DB Cargo Mobile Operative post-interview

[JoeyMc]

Hi lads/ladies,

I had an interview with DB cargo for a mobile operative position in London. The interview was held on the 11th of November and I was told I’d be contacted within 7-10 days regardless if being offered the job or not. I still haven’t been contacted and was wondering if anyone has any experience with DB cargos recruitment? Do they actually contact you if not being offered the job? And if they do, how long did it take for them to phone you?

cheers
Joe

 

[Traindriver40]

Hello mate i have been waiting for about that length of time also from my dmi for a trainee driver i think its normal procedure tbh i wouldn't worry to much.

 

[peakNed]

They're pretty slow at getting back to you, might be worth a reminder email to the recruitment team.

 

[Fittermat]

I got received a email 3 days after the interview saying I’d been successful. I’m just waiting on a medical and a start date. This was back in September I sent them a follow up email 2 weeks ago and still waiting for a position to become available.

 

[Jeffers]

Hi All

I thought this may be the best place/thread to reply too, but has anyone got any links/resources for mechanical comprehension tests?

I have been asked to do some assessments for DB.

I've tried google and most are basic unless you start paying for memberships.

I've tried YouTube but most resources are from the same author and his slides are full of typos and mistakes which doesn't fill me with confidence.

Any help would be grand.

Thanks in advance

 

[1867Blue]

Hi All

I thought this may be the best place/thread to reply too, but has anyone got any links/resources for mechanical comprehension tests?

I have been asked to do some assessments for DB.

I've tried google and most are basic unless you start paying for memberships.

I've tried YouTube but most resources are from the same author and his slides are full of typos and mistakes which doesn't fill me with confidence.

Any help would be grand.

Thanks in advance

If you can afford the subscription for a month I would do that and then cancel straight away. That’s what I’ve done in the past.

good luck

 

[Jeffers]

Hi All

Just a quick follow up, I found the following website:

SHL Direct Practise Tests

Positives:
Has numerous genres of tests to practise

Negatives:
You can only practise each individual tests with 1 email account.
You need an email to review results
Results do not show explanations of mistakes.

The above may not be any use to anyone but thought I'd share with the community just in case

Thanks

 

[Geeves]

I recently went for the Peak Forest vacancy, the mechanical and English tests were not bad but the maths seemed hard work and I was not successful, I hardly had time to type the numbers in the calculator by the final ones. That's where I would swot up on if I was to go again, the other two were fairly easy! Clearly they set the standards high for the shunters these days.

For the mechanics as long as you can see in your head which way the cogs are turning or the blocks are going to move its really straight forward.

 

[Jeffers]

I recently went for the Peak Forest vacancy, the mechanical and English tests were not bad but the maths seemed hard work and I was not successful, I hardly had time to type the numbers in the calculator by the final ones. That's where I would swot up on if I was to go again, the other two were fairly easy! Clearly they set the standards high for the shunters these days.

For the mechanics as long as you can see in your head which way the cogs are turning or the blocks are going to move its really straight forward.

Thanks for this Geeves, I have ended up paying £50 for some practise tests.... just hope its all worth it.

I found the verbal reasoning practise papers requires a serious amount of concentration.

Its a shame really isn't it, when someone is seriously interested in a job and there are so many hurdles. Completely understand why the hurdles are there but i still find it a shame

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 6 Dec 2021 ==

I recently went for the Peak Forest vacancy, the mechanical and English tests were not bad but the maths seemed hard work and I was not successful, I hardly had time to type the numbers in the calculator by the final ones. That's where I would swot up on if I was to go again, the other two were fairly easy! Clearly they set the standards high for the shunters these days.

For the mechanics as long as you can see in your head which way the cogs are turning or the blocks are going to move its really straight forward.

Can you sit the tests individually or do you have to do it all in one sitting?

Do you find out your score?

 

[Geeves]

To be fair to them they put someone aside to ring me back and explain but I already knew where I had gone wrong so just left it.

Yeah all the tests you have a week to sit them, each test you get a certain amount of time to complete, you can stop the tests and restart from the beginning again if you feel its all going wrong! You might well breeze the maths bit bit I struggled. The first questions are easy like 190 + ? = 760 etc, by the end the questions are 190 X ? + 476 = 1426 and you have 5 seconds to look at it and 3 seconds to get the answer. Maybe there is a quick way to do it but on this occasion luck was not on my side!

 

[Fittermat]

To be fair to them they put someone aside to ring me back and explain but I already knew where I had gone wrong so just left it.

Yeah all the tests you have a week to sit them, each test you get a certain amount of time to complete, you can stop the tests and restart from the beginning again if you feel its all going wrong! You might well breeze the maths bit bit I struggled. The first questions are easy like 190 + ? = 760 etc, by the end the questions are 190 X ? + 476 = 1426 and you have 5 seconds to look at it and 3 seconds to get the answer. Maybe there is a quick way to do it but on this occasion luck was not on my side!

Hello, I passed all the exams but god knows how. I sat some practice material online and scored 43% so I was bricking it going into the tests. I ended up sitting the tests at 11pm after a 14 hour shift and thought what have I got to loose. I found the mechanical reason and verbal reasoning easy. The maths on the other hand!! I personally feel the maths test is to see how you cope under pressure. As you might get 3 hard questions then a easy 1. I didn’t even attempt to answer the daft questions as I’d sooner say I don’t know than make a answer up. I think you only get 2 shots at completing them it will all be explained when they send you the assessment through.

 

[Geeves]

That sounds sensible, like most things on the railway I think they expect quality over quantity so next time I go for it ill have a go at doing it your way! Its easy now with the gift of hindsight and another persons view to see how you can pass the maths bit!

 

[Jeffers]

How long before you got a response after submitting assessments?

 

[jonge88]

Hi All

I thought this may be the best place/thread to reply too, but has anyone got any links/resources for mechanical comprehension tests?

I have been asked to do some assessments for DB.

I've tried google and most are basic unless you start paying for memberships.

I've tried YouTube but most resources are from the same author and his slides are full of typos and mistakes which doesn't fill me with confidence.

Any help would be grand.

Thanks in advance

I passed this a few years ago (I've been in a talent pool ever since) - the material that DB send you is more than enough to get you through mechanical comprehension. I have a mechanical background but some of the questions did make me think, especially ones such as which direction a gear will turn in if you turn a screw (think of it as a worm gear) below or beside it.

As said earlier in the thread, the maths side of things was much more difficult. I passed it but the examiner said it was quite a close call.

 

[Jeffers]

After you sat the assessments though, how long did you wait to hear back?

 

[Fittermat]

I passed this a few years ago (I've been in a talent pool ever since) - the material that DB send you is more than enough to get you through mechanical comprehension. I have a mechanical background but some of the questions did make me think, especially ones such as which direction a gear will turn in if you turn a screw (think of it as a worm gear) below or beside it.

As said earlier in the thread, the maths side of things was much more difficult. I passed it but the examiner said it was quite a close call.

Where area are you in the talent pool for Jonge? I’ve been in 3 months and still check my emails 50x a day.

I heard back the following day with my assessment results then invited for a interview 20mins after getting the results. I applied in may, assements in August, interview beginning of sept and found out I was successful mid sept.

 

[jonge88]

After you sat the assessments though, how long did you wait to hear back?

About 2 weeks? I emailed the lady who had been dealing with my application in the end and she instantly came back to me. To be fair, although I have been in the talent pool for a long time now, I check in with her every 5/6 months and she comes back to me within an hour or two usually.

Where area are you in the talent pool for Jonge? I’ve been in 3 months and still check my emails 50x a day.

I heard back the following day with my assessment results then invited for a interview 20mins after getting the results. I applied in may, assements in August, interview beginning of sept and found out I was successful mid sept.

South West mate. I was the same for the first while. The results are valid for 5 years and I'm told you remain in the talent pool for that length of time, so hopefully at some point I may get the phone call. The depot I interviewed for were hoping to win some new contracts and I don't think that came to be in the end, so I guess they now have no need for those of us who applied.

 

[Fittermat]

South West mate. I was the same for the first while. The results are valid for 5 years and I'm told you remain in the talent pool for that length of time, so hopefully at some point I may get the phone call. The depot I interviewed for were hoping to win some new contracts and I don't think that came to be in the end, so I guess they now have no need for those of us who applied.

I wonder how many people they hold in the talent pool for said jobs. I was told on interview I shouldn’t be init more than 6 month and they were snowed under with work so it shouldn’t be long. 5 years is a long time to be hoping of a job and sort of putting your own career on hold hoping something becomes available.

 

[jonge88]

I wonder how many people they hold in the talent pool for said jobs. I was told on interview I shouldn’t be init more than 6 month and they were snowed under with work so it shouldn’t be long. 5 years is a long time to be hoping of a job and sort of putting your own career on hold hoping something becomes available.

I did slip into a conversation at one point whether they could give me a rough indication of numbers of people in the pool but they declined, understandably really.

The depot I applied for is very small to be fair. Hopefully you will have better luck than me, but I wouldn’t necessarily put your life on hold whilst you are waiting to hear from them.

 

[Geeves]

Well it appears none of us were successful on the Peak Forest job as its back on the DB site again now.

Too soon to have another go?

 

[1867Blue]

Well it appears none of us were successful on the Peak Forest job as its back on the DB site again now.

Too soon to have another go?

Drop me a DM mate

 

[irs]

Anyone recieved a start date or already in the role here? Have a few questions, please DM

 

[Canonite]

Two of my friends work out of DB Cargo at Doncaster, been there since it was EWS.
I remember them both saying the testing is long and was quite challenging, you have to literally see the numbers and know instantly what you need to do to get the answer.
Mathematical formulas for calculus should be instant in your mind when you see each question.

There’s no point giving people time to search for a way of calculating a solution, as I suspect they want people who can think instantly with complete confidence and accuracy in their decision making.

 

[jonge88]

Two of my friends work out of DB Cargo at Doncaster, been there since it was EWS.
I remember them both saying the testing is long and was quite challenging, you have to literally see the numbers and know instantly what you need to do to get the answer.
Mathematical formulas for calculus should be instant in your mind when you see each question.

There’s no point giving people time to search for a way of calculating a solution, as I suspect they want people who can think instantly with complete confidence and accuracy in their decision making.

I'm not sure I quite agree with this based on the maths exam I sat for DB, maths really isn't my strongest point (if anything I would say I'm fairly weak in maths) but I managed to pass it without really struggling too much. Maybe it's been watered down a bit since the EWS days.

 

[302PS]

I have applied for a qualified role and not even heard back from the application yet, are they known for taking a while to respond?

 

[Fittermat]

Supposedly it’s all changed since covid hit. You now after do your assessment online and not at Doncaster. I know someone who took the assessments pre pandemic and I took the assessment in September and it was totally different. I have see there as been a few trainees at Doncaster. I’m currently still waiting for a medical.

 

[Rollwithit22]

Hi lads/ladies,

I had an interview with DB cargo for a mobile operative position in London. The interview was held on the 11th of November and I was told I’d be contacted within 7-10 days regardless if being offered the job or not. I still haven’t been contacted and was wondering if anyone has any experience with DB cargos recruitment? Do they actually contact you if not being offered the job? And if they do, how long did it take for them to phone you?

cheers
Joe

Hiya Pal..

Any advice on the interview format?
I've had a dmi previously for train driver wondered if its similar?

Thanks in advance

 

[JoeyMc]

Hiya Pal..

Any advice on the interview format?
I've had a dmi previously for train driver wondered if its similar?

Thanks in advance

Hi mate,

Very laid back interview, general questions just asking about previous experience and how you can apply it to the role. Was quite a while back, so can’t remember the whole thing and done mine on zoom whereas it may be in person now.. so could be a whole different format.

 

[NorthernTech]

Hi All

Just a quick follow up, I found the following website:

SHL Direct Practise Tests

Positives:
Has numerous genres of tests to practise

Negatives:
You can only practise each individual tests with 1 email account.
You need an email to review results
Results do not show explanations of mistakes.

The above may not be any use to anyone but thought I'd share with the community just in case

Thanks

For the person looking for practice info for Mobile Operative