Volunteering to gain experience

[E&W Lucas]

Hi Nevillehill, when did you work in the Booking Office at Pickering? We might have met!

Why good afternoon Mrs Maid. Such a pleasure to see you in these parts!
Wonder if you're having the same thoughts as I am, about some posts above?

 

[the sniper]

I know at least two Guards who got their jobs almost wholly on the back of working on the Severn Valley Railway. Obviously this is all going to be TOC and individual person dependent, but I don't get why your opinion Lucas has to be considered fact across the industry.

In my Guard's interview I only really talked about what I'd done as a Special Constable, which is voluntary. In my BTP SPC interview the only work I'd done and talked about was that in the YMCA Shop, which was voluntary, and two different work experience placements I'd done on the railway while in school and then college, as well as other life experiences. On my application for the Guard's job, Waitrose and BTP SPC I didn't have any paid employment to put down (I applied for the Guard's position before I got the Waitrose job), yet got interviews for them all on the basis of experience gained in voluntary work...

I'm certainly not recommending this as the correct route to take, but this is the route I took and it ended up working out perfectly.

 

[E&W Lucas]

I know at least two Guards who got their jobs almost wholly on the back of working on the Severn Valley Railway. Obviously this is all going to be TOC and individual person dependent, but I don't get why your opinion Lucas has to be considered fact across the industry.

In my Guard's interview I only really talked about what I'd done as a Special Constable, which is voluntary. In my BTP SPC interview the only work I'd done and talked about was that in the YMCA Shop, which was voluntary, and two different work experience placements I'd done on the railway while in school and then college, as well as other life experiences. On my application for the Guard's job, Waitrose and BTP SPC I didn't have any paid employment to put down (I applied for the Guard's position before I got the Waitrose job), yet got interviews for them all on the basis of experience gained in voluntary work...

I'm certainly not recommending this as the correct route to take, but this is the route I took and it ended up working out perfectly.

Volunteering experience is certainly not wasted.
I had been volunteerng very regularly at the NYMR for 15 years, when I applied to be a mainline driver. For most of that time, I had been qualified footplate crew. In real life, I was working in management. My CV only briefly mentioned my railway work. One sentence, under "hobbies".

At the structured interview, it was suggested that I should answer, based on my workplace experience, explicitly not my railway work, if possible. At the management interview, they soon raised the Moors, I let the enjoyment I get from it come across, but they were definitely looking for a realisation that I was starting again. First day on the depot- two well chosen rules questions from an inspector. One to make sure I knew what I said I did, one to demonstrate to me my limitations.

Volunteering experience was directly useful to me when applying for management training jobs, post uni. I had experience of regularly leading working parties, and that certainly helped.

Volunteer because you enjoy it, not as a springboard.
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Yes I have worked on the North Yorks Moors railway, but didn't make a big deal in the interview as they are keen about health & safety and customer service.

I note that the OP is now shown as "Banned"!
Looks like we will never know who amongst a very small number of induviduals he is. Shall we just call him Walter?

Please remember that there are many preservation volunteers working across the mainline network. Turn up claiming to have worked for a certain society, and you may find yourself talking to someone who actually does, or knows someone who does.

 

[Nevillehill]

Suppose volunteering is ok if you have a gap in your career, and your waiting for the ideal job to come along.