Turned down for East Coast

[anti-pacer]

Just had a rejection email from East Coast due to not making the shortlist.

I also applied for a train despatcher job through Carlisle Support Services in Leeds, although the money isn't great by any means. I have made it through to their assessment.

If I'm successful in that, is this likely to put me in good stead for a job eventually with a TOC? My knowledge of the rail industry is better than Joe Public's but obviously not as good as most of the people on this forum, so hopefully this may help me, but I'm worried it's not sufficient enough.

Any pointers?

 

[E&W Lucas]

Just had a rejection email from East Coast due to not making the shortlist.

I also applied for a train despatcher job through Carlisle Support Services in Leeds, although the money isn't great by any means. I have made it through to their assessment.

If I'm successful in that, is this likely to put me in good stead for a job eventually with a TOC? My knowledge of the rail industry is better than Joe Public's but obviously not as good as most of the people on this forum, so hopefully this may help me, but I'm worried it's not sufficient enough.

Any pointers?

For heaven's sake, don't go on in an interview or on an application about your "knowledge of the rail industry"!!!
Joe Public's knowledge of the rail industry is fine; they need people that can deal with Joe Public.

Read the job spec, and pick out the skills that are being looked for. Guard or station staff, are essentially customer service roles. Anything railway related, that you would need to know, is covered in the training process.

If you want these jobs, you need experience in/ aptitude for working with the public.

 

[anti-pacer]

For heaven's sake, don't go on in an interview or on an application about your "knowledge of the rail industry"!!!
Joe Public's knowledge of the rail industry is fine; they need people that can deal with Joe Public.

Read the job spec, and pick out the skills that are being looked for. Guard or station staff, are essentially customer service roles. Anything railway related, that you would need to know, is covered in the training process.

If you want these jobs, you need experience in/ aptitude for working with the public.

Maybe that's where I went wrong then.

Despite having plenty of experience of dealing with the public, I did kind of 'promote' my knowledge thinking it would give me a possible advantage against all but people who already work in the industry.

 

[Tubeboy]

I completely agree with E&W Lucas. How you deal with angry commuters and drunks is what they want, someone who has a patient personality, not knowledge of train numbers. Nothing wrong with being an enthusiast working on the railway, i am such a person, but the job comes first.

 

[anti-pacer]

I completely agree with E&W Lucas. How you deal with angry commuters and drunks is what they want, someone who has a patient personality, not knowledge of train numbers. Nothing wrong with being an enthusiast working on the railway, i am such a person, but the job comes first.

I'm not actually an enthusiast myself, and in the "write your own words" space on the application, I did mention my passion for customer service, my ability to deal with difficult situations, and the wealth of experience I've had dealing with the public, etc.

 

[TDK]

Just had a rejection email from East Coast due to not making the shortlist.


Any pointers?

What role?

 

[anti-pacer]

What role?

Train Guard

 

[AlexS]

Oh joy, agency dispatch staff >.< That'll be crappy TPE then I assume! No offence to yourself of course but I don't believe safety critical railway work at massively busy mainline stations like Leeds should be farmed out to low pay agency staff, it's a slippery slope before you starting getting agency guards and the line.

 

[mac]

Oh joy, agency dispatch staff >.< That'll be crappy TPE then I assume! No offence to yourself of course but I don't believe safety critical railway work at massively busy mainline stations like Leeds should be farmed out to low pay agency staff, it's a slippery slope before you starting getting agency guards and the line.

What has pay and agency staff got to do with safety. If they are shown how to do the job money should make no difference. How many accidents have been caused by agency staff compared to non agency?

 

[GGR]

Sorry to hear that you didnt make it through antipacer, did you put in that stuff i mentioned on the other thread you had running?? Agree very much as others have commented to get through the sift it really is a question of reading the role description then ticking each one off basically, obviously making it sound easier than it is there but thats the general idea.

I was surprised when we went external for Guards, been a very long time since they did that but i'm sure there is something in place where by they have to recruit so many ex toc, so many internal and so many off the street. Having been recruiting ex TOC drivers for ages they have just taken on some internal candidates for trainee drivers at depots across the route so maybe (just maybe) the next batch of trainee drivers will be off the street!

Keep trying mate and dont give up, and remember every application is more experience under your belt, you will crack it eventually. And dont put all your eggs in one basket either, if an opportunity comes up at another TOC get in there, you can move around more easily once you have the experience so I think the job at Leeds for Carlisle services would be a fairly good move. Yes its not the best pay and possibly less stable but essentially once you start to gain that experience it will be invaluable and if your working on the station youre more likely to hear other jobs coming up too (internal stuff).

Good Luck mate.

 

[whhistle]

What has pay and agency staff got to do with safety. If they are shown how to do the job money should make no difference. How many accidents have been caused by agency staff compared to non agency?

Agency staff tend not to care as much I would suggest.
It's only temporary work so no need to bother too much.

 

[Withnailandi]

Never ever give up. It took 3 years for me.

 

[scotraildriver]

I thought I had a good knowledge of the railway and how it worked. When I started my rules course I quickly discovered I didn't have a clue.

 

[anti-pacer]

I have now applied for a Travel Centre Advisor for FTPE based at Huddersfield so I'm more hopeful as I have almost like for like experience.

I still intend to plod on though for a train guard job.

 

[TDK]

I have now applied for a Travel Centre Advisor for FTPE based at Huddersfield so I'm more hopeful as I have almost like for like experience.

I still intend to plod on though for a train guard job.

I know that having a positive attitude is good however if you said you had like for like experience in interview for a job you have never carried out this will not score you any brownie points

 

[ChrisTheRef]

I agree completely. They can teach you and train you on the knowledge side of it. Dealing with angry/upset/drunk passengers is something which some people just can't do. Show them that and they'll teach you the rest.