hi there everybody my name is Richard
McMunn and welcome to this training
video where I I'm gonna teach you how to
pass successfully the train driver
application form so it doesn't matter
what train operating company you're
applying for or if you are yet to apply
this video is gonna be highly useful to
you so before we get into the
application form a very warm welcome to
this tutorial like I say my name is
Richard McMunn I've been helping people
like you to successfully pass the train
driver selection process for many years
and in particular we are going to focus
on the train driver application form I'm
also going to tell you during the
presentation where you can get a copy of
these slides from and you can use them
during your preparation in return please
do make sure you subscribe to the
channel just click the red button below
the video because I'm doing videos like
this on a weekly basis now and you don't
miss out also if you do enjoy the
content I would very very much
appreciate it if you gave the video a
like and a thumbs up and that would
motivate me to do more also if you need
any help whatsoever with the train
driver selection process please pop your
question in the comment section below
the video and I'll be more than happy to
help you ok so what does the train
driver application form look like and
what are the kind of questions that you
will get asked so if I just put this up
on the screen quickly you can see here
it says what are the questions on the
form please say why you are applying for
this position until it's why you believe
you would be suitable and you will
notice there that there is a significant
amount of space and my advice is to fill
up that space with as much information
as possible and I'm gonna give you
sample responses to those kind of
questions right now so if we have a look
at a sample train driver application
form question here it is now that you've
read more about the job please tell us
why you're applying for the role as a
train driver and what knowledge
experience or skills you have that might
be relevant to the role ok so quite an
in-depth question let me just repeat
that now that you've read more about the
job of a train driver please tell us why
you're applying for it and what
knowledge experience or skills you have
that might be relevant so there's
essentially two parts to that question
okay so the two parts are first of all
why you are applying for the role you
need to tell them why you're applying
I'll give you a sample response in a
second and then you need to tell them
what knowledge experience or skill you
have that will match the role and the
only way you can do that is by knowing
what the skills experiences and the
knowledge are and what they're required
to be the role so let's have a quick
look at those so just a number a small
number of skills required to be a
competent train driver these are the
first and most important one is being
safety conscious absolutely vital if you
don't mention this and you are not
safety conscious in your life in your
work in general then you won't get
through the application form stage in my
opinion you also need an ability to
learn and absorb large amounts of
job-specific information and now
obviously you need to demonstrate that
that you can learn a lot of information
because once you become a train driver
you have to go through the actual
training program which is tough so you
have to demonstrate that you can learn
and absorb large amounts of information
you have to be a great communicator as a
train driver because you might be
operating over the tunnel system on the
train so you know first and foremost of
train operating company our customer
focus they are a service and that's what
you're doing you're working for the TOC
the train operating company and you're
providing the service you have to be a
great communicator you'll have to remain
calm under pressure when communicating
difficult messages to large groups of
people you also have to be able to react
calmly in an emergency situation so if
things go wrong you are the one who is
in control and you have to be customer
focused as well a lot of people who
apply to become a train driver don't
realize this but you do have to be
customer focused because as a safe the
train operating company are under
immense pressure to deliver you know
trains on time and a strict timetable
that works for the passengers you have
to be flexible in your work situation
okay what I mean by that is you have to
be available at short notice if another
train driver goes off sick or if you
need to cover leave and also to be able
to work on sociable hours and you just
have to be able to work alone and as
part of a team so if you think about it
let's say you were taking a train on a
four or five hour journey you have to
sit there alone for that length of a
period and some people don't like that
and on that point you have to be able to
concentrate on mundane or repetitive
tasks let's say you're doing the same
route for years and years you still have
to concentrate intently because when you
don't and you become lacks then that is
when incidents and problems emergencies
do occur so you have to be able to
concentrate so let's have a look at that
train driver application form question
I'll give you a sample response so the
question again now that you've read more
about the job please tell us why you're
applying for it and what knowledge
experience or skills you have that might
be relevant so this is an in-depth
response and it's in-depth because
there's plenty of space on that
application form here we go I am
applying for this post because I am
looking for a new and challenging role
and I believe the skills qualities and
experience I possess would be a perfect
match for this safety-critical position
within your company I enjoy working in a
customer-focused environment and believe
I would make an excellent train driver
I am also prepared to relocate to live
within 30 minutes at the Depot and have
a flexible approach to work which means
I can work on sociable hours I
understand that the company is changing
and moving forward and I believe you
would be an exciting company to work for
I also believe I can bring something to
the team in terms of commitment
motivation and enthusiasm I have worked
in a customer based role for a number of
years now and during this time I've
developed skills that can be applied to
the role of a trainee train driver as
well as being a good communicator and
possessing excellent practical skills
I am also highly safety conscious and
understand that this is a very important
element of the role in addition to my 12
years experience in a customer-focused
role I have also worked for four years
within an engineering role I am
therefore a highly disciplined and
practical person and a very good team
player too I have also recently
completed an online health and safety
course and can assure you I will take
every aspect of the train driver role
with the utmost professionalism and with
a high level of responsibility I'm also
a fit and active person who visits the
gym and the swimming pool three times a
week I also play football for a local
Sunday team and therefore understand the
importance of teamwork and collaborative
working I'm a very good communicator and
learn new skills quickly I'm used to
working long and varied hours and I
understand that the role requires a high
degree of flexibility
which I'm prepared for I enjoy working
with and meeting people from all walks
of life and I truly value the benefits
of a diverse workforce to summarize I'm
a highly professional caring trustworthy
friendly a motivated person and I
believe I would make an excellent member
of your train operating company team as
a train driver so that's a real in-depth
response and the reason why I've made it
in-depth is because I'm trying to cover
every single aspect of the job
description don't forget for every one
train driver role there are
approximately three or four hundred
applicants so you have to stand out on
this response in my opinion covers every
base of that application form question
so obviously you're gonna need a copy of
this that you can download and work
through and I'll tell you soon where you
can get a copy of that
you'll also notice in that response I've
highlighted the keywords and areas that
I think are important so there will be
other questions on the application form
this is a common one nowadays and the
question is please tell us about
anything you get up to outside of work
that gives us a better idea of what you
like as a person and why you might be
the right right choice for our company
please give the name of the activity and
what it says about you now the reason
why they might ask this on the train
driver application form is because they
want to know what you do outside of work
whether you're a stable person whether
you're flexible and also whether you
look after yourself physically and
mentally and you also look to
continually develop as a person so a
couple of positive external activities
that I think are useful for the train
driver role that you can put down in
this response even learning a new skill
or maintaining an old one keeping fit
healthy and active reading and also
focusing on self development maybe you
read self development books brisk
walking just going out doing lots of
walking every day is great for your your
mental health and your physical health
to maybe team sports and activities
because that shows you're a great team
worker membership of a professional body
or an organization okay so let's have a
look at my response for you guys okay
and it says please tell us about
anything you get up to outside of work
that gives us a better idea of what you
like as a person keeping fit I attend
the gym at least three times per week
and carry out some lightweight work
whilst at the gym I usually perform 20
minutes of row in each time and
cover a distance of 5,000 meters I
particularly enjoy swimming and swim 50
lengths three times a week when I get
the opportunity I like to go walking too
in order to keep healthy staying fit and
healthy means that I am able to maintain
a high level of concentration at work
and it also helps to keep my enthusiasm
and motivation levels high this shows
that I'm a dedicated and determined
person who is always looking to improve
himself musician I currently play the
drums in guitar I have always enjoyed
being creative and I play the drums in a
function band that plays at wedding
events and parties on some weekends this
shows that I have the dedication to
learn new skills and I have the ability
to concentrate on the task in hand when
required learning new skills is
essential to the role of a trainee train
driver and I believe that I have the
ability to learn new skills quickly and
adapt them to the work environment in a
safe and effective manner so that's
based on me as an individual of what I
would put down and obviously you want to
know different kind of skills and things
to put down and if you would like to
finish off this tutorial and learn more
about the train driver application form
also more importantly the crane driver
tests get some sample tests and also get
these slides and how to pass the
interview I'm giving away free access to
my 54 module online train driver course
and you can either click the link
directly below this video now or go to
the website train driver code at UK and
like I say this 50 training modules in
there so you can get free access for a
limited period of time you can start
working through all of the different
modules there are other try and driver
application form questions that you need
to cover and they are in there too in
that in that online course guys thank
you for watching don't forget if you've
got any questions put them in the
comment section below don't forget to
subscribe and please do give you give
the video a thumbs up because that
motivates me to do more for you thanks
for watching and I wish you all the best
in your pursuit to becoming a train
driver