Getting a job with LUL or a train company

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SnakeLight64
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Getting a job with LUL or a train company

Post by SnakeLight64 »

Hi all,

I've come across a site (http://www.railwaypeople.com/) that I'm putting myself on to hopefully get a job with LUL or a company on the transport network. (whether it will be train operator or customer service.. etc.) I'm down for whatever. Although my dream would be to become a train operator on the London Underground. I have been talking to a Central Line train driver and he has given me a few tips on what to do but he is unsure himself of how to actually get in. If you catch my drift?

Reason why I'm posting this topic is cause I wanted to ask whether i could use Trainz Simulator as a somewhat of experience that I could jot down in my CV. If so, what could I actually say? e.g. Know of basic-advance train operation. This is another part I'm stuck on. What can I say to put in my CV for experience/knowledge of the trains/transport sector.

I so hope this make sense haha :oops:
Any help will be much appreciated!

Thanks a bunch,

Reece
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Re: Getting a job with LUL or a train company

Post by WessexElectricNutter »

SnakeLight64 wrote:Hi all,

I've come across a site (http://www.railwaypeople.com/) that I'm putting myself on to hopefully get a job with LUL or a company on the transport network. (whether it will be train operator or customer service.. etc.) I'm down for whatever. Although my dream would be to become a train operator on the London Underground. I have been talking to a Central Line train driver and he has given me a few tips on what to do but he is unsure himself of how to actually get in. If you catch my drift?

Reason why I'm posting this topic is cause I wanted to ask whether i could use Trainz Simulator as a somewhat of experience that I could jot down in my CV. If so, what could I actually say? e.g. Know of basic-advance train operation. This is another part I'm stuck on. What can I say to put in my CV for experience/knowledge of the trains/transport sector.

I so hope this make sense haha :oops:
Any help will be much appreciated!

Thanks a bunch,

Reece

Since I've gone through the railway recruitment process with Southern (5 times) AND South West Trains (3 times) and still haven't come out with a job, I'll offer advice about the applications. I'll explain the process as well.

The process starts like this:
  • You put your application in and your application is screened (or scored) according to the job role, you are either rejected or accepted.
  • You are then invited to an assessment centre, where you will have to take a number of ability tests, usually communication and numerical based, most are in fact easy, the first one I did was a reading excercise which you are given a lot of text and then you have to answer the questions which is easy. As long as you follow the rules to the letter. The second one I did was a pattern recongition test, again, easy if you follow the rules. More importantly, you are scored on accuracy in the time frame.

    Obviously, thats a small sample of what you will probably encounter, I've done 3 other tests for other job roles as well.
  • You are automatically sent home afterwards when you are graded if you don't make the pass mark. If you make it, you face a formal interview at a location and date they decide. My first was in Selhurst depot and I took my orage jacket with me. (Depot and safety.... that explains a little bit, although it wasn't needed!) My second was at Chichester station, my third was over the phone and my fourth was in Southampton, Overline house (Which I still need feedback from.
  • The interview questions are infact very easy, as long as you talk the right language. Why? They are all compency based questions, like a few would be (for example):
    - Tell me a situation with a customer, which you had to resolve yourself.
    - Tell me a time when you had exceeded a customers expectation.
    - A train is due to leave in 6 minutes and you are doing a task, when a customer comes up to you and asks a question. What would you do? Answer the customers question or continue your task?
    - What 2 elements do you believe is important in team work?

    Usually, you are picked one of the 3 questions. With Southern, there are 15(!) possible questions available at one of the managers disposal, s/he may pick 3 at random. The theory is, if you attend the interview 5 times, you know all the questions.... sort of.
  • If you are sucessful, you then are shortlisted for a medical, word of warning, NO ALCOHOL! NO DRUGS! Those 2 will see a rapid end to your railway career as those 2 substances and trains is a very dangerous mix, even if you are employed, you have to go for the "Drugs, Alcohol and Medical Screening" which will be picked at random, which I call the (DAMS), because you are usually dammed. (Scarastically). I know this, because thats what my dad had to do on the London Underground when he worked, curiously, they never questioned his ability to move, despite needing to use a crutch occasionally.
  • If you pass that, you will get a formal offer and your trainning, the usual bits when you start your employment, your uniform as well, which someone in Southern suggested that you bring a suitcase to the assessment centre. (Also the same guy that said the lift called him fat one day, when he got on, as it told him "There are too many people in this lift.")
  • Wait 6 months and you can apply for a better internal position which is what pratically everyone does anyway.
Note, fail any step, you are banned from applying for 6 months, I'm currently under a 6 month ban which expires very soon with Southern and another 2 months with SWT. I am not happy about it, but I have a clearer idea where I am going, why? I failed the interview with both and the screening with SWT, well, they told me I actually passed....! The 6 month ban is the fustrating bit, but its also worth if you do, to ask if you can do some work experience, I'm currently discussing that with Southern.
Railway recruiters are known for being somewhat ruthless in some senses, I think thats how you'd put it, they are well known for their organisation as well, so beware. Some can be very helpful however, its finding the right person, some get back to you straight away, others take months to get back to you, if at all.


Application form tips, everyone says less is better. For a start, forget it and bin it. FORGET the CV totally as well, why? You will build your own in the recruitment process, as most if not all TOCs use online recruitment forms. Its also worth putting down you have a disability if you have, for one reason, it certaintly helps in some situations, I was really lucky with both of my face to face interviews that they understood about Asperger's Syndrome and coping with it was easier and one even gave me a spur of encourgemnet, which meant a LOT.

Detail is better, lots better, even for a simple job, you can still write pages and pages. My 5 hour a week cleaning job that I really want to get out of as soon as possible, was 2 pages long, and I wrote a heck of a lot, none of it was a lie (or I hope), just very wordy. Things to consider, mention safety, team work, customer service/customer care, theres a few more they love to hear as well, which will come to me at a later date no doubt.

Interests and hobbies, despite what everyone says, its cool to be a rail enthusiast, but my tip is, don't be vauge on details, don't appear like an anorak for one very good reason, if you are the type that sits at the end of a platform just taking photos for your album, thats not the job for you, because, are you going to do that all day? Certain types of rail enthusiasts have a bad name for themselves, well, if photographers are going to climb signal posts and put their lives at risk, would you as a recruiter think about the same thing?

I mentioned, I like to model trains in my spare time (we know that, its blatiently obvious!), I like to simulate a railway system that replicates an existing system, like understanidng how diagrams and timetables work, useful knowledge, maybe. I like to contribute to an online system and help others, doing more than I am asked? Something like that.

As for the assessments, make sure you have proof of your name and address, they won't let you in otherwise. And have a FULL birth certificate, you can buy them for £20 if you have a short one. IF you want to know the difference, short ones are square cerificates, about half the size of A4, full certificates are the size of an A4 piece of paper and have a lot more details, like your parents names, which short ones don't.

I think thats it, if there is more, I'll add more in the meantime. For recruitment though, go DIRECTLY to the TOC, they are likely to be more helpful.


EDIT: I forgot to mention, forget applying if you are under 18, they most likely will not accept recruits younger than 18!

Snakelight64: I noticed, how ironic that I virtually in your area once every 2 weeks (near Essex Road Stn), I'm currently being supported by NAS to get a full time position which is proving harder than you thin and my support assistant/employment specalist is looking at TOC's right now and we are getting a list of names in every company, I know 3 names already, 2 in Southern, 1 in SWT, well 2, but I don't know if one is still around.
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Re: Getting a job with LUL or a train company

Post by SnakeLight64 »

Thanks ever so much for the detailed break down! It's given me a better, clear view of what I need to jot down to remember.
I'll go directly to TOCs but I go on some of the sites they have and not or most are not displaying any vaccines what should I do if they are not displaying any?

Also I'm now 19 but 20 in April so my age should be ok, right?

And i'm just a bus stop away from Essex Road Stn, or a few stops away from Angel.

Thanks again for the information. Has helped me a lot! (although from you being turned down a lot means I've got a long way off yet. ahha :| )#

Regards,

Reece
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Re: Getting a job with LUL or a train company

Post by WessexElectricNutter »

SnakeLight64 wrote:And i'm just a bus stop away from Essex Road Stn, or a few stops away from Angel.

Thanks again for the information. Has helped me a lot! (although from you being turned down a lot means I've got a long way off yet. ahha :| )#

20 is fine, I applied for my first position in 09, so I was 23 back then. But for train driving you have to be 21 for a TOC or 18 for LUL. Just check the website on each TOC's page regulary, you'd be suprised what comes up. Beaware, you WILL have to be within a certain distance from a post, most commonly, 30 minutes to 1 hours commute. The first job I applied for was the shortest, 45 minutes by train, 59 minutes by car and 1 hour 15 by train at the maximun. That was Chihcester to Brighton.

I shouldn't say, but I am usually on a bi-weekly meeting in Northampton Street, usually a Friday. Maybe I should have a central London trainz meet, or have one on the next LUL railtour, the A stock tour.
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Re: Getting a job with LUL or a train company

Post by SnakeLight64 »

WessexElectricNutter wrote:
SnakeLight64 wrote:And i'm just a bus stop away from Essex Road Stn, or a few stops away from Angel.

Thanks again for the information. Has helped me a lot! (although from you being turned down a lot means I've got a long way off yet. ahha :| )#

20 is fine, I applied for my first position in 09, so I was 23 back then. But for train driving you have to be 21 for a TOC or 18 for LUL. Just check the website on each TOC's page regulary, you'd be suprised what comes up. Beaware, you WILL have to be within a certain distance from a post, most commonly, 30 minutes to 1 hours commute. The first job I applied for was the shortest, 45 minutes by train, 59 minutes by car and 1 hour 15 by train at the maximun. That was Chihcester to Brighton.

I shouldn't say, but I am usually on a bi-weekly meeting in Northampton Street, usually a Friday. Maybe I should have a central London trainz meet, or have one on the next LUL railtour, the A stock tour.
I know for sure that I've got to be 21 for London Overground. I asked a driver as he was changing ends at Highbury & Islington.
Well I more or less live in 2 places, Islington and Leyton & with the transport links I've got around here it's pretty quick.

I might join you on that meet up. Let me know!
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Re: Getting a job with LUL or a train company

Post by WessexElectricNutter »

SnakeLight64 wrote:I might join you on that meet up. Let me know!
It was an idea I floated, besides, how many people are going on this LT Museaum A stock tour?
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Re: Getting a job with LUL or a train company

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Re: Getting a job with LUL or a train company

Post by Chris1955 »

Hi Reece,

Just spotted this post.

How things have changed, when I started on the Railway you had one interview at your local large station and you were in!!!

Anyway digressing from that there is one very important element thats been missed out so far?

Eyesight and hearing. If you any problems with eyesight or worse coloursight then anything other than office work then your stuffed. If anyone has problems with eye/colursight this totally precludes you from working anywhere near the trackside.

Hope you do well (and others) in your chosen careers as its a very worthy profession.

Chrsis A
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Re: Getting a job with LUL or a train company

Post by Dean_Forest »

It does depend on what job you do; someone that I know had eyesight which was too poor to drive, but good enough to be a guard.
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Re: Getting a job with LUL or a train company

Post by Chris1955 »

Dean_Forest wrote:It does depend on what job you do; someone that I know had eyesight which was too poor to drive, but good enough to be a guard.
They may have relaxed the rules a bit since my railway days. The old BR was pretty strict when it came to vision related issues. I think the criteria then was you had to have 20/20 vision with corrective lenses, if you required them after earlier medicals which were perfect.

Chris A
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Re: Getting a job with LUL or a train company

Post by ricky25 »

I do know that LUL are recruiting in January and February next year. So anyone who wishes to apply for them can do so then. Be prepared for a long process though as the application/interview stage takes 6-8 weeks.

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Re: Getting a job with LUL or a train company

Post by WessexElectricNutter »

Chris1955 wrote:They may have relaxed the rules a bit since my railway days. The old BR was pretty strict when it came to vision related issues. I think the criteria then was you had to have 20/20 vision with corrective lenses, if you required them after earlier medicals which were perfect.

Chris A
These days, from what I got from SWT (I have concerns over my eyesight for safety critical roles), the requirements are:

minimun
6/9 in the good eye and 6/12 in the other uncorrected vision.
no less than 3/60 in either eye if vision is corrected. (mines 6/10 in one, 6/30 in the other)
No less than N8 reading distance (I'm better than N5)

http://www.southwesttrains.co.uk/safety ... aspx#36237

So, yes, I am actually short sighted!



By the way, to update everyone, I've got a work experience going on with Southern now, it is possible although my advice is not to try SWT. I have and they weren't that interested. Southern on the other hand were.
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