Have a question relating to our recruitment process or vacancies? Here are some frequently asked questions.
All applications forms are completed online, and we correspond directly to your email address. If, however you have a specific requirement related to a disability please contact the Recruitment Team at [email protected]
Yes, although we advise candidates to apply for jobs that closely match their skills, experience and qualifications, as this will be the basis for shortlisting applications. Please submit a separate application for each vacancy.
If you have a disability or condition that means you will have difficulty with one of our online assessments please email the Recruitment Team at [email protected]
There is a standard waiting period of 12 weeks before you can re-apply for the same or similar role
Unfortunately, no, you can only apply for the vacancies advertised. However, once you have registered you can set up job alerts. Link for setting up and registering here
We sometimes close adverts early if we receive a high volume of applications (this should be stated in the advert). If you are interested in the role, we recommend you apply as early as you can.
You can check the status of your application at any time by logging into your careers account.
If you wish to make any changes to your personal details, please log into your career account.
Unfortunately, once you submit your application form online you are unable to change the information. Please take the time to check the content, spelling and grammar before you submit it.
Due the volume of applications we receive we are unable to provide individual feedback at this stage.
Yes, please refer to the vacancies advertised on our career website. We are happy to talk flexible working.
ScotRail is an equal opportunity employer. The information gathered on this form is used to assist us in monitoring the implementation and effectiveness of our Equal Opportunities policy. The information collected will be stored and processed in accordance with Data Protection Principles for the purpose of preparing anonymised statistical reports. The information will not be made available to the selection panel and will not, therefore be used in any part of the recruitment decision making process.
In accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 the information contained in your application is used to shortlist and select for each position you apply for. If you are successful, your application and equal opportunities information will form part of your manual and computerised personal file and your personal data will be used for employment and payroll processing purposes. By completing and submitting an application, you consent to ScotRail processing such personal data as may be necessary for the proper administration of its recruitment and selection process.
We aim to respond to each application as soon as possible, although the time taken to process applications can vary between roles. A response will be sent to your preferred email address once we have been able to review your application form. If there will be a substantive delay to processing your application, we will email you to let you know
Your references must be able to assess your suitability for the post. One of your nominated references should be a manager from your current or most recent employment. If you have completed education, your course tutor or other academic staff member could be selected. Family members or personal friends should not be named as references.
When you receive and accept your conditional offer of employment.
Please do not copy and paste an email address when sourcing your account as this can cause problems, please type the address in. You may also find email communications could go into your Junk/Spam folders so please check these regularly. If you are facing any other technical issues please contact the Resourcing Team at [email protected]
We have a set of uniform standards and, where appropriate, each member of staff is issued with these alongside their uniform, PPE and/or other safety wear as required.
ScotRail’s Graduate Scheme for 2021 will be announced soon, and we’ll have information on this scheme available on our website and social media platforms. If you would like to register your interest for the scheme, please email [email protected]
ScotRail are proud to support work experience, placements, internships, apprenticeships, graduates and other programmes aimed at helping young people find the right opportunity right across Scotland. Information on all our available opportunities can be found on www.scotrail.co.uk/careers . The site is updated regularly. If you would like to find out more, please email [email protected]
You would have to apply for a Trainee Driver position when you see one advertised. These are very popular vacancies and often close early due to high volumes. Please apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. We are looking for people who are safety conscious, customer driven, able to follow instructions and always act professionally. You need to be 20 years old to apply for a role and be 21 prior to being competent to drive alone. Another requirement is that you live within 45 minutes travel time of the depot. There is a long and intensive training period which varies depending on location and usually takes a maximum period of 14 months. Some people apply for other roles within ScotRail in order to give them a broader insight into the industry and then apply for a Trainee Driver role this way.
The recruitment process involves four days - two separate classroom assessment sessions, one Manager interview and one face to face safety critical medical.
There are also minimum health requirements that need to be met. These will be checked at medical stage.
No, that’s not us - please refer to Network Rail Careers section.
Application Stage
We would advise you to provide as much information and detail as possible as this will help us when we are reviewing your application. Set aside plenty of time to complete your application, as it can take more time than you think. It is really important that every section is fully completed and there are no gaps. Once you have submitted your application, we will send you an acknowledgement email.
For some of our roles you will be asked to submit a CV. Ideally your CV should be no longer than two pages and it should be a true reflection of your skills and experience. If something adds no value to your CV take it out and make it relevant for the vacancy you are applying for. It’s important your CV stands out and is a true reflection of your skills and experience.
Online tests
Once we have reviewed your application and feel you have the right skills for the role you may be invited to complete a range of online tests, which can vary from Situational Judgement Tests (SJT) to verbal and numerical tests. Our SJT presents you with different situations you might experience in the job you’re applying for. Answers are in a multiple-choice format, choosing one of three scenarios for each question. We recommend you complete the tests in a quiet area. Most of our tests take around 20-30 minutes.
To help practice please click on the link from our online test provide CEB SHL Talent Management.
https://testprepxp.com/free-job-prep/
Whether you have been successful or not we will contact you (usually by email) to inform you of the decision.
Assessment Centres
For some of our roles we will invite you to our Assessment Centre where we can evaluate your skills and abilities using a variety of assessment methods.
We know it can be a daunting process, but it provides us a unique opportunity to assess candidates in a variety of situations that will highlight the skills and behaviors we are looking for. Equally for you it’s a good opportunity to get more information about the company and get more insight from the people actually working within business, enabling you to make an informed decision whether the business or role is right for you. You will be advised of the venue, practice booklets, format of the day, dress code, documents to bring along on the day etc. prior to attending.
Our Assessment Centre does not have a car parking facility. If driving, please prepare all your travel arrangements beforehand.
Whether you are successful or not, you’ll be contacted (usually by email) to inform you of the decision.
Interviews
Interviews at ScotRail typically contain a mix of competency and values-based questions where we look for evidence of your past behaviour and compare these against the ScotRail Values. This means that we'll require you to give specific, relevant, detailed and positive examples of things you've done during your career or from recent full-time education.
Behavioural questions tend to be ‘open questions' that will require you to give detailed answers.
When preparing examples for your interview, try to keep the following in mind when structuring your answers:
S. Situation – Describe the situation you found yourself in.
T. Tasks – What tasks did you identify that needed to be done?
A. Actions – What actions did you actually take?
R. Results – What was the outcome?
The key to these questions is ensuring that you have answered the question and have clearly articulated the scenario and have demonstrated what you personally did, said or achieved within the scenario.
Preparation for your interview may seem like hard work – however, if you are fully prepared you will definitely feel more confident on the day and deliver a better performance. Think about your achievements and the details of what happened, what went well, the outcome and what you learned. Review your behaviours, looking at the criteria and behaviours required for the role try and think about what questions you may be asked and how you might respond to them.
For some jobs there may be a 2nd interview stage and/or presentation. At this stage you may wish to study further by focusing on the key skills for the role and preparing more detailed examples of what actions you have taken in certain situations.
Whether you are successful or not, you’ll be contacted (usually by email) to inform you of the decision.
Successful at interview stage
Once advised that you have been successful at interview stage, we will request a copy of your right to work/passport for verification purposes. On receipt of this we will issue a conditional offer of employment via email. We will also ask you to progress and obtain a Disclosure Scotland application which can be progressed online with a fee of £25.00. This amount will be reimbursed to you within the first month of starting with us, provided all stages of the recruitment process are successful.
Medical stage
Depending on the role you will either be asked to complete an online medical questionnaire for our non-safety roles or be invited to a face-to-face medical, drug & alcohol screen with our medical provider in Glasgow. Full details will be provided and we will incur the initial medical costs. Any additional medical related costs e.g. GP reports, ECGs, specialised eyesight reports etc. are met with the candidate. Results are usually received from the provider within 5-7 days from the date of the medical and whether you are successful or not at meeting the standard you will be advised by email.
Offer
We will be in touch with your appointment letter, contract and new starter forms at on-boarding stage.
Company induction
When starting we will ask you to take part in a 2/3 day virtual company induction carried out by our professional in-house Trainers. This is followed up by a more local induction, focused on the critical information you need for your part of the business.