I did and although I haven't received anything official, I called them and got bad news over the phone (failed GBT by rushing, suspected as much at time, but passed all the others - 1st time and was fairly new in process of applying so will know better for next time), so suggest calling them, but I also heard that 2nd stage is Wednesday, so if you haven't heard by now .......
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Northern Trainee Drivers
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I did and although I haven't received anything official, I called them and got bad news over the phone (failed GBT by rushing, suspected as much at time, but passed all the others - 1st time and was fairly new in process of applying so will know better for next time), so suggest calling them, but I also heard that 2nd stage is Wednesday, so if you haven't heard by now .......
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Sunday_mornin
Member
I heard on Monday, but again that was purely because I rang them, they sent me a confirmation email whilst I was on the phone. The Stage 2 assessments are being run all week at the Portland Hotel.
I'll give them a ring tomorrow. Have you got a good number for them? Better luck next time eh?
GBjackal
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Hi all.
Sadly, I was hours too late in finishing my application for the Manchester Depots vacancy.
I was wondering whether anyone thinks that they will re-advertise and time soon? As I know most TOCs tend to re-advertise due to not progressing enough candidates.
Best of look to those who have applied though!
Sadly, I was hours too late in finishing my application for the Manchester Depots vacancy.
I was wondering whether anyone thinks that they will re-advertise and time soon? As I know most TOCs tend to re-advertise due to not progressing enough candidates.
Best of look to those who have applied though!
Bert and Ernie
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I passed but only found out by ringing them. However I'm not doing my stage 2 this week but at the end of jan
Sunday_mornin
Member
Congratulations, how strange though. Surely your now being considered for the Wigan or Man Depot vacancies? I'm sat in the Portland Hotel foyer awaiting my assessment start :-/
Bert and Ernie
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I thought it was a bit strange but she said they had too many too test so whatever I'm just pleased I passed
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I got an invite to first stage assessments on the 21st january this morning.
You to mate
Sunday_mornin
Member
Congrats to all you guys that had the nervous wait. My stage 2 is now over, passed the computer tests this morning then sat the MMI over lunch. I'm exhausted!
Well done mate, how do you think the MMI went?
Sunday_mornin
Member
Not sure mate, it's not Military style "beasting" or anything like that. The lady interviewing me was lovely but she didn't seem open to bribes so I didn't offer one.
Same has happend for me. Just got a call saying I passed. Apparently their databases have been down so they havent been able to contact people?! Got stage 2 last week of Jan. So relieved, thought I'd failed!
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What was the format of the interview?
Sunday_mornin
Member
Regular competency based interview, based around 6 questions.
I've recently been through and passed the recruitment process for trainee train driver at Leeds but had an email today saying that my application will remain on hold since the places on the january training course have been filled. I just wondered if anyone knew how many people at Leeds who went through the interview process in November/December were in the same boat and if anyone knew how many more places if any soon were likely to be comming up at leeds for trainee train drivers?
Sunday_mornin
Member
I'll hazard a guess, the current Victoria vacancies which the final Stage2 assessments end tomorrow are scheduled to start in Leeds on the 27th of Jan. Maybe Northern have decided the Vic vacancies need filling first, so the Vic trainees will be filling the January Training Course in Leeds.
Just a theory.
I applied for Victoria and my second stage assessment isn't until the end of Jan apparently?!
Just confirm to me your recruitment process went the same as mine:
Online Application
Interview
Psychometric Test Stage 1
(And obviously you have now done stage 2)
(Medical to come)
So what I'm asking in a roundabout way is - 'Is the interview you did after the 2nd stage of the psychometric test your first or second interview?'
Cheers
Sunday_mornin
Member
That was my second interview, the MMI which a part of the Stage 2. My first interview was on the 17th of December. Clearly something odd is happening with the Vic applicants right now, we all sat the Stage 1 together but not the Stage 2. Now unless it's changed the start date is the 27th, which surely rules the people like yourself out of it? I have a feeling you guys sitting the stage 2 later in the month will be considered for the recently advertised roles at the Manchester Depots.
I also have a theory why this may be the case, I sat my stage 2 with 2 other guys, none of us needed to give more than a weeks notice to our current employers. So maybe that's how they made the decision, as it seems time is of the essence right now.
I also have a theory why this may be the case, I sat my stage 2 with 2 other guys, none of us needed to give more than a weeks notice to our current employers. So maybe that's how they made the decision, as it seems time is of the essence right now.
I think you might be right. My notice is a month so it would make sense I suppose. In my first interview the interviewer told me the course started on the 20th Jan! I thought there's no way I could make that haha.
Maybe they didn't expect as many applicants to be successful?
How did the two interviews differ if you don't mind me asking?
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Sunday_mornin
Member
The MMI is much more in depth. I have read comments on here that will have you believe it's an almost terrifying experience, that's not the case. You just need to feel confident talking about the experiences in your life.
However my advice may yet prove to be useless as I've no clue how I did.
However my advice may yet prove to be useless as I've no clue how I did.
Were the questions similar to the ones in the first interview? How long was it?
Any example questions?
No more questions now before I explode with anticipation and sit awake all night rocking like something from the lost boys.
Sunday_mornin
Member
Knowing the questions in advance would be great wouldn't it 
It's a competency based interview, discovering the competencies of a train driver isn't difficult. From that point you can probably imagine the types of things they are going to ask.
They say the interview will last between 60 & 90 minutes, mine was bang on 60.
As for sitting awake all night rocking, this describes me reasonably well right now.
It's a competency based interview, discovering the competencies of a train driver isn't difficult. From that point you can probably imagine the types of things they are going to ask.
They say the interview will last between 60 & 90 minutes, mine was bang on 60.
As for sitting awake all night rocking, this describes me reasonably well right now.
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Knowing the questions in advance would be great wouldn't it
It's a competency based interview, discovering the competencies of a train driver isn't difficult. From that point you can probably imagine the types of things they are going to ask.
They say the interview will last between 60 & 90 minutes, mine was bang on 60.
As for sitting awake all night rocking, this describes me reasonably well right now.
Haha it would be great and with that teasing comment I assume I won't be getting a heads up :cry:
My first interview was a competency based interview though.
Questions like - "Give us an example of when you have had to deal with an emergency" etc...
Were they similar to this or different?
Sunday_mornin
Member
Yes the DM interview had competency elements coupled with more aspirational type questions like "what has attracted you to this role". The difference being that during the MMI, you will spend 10-15 mins being questioned on your examples. Then occasionally they'll throw in a hypothetical question for fun, like "you have just witnessed a mugging, what would you do?"
My best advice is, research the competencies of a train driver because this is what they are trying to get from you and yes, dealing with an emergency may be one of them
My best advice is, research the competencies of a train driver because this is what they are trying to get from you and yes, dealing with an emergency may be one of them
Yes the DM interview had competency elements coupled with more aspirational type questions like "what has attracted you to this role". The difference being that during the MMI, you will spend 10-15 mins being questioned on your examples. Then occasionally they'll throw in a hypothetical question for fun, like "you have just witnessed a mugging, what would you do?"
My best advice is, research the competencies of a train driver because this is what they are trying to get from you and yes, dealing with an emergency may be one of them
Thanks for the advice. I kind of did this for the first interview but I will expand shall we say. An hour seems a long time being questioned but i suppose the first one was half that and that flew by. Fingers crossed.
Anyway best of luck to you. Thanks for the advice again.
I've thought about this and I think the first interview was actually the Driver Manager Interview that used to come right at the end of the process.
When I had my interview I answered each question and that was that, there was no digging or grilling for more info so it was more like a chat.
I think the MMI is designed to see how you communicate and how you work under stress so will be more detailed and probably less informal.
I think doing the DMI at the start makes a lot of sense. It gives the Driver Managers a chance to filter out people they don't think are suitable, for whatever reason, before the TOC wastes time any money putting candidates through the various tests. I always thought it was odd that you could pass all the tests etc.. only to fail at the last hurdle because the Driver Manager doesn't like you.
I might be talking b/s but that's how I see it anyway
156441
Member
Just a heads up for those applying for Manchester/Liverpool/Wigan roles. The next course date for these will be W/C 24th Feb @ Bolton. I've been told no west side drivers will be getting trained at Leeds as they have their own training needs to fill.
There will then be a course running approx every 6-8 weeks after that.
There will then be a course running approx every 6-8 weeks after that.
Im just keeping my fingers crossed and praying even though im not religious :P From what i've been reading earlier in this thread the impression is that there's going to be a lot of openings coming up this year ( more than 100 across the network i think one poster said ) so hopefully these predictions will play out.
My interview process was as follows:
Oct 2013 - Position Advertised on website for around 48 hours
Mid Nov 2013 - Email through inviting for interview at Metropole hotel - had email through same day later on saying id been successful and inviting me to attend first stage of driver assessments exactly one week later
26 November 2013 - 1st stage of assessment at Jurys Inn
28th Nov 2013 - Recived call saying id passed and inviting me to second stage - gave me a choice of days between 2nd dec and 12 dec
10th dec - 2nd stage assessment at jurys inn
18th dec - email through saying id passed all assessments and appication was being put on hold while traincrew requirements were reviewed for early 2014
other day - email though saying unfortunatly they had being unable to allocate me a place on training course starting 27th jan but would remai on file for 6 months - status remained as 'on hold'.
The assessments didnt seem too bad - all computer tests are in second stage, and all pencil/paper are in first stage. No one is sent home early depending on how they do first stage since all tests are scored up after session and results passed back to northern. However we on 2nd stage day we sat all computer tests in morning and were told that if we failed we would be sent home. Luckily I passed and was allowed sit interview in afternoon. Interview for me was about 1hr 10 mins but I guess it vary's on how much you can talk for. Maximum of 3 people were being done per day in second stage since each interview took up to 1.5 hrs and there were only 3 /4 computers set up in assessment room. At first stage there were around 25 people doing it at same time. Hope this helps in explaining how process is likely to work.
Good chance all the places on the January course were filled with internal candidates, usually they get preference I think.
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