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How to get through Sifting
- Thread starter uww11x
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RailUK Forums
Meet the application criteria.
If a job says you must live within 10 miles. Don't apply or be surprised if you don't make the sift if you are 11 miles away. People say chance it anyway or that they were successful even though they didn't meet the conditions etc but it is a chance. Meeting the criteria puts you ahead of those who don't.
If a job says you must live within 10 miles. Don't apply or be surprised if you don't make the sift if you are 11 miles away. People say chance it anyway or that they were successful even though they didn't meet the conditions etc but it is a chance. Meeting the criteria puts you ahead of those who don't.
Even if you Drive and say you are going to relocate?
Apart from what Com said above I do not think there is a lot of real advice to be had on this. I as I am sure quite a few other's on here have got through sometime's and not other's. I got through sifting a few times and then passed all psychometric's to an enhanced level but failed dmi, and since then have been turned down at initial sifting 3 times even though my application is essentially the same as when I got through, but in reality is stronger as I have the test's under my belt. The only thing is try and stand out on the application and mention you are highly safety orientated and customer service focused.
Dynamonic
Member
The best applications for you to show off on, are the ones that ask you competency based questions.
This is your chance to show off your experience in taking the lead in emergencies, safety critical tasks and working effectively with teams in important tasks.
Remember STAR in these questions:
Situation
Task
Actions
Results
Also, ensure your answers demonstrate the competencies for the role you are applying for. The experiences I mentioned above were used for my recent driver application, and got me through the sift.
This is your chance to show off your experience in taking the lead in emergencies, safety critical tasks and working effectively with teams in important tasks.
Remember STAR in these questions:
Situation
Task
Actions
Results
Also, ensure your answers demonstrate the competencies for the role you are applying for. The experiences I mentioned above were used for my recent driver application, and got me through the sift.
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Does driving and saying you are going to relocate meet the criteria as posted?
If I was the person sifting and the application stated "you must live within 10 miles" and the candidate lived 11 miles, then that candidate has not met the application criteria. That application fails the sift. If I had two applications 1 within 10 miles but another 11 but was willing to relocate the first is clearly the stronger applicant. If the conditions asked if people were willing to relocate then its different
If you are already looking for ways around the criteria then you have failed already. Meeting the application criteria is basic step and very much a non technical skill.
You wanted the best way to get past the sift. Be the better candidate.
I agree if it doesn't say then go for it but if it specify's only apply if within ten miles and you live outside you have also shown you can't/don't/won't follow instruction's.
Yes, 'able to get to and from work within 45 minutes'
martin2345uk
Established Member
Plus it's worth remembering it is a numbers game - if thousands are applying, a part of it is always going to come down to blind luck - I have applied for about 6 signaller roles with the same answers to the questions, some of them got knocked back straight away, some I passed the sift.
Depends if you apply for qualified instead of trainee lol.
martin2345uk
Established Member
Yes, Rule #1: Make sure you don't apply for the wrong job by mistake
You may have applied with the same answers but other variables may have changed. For example there may be a stronger set of candidates to compete against or they were looking at hiring more or less applicants and as a result allowed more people through the sift. Its all just guess work to be honest. All of my signaller applications have been exactly the same. For the higher grade roles I never seem to get to the Under consideration for assessment 2 stage whereas I got an interview with 1 out of the 2 grade 3 positions I applied for at the time. Its just the level of competition you are up against on that day.
Bromley boy
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Agree with the above.
I’d also add, make sure you pay attention to detail. Read the questions on the application thoroughly and get someone to read through your written answers before you finalise them.
They’ll be looking for excuses to whittle the numbers down. Poor spelling and/or grammatical errors on the form look careless and won’t do you any favours...
I’d also add, make sure you pay attention to detail. Read the questions on the application thoroughly and get someone to read through your written answers before you finalise them.
They’ll be looking for excuses to whittle the numbers down. Poor spelling and/or grammatical errors on the form look careless and won’t do you any favours...
kevconnor
Member
Best pieces of advice I can give
- make it as easy as you can for the person shortlisting your application to identify where and how you meet the essential criteria. remember they are possible going to be looking at hundred of applicants. some ways to do this are:
- Make sure your previous work history includes how you meet the experience criteria required, of if it can't make sure you cover off within your personal statement how you meet this requirement
- use the space for personal statements to show how you meet the criteria. For each of the required skills/competencies list them out and provide no more than 2 sentences of when and how you have this skill.
- I cant speak for many other recruiters but for me I really couldn't care less if you go walking in the evening with your pet gopher and your ferret, make it relevent.
- Keep everything as succinct as you can, do not go rambling off on a needless point that will gain you no advantage other than to distract the attention of the person shortlisting making them forget what it was that they were looking for and mean that they are less likely to be able score you any points on the section they are making. what was I saying again...Oh Yes.
- Proof Read, Proof Read...Proof Read
- Simply saying you can do something can sometimes be OK if there aren't many other applicants but those that stand out are those which show how, where or when they have achieved a skill/experience/competency.
- Try to avoid a copy and paste job, they stand out a mile, make the application fit the role. The personable touch goes a long way and sticks in the mind a lot more when looking over 100+ applications which all say 'I really want to work for <insert organisation name here> because I think <insert organisation name here> are a fantastic organisation and I would really enjoy working for <insert organisation name here>.
I'm not sure you quite grasped what I asked within the post quoted in regards to comutors post - that's whats going to trip you up!!
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