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Southeastern - Station Roles - Recruitment Discussion

Ellwill

Member
Joined
4 Aug 2021
Messages
155
Location
Medway
Hello everyone can anyone guide me about how talent pool works. As i am in a talent pool since April and waiting for the vacancy to come at the station i applied for. Is there any way I can check the numbers in talent pool?
As previously discussed recruitment will brush you off if you ask them for any updates. The only way you can find out the number of people in your pool is by making an FOI request asking how many people are waiting in your particular area, but even then it won't be clear where exactly you are in the queue (assuming there is one).
 
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Shahk

Member
Joined
13 Jul 2026
Messages
5
Location
London
As previously discussed recruitment will brush you off if you ask them for any updates. The only way you can find out the number of people in your pool is by making an FOI request asking how many people are waiting in your particular area, but even then it won't be clear where exactly you are in the queue (assuming there is one).
Thank you very much for replying. I attended the assessment and interview on 24 April 2026 for station/customer service roles London area. I received the email same day confirming I was successful in both assessment and interview. Then i have been put in the talent pool. I have been in touch with their talent coordinator since then and waiting.
but here i can ask things openly . I have read all the posts in this section of SE. what I understand is waiting is long...rather very long. But if you and I have been put in talent pool, they will definitely call us , am I right?

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As of now I’ve asked them under the FOI how many people are in the talent pool for my job title and location and there was 14 and I am pretty sure I am closer to 1 than I am to 14 so at this point it shouldn’t be too much longer for me
Hello can you please guide me about the procedure for FOI?
And when asking FOI , do I have to tell them that i am in talent pool etc?
 
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Ellwill

Member
Joined
4 Aug 2021
Messages
155
Location
Medway
ave been put in the talent pool. I have been in touch with their talent coordinator since then and waiting.
but here i can ask things openly . I have read all the posts in this section of SE. what I understand is waiting is long...rather very long. But if you and I have been put in talent pool, they will definitely call us , am I right?
I would say prepare to wait at least a year. They'll call you via telephone when they want to offer you a position but there's no guarantee it'll be one you can take (lengthy commute for example). In the meantime I would keep applying to other jobs if you're not already in employment.
 

Shahk

Member
Joined
13 Jul 2026
Messages
5
Location
London
I would say prepare to wait at least a year. They'll call you via telephone when they want to offer you a position but there's no guarantee it'll be one you can take (lengthy commute for example). In the meantime I would keep applying to other jobs if you're not already in employment.
Thank you very much for your response.
 

tsb_01

Member
Joined
29 May 2026
Messages
10
Location
London
I would say prepare to wait at least a year. They'll call you via telephone when they want to offer you a position but there's no guarantee it'll be one you can take (lengthy commute for example). In the meantime I would keep applying to other jobs if you're not already in employment.
Thank you very much for your response.
I would say prepare to wait at least a year. They'll call you via telephone when they want to offer you a position but there's no guarantee it'll be one you can take (lengthy commute for example). In the meantime I would keep applying to other jobs if you're not already in employment.
Is there any way you can ask where you rank/fall in a talent pool because they said 14 for 3 combined stations not my individual station therefore it could be lower for me

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Apologies for the late reply, I have been working at my station since January,

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can depend on where you told them where you want to work during your assessment centre. I said a particular station and 4 months later, i got an offer to join. i noticed london terminals have a better intake as alot of current staff either get dismissed or leave within a short time.
I’m currently waiting for a London station I’ve been waiting for around 6-7 months since my medical , during my interview I said I was open to working for a range of different stations
 

M_B14

Member
Joined
1 Oct 2024
Messages
20
Location
London

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I’m currently waiting for a London station I’ve been waiting for around 6-7 months since my medical , during my interview I said I was open to working for a range of different stations
Im sure you will hear back within the next 3 months max. Just beware a recruiter may call you (most of the time) to offer a position so be on the lookout for random calls. Most turnovers happens between October and Jan.
 

tsb_01

Member
Joined
29 May 2026
Messages
10
Location
London
Im sure you will hear back within the next 3 months max. Just beware a recruiter may call you (most of the time) to offer a position so be on the lookout for random calls. Most turnovers happens between October and Jan.

How long are the training courses roughly and are they in a classroom setting also since you work in the London group stations how often are you seeing a new intake of customer service workers
 

M_B14

Member
Joined
1 Oct 2024
Messages
20
Location
London
How long are the training courses roughly and are they in a classroom setting also since you work in the London group stations how often are you seeing a new intake of customer service workers
Training is roughly 2-3 weeks. 2 weeks for passenger services and Gateline learning and a mandatory week if you're doing dispatch if your station requires dispatch staff. first week is a classroom setting. Weeks 2/3 is 50/50 online classroom and station visits. I cant say where exactly i work, but intakes for non-terminal stations are uncommon. i have access to the internal vacancies, and most of the time, its CHX, CST & WAE that have positions available all year round. My station hasn't had any intakes since i joined in January. Before I joined, It was 6 months the staff before me joined. Commute time is a key to be ahead in the waiting pool for a specific non-terminal station.
 
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Shahk

Member
Joined
13 Jul 2026
Messages
5
Location
London
Im sure you will hear back within the next 3 months max. Just beware a recruiter may call you (most of the time) to offer a position so be on the lookout for random calls. Most turnovers happens between October and Jan.
Hello M_B14 I am also in the talent pool for last three months. it is for the station role at one of London's station. I am in touch with Talent Acquisition Coordinator by email every month . I know that "Waiting" all i have to do . I want to ask that anything would you advise me to do ? And one more thing what is the procedure of "Medical Test"? I mean they give you the date by which it needs to be done? what is the time period they give to do "Medical" when they call us or email us? Thanks
 
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M_B14

Member
Joined
1 Oct 2024
Messages
20
Location
London
Hello M_B14 I am also in the talent pool for last three months. it is for the station role at one of London's station. I am in touch with Talent Acquisition Coordinator by email every month . I know that "Waiting" all i have to do . I want to ask that anything would you advise me to do ? And one more thing what is the procedure of "Medical Test"? I mean they give you the date by which it needs to be done? what is the time period they give to do "Medical" when they call us or email us? Thanks
Hi, honestly in my experience I didn't do anything. It's all luck and a patience game depending on existing staff leaving/dismissed.
Regarding Medical, a recruiter will email you asking for your availability to do it. You will be booked an appointment by the recruiter at one of their private healthcare centre mainly in central London to perform some tasks (breathlyser, Urine, Hearing & Eye sight) with a series of questions on your medical history. Then after all that, more waiting for a phone call from the recruiter for an available position
 

Shahk

Member
Joined
13 Jul 2026
Messages
5
Location
London
Hi, honestly in my experience I didn't do anything. It's all luck and a patience game depending on existing staff leaving/dismissed.
Regarding Medical, a recruiter will email you asking for your availability to do it. You will be booked an appointment by the recruiter at one of their private healthcare centre mainly in central London to perform some tasks (breathlyser, Urine, Hearing & Eye sight) with a series of questions on your medical history. Then after all that, more waiting for a phone call from the recruiter for an available position
Thank you very much for the response. It would really help me in due course. I hope i am not bothering you as you know there is hardly anyone who has the answers of all the questions regarding SE after been successful in the assessment and interview. It has been exactly three months since that. I am so glad to find you who has been through the whole procedure and has the right information .One more confusion i need to clear regarding "Medical" how much time the recruiter normally give to do the "Medical" for instance if they email me today so when i would suppose to do "Medical"?
 
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Ellwill

Member
Joined
4 Aug 2021
Messages
155
Location
Medway
Hi, honestly in my experience I didn't do anything. It's all luck and a patience game depending on existing staff leaving/dismissed.
Regarding Medical, a recruiter will email you asking for your availability to do it. You will be booked an appointment by the recruiter at one of their private healthcare centre mainly in central London to perform some tasks (breathlyser, Urine, Hearing & Eye sight) with a series of questions on your medical history. Then after all that, more waiting for a phone call from the recruiter for an available position
I've been told differently, medical gets booked once a position you're able to fill becomes available. It could be the case however that London applicants are arranged for medicals before and Kent applicants after...
 

M_B14

Member
Joined
1 Oct 2024
Messages
20
Location
London
I've been told differently, medical gets booked once a position you're able to fill becomes available. It could be the case however that London applicants are arranged for medicals before and Kent applicants after...
I did my medical 2 months after my assessment centre in Ashford. Then I had to wait further 3 months to get an offer at my specific station due to someone had been promoted to a new role within the company. I remember during my assessment centre, they said medical has it own waiting list, you do it and they keep it on file so its more convenient whenever they need someone asap to fill a role.
 

TNash

New Member
Joined
26 Jul 2026
Messages
3
Location
London
I've been told differently, medical gets booked once a position you're able to fill becomes available. It could be the case however that London applicants are arranged for medicals before and Kent applicants after..
I passed my interview on Friday and they're getting me booked in for a medical next month (Im London based) so it sounds like Kent have to wait for a position first as they're naturally more sparsely available

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Thank you very much for the response. It would really help me in due course. I hope i am not bothering you as you know there is hardly anyone who has the answers of all the questions regarding SE after been successful in the assessment and interview. It has been exactly three months since that. I am so glad to find you who has been through the whole procedure and has the right information .One more confusion i need to clear regarding "Medical" how much time the recruiter normally give to do the "Medical" for instance if they email me today so when i would suppose to do "Medical"?
They emailed me today asking about my medical availability for next month!

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From what ive understood is that all successful applicants get put into a talent pool, when I applied (I am a successful applicant awaiting medical) I applied for London Bridge where they advertised x3 roles available with different shift times and listed it as part time, do we think that them roles are exclusively being given out to those who went to my assessment centre or given to the talent pool? as ive seen in the archives old posts for station roles and it is just a general application for an area; But my application was specific to London Bridge against specific timed roles
 
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tsb_01

Member
Joined
29 May 2026
Messages
10
Location
London
I passed my interview on Friday and they're getting me booked in for a medical next month (Im London based) so it sounds like Kent have to wait for a position first as they're naturally more sparsely available

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They emailed me today asking about my medical availability for next month!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==

From what ive understood is that all successful applicants get put into a talent pool, when I applied (I am a successful applicant awaiting medical) I applied for London Bridge where they advertised x3 roles available with different shift times and listed it as part time, do we think that them roles are exclusively being given out to those who went to my assessment centre or given to the talent pool? as ive seen in the archives old posts for station roles and it is just a general application for an area; But my application was specific to London Bridge against specific timed roles
Our assessment was done around November for London Bridge and another station for full and part time exactly the same as you there was like 8-10 of us who passed are interviews i did my medical around late December still In the talent pool ever since I’m guessing they start to clear the people waiting in the talent pool first but who knows at this point I would advise you to stay put if you are employed or look for part time employment in the mean time as you could be waiting a while
 

TNash

New Member
Joined
26 Jul 2026
Messages
3
Location
London
Our assessment was done around November for London Bridge and another station for full and part time exactly the same as you there was like 8-10 of us who passed are interviews i did my medical around late December still In the talent pool ever since I’m guessing they start to clear the people waiting in the talent pool first but who knows at this point I would advise you to stay put if you are employed or look for part time employment in the mean time as you could be waiting a while
On your SE Career page, could you re open the position you applied for and potentially show it on here? As I still think there are a few discrepancies
 

Ellwill

Member
Joined
4 Aug 2021
Messages
155
Location
Medway
Has anyone had any updates re positions for Hastings (line) for platform staff?
The only thing I know for sure is that they're gasping for staff at Tonbridge, anywhere else on the Kent side of things I'd expect a torturously long wait for any positions to be made available for external hires.
 

tsb_01

Member
Joined
29 May 2026
Messages
10
Location
London
On your SE Career page, could you re open the position you applied for and potentially show it on here? As I still think there are a few discrepancies
I can’t do that for privacy but what do you think are the discrepancies
 

TNash

New Member
Joined
26 Jul 2026
Messages
3
Location
London
I can’t do that for privacy but what do you think are the discrepancies

The role i applied for had specific working times; 2x morning, 1x evening; but when i go back on the career page at other roles, it'll state something along the lines of 'London roles' and have no set working pattern on them but the one I applied for had specific working times and hours. See below

1785763762407.png
 

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