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Northern - Apprentice Driver - Blackburn (14/10/22)

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Lembuffy

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27 Mar 2022
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9
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Bl5 2rd
I applied for Blackburn job in October, had interview in December and passed psychometrics today.

I've received an email saying 'as there were a high volume of candidates who met the criteria at interview and driver assessment and only limited spaces available for immediate start dates, we’re unable to make you a job offer at this time'.

I've been placed in a pool for 9 months. Fingers crossed I get a start date soon!
 
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karl grindrod

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2 Oct 2022
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71
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Bacup
I applied for Blackburn job in October, had interview in December and passed psychometrics today.

I've received an email saying 'as there were a high volume of candidates who met the criteria at interview and driver assessment and only limited spaces available for immediate start dates, we’re unable to make you a job offer at this time'.

I've been placed in a pool for 9 months. Fingers crossed I get a start date soon!
Congratulations on getting through the process! Hopefully you'll get a position soon!!
 

Manchester91

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9 Nov 2022
Messages
9
Location
Manchester
That is a long process isn't!! Congratulations on getting through though!! I've passed the paper tests to enhanced, computer tests and MMI with another TOC, Northern is the TOC I really want to work for so really hoping I get through the application process. Hope you hear something soon!!
Cheers. Fingers crossed for you mate
 

Manchester91

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Joined
9 Nov 2022
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9
Location
Manchester
I applied for Blackburn job in October, had interview in December and passed psychometrics today.

I've received an email saying 'as there were a high volume of candidates who met the criteria at interview and driver assessment and only limited spaces available for immediate start dates, we’re unable to make you a job offer at this time'.

I've been placed in a pool for 9 months. Fingers crossed I get a start date soon!
Well done on the psychometrics mate. Just a waiting game now. I got that email after mine 7 weeks ago.
 

cebz9

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Joined
22 Oct 2019
Messages
47
Location
leicester
I applied for Blackburn job in October, had interview in December and passed psychometrics today.

I've received an email saying 'as there were a high volume of candidates who met the criteria at interview and driver assessment and only limited spaces available for immediate start dates, we’re unable to make you a job offer at this time'.

I've been placed in a pool for 9 months. Fingers crossed I get a start date soon!
You will, I’d recommend that you keep looking at your candidate portal because I received that same email on the day of passing my tests. But on the portal I had been offered a start date (as well as a phone call to confirm this).

I’d say that you’d find out within a month. They’re recruiting heavily right now

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==

The other thing to note is that there is also a backlog of people who have been in a talent pool for a long time. They are working off ‘business needs’. Some depots need drivers sooner than other depots. It’s simply just based off which depots require drivers more urgently.

I felt victim to this as well. I believe it was Manchester who needed drivers more than Sheffield did at the time, so I got pushed back a course
 

Lembuffy

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27 Mar 2022
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Bl5 2rd
Oh that's great news, I really hope so. I was told at my interview there are start dates in April and June. I'm hoping for one of these.

I see, that makes sense! To be honest June would work better for me anyway due to long notice period.
 

karl grindrod

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2 Oct 2022
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71
Location
Bacup
Yeah nice one mate and congratulations to you for getting through. Purely out of curiosity, what do you currently do for a living? Done a little more research and I think I need to just simply build up my experience before applying again in the future
I've been in the fire service for over 21 years pal (all operational years) and I'm in the same position as you. Think it's luck of the draw sometimes, if there aren't that many positions available then they'll be looking out for a stand out application, or if people have already done the assessments previously to their required standard they are already ahead of others. They will have internal applicants going for it too, just keep applying and have faith. We'll get there!!
 

Lembuffy

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Joined
27 Mar 2022
Messages
9
Location
Bl5 2rd
Yeah nice one mate and congratulations to you for getting through. Purely out of curiosity, what do you currently do for a living? Done a little more research and I think I need to just simply build up my experience before applying again in the future
I'm currently a teacher of all things! Not sure I can advise, but try to include important words and phrases in your examples and scenarios. Sometimes I think it's pot luck though.
 

joshcoyne1995

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Joined
12 May 2022
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8
Location
Heywood, Greater Manchester
I'm currently a teacher of all things! Not sure I can advise, but try to include important words and phrases in your examples and scenarios. Sometimes I think it's pot luck though.
Appreciate the reply from both of you. I didn’t stand a chance then . A firefighter and a teacher. Think I was a little too ambitious and feeling the need to rush things. I’m 27, gonna try and get my head down in another job on the railways and build my experience and give it a crack in a few years. Good luck to the both of you in future endeavours.
 

CreamNCookies

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Joined
10 Aug 2018
Messages
416
I didn’t stand a chance then . A firefighter and a teacher. Think I was a little too ambitious...
You're not too ambitious at all bud. I got the role at another depot and I come from working in hospitality.

When applying in the future, make sure you use key words like others have said. Have a peak into Non-technical skills.

There are things we all do in our day to day life that can be attributed to being a train driver. You may drive a car long distances for a prolonged period of time ensuring you abide by the rules. Or even doing a repetitive task consistently. Think outside the box.
 

cebz9

Member
Joined
22 Oct 2019
Messages
47
Location
leicester
Appreciate the reply from both of you. I didn’t stand a chance then . A firefighter and a teacher. Think I was a little too ambitious and feeling the need to rush things. I’m 27, gonna try and get my head down in another job on the railways and build my experience and give it a crack in a few years. Good luck to the both of you in future endeavours.
Yes I 100% support that. I’m currently 22 and I start as a driver in 2 months time. But I really doubt that I would’ve got the job without my experience as a conductor. The drivers job meant a lot to me since I first joined the railway 4-5 years ago (as ticket office staff). After about a year at the ticket office, I tried my best to make sure that I got a conductors job as soon as I could. Unfortunately, I failed 9 times for various different companies and I truly believe that my persistence to get the conductors job (when I was finally successful), has helped me with my application for the drivers job.

All of the experiences that I’ve gained through practicing for the interviews and tests, has no doubt helped me. And ofcourse the experiences that I have had as a conductor-made the interviews relatively easy for me to talk about various situations to answer the questions thoroughly.

So what I’m saying here is definitely try your best to build as much experience as possible. Don’t worry/stress if you fail. If you really want it, don’t give up. You will have your moment to shine. Do your research on the job, what it entails and what the company will want from you as an employee.

And most of all, believe in yourself. I’ve come to realise that confidence is actually a bigger thing than what you’d imagine. As recruiters look for confidence and in some ways polite authority when recruiting people these days. I am not an overly confident person. I’m actually quite a big introvert. I generally keep myself to myself no matter where I am or what I’m doing (when not working). But when I am at work, I take pride in the jobs that I am doing, and I stand up to do whatever I need to do.
Many Companies now, will want to find people that will confidently speak up or do certain actions without hesitation.

I’m just one person and I can only offer advise based off of what I’ve experienced and what has worked for me, but you’re in the right place. There is so much information on this forum. Too much even. Utilise what is available for you. But I really wish you the best of luck with whatever you decide to do next
 
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joshcoyne1995

Member
Joined
12 May 2022
Messages
8
Location
Heywood, Greater Manchester
You're not too ambitious at all bud. I got the role at another depot and I come from working in hospitality.

When applying in the future, make sure you use key words like others have said. Have a peak into Non-technical skills.

There are things we all do in our day to day life that can be attributed to being a train driver. You may drive a car long distances for a prolonged period of time ensuring you abide by the rules. Or even doing a repetitive task consistently.
You're not too ambitious at all bud. I got the role at another depot and I come from working in hospitality.

When applying in the future, make sure you use key words like others have said. Have a peak into Non-technical skills.

There are things we all do in our day to day life that can be attributed to being a train driver. You may drive a car long distances for a prolonged period of time ensuring you abide by the rules. Or even doing a repetitive task consistently. Think outside the box.
Appreciate that mate and duly noted. If i'm being brutally honest with myself my application wasn't as good as it could have been. I think I saw the job posting about 3 days before the deadline and so it was rushed. Fully intend to reapply again in the future but for now i'm gonna do as much research as I can and try to give myself the best chance and build experience, all the best.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==

Yes I 100% support that. I’m currently 22 and I start as a driver in 2 months time. But I really doubt that I would’ve got the job without my experience as a conductor. The drivers job meant a lot to me since I first joined the railway 4-5 years ago (as ticket office staff). After about a year at the ticket office, I tried my best to make sure that I got a conductors job as soon as I could. Unfortunately, I failed 9 times for various different companies and I truly believe that my persistence to get the conductors job (when I was finally successful), has helped me with my application for the drivers job.

All of the experiences that I’ve gained through practicing for the interviews and tests, has no doubt helped me. And ofcourse the experiences that I have had as a conductor-made the interviews relatively easy for me to talk about various situations to answer the questions thoroughly.

So what I’m saying here is definitely try your best to build as much experience as possible. Don’t worry/stress if you fail. If you really want it, don’t give up. You will have your moment to shine. Do your research on the job, what it entails and what the company will want from you as an employee.

And most of all, believe in yourself. I’ve come to realise that confidence is actually a bigger thing than what you’d imagine. As recruiters look for confidence and in some ways polite authority when recruiting people these days. I am not an overly confident person. I’m actually quite a big introvert. I generally keep myself to myself no matter where I am or what I’m doing (when not working). But when I am at work, I take pride in the jobs that I am doing, and I stand up to do whatever I need to do.
Many Companies now, will want to find people that will confidently speak up or do certain actions without hesitation.

I’m just one person and I can only offer advise based off of what I’ve experienced and what has worked for me, but you’re in the right place. There is so much information on this forum. Too much even. Utilise what is available for you. But I really wish you the best of luck with whatever you decide to do next
I'm sure you would've gotten the job anyway mate but yeah no doubt your prior experience as a conductor will have helped immensely, you know how the rail industry works. I probably needed to hear this mate, this was my first time applying for any job in the railways as I currently work in construction but have had enough and decided that I don't want to do this for the rest of my life. Appreciate the advice and encouragement and congratulations on starting your driver course shortly go and smash it.
 
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