Northern Conductor Interview Process (Manchester)

[Super_Hans]

Good morning all, apologies for posting a subject which has probably been posted a thousand times previously but I'd like some advice if possible from anyone who can share any information which could help me with my Northern Conductor interview and what can be expected as far as questions and interview layout?
I have passed the on line numerical and language tests which were a lot tougher than I first imagined to be honest so the next stage is an interview. Having looked through this forum for previous posts of a similar nature it seems people have been to assessment days where they have had tests and then group tasks but I get the impression that isn't the case with the interview I have, has the process recently changed or am I barking up the wrong tree and in actual fact I have more tests to take along with group assessments?
Any advice given would be hugely appreciated.

 

[Alan smith]

Sorry to jump on you post but how long did it take to hear back after your online tests regarding an interview??

From what I’ve read I believe the assessment for northern is an hour interview followed by a group exercise I did read a couple people just had the interview but had a task to do for the interview.

Am sure someone else with more knowledge will pop up soon and give you more details though

Good luck with the interview!

 

[Super_Hans]

Hi Alan, no problem at all. It was just under a week before I heard back via email.

 

[AMD]

Process is interview - questions like 'Tell us about you', 'What do you know about Northern', 'What do you know about the conductor role', 'Tell us about a time when you've had to deal with a difficult customer/ situation' - Think about STAR which is Situation, Task, Actions & Response. This leads into a group session with all the candidates (usually about 8 to 10 per session) around a table and you are given a question to debate, often along the lines of 'How would you improve customer service at Northern'. As you group you will then get about 30 minutes to discuss and 15 minutes to feedback what the group has decided upon. The assessors are looking for people to participate in a positive way, and those who can listen, as opposed to the actual output from the session. (Some people will do group session first and then interview afterwards)

Good luck!

 

[Bucephalus]

Good luck Super_Hans! And on a side note, If the actual super hans character was a conductor I'd buy a season ticket straight away

 

[Super_Hans]

Process is interview - questions like 'Tell us about you', 'What do you know about Northern', 'What do you know about the conductor role', 'Tell us about a time when you've had to deal with a difficult customer/ situation' - Think about STAR which is Situation, Task, Actions & Response. This leads into a group session with all the candidates (usually about 8 to 10 per session) around a table and you are given a question to debate, often along the lines of 'How would you improve customer service at Northern'. As you group you will then get about 30 minutes to discuss and 15 minutes to feedback what the group has decided upon. The assessors are looking for people to participate in a positive way, and those who can listen, as opposed to the actual output from the session. (Some people will do group session first and then interview afterwards)

Good luck!

Brilliant advice, thank you for this AMD it's really appreciated. I've only ever done a group discussion exercise once as part of an interview when I applied for GMP back in 2003 and I failed absolutely miserably because I couldn't get a word in edge-ways and to be honest I froze a bit but I was only a kid then, 25 years old, I'm 40 now so hopefully a bit more worldly wise.

 

[Super_Hans]

Good luck Super_Hans! And on a side note, If the actual super hans character was a conductor I'd buy a season ticket straight away

Haha I wouldn't get on the train

 

[Sirennif]

Sorry to gatecrash this thread but I have applied for Nothern Liverpool conductor and completed the maths assessment at then end of July, I did the verbal text the following day but ever since then my application remains under consideration. Is anyone else in the same situation, it sounds like you heard back quite soon after completing the tests. Should I assume I have not been successful?

 

[Super_Hans]

Sorry to gatecrash this thread but I have applied for Nothern Liverpool conductor and completed the maths assessment at then end of July, I did the verbal text the following day but ever since then my application remains under consideration. Is anyone else in the same situation, it sounds like you heard back quite soon after completing the tests. Should I assume I have not been successful?

I wouldn't have an idea about that sorry mate, is there a number you can call for an update? You'd have thought that you'd have at least had an email to say that you either had or hadn't passed the second on line test?

 

[Super_Hans]

Just been informed that there's definitely a group discussion exercise involved during the process.