What is the catch to the personality inventories and what rairloads use them? They say answer them honestly but that didn’t work for me and several people I know.
What they are looking for is;
Dependability, are you going to show up every time you’re called, no matter what the time or weather.
Safety…have you even had a on job injury?
What are the odds you will be injured at the railroad?
What is you attitude towards other peoples safety habits…in other words, if you see a co worker riding on the knuckle, are you going to let it slide, or will you stop the move and chew him out?
(They love self policing, dumps all the responsibility for on the job safety in your lap)
Ability to make correct decisions under pressure…
(By that, they mean make a decision that is in the best interest of the carrier)
And willingness to follow rules, no matter how silly they might seem.
They are not looking for independent thinkers, but cannon fodder.
They love ex military, non coms and down, because the military teaches you to follow orders first, ask questions later, and you are used to the hardships that exists in both of these professions; little or no rest, constant change, and rules upon rules upon rules.
I bet you every terminal or yard has a switchman or yard man known simply as Sarge!
If you have already struck out a few times, you might not enjoy railroading as much as you think you will…it is harsh, demanding, and a culture all in itself, totally different that any other, and far removed from the rest of the work cultures you might have experience in.
Ed
I am “ex-military”. Just got back from Iraq 6 months ago. Still in the guard. I think what messed me up is all the skydiving, hunting, fishing, etc questions. I am getting ready to retake. I am looking for some pointers and do all the railroads use these things.
They dont want risk takers…
I know, as if being shot at isnt a risk…but they want guys who dont take a calculated risk.
The rules say you can not get on moving equipment…so if you were to see a covered hopper rolling free, and it was about to sideswipe another train, and you had time to get on the car and tie the hand brake down, what would you do?
Answer 1 is follow the rules and call the other train to warn them, and then watch the show.
Answer 2 is climb on and tie the car down.
The reality is answer 2, most of us would tie the car down.
They want answer 1on the test, answer 2 in real life.
Ed
I took a personality inventory once. It said I didn’t have any…
Sigh
Ed - yes, no, none, yes, yes, yes, won’t fit in any cannon, and since Sarge is taken, would Mookie work?
I can tie a nice bow. When can I start!
(welcome to our insane little world mesa_wolf - thank you for your service!)
Mookie
Your hired…
The locomotive shop is behind the lunchroom…bows and bunting are in the storeroom…
Lunch is at 11:00.
Ed
Do you mean something like Myers-Briggs?
If I had to have taken the personality profile to be hired…I probably would not have been hired…however, they have received 41 years of dependable day in day out service with no lost time injuries.
Thanks for the input. I have put in with NS in Columbus, Savannah and several other places in Georgia. UP called me for a hiring session in Laredo TX but I just wasn’t feeling that one. CSX is close here but I really don’t want to go to choo choo U.
I must have flunked every test they have given me at work, since I was last demoted![D)][%-)][banghead]No wonder the dog from the security guard outfit quit after meeting me![:p] He wanted to retire, but the security company wouldn’t count his seniority in dog years! He was mad about that. [B)]He went back to his old job at the foundry, testing fire hydrants![(-D]