Northern - Trainee Train Driver - Wigan Wallgate (25/02/25)

[skiddaddle]

Received my invite to interview. Looks like it’s straight to the assessment day, no mention of a phone interview. Good luck everyone!

 

[James92182]

Hi all,

Checked my application status and it was unsuccessful unfortunately, despite feeling like I had very strong answers for the competency questions. It’s somewhat frustrating not receiving specific feedback as I don’t know where im going wrong. Applied 5 times for roles in the last 2 years and can’t seem to get passed the initial application. For those of you that have/will be invited to interview stage can you share any insight on what kinds of answers HR have approved for progression to the next stage? Somewhat frustrating as I progressed to the very last stage when avanti did their recruitment drive a couple of years ago.

 

[TK.]

Received my invite to interview. Looks like it’s straight to the assessment day, no mention of a phone interview. Good luck everyone!

Hi Have you received Interview date yet? I have had 'Invited to Interview' email... but no date as yet.

 

[skiddaddle]

Hi Have you received Interview date yet? I have had 'Invited to Interview' email... but no date as yet.

Yes I got an email yesterday with a date, it took about 5 days to come through

Hi all,

Checked my application status and it was unsuccessful unfortunately, despite feeling like I had very strong answers for the competency questions. It’s somewhat frustrating not receiving specific feedback as I don’t know where im going wrong. Applied 5 times for roles in the last 2 years and can’t seem to get passed the initial application. For those of you that have/will be invited to interview stage can you share any insight on what kinds of answers HR have approved for progression to the next stage? Somewhat frustrating as I progressed to the very last stage when avanti did their recruitment drive a couple of years ago.

I just answered using my prior experience in the STAR format. Sorry that’s not much use, without going into the specifics of my job I’m not sure how to answer your question. Best of luck for the future

 

[James92182]

Yes I got an email yesterday with a date, it took about 5 days to come through



I just answered using my prior experience in the STAR format. Sorry that’s not much use, without going into the specifics of my job I’m not sure how to answer your question. Best of luck for the future

Thanks for your reply. I'm just curious what kinds of jobs/experience people have prior to applying to be a train driver to give them what HR deem relevant previous experience. I would think being a tram driver is the closest possible role where you could pull good examples of previous experience, or perhaps a HGV driver.

Answering the common competency question 'talk about a time when you've performed a repetitive task for a long period of time' is interesting. I wonder whether candidates answer with some really impressive/niche answers or whether they answer with simply painting a room for hours on end. I've been a postman for many years and I also play the drums in musicals - both of which are so repetitive (sorting hundreds of letters, walking up and down the same streets every single day) (playing the same songs over and over night after night). But after thoroughly explaining through both of these examples in the past I have a feeling its not good enough for the recruitment team.

Best of luck with your interview!

 

[Unobrow]

Thanks for your reply. I'm just curious what kinds of jobs/experience people have prior to applying to be a train driver to give them what HR deem relevant previous experience. I would think being a tram driver is the closest possible role where you could pull good examples of previous experience, or perhaps a HGV driver.

Answering the common competency question 'talk about a time when you've performed a repetitive task for a long period of time' is interesting. I wonder whether candidates answer with some really impressive/niche answers or whether they answer with simply painting a room for hours on end. I've been a postman for many years and I also play the drums in musicals - both of which are so repetitive (sorting hundreds of letters, walking up and down the same streets every single day) (playing the same songs over and over night after night). But after thoroughly explaining through both of these examples in the past I have a feeling its not good enough for the recruitment team.

Best of luck with your interview!

Remember it doesn’t have to be job based, but I think sorting letters for hours is an excellent example. You can go into how you have to check the stamps haven’t already been used with any signs of a post mark, checking post codes which can be very similar and how you keep your concentration and focus throughout. I’m sure you can add more about it too. Even delivering you’d have to have similar concentration levels so as not to deliver incorrectly (right name, but wrong address from experience for example?). You’d be surprised at what you actually do when you analyse it, use non technical skills as a guide. I’m ex-HGV and could break the job down using those too.

 

[nolypops83]

Thanks for your reply. I'm just curious what kinds of jobs/experience people have prior to applying to be a train driver to give them what HR deem relevant previous experience. I would think being a tram driver is the closest possible role where you could pull good examples of previous experience, or perhaps a HGV driver.

Answering the common competency question 'talk about a time when you've performed a repetitive task for a long period of time' is interesting. I wonder whether candidates answer with some really impressive/niche answers or whether they answer with simply painting a room for hours on end. I've been a postman for many years and I also play the drums in musicals - both of which are so repetitive (sorting hundreds of letters, walking up and down the same streets every single day) (playing the same songs over and over night after night). But after thoroughly explaining through both of these examples in the past I have a feeling its not good enough for the recruitment team.

Best of luck with your interview!

I've spent the last 12 or so years at a University working in admin, finance and PM roles. I understand it's frustrating when you don't get any feedback, but you just have to keep plugging away. I applied to Northern using the same application form, and the first time I got through and the second and third times I didn't. No idea why? I just assume that on those occasions there were people who applied that were better than I was.

 

[buddy2802]

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