I have a Conductor Trainee interview on Thursday with BNSF in Oklahoma. Any tips/suggestions? Can’t wait, but maybe I could use some help?
If you believe in your heart that you are the perfect candidate for a career, then you will be hired.
If you are a railfan, don’t dwell on that during the interview as it has no bearing on the reality of railroading.
Good luck!
See for instance these 2 threads here- coincidentally, both also for a Conductor Trainee position, but with NS instead:
“Need help with an upcoming job interview with Norfolk Southern!” from late December 2010 at:
http://cs.trains.com/TRCCS/forums/p/184595/2019601.aspx#2019601
“Conductor trainee qualifications?” from late October 2010 at:
http://cs.trains.com/TRCCS/forums/p/181579/1987916.aspx#1987916
Good luck with it ! Let us know how it goes and turns out, OK ?
- Paul North.
Very interesting day. Good opening brief (including safety briefing) from BNSF officials. Tests were interesting, no math, lots of reading and interpreting industrial policy and procedure. Plenty of industrial psychology built in. Passed. Interview was fine, work history, attendance, etc. Separate exams at a later date for physical, physical capabilities, etc. Now waiting on notification for follow-up exams. Question: is the Union/Mgmnt relationship cooperative at BNSF, or something else? I realize this is an entry level position, so I’m wondering if I should feel like “meat” or not.
Thanks for the follow-up and update - seems like “Ya done good !”.
Safety briefings seem to be pretty much a standard “First item on the agenda” for any railroad-related meeting anymore, even purely engineering office-types and training or seminars, etc. (don’t know if a meeting of say, Customer Service Reps would start that way, too - but I wouldn’t be surprised if it did).
Can you give some examples of the “industrial policy and procedure” and “industrial psychology built in” that you mentioned ?
Where you’re at in the process is consistent with my understanding of how it’s supposed to work in this post-ADA era - if you pass the aptitude, intelligence, and screening tests, you essentially get an offer, conditioned only on successfully passing the physical exam and tests.
I have no good knowledge of BNSF’s labor relations. I would not be surprised to learn that it varies by state, region, terminal and division, depending on the culture and personalities of both the local management and the union’s officials. As a gross broad-brush generality, for example, the relationship might be better in a rural farming community where the work ethic tends to be better, and neither the employees nor the railroad has much of an alternative for similar high-paying jobs or a broader pool of labor, than in an urban area. Maybe 20 - 40 years ago the relations with the former Northern Pacific/ then BN employees in Montana - Butte, Bozeman, Billings, Livingston, etc. - were supposedly very rocky - that’s rumored to be one reason why the Montana Rail Link operation was spun off. Whether that’s changed or spread or typical or not, I can’t say with any certainty - perhaps someone else here can, or point you in the right direction. As a ‘for instance’ for another source, consider joining yardlimits.com (free) just to be review the BNSF forums, at:
Example: A hypothetical scenario is offered in which a co-worker is under-performing; how would you react? Four choices are listed, A say nothing, B point out the error, C tell your supervisor, D fix it yourself. This has industrial psychology written all over it. Other sections had to do with choosing between two career options, Dishwasher vs. Host (or hostess). Not sure how that is evaluated, but some Phd somewhere knows, I’m sure. My question about labor relations has to do with my prior career. I have extensive experience as both manager and line employee, and I sensed a distinct division during this interview process. Not discouraging, just different than I am used to. I need to readjust, I guess. Thanks.
About the relationship between management and the unions. I can only speak for CP but I am sure it is similar at other class 1s.
The management pays lip service to the unions because they realize they must live with them. Remember, you will always be a number that is to be used and abused until federal work/rest rules kick in and you can’t work anymore. You will need to learn these rules so you know when you must pick up the phone and when you don’t have to otherwise you will be standing on the carpet in front of the man.
At some point in your career you will be able to choose whether you want money or quality of life. Most main line operations require a pool of people that are called on a first-in first-out basis. There is no schedule and you go to work at anytime. This of course pays more. On the other hand, you can choose to work a yard which usually has a schedule and assigned days off. This pays less but has a better quality of life. Eventually, when you have enough seniority, you may be able to hold a day road position that has a schedule and assigned days off. This is usually where the best money is and has a good quality of life. Of course all this means nothing until you put in some time. When you are green, you go where they tell you to go and when.
If you put in an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay, management will not bother you. If you are the type to try and get out of as much work as possible, then management has the tools, via the rule book, to hound every move you make.
If they could, they would just automate the functions of train operations and get rid of us all. With PTC and FTO, maybe that is not too far off as far a main line operations go. But in the yard, there is no way to further automate the operations at this time.
That’s the way it is from my perspective.