train dispatcher job OPC results timeline

[cornishguy]

hi applied for first great Western train dispatcher and gateline staff.passed the first online test 3 weeks ago.the one with 20 questions about the best and least likely response to give.
then I did an opc online test 10 days ago about multi tasking where it's 27 questions in 3 seconds each about correct train departure and customer questions about train route at same time
I have heard nothing back.what happens now, cos if it's that slow I'll just take a job driving buses which I used to do

 

[LokiB]

Railway recruitment can be a very drawn out procedure taking many months and often years depending on the role.
3 weeks without hearing is honestly not that long.

 

[cornishguy]

but if the person has resigned or put in thei months notice.then they will have to find a new gateline dispatcher asap. hence the tests in selecting the new person will have to be done and checked fast.
first gwr were fast at replying to my first online test.its this second OPC online test I took that is taking time for the results

 

[Horizon22]

but if the person has resigned or put in thei months notice.then they will have to find a new gateline dispatcher asap. hence the tests in selecting the new person will have to be done and checked fast.
first gwr were fast at replying to my first online test.its this second OPC online test I took that is taking time for the results

That might seem logical, but there's normally quite small recruitment teams dealing with this, so it might be that team is just short for a while. This happens regularly.

The last test you did was 10 days ago; that really isn't very long, so be patient. You're still in the process until you're told you are not.

 

[MJN11]

hi applied for first great Western train dispatcher and gateline staff.passed the first online test 3 weeks ago.the one with 20 questions about the best and least likely response to give.
then I did an opc online test 10 days ago about multi tasking where it's 27 questions in 3 seconds each about correct train departure and customer questions about train route at same time
I have heard nothing back.what happens now, cos if it's that slow I'll just take a job driving buses which I used to do

I did the same tests as you (assuming it was the TDMT) and heard back in a few days. This can vary due to number of applicants, scores and other factors such as overall application you’ve submitted (there has been times where I’ve passed online testing with GWR but haven’t been shortlisted for the interview stage). I wouldn’t stress unless you’ve heard back. Sometimes no news is good news

 

[cornishguy]

I would say out if the 27 questions.i got the train departure sequence right 23 times.missed 4 times to respond in time.and got about 22 the customer questions right about train routes.2 times wrong and 3 times never responded in time.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Nov 2023 ==

the other test I did 3 weeks ago was 20 questions with most and least likely answers for scenarios in the station . I failed it 4 yes ago but it was the same questions.so I knew what not to put down. prob how I passed.

 

[MJN11]

I would say out if the 27 questions.i got the train departure sequence right 23 times.missed 4 times to respond in time.and got about 22 the customer questions right about train routes.2 times wrong and 3 times never responded in time.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Nov 2023 ==

the other test I did 3 weeks ago was 20 questions with most and least likely answers for scenarios in the station . I failed it 4 yes ago but it was the same questions.so I knew what not to put down. prob how I passed.

That’s not bad although it’s ideal to get both the dispatch sequence/passenger questions correct they do state to prioritise getting the sequence right over the passenger ones

 

[cornishguy]

don't think I ever got the sequence wrong.just ran out of time on 4 occasions

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 27 Nov 2023 ==

got email saying I passed the tdmt test and now will get an email to set up a zoom or face to face interview.then another email to arrange the time.
any top tips guys. it said my tdmt is valid for 3 years.
I logged on to my update on first group jobs and it says 6 updates but it's not showing this update,but it is showing a box with today's date ,but nothing to click on.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 27 Nov 2023 ==

I wonder if the emails it says exist are the ones I can only open in my Hotmail account. but there are 4 other older emails that I can open on my progress report on the first group website

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 27 Nov 2023 ==

any advice,what happens next

 

[MJN11]

don't think I ever got the sequence wrong.just ran out of time on 4 occasions

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 27 Nov 2023 ==

got email saying I passed the tdmt test and now will get an email to set up a zoom or face to face interview.then another email to arrange the time.
any top tips guys. it said my tdmt is valid for 3 years.
I logged on to my update on first group jobs and it says 6 updates but it's not showing this update,but it is showing a box with today's date ,but nothing to click on.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 27 Nov 2023 ==

I wonder if the emails it says exist are the ones I can only open in my Hotmail account. but there are 4 other older emails that I can open on my progress report on the first group website

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 27 Nov 2023 ==

any advice,what happens next

You’ll be emailed with timings and dates for your interview

 

[cornishguy]

any help as in what questions I will be asked.

 

[John2108]

hi applied for first great Western train dispatcher and gateline staff.passed the first online test 3 weeks ago.the one with 20 questions about the best and least likely response to give.
then I did an opc online test 10 days ago about multi tasking where it's 27 questions in 3 seconds each about correct train departure and customer questions about train route at same time
I have heard nothing back.what happens now, cos if it's that slow I'll just take a job driving buses which I used to do

I am pissed, was completing the OPC VSE assessment then my laptop randomly restarted…..now I can’t do the assessment anymore

 

[cornishguy]

got a face to face interview now on Dec 12. at my station where job is, they only offered one date and a choice of 6 times.i hope there are only 6 final candidates

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 5 Dec 2023 ==

got a face to face interview now on Dec 12. at my station where job is, they only offered one date and a choice of 6 times.i hope there are only 6 final candidates

they say if I fail to attend ,they won't give me a second chance.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 6 Dec 2023 ==

I have watched how to pass the GWR interview on youtube

 

[MJN11]

any help as in what questions I will be asked.

Dm me if you need any advice

 

[cornishguy]

DM'd you

 

[Robert27]

Dm me if you need any advice

How do I DM you? Any chance you could ping me a message I'm looking for some advice on the same interview

 

[cornishguy]

had my interview.it was what I was expecting it to be . nothing caught me out. but I had questions at end about training. they said it is Swindon then at designated station after it, if I'm right they said 4 days in Swindon. not sure if I understood if that was right and how long at designated station.they said I would be covering sickness, days off and holidays in my rota. at numerous stations in the county he said I waa to use my car with the £4000 allowance or use TRAIN if I could get to a shift that didn't start early for finish late.im but worried as I have an old car and can't afford a new super reliable one.they never wanted to see birth certificate, driving licence, passport or national insurance number. I asked someone else about that. he said it's only the successful person that had to show that later if they are chosen. they said they hey would email everyone by the end of next week if they got the job or not.

 

[Horizon22]

had my interview.it was what I was expecting it to be . nothing caught me out. but I had questions at end about training. they said it is Swindon then at designated station after it, if I'm right they said 4 days in Swindon. not sure if I understood if that was right and how long at designated station.they said I would be covering sickness, days off and holidays in my rota. at numerous stations in the county he said I waa to use my car with the £4000 allowance or use TRAIN if I could get to a shift that didn't start early for finish late.im but worried as I have an old car and can't afford a new super reliable one.they never wanted to see birth certificate, driving licence, passport or national insurance number. I asked someone else about that. he said it's only the successful person that had to show that later if they are chosen. they said they hey would email everyone by the end of next week if they got the job or not.

Normally GWR training takes places at a few locations around the network and Swindon is one, so yes it would be there probably in a hotel for a few days.

Sounds like you are in a GPR (General Purpose Relief) station grade which does coverage for a range of locations. Normally there's an additional premium for the inconvenience of not knowing the location/timings of your shifts far in advance.

And yes normally ID checks only come after a successful interview and a conditional offer is made.

 

[Robert27]

Yes it's a GPR role, also had my interview today too, was as expected, did freeze on one question but they were happy to go back to that question at the end. They did check my passport etc at the end of the interview, however not sure.what to read in to that as it stated on the interview invitation to bring these with you.

 

[cornishguy]

I don't get it either. if Id checks were told in an email to make sure you bring your documents. then none were checked when I got my interview. and the norm is only to check if you get the job offer
then, I have no idea why they checked your id. I'm bamboozled

 

[Robert27]

Yeh rather strange, maybe they just forgot? What time did you have your interview?

 

[cornishguy]

1130am, I may email GWR recruitment and ask why no id checks.I just sent them an email asking why, despite them insisting I had to or the interview couldn't commence.

 

[Robert27]

My interview was at 11am so I may well have seen you as I left the station

 

[cornishguy]

GWR said they would forward my email

 

[cornishguy]

My interview was at 11am so I may well have seen you as I left the station

yes, you may have done. i was sitting on the metal seats inside next to the self service ticket machine from 1115 to 1130.
.but I'm still confused why you got asked for ID and I didn't
as I went back in for help after interview at station and said to staff I never got asked for ID. they said it's ok .it's not needed at this point.

i hope there is an innocent explanation why I didn't get asked for id and you did., if we both went for the same job.

 

[Robert27]

Unsure if you've heard yourself, but I've got an email this morning stating that I was unsuccessful at interview

yes, you may have done. i was sitting on the metal seats inside next to the self service ticket machine from 1115 to 1130.
.but I'm still confused why you got asked for ID and I didn't
as I went back in for help after interview at station and said to staff I never got asked for ID. they said it's ok .it's not needed at this point.

i hope there is an innocent explanation why I didn't get asked for id and you did., if we both went for the same job.

 

[cornishguy]

bad luck mate,just looked, I was unsuccessful as well..not nice, guess it's the buses for me. the thing I wasn't too sure of, is when I was told I would be covering stations up to 30 miles away.i thought that I would be using the train to these stations, not my car.i thought the £4000 allowance was to cover all the extra own traveling time it took you to get to the stations before you actually started your shift as the main employment station was 10 min walk for me. the interviewer said I could use train only if I could get a train that got me to work on time..I said ok. as I have my own car anyway.
I spent a lot of time preparing for interview, I never got stuck at any questions, researched the company and the job demands ,before interview.
I think it's buses for me, local depot, £32500 ,40 hours, will find out in 3 weeks.
I guess my 20 years firstbus experience meant little, 10 yrs driving and 10 yrs engineering ,I described the very ,very difficult situations I had been in during driving buses, eg, the most disruptive passengers I have had to deal with, and that is in Glasgow, a tough place to work and the emergencies during engineering and I worked at an airport, so met thousands of passengers a day from all countries and all walks of life.
if I was the interviewer, I would have picked me lol. well it was the job I had been after for ages.. I'm 55 , I first tried as a train guide on the west highland line when I was 21, as my knowledge of that line was amazing, but they said I didn't have the customer experience back then.