A foot in the door

[tiptoptaff]

Right,

I'm starting to get fed up with being turned down for all the jobs I go for. Mind you, who isn't?!

I'm strting to think it's because I don't yet have the skills and experience the railways want for say a guard or Shunter grade, as I'm only 19, and the only job I've had is my current one, whereby I'm a 9-5 office bod.

Can anyone pelase recommend good roles to apply for, that would be the proverbial foot in the door? I live in Cardiff, and with most entry grade jobs not paying enough to relocate, something in this area, or within easy rail commute would be brilliant.

I'm not asking for specific roles, (though if you happen to know of one, it'd be much appriciated!) just a general idea of what sort of roles/grades, and when they're liekly to come up

Thanks in advance,
Keiran

 

[AlexS]

Keep plugging away, there's no reason you can't get in as a guard off the street, plenty have. Station roles may be a good start though. Just apply for everything that goes and they'll get bored and take you on eventually, and keep gaining experience in anything you can while you can

 

[Dave1987]

Keep plugging away, there's no reason you can't get in as a guard off the street, plenty have. Station roles may be a good start though. Just apply for everything that goes and they'll get bored and take you on eventually, and keep gaining experience in anything you can while you can

I wouldn't consider a guards job as "getting your foot in the door". It is a very responsible job safety critical job.

 

[Drsatan]

One of the side effects of the recession is that 1 in 4 21 year old graduates are unemployed.

I graduated last year, and after a couple of temporary jobs, I've been unemployed for two months. I've applied for temporary jobs which don't require a degree, without a great deal of success. Like the OP, I've applied for a few railway-related jobs, without success (last year I applied for a job as a booking office clerk but failed the maths test)

Best advice would be to apply for any job your local TOC advertises. Note that most railway jobs, with some exceptions, are safety-critical: even being a train dispatcher's safety critical since your job means that train doors have to be closed and locked, before the 'right-away' can be given (and woe betide you if someone's jacket has got caught in the door and you haven't noticed)

 

[daddy_badger]

Right,

I'm starting to get fed up with being turned down for all the jobs I go for. Mind you, who isn't?!

I'm strting to think it's because I don't yet have the skills and experience the railways want for say a guard or Shunter grade, as I'm only 19, and the only job I've had is my current one, whereby I'm a 9-5 office bod.

Can anyone pelase recommend good roles to apply for, that would be the proverbial foot in the door? I live in Cardiff, and with most entry grade jobs not paying enough to relocate, something in this area, or within easy rail commute would be brilliant.

I'm not asking for specific roles, (though if you happen to know of one, it'd be much appriciated!) just a general idea of what sort of roles/grades, and when they're liekly to come up

Thanks in advance,
Keiran

Try an apprenticeship - however you will need some GCSE grades A-C. Do believe Chiltern have some places.

 

[E16 Cyclist]

A good way of getting experience on the railway is to get a job as a buffet steward or whatever the job is called these days as it gives you an insight into the job a guard does and in how the railway works as a whole. In fact that was my first role on the railway some 13 years ago.

As long as you have a good attitude and some customer service experience thats all companies look for initially and from there its entirely up to you

 

[AlexS]

I wouldn't consider a guards job as "getting your foot in the door". It is a very responsible job safety critical job.

I'm a safety critical member of staff myself (not a guard) and I'm well aware of that.

However there's nothing to say that you cannot get the job 'off the street' as it were and be trained to do it, plenty of people are nowadays.

And if you want, eventually, to be a driver, for example, guard is a good place to start gaining experience.

A little life experience is perhaps necessary first though, and revenue experience may well be seen as desirable.

Just apply for anything that you feel you may be able to do is the best advice I can give. I beat plenty of internal candidates from other customer service type roles (gateline, catering hosts etc) to get a job as a train dispatcher off the street. My other half did the same as a guard, as did several other people I know.

 

[HSTfan!!!]

If you're looking at Arriva it's worth having some kind of customer service experience to be in with a chance, certainly for front line roles.

 

[tiptoptaff]

Try an apprenticeship - however you will need some GCSE grades A-C. Do believe Chiltern have some places.

I was looking at that - but it's unrealistic to be able to relocate down that way on 15k - I know it's an expensive area to live in!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

If you're looking at Arriva it's worth having some kind of customer service experience to be in with a chance, certainly for front line roles.

I work on reception - I guess that sort of counts?

 

[HSTfan!!!]

That should be enough yes
Keep your eyes posted on the website, there may be some jobs coming up soon.

 

[tiptoptaff]

That should be enough yes
Keep your eyes posted on the website, there may be some jobs coming up soon.

Ok, cheers mate! Any idea what they might be....?

 

[daddy_badger]

I was looking at that - but it's unrealistic to be able to relocate down that way on 15k - I know it's an expensive area to live in!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


I work on reception - I guess that sort of counts?

Network rail then? They provide accommodation.

 

[tiptoptaff]

Network rail then? They provide accommodation.

Yeah I did look at it last year, but failed the mechanical comprehension tests, and by the time I'd decided I wanted to go for it this year, they'd closed the Cardiff Depots
I'm hoping Arriva might offer one soon, though it's unlikely, they seem to like taking on qulaifieds. Mind you, I guess that's the same for most TOCS and FOCS

 

[daddy_badger]

How about making a speculative application with a cv stating that you are very much interested in a position within the rail industry (whichever that may be) ? At least that way tocs will see some willing and enthusiam. Keep a track on the websites but also you are really narrowing your options if you are just looking at cardiff only.

 

[Dave1987]

I think at your age a booking office or customer service job would be appropriate. You can't apply for any kind of driving job until you are 21 but if you are in one of those roles you could apply as a guard or driver or whatever you want to do as an internal. You also have the advantage of being released for any assessments you need to take then aswell so no need to use up leave.

 

[HSTfan!!!]

Ok, cheers mate! Any idea what they might be....?

There's a few barrier jobs/customer service jobs coming up I know but unsure as to whether they will go external.

 

[tiptoptaff]

There's a few barrier jobs/customer service jobs coming up I know but unsure as to whether they will go external.

Ok cheers mate, I'll be sure to keep an eye out!

 

[richw]

One of the side effects of the recession is that 1 in 4 21 year old graduates are unemployed.

I graduated last year, and after a couple of temporary jobs, I've been unemployed for two months. I've applied for temporary jobs which don't require a degree, without a great deal of success. Like the OP, I've applied for a few railway-related jobs, without success (last year I applied for a job as a booking office clerk but failed the maths test)

Best advice would be to apply for any job your local TOC advertises. Note that most railway jobs, with some exceptions, are safety-critical: even being a train dispatcher's safety critical since your job means that train doors have to be closed and locked, before the 'right-away' can be given (and woe betide you if someone's jacket has got caught in the door and you haven't noticed)

Obviously I cant speak for you, but in my previous employment I used to carry out interviews, and the majority of times graduates were worse candidates than those with no such qualifications.
I found a lot of graduates had all the knowledge on paper but majorly lacked practical skills and customer skills.. (where I was carrying out interviews, candidates had to carry out a 2 on job skills assessment as part of the interview)

In a lot of customer focussed and practical jobs, experience and practical skills learnt on job strongly outweigh a piece of paper saying you've studied the theories of the subjects.