Hello all I am new here and potentially seeking employment on the railroad. I have applied to multiple locations with BNSF, and have been invited to a hiring event in Glendive, mt. I live in California so getting there won't be easy but managed to make it work. can anyone give me insight as to what to expect within this hiring event, the hiring process, and beyond? I currently work as an EMT/Dispatcher for a 911 primary company but looking for a change of scenery. Thanks in advance for all your help Also, how's life in glendive like. Obviously it's a huge change of scenery and whatnot but I'd like first hand experience if possible
Well I attended the event. On my day only 11 showed. Interview was straight forward, was only asked 2 questions, "a time you disagreed with a coworker and something that bothers you at work". Both those questions were answered from a safety standpoint and I feel it went well but I got the thanks but no thanks email 24 hours later
I believe that it depends not only upon the questions, but who is asking them. Some folks doing interviews are good judges of character, good at interacting with people, to make them feel comfortable and draw forth their best. Others have no business being in that position and really should be assistant janitors, or burger flippers. BNSF is chronically crew and/or power short some places on their system. Keep trying. They need to be hiring LOT of people. I wonder if Warren Buffett really knows what he bought?
The only question I would ask you Drifter, is were the questions asked in a safety context or did you just answer in a safety context? The reason I ask is that the carrier is not just interested in safety but they are interested in knowing that you can react quickly to a situation that may arise and your ability to deal with it quickly without figuring out angles. If I may offer you a suggestion, the next interview you get , just answer the question with what YOU personally feel, ie What bothered you the most is a guy who keeps moving your lunch in the company fridge and how you dealt with it. What bothers you at work is that the company doesn't provide big enough waste baskets. You get my drift. Just dont answer what YOU think the railroad want to hear. Charlie
The first question I did answer in a quick thinking perspective. It just so happened that safety was part of the issue but the second question I'll admit to answer in what I felt the railroad wanted to hear. Thank you for your tip and suggestions Charlie I greatly appreciate it!!
another thing, these jobs are highly competitive. HR may finally settle on 30 people and give them a conditional offer. Out of that 15-20 might accept. I met woman at the original session and she went as far as I did in the hiring process and she wound up declining the offer at the last minute. Our class was supposed to be 21 people, 19 showed up for training,one dropped out after 2 weeks(he was a dispatcher and was going to change crafts, he went back to dispatching)and another guy failed the first attempt at the final exam. He failed the 2nd time too. We graduated 17 and I think less than half of them are still with the carrier. There will be other chances and maybe closer to home, just dont give up! Charlie
Thanks much! And I totally agree...this was one of my first apps and first hiring event so Def not bummed about it specially after thinking about it. I have multiple apps in with both BNSF and UP. The glendive location for BNSF is one of the few that are closed seniority with the carrier so getting out of there and closer to family would've been almost impossible anyways
I have probably told this story before....I met a guy on the net and found out he had been with CSX and quit after they wanted to force assign him to Jacksonville FL(he lived in suburban Chicago). He was wanting to get back into railroading but didn't know how to convince his fiancee that he wanted to get back railroading. Short version he had apps into BNSF and UP. UP called him just before he married. He told them he had to decline since he was getting married and couldn't very well take time off from his training in order to get married. The HR wonk agreed and they would keep him on the active loop. They notified him again while he was on his honeymoon so he had to decline. I mentioned this to my engineer mentor during a casual conversation in the cab. A short time after this we were EB on a stack train from La Crosse WI to Cicero IL I was pretty much doing the running without help, my mentor would sit in the brakeman's seat and listen to audio books. He would critique me from that position when necessary. Suddenly he said to me "Oh here! Give this to your buddy and tell him to call this number ASAP" and he handed me a scrap of paper with a phone number on it. I e-mailed Rob and gave him the fone number. He called on a Monday and by that Friday he had been interviewed, medical examined and hired by the BNSF. Last I heard is that he is now an engineer. So keep on keepin' on! Charlie
Wow that's awesome!!! I really hope I get hired on. I'm in it for the long haul and I know and understand my first few years will not be great but you can't start at the top all at once. You have to slowly move up. With patience I'm sure I'll get hired on. If Glendive didn't work out for me then it just wasn't meant to be lol. Thanks for the advice btw I really appreciate it. For now I'll just keep si mitting apps to all locations that I think I'll like Chris
If you're open to other areas of the country, BNSF is definitely in need of many new hires, especially due to the North Dakota big oil boom. The job list seems to change daily.
Yup I've applied to havre mt as well as grand forks, nd as well as Texas with both BNSF and UP and a few other cities and states
Does anyone know if Havre, mt is under the system wide seniority or if its closed seniority? Glendive was closed but would like to know if havre is too
Closed to the NORTH lines Only. From a line from LaCrosse WI to Greybull MO, North Line seniority only
