's either one or the other. If you're going to work in the industry, I wouldn't let on that you're an enthusiast, it just complicates things.

I used to be an 'enthusiast', but after 4 years in the industry I wouldn't class myself as one anymore! I still have an interest in the railway, but more so the operations and infrastructure, as apposed to being the stereotypical 'train-spotter'.

 

[A-driver]

Plenty of enthusiasts on the industry and no harm saying you are one when going for a job. The issue is coming across as a know-it-all...'I have read the rule book online, I have some old traction manuals and have read up on policies so will be able to save you training costs' or the 'I have wanted to drive trains all my life' which generally means you may enjoy the first few weeks but once you have fulfilled your life long ambition of driving a mainline train you will get bored and look for other jobs or start loosing concentration and make mistakes.

Nothing wrong with being an enthusiast, just be sure about your actual suitability to the job and attitude towards being told you actually don't know what you think you do.

 

[RPM]

It used to be more of an issue in BR days, less so now. Certainly your background industry knowledge as an enthusiast could be an advantage but as A-driver has said, the key is not to be a cocky know-it-all.

 

[LowLevel]

I'm a totally open enthusiast and it didn't stop me getting employed, or indeed promoted 18 months later

 

[thegrimeater]

Surely it's better to be interested in your job? (but clearly not a know it all)

 

[HSTfan!!!]

I was an enthusiast when I joined up, never really let on but the whilst I still have a passing interest the job pretty much killed it off for me, still i've just landed my childhood dream railway job so i'm happy, not many people do that.

 

[A-driver]

Surely it's better to be interested in your job? (but clearly not a know it all)

It is, as long as you don't let it distract you and are able to remain professional, not ditch your duties every time a steamer or freight train goes past etc.

 

[edwin_m]

I think if you come across has having a broad interest in the railway, how it works and what problems it faces, then that will usually be a good thing. Being totally obsessed with one narrow aspect such as traction, or having strong ideas about how things should be that aren't modified by exposure to the facts, is less likely to be welcomed.

 

[455driver]

Having an interest in the railways will help but its a question of striking a balance, appear to be a complete anorak and you will have no chance!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

It is, as long as you don't let it distract you and are able to remain professional, not ditch your duties every time a steamer or freight train goes past etc.

Or SPAD because you are trying to take a picture of a train in Woking up yard!

 

[RJ]

...enthusiasts.

This I've heard from a couple of people of late trying to break into the rail industry.

What's the feel from members here?

Just for clarity :- I'm never going to work in the rail industry and i'm a total enthusiast!

Cheers,

JW

Enthusiasm in itself isn't a bad thing and won't stop you getting a job in the industry.

 

[Johnny_w]

Interesting stuff chaps.

I suspect that the people who have struggled might suffer from over zealousness!

thanks for the thoughts

 

[Silv1983]

I really don't think that there is any occasion during the recruitment process where you would either be asked or would care to volunteer such information anyway.

 

[Cherry_Picker]

I don't think the claim in the original post is true at all, there are loads of enthusiasts who work on the railway. I do suspect that a lot of enthusiasts are very good at talking themselves out of jobs by displaying a know all attitude though.

 

[Clip]

I don't think the claim in the original post is true at all, there are loads of enthusiasts who work on the railway. I do suspect that a lot of enthusiasts are very good at talking themselves out of jobs by displaying a know all attitude though.

Indeed they are. Ive had to decline a couple over the years because their interview abilities were nothing more than blatant showing off about their knowledge rather than actually answering the questions set before them or going off on wild tangents about spotting.

We're there to asses your ability to do the job you applied for, not for your indepth knowledge of freight trains or obscure workings of passenger services.

 

[muz379]

the way I see it is there is no harm in mentioning being an enthusiast in passing in the manager interview if there is a relevant time to say it after all the manager works on the railways themselves and so will be glad to see your enthusiasm about the industry .
But remember the main thing you should be focusing on in the interview is showing that you have the relevant skills and experience to do the job you have applied for whatever that may be .and that doesn't mean you have read the rule book online and driven 100,000 miles on train Sim , that means you've got problem solving skills , and can use initiative and work under pressure , concentrate on a repetitive tasks , can learn rules and procedures etc .

Enthusiasm on its own isn't enough to get you a highly competitive job on the railways , they will have loads of applicants who are enthusiasts as well .

They may fear that if you go on about driving all these miles on train sim and the like that you will actually be harder to train as you will have loads of bad habits they have to train out of you or you might be a little bit of a know it all that doesn't listen to important things in training . At least if they take someone who has no idea what to do in the cab they wont have that problem . A bit like a driving instructor who was a friend if mine used to say he hated teaching people who had been taught by their parents prior to coming to him because they did loads of things wrong and needed teaching these things before they could be taught to do them the right way .

 

[david_VI]

I'm struggling a lot with this myself.

I've got an interview tomorrow and when I get asked about why I want to work in the industry I don't know whether to say i've always wanted to work in it and had a fascination.. The truth is that and i've never been able to put my finger on what it is about the railways. I'm not really a spotter per se, I just have this feeling and it's always been the career I wanted to be in.

It's knowing whether to say that or just stick to the fact what I know about the job appeals to me and It's always seemed like a career for life.

It's tricky. I don't know if you can fail an otherwise good interview because you're an enthusiast.. Even though a railway enthusiast can come in many different ways.

 

[muz379]

I'm struggling a lot with this myself.

I've got an interview tomorrow and when I get asked about why I want to work in the industry I don't know whether to say i've always wanted to work in it and had a fascination.. The truth is that and i've never been able to put my finger on what it is about the railways. I'm not really a spotter per se, I just have this feeling and it's always been the career I wanted to be in.

It's knowing whether to say that or just stick to the fact what I know about the job appeals to me and It's always seemed like a career for life.

It's tricky. I don't know if you can fail an otherwise good interview because you're an enthusiast.. Even though a railway enthusiast can come in many different ways.

if I where in your shoes id be more inclined to say that its because its a career for life and the other things that you can specify rather than just saying " I cant quite put my finger on what it is I like about the railway" . Itll make you sound as if your not sure of it or if you've not done your research , at least if you can say stuff about actual thinks you know and like about the job you look like you've done your research and have weighed up if the job is right for you .

you could then briefly mention that you've always been fascinated by the railway . I did that but wasn't questioned much further on it cos id already specified the things that I knew I liked about the job and that matched my skills and experience .

 

[scotsman]

They do, if you play your cards right. The trick is never to go on about how you love trains, you've got to demonstrate that you have the enthusiasm to want to work for the railway, and the TOC in particular, without saying you're mad about it.

 

[Ben.A.98]

What would companies think of you if you mentioned that you work on a heritage railway?

 

[Jonfun]

It'll all depend on what you do on said railway and how relevant it is to the job, I suppose. If you're going for a customer service role with a TOC and all you've done is cleaned a few steam engines every couple of weeks for half a year then it probably won't do much good. But if you're able to translate it (well) into relevant experience, it be a real bonus.

 

[Beveridges]

Stating your a trainspotter can cause all sorts of complications in the Interview so its not worth mentioning. At best it will have no impact on your score, and at worst, could harm it, so theres nothing to gain.
There will be plenty of opportunities to talk about spotting with other enthusiasts after getting the job but the interview is not the place for it.
Mentioning volunteerary work on a preserved railway can always be a positive - especially if you have no experience on the commercial railway - but you've got to do it right.

 

[ukcinc]

I have been on the railways now for around 5 years. I cant say i know it all.
How ever. It would depend of how people come across at an interview. I also depends on what role you would like todo on the rails.
I do know of many "spotters" (just a genral term we use)
Who work on the rails ways. I cant speak for TOCs or FOCs but he in pway land some spotters dont last long. Its not though mikey taking, its normaly down to them not liking the job. We have two full spotters on our gang and they have been in for 10 plus years. Also i think deep down we all are in some way. As we know just from one look at a train what it doing and where its going.
But going back to the first question, yes it can be hard braking on to the rails. Its not a question about if you know every thing about the railways, its more about you and how you come across as a person. I no a guy how has always wanted to be a driver..he can tell every little thing about south west class train. But when it comes to things like customers sevices and what would you do if such and such happened..bless him he dose not have a clue.

 

[Shimbleshanks]

I once met a rather sad chap who was a cargo manager at one of London's airports. He told me: 'I took this job because I was a plane enthusiast. Now that I deal with planes day in, day out, I have a stressful job and I don't really have a hobby I can relax with any more because every time I look at a plane, it makes me think of work again.'

 

[47802]

As a Rail enthusiast I enjoy my hobby and thought about looking for a job in the rail industry but then rejected the idea because I thought it might ruin my hobby.

If a recruitment team has a prejudice against someone simply because the are an enthusiast then that would be bad management in my view and an interest in railways ought to be a positive, but equally of course the recruitment team has to be sure that person has the qualities required for the job and will approach it in a professional manner.

 

[03_179]

I have been on the railway for over 25 years. Most of the places I have worked tend to look down on enthusiasts as being morons or wierd.

My current location there is only one person who openly admits an interest in trains/railways. I get a few comments if I turn to look at a train passing through with the other staff but I just ignore them. Covert enthusiast

 

[The Snap]

If a recruitment team has a prejudice against someone simply because the are an enthusiast then that would be bad management in my view and an interest in railways ought to be a positive, but equally of course the recruitment team has to be sure that person has the qualities required for the job and will approach it in a professional manner.

I don't think they would automatically reject someone for being an enthusiast. Everyone will be taken on their own merit in interview - if they think you can do the job then you're in good stead, regardless of who you are and what your hobbies are. As others have said, if you come across as a complete basket case who only wants to be a Platform Assistant so they can get paid to watch trains go by...then you'll be laughed out of the door!

 

[47802]

I don't think they would automatically reject someone for being an enthusiast. Everyone will be taken on their own merit in interview - if they think you can do the job then you're in good stead, regardless of who you are and what your hobbies are. As others have said, if you come across as a complete basket case who only wants to be a Platform Assistant so they can get paid to watch trains go by...then you'll be laughed out of the door!

I would hope not, yes there are a few Rail Enthusiasts who are frankly Bell ends, but equally there are plenty who would do a capable and professional job, and wouldn't suddenly abandon there position just because for example Union of South Africa has pulled into the platform.

Its like many years ago my work took me on a rare trip to Inverness one day, I had hoped to photograph the one remaining loco hauled train to Kyle in a late Lunch break, but the work was taking longer than expected and I had to take a short lunch break and so missed it, but at the end of the day that was fine as it wasn't what I was being paid to be in Inverness for.

 

[shedman]

Stating your a trainspotter can cause all sorts of complications in the Interview so its not worth mentioning. At best it will have no impact on your score, and at worst, could harm it, so theres nothing to gain.
There will be plenty of opportunities to talk about spotting with other enthusiasts after getting the job but the interview is not the place for it.
Mentioning volunteerary work on a preserved railway can always be a positive - especially if you have no experience on the commercial railway - but you've got to do it right.

Mick is right what he says except the last bit, I certainly wouldn't mention if you volunteered.

Those of you who say mention it, its fine etc then your line managers must be spotters. I've worked for 3 different rail companies and the general consensus is steer away from spotters. There is no need to mention it in an interview, within a few of starting the job you will come across other enthusiasts and you can talk about it then.

Remember, there are too many recent stories about enthusiasts giving out a bad message (that bloke at Derby on the floor squeeling at the 37s is a prime example).

 

[Greenback]

There is a distinction between enthusiasts and train spotters. I am enthusiastic about trains and rail travel, but I have never collected numbers, never worn an anorak and never been interested in loco's, units, or whatever.

I'm not decrying those who do that, but I think that having a genuine interest in how something operates won't be a disadvantage. I said this in my interview years ago and got a job, despite the manager in question having no interest at all in railways. Coming across as a know all, as A-Driver perfectly illustrated earlier in the thread, will be far more of a problem.