Anybody familiar with the UP hiring process? I am just curious of what to expect at a hiring session. I know first thing is not to mention that you have a recreational interest in railroading (or so I have been told).
They throw you a big party, and tell you how happy they are to know you....Oops, sorry...that was my retirement process. My experiences of over 40 years ago in getting hired would not be helpful in this day and age. No, don't tell them you're a railfan. Surprisingly, though, you will be outed quickly enough, and if you're a good railroader you will be respected for it, and sometimes will become the "go-to" guy for certain types of questions.
Just be neat, intelligent enough to take a test, strong enough to move a knuckle, and don't be smoking or doing drugs. Good luck!
Carl
Railroader Emeritus (practiced railroading for 46 years--and in 2010 I finally got it right!)
CAACSCOCOM--I don't want to behave improperly, so I just won't behave at all. (SM)
Show up on time !
Search here for other reports and advice, even those from other railroads (NS).
An unexpected question was "Tell us about outdoor activities that you do that are similar to railroading" - they look for that as a guide to whether you'll be able to adapt or not.
- Paul North.
It's been over 13 years since I did it, so there may be some changes. They gave a reading comprehension test. There may also be a written test to see if you have the temperament for train service. (I took some tests for other companies around the same time and may be confusing who gave this test. Also, I'm assuming the job opening is for trainservice.) It's a test you can't study for, you just answer the questions the best you can.
They also had a physical agility test that consisted of how many sit-ups you could do in a minute, pulling up on a bar chained to a floor meter (don't know what it was called, it tests for upper body strength) and a grip strength test. They take the score from all three and average it.
You have to pass all of the written and physical test to get an interview.
Before the testing, they give an overview of the job and lifestyle. They don't sugar-coat it. A few leave before the testing begins because they decide railroading isn't for them because of this overview.
Again, it's been over 13 years since I last did this so things might be different know. Good luck,
Jeff
Google for the Norfolk Southern "Conductor Brian" video (about 5 mins.) for a glimpse into that life.
The interview processes have change quite much over the past decade. I interviewed summer, 1998 and got in a hiring class to establish senority later in the yr. In the phyiscal later on the large amount of strength tests had not yet been developed. I think the only thing the doc had me do was squat on the bottom of my feet--like a baseball catcher--and extended my arms forward for perhaps 30 seconds. The color blind test was old Santa Fe flip charts, that from the looks of them, that dated atleast 50 yrs.
CShaveRRThey throw you a big party, and tell you how happy they are to know you....Oops, sorry...that was my retirement process. My experiences of over 40 years ago in getting hired would not be helpful in this day and age. No, don't tell them you're a railfan. Surprisingly, though, you will be outed quickly enough, and if you're a good railroader you will be respected for it, and sometimes will become the "go-to" guy for certain types of questions. Just be neat, intelligent enough to take a test, strong enough to move a knuckle, and don't be smoking or doing drugs. Good luck!
I appreciate all the responses so far. I am not interviewing for a position that will require a PAT (strength test), but it is still good to see in this thread just in case someone else is interested in this info that is interested in a position that will require one. I have heard that a lot of the interview questions are very similar for all positions. I have heard to think safety, safety, safety diring the interviews.
As far as the railfanning thing goes, I am as far from the "vest and camera" type as possible. The last railroad that I was railfanning this year was the Colorado Midland, which is very difficult for quite a few reasons. I did not apply for the job simply because it is a railroad job either. We recently moved and it happened to be one of the few jobs that I could find that fits my experience. I have heard stories in the past where a railfan would get their dream job of being in train service, and then once they start thay regret it. They figure out really quick that it is not all Care Bears and rainbows out there and that it can be a real pain in the butt sometimes.
I applied for a trainman position back in 2005. Here is what happened, as best I can recall.
There was at least one guy about a minute late. He was not allowed into the session. The hiring session was run by someone from an outside company. I don't remember what the company was, but she was from Florida. She spoke for a bit, then the MTO spoke. He basically told us what life would be like working the railroad. They then gave us a few minutes to call any significant other and make sure we still wanted the job.
One guy was late from the break. He was not allowed back in. We then took a reading comprehension test. If I remember correctly, after that they posted who had passed the test. They (MTO and HR person) interviewed the people who passed the test. We were the last group to test and interview, so later that day they made the job offers. The interview is as far as I made it, so I do not know what happens after that. They must have moved any physical test to after the job offer.
"No soup for you!" - Yev Kassem (from Seinfeld)
I received an offer of employment today. Thanks for all the tips!!
csmith9474 I received an offer of employment today. Thanks for all the tips!!
Sorry.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.
, zug !
Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, here's an excerpt from a job description for a job posting with Norfolk Southern:
"An interest in or previous work/volunteer experience with railroads is helpful."
It's for a serious management-level position, which also requires a Bachelor's or Master's degree in either business, finance, logistics, or engineering. Not telling which one - because I'm going for it !
I was lucky.. a railfan trainmaster hired me. He knew I was a railfan.
PS.Check your private messages if you get a chance, Mr. North.
I'm on my way out the door to play trains...
I applied online and my status went to pending interview or something like that, about a month later I got a call about 9:30pm on a Wednesday night asking me to be at an interview at 8am the next day. I think they call at weird hours to see if you mind them calling because that is life on the RR they like to call at the weirdest of hours at least I took it as my first test with the RR. Basically sat in a big room full of people and as the day went on the group got smaller and smaller. If you get through the interview and a job offer is made expect to have to go pp in a cup. I had to be to Concentra within a certain amount of time to make a donation of liquid gold. Did all that then the economy went poo-poo so that was where I got off the train. Did not even have a first day of class since it got cancelled.
Fortunately this is not a train service job (it is telecom). I really don't have an interest in "riding the rails" so this was a good fit for me. I have heard enough good about the UP that I feel confident that it should be a good company to work for.
The physical testing has changed a tad bit. Instead of sit-ups they have you sit on the floor with legs outstretched and you touch your toes. The bar that is chained to the floor is still used along with an exercise bike that gets harder and harder to pedal the longer you ride.
Good luck. You did well to avoid working on the rails. U.P. definitely takes better care of their white collar forces than they do their actual railroaders. Even though we're a railroad the railroaders are an afterthought for the people who work in the glass castle in Omaha.
PigFarmer1 Good luck. You did well to avoid working on the rails. U.P. definitely takes better care of their white collar forces than they do their actual railroaders. Even though we're a railroad the railroaders are an afterthought for the people who work in the glass castle in Omaha.
Sometimes I think there are some floors in the "glass castle" (I like that) that don't even know that we're a railroad, or what a railroad does.
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