Is relocating frowned upon...?

[Layaboutlarry]

Hi all,

I'm relatively new to the site but been trying to get on the trains since January 2012 so much so that I would be willing to relocate. Although I have applied for numerous roles I have been knocked back a few times but would like to know if people think its down to where I'm living (London). The first application was made within a hours journey from my home of which I passed all assessments except the structured interview and each time I've applied since I have had no luck and not even got an interview or shortlisted but I'm wondering if anyone thinks that this is down to the roles I've applied for being with Northern and FirstScotsrail - obviously miles away but I have always made it known that I am willing to relocate.

All feedback is appreciated.
Thanks.

 

[Dave1987]

Hi all,

I'm relatively new to the site but been trying to get on the trains since January 2012 so much so that I would be willing to relocate. Although I have applied for numerous roles I have been knocked back a few times but would like to know if people think its down to where I'm living (London). The first application was made within a hours journey from my home of which I passed all assessments except the structured interview and each time I've applied since I have had no luck and not even got an interview or shortlisted but I'm wondering if anyone thinks that this is down to the roles I've applied for being with Northern and FirstScotsrail - obviously miles away but I have always made it known that I am willing to relocate.

All feedback is appreciated.
Thanks.

When did you fail the SI? I'm presuming this is for a trainee drivers job? If you failed the SI less than 6 months ago your application won't be considered as you cannot take the assessments again within 6 months. Also I would suggest that there is realistic relocating and then unrealistic relocating. Moving a couple of hundred miles is not unrealistic but relocating from one end of the country to the other I could see why a TOC might be sceptical.

 

[TDK]

Hi all,

I'm relatively new to the site but been trying to get on the trains since January 2012 so much so that I would be willing to relocate. Although I have applied for numerous roles I have been knocked back a few times but would like to know if people think its down to where I'm living (London). The first application was made within a hours journey from my home of which I passed all assessments except the structured interview and each time I've applied since I have had no luck and not even got an interview or shortlisted but I'm wondering if anyone thinks that this is down to the roles I've applied for being with Northern and FirstScotsrail - obviously miles away but I have always made it known that I am willing to relocate.

All feedback is appreciated.
Thanks.

If you are more than 45 minutes from the advertised depot you will have to relocate, remember there are thousends of applicats for Trainee driver positions and many within 45 minutes that will take preference over you. Location is a very important factor with sifting and interviews.

 

[EM2]

... but relocating from one end of the country to the other I could see why a TOC might be sceptical.

Can't see why. I relocated from another country (although for NR, not a TOC)!

 

[Dave1987]

Can't see why. I relocated from another country (although for NR, not a TOC)!

Because relocating that far from family is no small thing.

 

[EM2]

Because relocating that far from family is no small thing.

How is that related to how prospective employers would view relocation, though?
I can understand it from the applicant's point of view, but the employer will asume that they have taken all that into consideration.

 

[W230]

If you are more than 45 minutes from the advertised depot you will have to relocate, remember there are thousends of applicats for Trainee driver positions and many within 45 minutes that will take preference over you. Location is a very important factor with sifting and interviews.

I think this is the key point. Why would a TOC interview someone from 500 miles away when there is probably no shortage of candidates on the doorstep?

 

[LWB]

My son was filling in the Northern on-line application and got to the "Do you live within x mins of the depot" question. From experience of other TOC's forms I told him to say no, expecting to be asked if he'd re-locate, which he was perfectly happy to do. It simply flashed up the "due to the safety critical.....etc and closed his application. At this point he had barely entered any information and that he had entered would not have excluded him otherwise.

OK, he may well not have got the job but he is a single fella with no ties to where he is now and to top it all I still own the family home which is 40 mins at most from the depot in question and is available for him to use. He could quite legitamately have said yes really. Most annoying :roll:

 

[daddy_badger]

Relocation is frowned upon at Northern and believe its one of the pre requisites that's asked prior to filling the application. I've applied to northern before passed application and then been knocked back. If you are serious about relocating you will need some evidence at the manager's interview.

 

[TDK]

When recruiting especially now there is a drive to introduce the new fatigue index that in fact is going to shake up the way drivers especially are rostered it is essential that any potential candidate is withing 45 minutes average from a certain depot. Relocation is a risk, say for instance you have to seel your house, have to take kids out of scholls etc, why would a TOC entertain someone who has to reloactae to be within 45 minutes of a depot when there are applicants with zero risk who also fill the criteria, it is just not worth the TOC's taking the risk. It is unfair to a degree with some cases for instance a single person in rented accomodation who could relocate at a drop of a hat but if someone in this catagory wants a job they will have to inform the company with thier application form their situation.

As I have mentioned before location is by far the most important factor with the application especially now!

 

[455driver]

The TOCs are sick of people saying they will relocate, getting taken on, being trained up and then buggering off to a TOC near their original home as they are now qualified!

That is why they are not interested.

 

[Layaboutlarry]

Thanks to all who have replied so far. With every application I have made it clear that I am willing to relocate but sometimes feel I am brushed off straight away when they see my current address therefore ruling me out before they get to additional notes section in most applications.
In a recent application I have used a "friends" address who is well within the area of the job to say that I would be living here should I be successful in my application but I am still awaiting the outcome of this application.

I am eager to get on the trains as a trainee driver or a depot driver to the point that I am willing to relocate and I thought that this would be a good thing and show how hungry I am for the job.

 

[daddy_badger]

I am willing to relocate and have passed the application sift and assessment for a toc in anglia however never passed the driver manager interview I can only assume this was because that toc lost the franchise(s) so it is possible.

 

[455driver]

In a recent application I have used a "friends" address who is well within the area of the job to say that I would be living here should I be successful in my application but I am still awaiting the outcome of this application.

That is naughty and deceitful, well done on using your ingenuity!

 

[Jatos]

I was about to say, use a different address when applying! I really can't see that there is any crime been committed in doing so and if there is, please do enlighten me!

 

[LWB]

Keeping an eye on threads such as "TPE trainee drivers" etc I am madly keen to know if any of the people who have progressed said that they would relocate. I am an industry outsider but am aware that people feel that forums like these are 'watched' and so no one will wish to endanger their application. However, it would seem to me that the TOC's etc are engineering a situation where people will go to ever greater and more sophisticated lengths to claim to live within the Golden Circle of 60 min or whatever.

Edit:

"I was about to say, use a different address when applying! I really can't see that there is any crime been committed in doing so and if there is, please do enlighten me!"
Not an expert but I'm pretty sure it's called Fraud

 

[daddy_badger]

Fraud or deciet either way its a white lie and may be frowned upping by a toc if they found out.

 

[TDK]

Keeping an eye on threads such as "TPE trainee drivers" etc I am madly keen to know if any of the people who have progressed said that they would relocate. I am an industry outsider but am aware that people feel that forums like these are 'watched' and so no one will wish to endanger their application. However, it would seem to me that the TOC's etc are engineering a situation where people will go to ever greater and more sophisticated lengths to claim to live within the Golden Circle of 60 min or whatever.

Edit:

"I was about to say, use a different address when applying! I really can't see that there is any crime been committed in doing so and if there is, please do enlighten me!"
Not an expert but I'm pretty sure it's called Fraud

If you use a different address how will they be able to send you your contract if you are successful:roll:
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

In a recent application I have used a "friends" address who is well within the area of the job to say that I would be living here should I be successful in my application but I am still awaiting the outcome of this application.

I really hope you get found out and do not get the job as there will be an honest applicant who will may not get it if you do, this is outraguouse and I hope that you get bubbles by someone. A scenario for you, you start with this job, you have an incident, or get injured, they try to go to your address to find out you lied, they will give you your P45 happy days

 

[LWB]

If you use a different address how will they be able to send you your contract if you are successful:roll:

Hence the word "sophisticated"! It would take some contriving but I'm sure people have friends or friends of friends etc, etc

I'm sure that the TOC's will have many applicants from within the specified range and are on top of sorting out 'fraudulent' applications. Obviously I have a personal reason for wishing that they had given a chance to establish the facts of my son's particular case. However, I can see that the TOC's can't get involved in a "he's a married man with kid's so he'll never really relocate" scenario. Employment law and discrimination cases would put a stop to that. They must be pleased to have the 'safety critical' tag to fall back on.

 

[TDK]

If you use a different address how will they be able to send you your contract if you are successful:roll:

Hence the word "sophisticated"! It would take some contriving but I'm sure people have friends or friends of friends etc, etc

I'm sure that the TOC's will have many applicants from within the specified range and are on top of sorting out 'fraudulent' applications. Obviously I have a personal reason for wishing that they had given a chance to establish the facts of my son's particular case. However, I can see that the TOC's can't get involved in a "he's a married man with kid's so he'll never really relocate" scenario. Employment law and discrimination cases would put a stop to that. They must be pleased to have the 'safety critical' tag to fall back on.

I honestly do not think diversity comes in to the factor to be honest. If you live further than 45 minutes from a depot your chances are slim unless you can prove you can relocate. If you think about the diversity thing, married people with kids will need the money more than a single person so therefore will be most likely more flexible when it comes to working Sundays and overtime so will therefore be a better bet to employ if you need people doing overtime and being flexible. The current fatigue index is calculated on booking on to booking off times where the new fatigue index is door to door and this is the sole reason why the TOCs/FOCs are tightening up on location. If someone lies in their application they will be breaking the new fatigue index and this will be classed most likely as misconduct as the minimum and possibly gross misconduct that is a dissmissable offence.

I really cannot belive that anyone would lie on an application form when they will almost cetainly be found out and dissmissed. Diversity is a big thing in any employment and companies try their best not to be diverce however with the drivers grade if you have a BMI of over 33 you will most probably not get the job due to cab ergonomics, you could class this as being diverce against large people when in fact it is on the grounds of safety.

 

[Merrydown]

I currently drive for the Tyne and Wear Metro and on a early or late turn can get to work in 35 mins.On a middle turn it can be over 1 hour.
The job and shifts are hard enough without having to commute over 1 hour back home.
With some shifts having not much more than a the minimum 12 hour turnaround,you can find yourself in a sleep-work-sleep pattern.
I would say you need to be within 1 hour maximum at the wrong time of day,which depending where you live is about 15 miles.

 

[TheEdge]

If you are the right candidate and are willing to relocate it is not a problem. GA accepted me even though at the time of application I lived almost 200 miles away. In fact I had only been living in Norwich for 48 hours when I started my job.

 

[TheVicLine]

If you ARE willing to re-locate then it shouldn't be a problem. I was taken on by TPE and got to the final stages with Northern before I turned them down and both knew I lived in London for jobs in Liverpool. They asked me why I wanted to move at the interview and I told them (girlfriend lived in Liverpool).

However if you are worried about the distance from family then don't do it. The first year while training is hard work, with loads of homework, no time off, no time to yourself, and low pay.

It's 100% or nothing so don't think 'yeah I could do the job and re-locate back when I pass out, and go back home at weekends' cos in reality it's not really possible.

 

[455driver]

I know one at my depot that rents a room while he is working before going home to his wife and kids on his days off, this is not every weekend, obviously.

 

[daddy_badger]

I know one at my depot that rents a room while he is working before going home to his wife and kids on his days off, this is not every weekend, obviously.

My current job involves working every weekend I'm hoping that's going to be a plus. I'm happy to relocate, let it be me its just a northern and I think swt policy. I applied to northern and answered that I live 45 mins away yet put my actual home address and still did not get through.

 

[Dave1987]

I think it is the perception you give in your application and in your interviews.

E.g Single man/woman with no kids likely to relocate easily without causing a huge amount of problems with their family.

Married man/woman with wife/husband and a couple of kids in school is probably less likely to relocate easily with their family having to up sticks and move hundreds of miles.

The idea of leasing a room while at work then going back to family during days off is a somewhat viable one but I don't think railway shifts lend themselves to this practise much.

 

[TDK]

I know one at my depot that rents a room while he is working before going home to his wife and kids on his days off, this is not every weekend, obviously.

As long as his rented accomodation is his postal address there isn't a problem with that.

 

[455driver]

As long as his rented accomodation is his postal address there isn't a problem with that.

He didnt start renting until he started his driver training.

 

[Nuttytoffee]

I passed the various stages with FGW and told them I would have to relocate. It didn't seem to be an issue with them and they never asked for any proof I would do so.

 

[TDK]

He didnt start renting until he started his driver training.

Was this before the new fatigue index was suggested?