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Northern Rail Interview

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Max

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As I mentioned in another thread, I have been offered an interview for the position of Retail Supervisor at Worksop. I have only once had another interview for a TOC, for EMT as a ticket inspector back in 2010. What might I expect at the interview? Will it be similar?
 
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tempests1

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As I mentioned in another thread, I have been offered an interview for the position of Retail Supervisor at Worksop. I have only once had another interview for a TOC, for EMT as a ticket inspector back in 2010. What might I expect at the interview? Will it be similar?

Max

I imagine it will be the usual sort of competency based Interview. I had a interview with a TOC last year, With the questions starting like below

Tell me about a time…..

Describe a time…..

Tell me about a situation…..

The interview panel will be looking for relevant examples of what you did in such situations, they will probably say that you can choose relevant examples from your current job, a previous role or a situation outside work altogether. I always read the Job Description & think about my answers based on the the following points

Situation – describe a situation or problem that you have encountered

Task – describe the task that the situation required or your ideas for resolving the problem

Action – describe the action you took, obstacles that you had to overcome

Results – highlight outcomes achieved

Without a doubt they will ask you about the types of units they run, routes served, where they interface with other TOC's etc etc.

Best of Luck!
 
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From my experience Northern are very good at interviewing. I found they do their best to encourage / coax the relevent answers out of you. The two interviewers you should get are usually directly involved with the job you have applied for, not, like other TOCs some back office human-resources-bod who has never seen a passenger before. Good luck!
 

142094

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Competency based questions seem to be the main thing at interviews these days, just try to think of as many different situations that you have previously faced. Might be an idea to jot them down beforehand, keeps it fresh in the memory.
 

Yew

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Max

I imagine it will be the usual sort of competency based Interview. I had a interview with a TOC last year, With the questions starting like below

Tell me about a time…..

Describe a time…..

Tell me about a situation…..

The interview panel will be looking for relevant examples of what you did in such situations, they will probably say that you can choose relevant examples from your current job, a previous role or a situation outside work altogether. I always read the Job Description & think about my answers based on the the following points

Situation – describe a situation or problem that you have encountered

Task – describe the task that the situation required or your ideas for resolving the problem

Action – describe the action you took, obstacles that you had to overcome

Results – highlight outcomes achieved

Without a doubt they will ask you about the types of units they run, routes served, where they interface with other TOC's etc etc.

Best of Luck!

How about this situation?

Once I was a station manster... sorry, ticket collector, at Lymington. And There was this trolley on the tracks. Rather than follow tohe proper procedures that would have made sure that no injuries happened. I jumped onto electrified track and pulled it off, even though I wasnt PTS trained

:)

Good luck in your interview, worksop is a nice station. I would suggest saying you are intrested in railways, however dont lay it on too much ("I can play open BVE so i can drive a train already and wont need training" - not a good idea, however mentioning it woud be " I have always wanted to be a train driver, I played a bit on simulators" I know you arent applyign for a driver position, but its a nice example)
 

alexdodds

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Just thought I d post an update. Of couse I cant apply for any because I am too far away.

Conductor job based at Liverpool Lime Street. 70% chance it will get withdrawn.

At Doncaster theres a RPA job vacant there.

Rail Operator job at Bridlington vacant there.

Train Presentation Operative jobs going at Buxton and Neville Hill.

And a fitter at Newton Heath going there.
 
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