Hi there.
My name is Richard McMunn, from the career guidance company www.How2Become.com, and in
this video, I'm going to teach you how to pass the train driver managers interview.
So, if you've got this far, you've done extremely well.
Obviously, you don't want to fail and you want to be as fully prepared as possible.
So the aim of this video is to not just give you a whole host of sample interview questions
to prepare for, but also, I'll give you some tips on how to answer them effectively and
also some sample responses.
So the aim is...I've got a whole raft of questions here that I'm going to be holding up and talking
through each one of them, and then at some stage during this video, I'm going to tell
you how you can access some more training modules, training resources to make sure that
you are fully prepared for your train driver managers' interview.
So, let's get straight into it.
Make sure you take some notes as I go along.
Watch the video from beginning to end, and then go back and watch it again during your
preparation.
So, one of the first questions, one of the very basic questions that you could get asked
during the managers' interview is, "Why do you want to be a train driver and what can
you bring to the role?"
Now, a lot of people will respond with just a simple thing, "It's something I've wanted
to do since I was a child, really looking forward to driving the trains," same old,
same old information.
You need to give something more positive, more uplifting.
It also needs to be genuine and honest.
So, I've got a list of things that I want to mention here that will give you more ideas
for giving a constructive response to the question, "Why do you want to be a train driver
and what can you bring to the role?"
First and foremost, make sure you learn the qualities that are required to be a train
driver, and I'm going to give you a number of qualities later on during this video to
prepare for.
So, some good things to say, "I thrive in a customer service role," okay?
"A customer centric role."
It is a customer centric role.
You'll see on the news, a lot of train operating companies are coming under pressure from customer
focus groups, trains not running on time, trains being cancelled.
It's a customer centric role and even though you are a train driver, you are also there
to deliver a high level of service, so I recommend that you mention about the fact that you enjoy
providing...you do work in a customer centric role.
The second thing I've got here on this list is that you want to work in a safety critical
role.
Safety is absolutely paramount, as you know, to becoming a train driver.
Not many people can work comfortably in a safety critical role, so you will have to
also back that up with evidence, where you've either done it before or how you're qualified
through health and safety training etc., but state that you want to work in a safety critical
role.
Also that you want to work under pressure is a good reason to become a train driver.
I personally enjoy working under pressure.
I like, you know, being able to deliver end goals within a specific time period.
So another good reason is, "I want to work in a pressurized role and deliver a great
level of service."
Also, some more common things to say are that you want a new challenge.
Maybe you've been in a role before that doesn't challenge you anymore, so it's okay to say
that you want a new challenge, and also, you want to learn some new skills.
So, you want to push yourself even further, develop yourself and learn some new skills
in the role of a train driver because you've looked into it to see what's required.
That certainly fits the bill for you.
You should also mention, perhaps, that, you know, you're happy working alone, because
you will do for many hours as a train driver, but conversely, you're also happy working
as part of a team, so you're looking for a role where you can both work on your own for
long periods of time and concentrate for long periods of time, but also work as part of
a wider unit, a wider team, because there's many people who work in the train operating
company.
"I enjoy roles whereby customer service is really important to me," so that's a list
of things that you might consider saying when responding to the question, "Why do you want
to be a train driver and what can you bring to the role?"
So you'll need to think about what you could bring to the role, and those might be customer
focused, highly focused on safety, how important that is, being able to work under pressure,
being able to communicate effectively, being able to remain calm at all times, and being
able to absorb lots of new information, because when you learn to drive trains, you're going
to have to go through loads of different training, understanding the train, traction training,
route learning, the list goes on, and you need to be able to absorb all of that information
and pass exams as you go along.
So, a few things there to help you.
I'll tell you where you can get a copy of all of these things once I've gone through
the whole training.
So I'll tell you where you can download all of this information, so you don't need to
write much of it down.
Let's have a look at another question.
Okay, this is a real tough question for the train driver managers' interview.
"If you were driving the train and you came across an obstacle in the track, what would
you do and why?"
Okay, so if you were driving a train, you came across an obstacle on the track, what
would you do and why?
Some people would respond to that question and say, "Well, I don't know because I've
not been in that situation before," and everyone who goes to interview won't have been in that
situation, but it's looking to see how you would react to that kind of scenario.
So my response will be based around, "Although I've not been through that situation before,
first and foremost, I would follow my training," okay?
"Whatever I did, it would be safety critical.
I will be thinking about the people who are on the train.
I would make sure that I remain calm, I followed the rules and procedures.
I would follow my training.
I communicate in a calm manner.
I would let the relevant people know at the control center about this situation.
I would bring the train to a safe stop."
So those are the kind of things that you could say when responding to that question, but
the critical part is to make sure that you remain safe, you follow your training, and
you abide by the health and safety policies of the train operating company.
And remember, safety is critical, and the safety of the train is important, but also,
more importantly, the safety of the passengers that you are carrying.
Okay, so that question, be prepared for it.
"If you were driving a train, you came across an obstacle on the track, what would you do
and why would you do it?"
Question number two, "What are the missions and aims of this train operating company?"
Now, unless you know about the train operating company that you've applied for and you've
done your research, you're not going to be able to answer that, so the important thing
there is to go on the website for the train operating company, the TOC, that you're applying
for, and have a look for their missions and their aims.
They can come in many different varieties.
There might be a customer service charter or policy on their website, so have a look
on their website for the mission and the aim and be able to recite it.
So if they have a customer service charter with regards to the trains being run on time
or the level of service they want to provide, make sure you understand it.
If I was interviewing you for the role and you could recite it word-for-word, brilliant.
I'll be impressed, because then you've gone out there and you've done your research to
find out exactly what the missions and the aims are of the train operating company.
Okay, another question for the managers' interview.
"How would you feel about working unsociable hours, weekends and shift work?"
A lot of people think they're prepared for shift work, but having done it for many, many
years, I can assure you it takes its toll.
So you have to mentally prepare for it but you also have to have the support of either
your partner or your family, okay?
So I would say, "Yes, I'm fully prepared for this.
I do not mind doing it.
In fact, I want to do it."
That would be a good response.
"I've been used to having an office role where it's 9:00 to 5:00 and it doesn't appeal to
me anymore, so I want to work unsociable hours, I want to work weekends," and I would also
go one step further and say, "I've spoken to my partner and my family, let them know
about what this actually means and that I'm not always going to be available, and they
fully support me in my application to becoming a trainee train driver."
If you can go one step further and give them evidence of where you have worked unsociable
hours or unflexible hours, then great, because a lot of things with these questions, if you
can respond giving actual situations you've been in before, it gives the interview panel
evidence, well, you've already done it before, so you shouldn't have a problem with it in
the future.
So have a thorough understanding of what it means to work unsociable hours, and on that
basis, you might try and find out what the hours are, because they could go, "Okay, so
you just said that you're happy to work unsociable hours.
Well, what are the hours that you could be working?"
And if you can't respond to it, then you're going to look silly.
Okay, next question.
"How many stations does this train operating company serve?"
You might get asked about the routes as well.
So again, go on the website, do a bit of research.
You can ring up their HR department, try and find out, go on to the station, speak to the
station manager if you can, ask him or her what the stations are that the TOC serves.
So find them out, because if you want to be a train operating company for this TOC...sorry,
if you want to be a train driver for this TOC, you're going to need to know what the
routes are and also the stations.
Okay.
Here's another question, very simple question, but you can get caught out.
"What do you get up to in your spare time?"
So if I was responding to this...and this is also very similar to the question, "Tell
me about yourself."
So in my spare time, if I was applying to become a trainee train driver, I'd want to
demonstrate to them that I'm both physically and mentally fit, okay?
So I'll be saying, "Well, I either go running, or I go cycling, or you know, I go to the
gym a few times a week," but also, you know, I like to relax and I like to work on my mental
confidence and my mental ability.
"I read lots of books," and I would also try and give some kind of hobby or pastime that
demonstrates that I can learn and absorb information.
So, for example, you know, "I play the drums," so that means me being able to learn how to
read music.
That demonstrates an ability for me to concentrate, sit there for long periods of time and concentrate
whilst learning new information.
So the key to responding to this question is to try and give them evidence that you're
already doing things that are relevant to the qualities that required to be a trainee
train driver.
Okay, another question that's very similar to the obstacle one on the track, "How do
you think you would cope with a fatality?"
Okay.
So unfortunately, you know, there is a possibility that you, as a qualified train driver, could
come across a fatality.
Okay, how do you think you would deal with that?
Well, obviously, the majority of people have never witnessed a fatality, but this is assessing
your mindset to see how you would think you would cope with it, and I would say, "I've
thought about this.
I understand it's an unfortunate part of the job.
I would, again, remain calm, safety would be at the forefront of my mind.
I would follow my training and I would follow the rules and procedures of the train operating
company."
But it's an unfortunate part of the job that you have to be prepared for, so it's not something
that you can test for, and therefore, you need to think about whether you would be comfortable
in that situation.
Okay.
"What are the qualities of a train driver and do you think you have them?"
Now, the qualities are relatively easy to find out and understand.
I'll give you a list of them now.
Being able to communicate effectively, being safety conscious, being able to absorb a large
amount of information, following rules and procedures, being able to work on your own,
being able to work with a group of people, being able to communicate effectively, being
able to work under pressure, being flexible, working shift work.
So the list goes on, but the second part of the question is, "Do you think you have them?"
So I don't recommend you sit there and go, "Yes, I do have these qualities."
Don't just say that, but back it up with evidence if you can.
So you could say, for example, "I'm great at working on my own.
I already do this in a previous job or a current job," or, "I'm great at work and under pressure.
For example, I recently did X, Y, and Z."
If you look on YouTube here for my other videos about constructing train driver interview
question responses, you'll find the STAR interview technique, which is structuring your responses
using situation, task, action, result.
So therefore, you can give a thorough response, making sure that you cover all of the details
in the question, and it makes sure it's structured correctly, but you are also responding specifically.
And what I mean by that is you're giving an example, you're not saying "Yes, if I had
to communicate effectively, this is what I would do."
You're giving evidence of where you've done it previously.
Okay, next question.
"What challenges do you think this train operating company are currently facing?"
This is being aware of current affairs, so you can look at the news, either on the website
or on the television about train operating companies.
At the time that this video's being made, you know, a lot of TOCs are coming under pressure
for council trains allegedly not being run properly.
So you need to be positive, but you also need to show an awareness of what's going on.
So I would say, "At the moment, there's lots of problems with trains trying to run on time,
and my job as being a train driver would be to make sure I turn up on time to work, make
sure I follow my training and procedures, make myself available, be flexible, because
if a train driver goes off sick, you're going to want people to come in and I am prepared
to do that."
So it's understanding the challenges, but also responding to them as they would expect
you to as a trainee train driver.
So go on to their website, find out what kind of challenges they're facing right now, but
also go along to a train station, try and speak to the manager of the train station
to find out what challenges they are facing as part the train operating company.
So that's just a quick snapshot of some of the questions.
If you click this link below the video, it'll take you through to our blog where you can
find a whole list of these written out and also some tips on how to pass them.
Also, if you want to accelerate your learning further, make sure you're even more prepared,
because you're going to be up against a lot of people for that job as a trainee train
driver, I recommend you get a copy of this, "Train Driver Interview Questions."
It gives you sample questions, sample responses.
There's also...they sell a book as well.
These are available on the website below the YouTube video, so click the link.
I hope you've enjoyed that.
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If you got any comments or questions, please put them in the section below the YouTube
video where you can add your own questions, and if you want me to do a video on any specific
questions or any kind of role relating to trainee train driver, please let me know and
I'll do it.
Thank you very much for watching, and I wish you all the very best in your pursuit to becoming
a train driver.