You on the Railway
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What gives you that assumption if you don’t mind me asking?
Safety critical, drugs test etc.
Could be airline cabin crew as well…… but yes, you assumed correctly the first time. I don’t have a badge for you though
Not many cabin crew in Plymouth. I'm on the railway too. The interview is defo points based, are you applying for conductor with GWR.
Remember that interviews work two ways - whilst they want to know whether you're capable of fitting into the role, you are also deciding whether the role, company and people are fit for you to join.
So find out as much as you can about the company and memorise it so that you can refer to a couple of points in your answers. Then write down about three questions that you want to know about the company and the role. When they ask you if you have any questions you will be prepared, and sound genuinely interested.
Let us know how you get on. Good luck.
So find out as much as you can about the company and memorise it so that you can refer to a couple of points in your answers. Then write down about three questions that you want to know about the company and the role. When they ask you if you have any questions you will be prepared, and sound genuinely interested.
Let us know how you get on. Good luck.
Go to the top of the class Chief Inspector Notworthy, good deduction.
Likely questions, Give an example of when you went above and beyond, give a example of when you dealt with an emergency, give an example of when you were frustrated at work (if you're platform often Control can be a good example seeing as they like to duck us over with short notice changes) Give an example of a time you had to deal with conflict.
The worst question I had was give an example of a time when you broke the rules which in safety critical industry like the railway is a bugger but safe guarding vulnerable passengers is a good exampe to use. A conductor friend used this one for her Driver interview, basically train went out of service but she had a wheelchair user on the train so she said they carried the wheelchair user after debarking all the other passengers, against the rules as only train staff are allowed on an out of servie train but safeguarding trumped that rule. Remember that your examples don't have to be from work and in an emergency you want to show that you were calm, not running around like a headless chicken.
It's also a good idea to make notes when you do something at work using STAR so that when you do apply for a job you already have a load of examples that will come naturally to you when asked
The worst question I had was give an example of a time when you broke the rules which in safety critical industry like the railway is a bugger but safe guarding vulnerable passengers is a good exampe to use. A conductor friend used this one for her Driver interview, basically train went out of service but she had a wheelchair user on the train so she said they carried the wheelchair user after debarking all the other passengers, against the rules as only train staff are allowed on an out of servie train but safeguarding trumped that rule. Remember that your examples don't have to be from work and in an emergency you want to show that you were calm, not running around like a headless chicken.
It's also a good idea to make notes when you do something at work using STAR so that when you do apply for a job you already have a load of examples that will come naturally to you when asked
Thanks Happy Lady - I have the added benefit of already working for the same company so I’m already prepared with questions for the role I’ve applied for. Fingers crossed!
That's great. When's your interview?
I was passing back home last night after work and I had a few hours where I could write down scenarios I’ve encountered both in my current job and my old one. Luckily I remembered some of the questions from previous interviews for the same job and wrote them down at the time so I have an idea of what they’re looking for and have a general range of scenarios ready.
What’s your role on the railway if you don’t mind me asking?
Thursday
Previously OBS on Southern now passenger assist. Been to Swindon for Conductor interview previously so know the questions but the depot I applied for is tiny so 1 job comes up every 2 years
It’s not different here…. A TM job comes up once a year or so…. and there’s always an internal bunfight over it… quite a few internal applicants have been sifted out this time round though. Can only think they have limited slots to do the interviews and have reduced the headcount as they want to start training in a couple of weeks.
I'm keeping an eye on any TM jobs out of Paddington.
Quite a lucrative spot I’d wager
Sounds like you've got it covered tbh, good luck.
As others have said have a good question or two for the inevitable 'well have you got any questions for us' bit (those are the sort of waffly questions I would tend to go blank and then ramble on).
Also the 'so Plymouthbloke, where do you see yourself in x years time' one. I hate that, never know what they want, but good to be prepared.
As for nerves, tell yourself there is nothing they are asking you don't know (because it sounds like you know your stuff), they aren't there to catch you out but to extract the knowledge you have.
As others have said have a good question or two for the inevitable 'well have you got any questions for us' bit (those are the sort of waffly questions I would tend to go blank and then ramble on).
Also the 'so Plymouthbloke, where do you see yourself in x years time' one. I hate that, never know what they want, but good to be prepared.
As for nerves, tell yourself there is nothing they are asking you don't know (because it sounds like you know your stuff), they aren't there to catch you out but to extract the knowledge you have.
Really good advice from others here.
I hope you are successful this time.
For others who might be reading this thread, my best advice is make yourself go through more interviews. The more practice you can get, the easier you will find going through interviews. I think keeping your interviewing skills as sharp as you can is a must for everyone. Put it this way, I stayed in a job for 3 years and hadn‘t applied for a single other job for 2 of them. When I wanted to move on I found interviewing for other jobs elsewhere really hard. I was out of practice.
Within the year though I’d gone through enough interviews for the “nerves” to have practically vanished. I was so used to the fact I was going for an interview it was like water off a duck’s back.
So…Apply for jobs outside of the company you’re working for, even if you don’t think you‘d leave your current employer. For one thing you never know what might happen. I said this to my best friend, who took my advice, and he ended up bagging a job that’s closer to home and a £5,000 a year pay rise.
I had to apply for many jobs out of circumstance in 2019 because I was going from one fixed term job to the next. As soon as I’d started one I needed to start looking again. I’d had 25 interviews by the end of 2019 but had been in constant employment all year.
I ended up taking January and February 2020 off apart from the 6 interviews I went through during that time!
I ended up with 3 job offers out of them though and was glad to have had a lucky escape from one that didn’t make an offer!
I hope you are successful this time.
For others who might be reading this thread, my best advice is make yourself go through more interviews. The more practice you can get, the easier you will find going through interviews. I think keeping your interviewing skills as sharp as you can is a must for everyone. Put it this way, I stayed in a job for 3 years and hadn‘t applied for a single other job for 2 of them. When I wanted to move on I found interviewing for other jobs elsewhere really hard. I was out of practice.
Within the year though I’d gone through enough interviews for the “nerves” to have practically vanished. I was so used to the fact I was going for an interview it was like water off a duck’s back.
So…Apply for jobs outside of the company you’re working for, even if you don’t think you‘d leave your current employer. For one thing you never know what might happen. I said this to my best friend, who took my advice, and he ended up bagging a job that’s closer to home and a £5,000 a year pay rise.
I had to apply for many jobs out of circumstance in 2019 because I was going from one fixed term job to the next. As soon as I’d started one I needed to start looking again. I’d had 25 interviews by the end of 2019 but had been in constant employment all year.
I ended up taking January and February 2020 off apart from the 6 interviews I went through during that time!
I ended up with 3 job offers out of them though and was glad to have had a lucky escape from one that didn’t make an offer!Thanks. I’ve spent the last couple of days piecing together what I’m going to use and structuring it in the right way and I’m spending 30 mins at a time reviewing it, going away to do some housework, then another 30 mins, then taking the dog for a walk, then another 30 mins etc and it seems to be working. I’ve also been telling myself that the interviewers were once interviewed themselves so know what it’s like and that’s also helped.
Thank you everyone for your advice and support. I will let you know how it went on Thursday afternoon!