Scotrail Trainee Drivers (Ongoing)

[Methodical]

Passed computer test and had MMI, was informed after MMI that we'd be notified by phone call and sure enough, received call at 4pm yesterday. Conditional offer to start 21st January with medical booked for 3rd Dec. I'm absolutely delighted as you can imagine, and also somewhat shocked to have made it through the process!

I found the joysticks the hardest of all 3 computer tests, as did the other candidates, and the traffic perception test pictures felt like they were only displayed for a split second! I found the flashing grey squares pretty easy with only one catching me out because I mis-timed blinking my eyes! For anyone not sure what to expect, its a small light grey square that changes to dark grey every so often, randomly, in the middle of a white screen. I expected the grey square to be bigger for some reason but its only about an inch in length/height! We started at 9.30am and I was in central station by 1.30pm on my way home.

I'm still in utter disbelief that I've made it through!

Well done S16, great achievement.

 

[S16]

Well done on passing. I'm in next week and hoped you wouldn't mind a couple of questions?
You mentioned the joysticks were the hardest, is it the same shape every time, including in the practice?
Also how many of you were at the stage 2 assessment?

There were 4 of us at the assessment, one of the guys was at my first assessment and also at the interview at the same time as me so was good to see a familiar face!!
Yes. it's the same shape every time. But don't get too hung up on trying to find a way to practice for it. The best advice I can give you is to really take your time on the practice session and get a feel for the controls. Everyone in our group found the left-right control very sensitive (the one you operate with your left hand).
Best of luck!

 

[S16]

Well done S16, great achievement.

Thanks, woke up early this morning and had to pinch myself! Doesn't seem real yet

 

[Prober]

There were 4 of us at the assessment, one of the guys was at my first assessment and also at the interview at the same time as me so was good to see a familiar face!!
Yes. it's the same shape every time. But don't get too hung up on trying to find a way to practice for it. The best advice I can give you is to really take your time on the practice session and get a feel for the controls. Everyone in our group found the left-right control very sensitive (the one you operate with your left hand).
Best of luck!

That's great advice. Thanks!

 

[Nathen]

Just had my initial assessment today....finished at 12 and by 3 I had found out I had been successful and moved onto the managers interview...what's the managers interview like?

 

[S16]

Nathen, less formal than you'd expect. I was made to feel very at ease but you still need to create a good impression and give good examples (STAR approach) to the questions they ask. You'll find most of the questions on various youtube vids. They might go "off-script" so to speak and ask you about other things that you might not expect. It seemed to me they wanted to get natural responses but to also verify that I'd done my homework before the interview.

Well done today, and good luck at the interview!

 

[hollyblue]

Seems to me that there are people who are currently sitting in a pool for Perth/Dundee, yet SR are still doing initial assessments and DMI’s for the same area. Something fishy going on here me thinks.....

 

[Nathen]

Seems to me that there are people who are currently sitting in a pool for Perth/Dundee, yet SR are still doing initial assessments and DMI’s for the same area. Something fishy going on here me thinks.....

At the assessment yesterday the woman who was taking it had said they were looking at starting people for training within dundee/Perth around March april time as it will be a staggered start for different areas..there were 18 people at my assessment yesterday for Perth

 

[Falkirk lad]

Just new to the group but I also had an interview for Edinburgh/Bathgate a week past Friday and I also got a “in a 6 month holding pool” email.

I maybe wrong but my observation from these threads are all successful Edinburgh/Bathgate and Dundee/Perth interviewees are going into a pool as there are more DMI’s still to happen.....and those at Airdrie/Yoker have been told yes/no as their DMI’s are now complete. Thoughts?

 

[hollyblue]

Just new to the group but I also had an interview for Edinburgh/Bathgate a week past Friday and I also got a “in a 6 month holding pool” email.

I maybe wrong but my observation from these threads are all successful Edinburgh/Bathgate and Dundee/Perth interviewees are going into a pool as there are more DMI’s still to happen.....and those at Airdrie/Yoker have been told yes/no as their DMI’s are now complete. Thoughts?

I wish you were right.....there are around 20 people, I am reliably informed, or thereabouts who will have been trained for Perth alone by the year end just since August.

I am in a pool for Perth/Dundee and cannot for the life of me understand why if they are still going through initial stage assessments...unless Perth are getting an outrageous amount of new drivers that is! The silence for those in the pool is deafening and I think most of us anticipate hearing zip....

 

[DEvans]

Hello all.

Does anyone know all of the areas that are being targeted and how many are applying for each area?

DE

 

[Nathen]

I wish you were right.....there are around 20 people, I am reliably informed, or thereabouts who will have been trained for Perth alone by the year end just since August.

I am in a pool for Perth/Dundee and cannot for the life of me understand why if they are still going through initial stage assessments...unless Perth are getting an outrageous amount of new drivers that is! The silence for those in the pool is deafening and I think most of us anticipate hearing zip....

Maybe looking for stronger candidates....in the initial assesments

 

[hollyblue]

Maybe looking for stronger candidates....in the initial assesments

Stronger candidates than ones already passed through the initial assessments and subsequent manager interview?......

 

[S16]

Hello all.

Does anyone know all of the areas that are being targeted and how many are applying for each area?

DE

I'd heard 23,000 applied for Motherwell, and that there are 10 required urgently with another 10 needed within the next year

 

[Methodical]

I'd heard 23,000 applied for Motherwell, and that there are 10 required urgently with another 10 needed within the next year

23,000 ? That's a staggering figure if correct. Was thinking to get one of the few jobs on offer out of an application pool of 10% of that would be quite an achievement.
No wonder it takes them so long to complete the selection process.!
Makes your success all the more impressive.

 

[S16]

I'm not sure if the 23,000 was for Motherwell, Yoker, Ayr etc in total or just for Motherwell alone. I think making past the initial sift of applications has an element of luck. I'd also heard 100 were selected for interview for the 10 Motherwell posts.

If I remember correctly the last time they advertised for Glasgow based drivers (2 years ago?) there were reportedly 200,000 applicants!

 

[Methodical]

I'm not sure if the 23,000 was for Motherwell, Yoker, Ayr etc in total or just for Motherwell alone. I think making past the initial sift of applications has an element of luck. I'd also heard 100 were selected for interview for the 10 Motherwell posts.

If I remember correctly the last time they advertised for Glasgow based drivers (2 years ago?) there were reportedly 200,000 applicants!

Either way, it's crazy figures mate.
I have 2nd assessment and MMI next week and applied for the M/Well, Yoker etc posts, hopefully they're not all gone by then if there are many more in your position of already having an offer !!

 

[S16]

I know of 2 others who have had offer for Motherwell but we were amongst first round of assessments/interviews, good luck!

 

[Methodical]

I know of 2 others who have had offer for Motherwell but we were amongst first round of assessments/interviews, good luck!

Thank you.! Will let you know how it goes.

 

[Chaz15]

I'm not sure if the 23,000 was for Motherwell, Yoker, Ayr etc in total or just for Motherwell alone. I think making past the initial sift of applications has an element of luck. I'd also heard 100 were selected for interview for the 10 Motherwell posts.

If I remember correctly the last time they advertised for Glasgow based drivers (2 years ago?) there were reportedly 200,000 applicants!

It's popular but it's not 200 000 popular! 13000 in first week and apparently topped out at 23000 total for the big 2015 drive.

 

[S16]

It's popular but it's not 200 000 popular! 13000 in first week and apparently topped out at 23000 total for the big 2015 drive.

I might very well have had a brain-fart, it was following a conversation with a train driver a few years ago so my memory might have let me down on that one! But definitely sure I heard the 23,000 figure from one of the recruitment personnel within the past few weeks for the Motherwell positions.

 

[DEvans]

Does anyone know of the time frame regarding an interview to a yes/no email?

DE

 

[StephenB]

Does anyone know of the time frame regarding an interview to a yes/no email?

DE

I had my interview on the 9th November and didn’t get notified till 20th

 

[Braveheart]

Was lucky to be accepted for the first assessment in Nov. Passed that & went for the interview. That was were my journey ended. Absolutely gutted to say the least.

Was told by a DTM I’d spoken to a few days before my interview that they’d just be looking to see that I’d made the effort to do research etc on the job & Scotrail, as opposed to the internal applicants. I went into the interview with loads of homework done but as S16 was saying, the guy interviewing me was diverting me away from my answers & interrupting me quite often. Some questions were based on experiences in my current job, but on one personal question I couldn’t answer it as I haven’t had the kind of experience they were asking about. I can’t help but feel it went against me, but I couldn’t lie about it.

After the interview I was disappointed that much of my research never got used because I’d been routed away from what I was saying. A friend of mine also got an interview & passed but his questions were different to mine. I think at the interview stage a bit of luck is required into who takes your interview.

The worst bit is, they refuse to give you feedback.

Oh well...got to keep my eyes peeled for the job coming up again in 6 months.

 

[Nathen]

Stronger candidates than ones already passed through the initial assessments and subsequent manager interview?......

So your saying that "someone" who has just had the assesments isn't as strong a candidate as someone who's had assesments and interviews before everyone else....I'm sorry to tell you maybe the persons initial application wasn't strong but still had certain quality to it might just be better in the assesments that other people....just saying!!!

 

[Methodical]

I had my interview on the 9th November and didn’t get notified till 20th

This is a similar timescale to mine .
The recruitment procedure seems, in some ways, a little haphazard.
The very best of luck to all who have offers already, but how do Abellio know that they are the best candidates for the jobs without completing all the other interviews first.?
Surely there is a decent chance that there are some excellent candidates still to complete the process, who may miss out on a position purely by the fortune or misfortune of the timing of their interview.?
This is in no way a dig at those fortunate enough to be chosen already, rather just a question of how the full process works.

 

[xtradj]

Was lucky to be accepted for the first assessment in Nov. Passed that & went for the interview. That was were my journey ended. Absolutely gutted to say the least.

Was told by a DTM I’d spoken to a few days before my interview that they’d just be looking to see that I’d made the effort to do research etc on the job & Scotrail, as opposed to the internal applicants. I went into the interview with loads of homework done but as S16 was saying, the guy interviewing me was diverting me away from my answers & interrupting me quite often. Some questions were based on experiences in my current job, but on one personal question I couldn’t answer it as I haven’t had the kind of experience they were asking about. I can’t help but feel it went against me, but I couldn’t lie about it.

After the interview I was disappointed that much of my research never got used because I’d been routed away from what I was saying. A friend of mine also got an interview & passed but his questions were different to mine. I think at the interview stage a bit of luck is required into who takes your interview.

The worst bit is, they refuse to give you feedback.

Oh well...got to keep my eyes peeled for the job coming up again in 6 months.

If you haven’t had experience in the question asked, then simply make one up. The evening before prepare for any questions you may be expected to be asked. Write down the best examples you can think of.

 

[S16]

Methodical, I agree with you regarding the luck aspect of the timings. I think the selection process is rigorous enough to determine suitability, so anyone who makes it through is eligible to be put forward for training. I don't think anyone who gets past the final stage can be seen as better or worse than any other candidate who makes it through though. You either meet the criteria or you don't. So yes, there must be some eligible candidates who don't get through purely due to bad luck, and some who don't get through because their interview didn't go to plan even though they prepared 100% for what they expected to be asked.

I prepared for a whole week for my interview, watched every youtube video I could find, spoke to train drivers and DTMs, and still got asked things I wasn't expecting. They also asked things in a different manner to the examples I'd prepared, although they were essentially asking the same question. Instead of "Give me an example of a time when...." they would describe a scenario and ask you how you would respond, then lead you into an example from your own experience.

Looking back, it was probably the best interview I've ever had both in terms of my own preparation and the experience on the day. The interview technique was on a completely different level to anything I've ever had (or given) in the past.

 

[baz962]

Was lucky to be accepted for the first assessment in Nov. Passed that & went for the interview. That was were my journey ended. Absolutely gutted to say the least.

Was told by a DTM I’d spoken to a few days before my interview that they’d just be looking to see that I’d made the effort to do research etc on the job & Scotrail, as opposed to the internal applicants. I went into the interview with loads of homework done but as S16 was saying, the guy interviewing me was diverting me away from my answers & interrupting me quite often. Some questions were based on experiences in my current job, but on one personal question I couldn’t answer it as I haven’t had the kind of experience they were asking about. I can’t help but feel it went against me, but I couldn’t lie about it.

After the interview I was disappointed that much of my research never got used because I’d been routed away from what I was saying. A friend of mine also got an interview & passed but his questions were different to mine. I think at the interview stage a bit of luck is required into who takes your interview.

The worst bit is, they refuse to give you feedback.

Oh well...got to keep my eyes peeled for the job coming up again in 6 months.

You say you couldn't think of an example. It doesn't have to be from a work situation. And the question , say for example tell us a time you dealt with an emergency , doesn't mean blue light and sirens type. Could be you had to take a relative to hospital etc. Another question asked is tell us a time you had to follow rules and procedures. We do at work , if you drive then you follow the rules and procedures of the highway code , at school you had to follow the teachers/school rules. Think outside the box and good luck next time.

 

[Methodical]

Methodical, I agree with you regarding the luck aspect of the timings. I think the selection process is rigorous enough to determine suitability, so anyone who makes it through is eligible to be put forward for training. I don't think anyone who gets past the final stage can be seen as better or worse than any other candidate who makes it through though. You either meet the criteria or you don't. So yes, there must be some eligible candidates who don't get through purely due to bad luck, and some who don't get through because their interview didn't go to plan even though they prepared 100% for what they expected to be asked.

I prepared for a whole week for my interview, watched every youtube video I could find, spoke to train drivers and DTMs, and still got asked things I wasn't expecting. They also asked things in a different manner to the examples I'd prepared, although they were essentially asking the same question. Instead of "Give me an example of a time when...." they would describe a scenario and ask you how you would respond, then lead you into an example from your own experience.

Looking back, it was probably the best interview I've ever had both in terms of my own preparation and the experience on the day. The interview technique was on a completely different level to anything I've ever had (or given) in the past.

Totally agree S16, the process is very well structured in design and content to ensure all the chosen candidates are fully suitable for the role, just that the sheer volume of applications to be sifted, testing and interviewing to be conducted etc, does mean there is an element of luck in the timing.
Hopefully over the next couple of weeks I am in the same position as yourself, with a new career lying ahead.!!
Good info regarding how interview is conducted, I have also been scouring YouTube and speaking to drivers, every little bit of knowledge helps. It's been a long but strangely enjoyable process so far !