why wont they hire me!!!

[bonehead]

last time i posted here was prob in 07. last time i was askinng for application advice. Anyways I must have applied 10 times for every position from server, to condutor, to extra board, over the last year. And so far not a single person has gotten back to me. Am I doing something wong? Is the online application process not submiting my resume correctly? I am stumped, please help me.

 

[greatcats]

I can't say if there is a problem with the online application procedure, but I will relate a bit of my experience. In 2004 and 2005 i applied for numerous Amtrak jobs. I am no longer interested, preferring to be a tour bus driver at Grand Canyon. I did have at least 3 or 4 interviews. It is said that Amtrak shies away from people with previous railroad experience, 27 years in my case, which may have had something to do with my situation ( I resigned from my previous employer in an ugly dispute, but I don't think Amtrak would have had access to those details. ) I was treated very professionally and considerately by the Human Resource person in Seattle, Barbara Wu, who I finally did meet in person. However, she told me at the time ( March 2005 ) that she can hire only one person per one hundred applications.

 

[Everydaymatters]

Can you apply in person rather than using the on-line application? Maybe a hand-written application would carry more weight.

 

[RailFanLNK]

Almost every major job I have ever had I have known someone from the "inside".

1. City of York NE Street Dept: Knew the maintenece supervisor from the bar and grill my parents frequented. I was a Jr. in High School.

2. Champion Homes: (mobile home manufacturing) I walked in BEFORE the secretary arrived and walked back to the office of the plant manager, he liked athletes so I wore my HS Letter Jacket, introduced myself and I graduated with his daughter in the same class of 111 students.

3. Duncan Aviation: (Fixed Base Operator for aircraft) My sister was the receptionist at this company.

4. ServiceMaster: (Janitorial business) Knew the janitorial supervisor, took this job after a bout with cancer and worked it around the hours of the job at Duncan Aviation. Was deep in the hole financially and was very humbled by this job. I NEVER throw a paper towel on the floor of a bathroom.

5. UPS: My roomate worked thier parttime and got me on parttime.

To me, applying somewhere as large as Amtrak, the odds are slim if you don't know someone. Please don't think I'm being rude, but the "hire 1 to every 100" statement is so true in a case like this. Try doing something "different" but not wierd in getting noticed. A Christmas card to the head of HR or something like that. Good luck!

Al

 

[Rafi]

I can't say if there is a problem with the online application procedure, but I will relate a bit of my experience. In 2004 and 2005 i applied for numerous Amtrak jobs. I am no longer interested, preferring to be a tour bus driver at Grand Canyon. I did have at least 3 or 4 interviews. It is said that Amtrak shies away from people with previous railroad experience, 27 years in my case, which may have had something to do with my situation ( I resigned from my previous employer in an ugly dispute, but I don't think Amtrak would have had access to those details. ) I was treated very professionally and considerately by the Human Resource person in Seattle, Barbara Wu, who I finally did meet in person. However, she told me at the time ( March 2005 ) that she can hire only one person per one hundred applications.

I've had greatcats as a tour guide (he probably doesn't realize this because I didn't piece it together until this posting), and frankly, he's a FANTASTIC tour guide. My wife and I were extremely impressed.

greatcats, I'm sure you'd make a great conductor, but I think you make an even better tour guide. (as a point of reference, in case you might remember, I'm the MARC rider who had you on a tour in March '07 and mentioned to you that my wife and I had to book it to Flagstaff to catch the westbound Chief to LA). Small world!

Rafi

 

[Mike S.]

I didn't think you could apply online? I thought that was only for current employees.

At any rate, about 6 months ago I applied (sent my resume ups overnight) and was called for an interview 2 days later. The interivew was 3 days after the call....and I nailed it. Huge ego boost.

About 4 days later I got all call that they wanted me to go for my physical...I got the job. BUT...my company came back with a better offer. I just couldn't leave my current job. Its was a great experince overall...basically sent a resume, got called, interivewed and hired in like 10 days!

 

[Amtrak OBS Gone Freight]

last time i posted here was prob in 07. last time i was askinng for application advice. Anyways I must have applied 10 times for every position from server, to condutor, to extra board, over the last year. And so far not a single person has gotten back to me. Am I doing something wong? Is the online application process not submiting my resume correctly? I am stumped, please help me.

Just be patient and keep trying. It may take a while or it may happen really quick! It it doesn't happen, then you'll need to investigate further or maybe it just simply wasn't meant to be.

It took Amtrak almost three years to call me after my first resume I sent in to them. And I sent a couple more at a later time, and they called me for a hiring session for a few ticketing/baggage positions out of ORL in 2000. I was hired for that but placed in a reserve pool in the case of one of their selected applicants didn't work out. The HR rep at the session then invited me to attend another hiring session about a month later, and hence I was hired in on-board services (OBS dept). And it should be noted, that the HR rep had contacted me off of the original resume from like three years prior!!!!

OBS gone freight...

 

[Amtrak OBS Gone Freight]

I didn't think you could apply online? I thought that was only for current employees.
At any rate, about 6 months ago I applied (sent my resume ups overnight) and was called for an interview 2 days later. The interivew was 3 days after the call....and I nailed it. Huge ego boost.

About 4 days later I got all call that they wanted me to go for my physical...I got the job. BUT...my company came back with a better offer. I just couldn't leave my current job. Its was a great experince overall...basically sent a resume, got called, interivewed and hired in like 10 days!

WOW... that's almost a record. They must have needed people at that location some kind of bad!!!!

OBS gone freight...

 

[bonehead]

i have been submitting my "resume" on line. Bascically I had to fill out a pdf applicatoin and then write a resume in a text box on the pplication its self. then email it back to them at the address they provided. Is there an address i could actually mail the application to? Or a human resources number I can call? I want to word out of los angeles.

last time i posted here was prob in 07. last time i was askinng for application advice. Anyways I must have applied 10 times for every position from server, to condutor, to extra board, over the last year. And so far not a single person has gotten back to me. Am I doing something wong? Is the online application process not submiting my resume correctly? I am stumped, please help me.

Just be patient and keep trying. It may take a while or it may happen really quick! It it doesn't happen, then you'll need to investigate further or maybe it just simply wasn't meant to be.

It took Amtrak almost three years to call me after my first resume I sent in to them. And I sent a couple more at a later time, and they called me for a hiring session for a few ticketing/baggage positions out of ORL in 2000. I was hired for that but placed in a reserve pool in the case of one of their selected applicants didn't work out. The HR rep at the session then invited me to attend another hiring session about a month later, and hence I was hired in on-board services (OBS dept). And it should be noted, that the HR rep had contacted me off of the original resume from like three years prior!!!!

OBS gone freight...

 

[Everydaymatters]

i have been submitting my "resume" on line. Bascically I had to fill out a pdf applicatoin and then write a resume in a text box on the pplication its self. then email it back to them at the address they provided. Is there an address i could actually mail the application to? Or a human resources number I can call? I want to word out of los angeles.

OBS gone freight...

When you write your resume, are you abbreviating words, using small letters where you should use caps and not proofreading it so words are mis-spelled? In the above post you wrote "Bascically", "applicatoin" and "pplication" and "i" instead of "I", etc.

That's perfectly ok here on the forum, but if you're writing a resume the same way you post here, they'll more than likely take note and hire the equally qualified person who has a better resume.

Proofread everything and ask for help if you're not sure.

 

[bonehead]

lol, good question. the app gets checked 3 times. i am submitting stuff on this forum while laying on my bed. like you said it really isnt important here. but thanks 4 your concern.

i have been submitting my "resume" on line. Bascically I had to fill out a pdf applicatoin and then write a resume in a text box on the pplication its self. then email it back to them at the address they provided. Is there an address i could actually mail the application to? Or a human resources number I can call? I want to word out of los angeles.

OBS gone freight...

When you write your resume, are you abbreviating words, using small letters where you should use caps and not proofreading it so words are mis-spelled? In the above post you wrote "Bascically", "applicatoin" and "pplication" and "i" instead of "I", etc.

That's perfectly ok here on the forum, but if you're writing a resume the same way you post here, they'll more than likely take note and hire the equally qualified person who has a better resume.

Proofread everything and ask for help if you're not sure.

 

[blueman271]

Do the railroads shy away from hiring middle aged applicants? Im only 23 now but im probably going to give the Navy 20 years which would make me 40 when i get out. Having said that, if railroads do shy away from older applicants I would def. get out of the Navy well before my 20 years were up because driving a submarine around is an awesome job but my heart belongs to the railroad.

 

[Amtrak OBS Gone Freight]

Do the railroads shy away from hiring middle aged applicants? Im only 23 now but im probably going to give the Navy 20 years which would make me 40 when i get out. Having said that, if railroads do shy away from older applicants I would def. get out of the Navy well before my 20 years were up because driving a submarine around is an awesome job but my heart belongs to the railroad.

No. That actually will look very good in your favor, as the railroads as a whole are looking for your "good experience" mainly in the "discipline" dept.

Amtrak actually in a sense has an obligation to give you some prime consideration due to the fact it receives government support subsidies each year. And I believe the freights operate on a very similar policy as well.

Good military experience will help you immensely in the search for a railroad career!

OBS gone freight...

 

[had8ley]

Do the railroads shy away from hiring middle aged applicants? Im only 23 now but im probably going to give the Navy 20 years which would make me 40 when i get out. Having said that, if railroads do shy away from older applicants I would def. get out of the Navy well before my 20 years were up because driving a submarine around is an awesome job but my heart belongs to the railroad.

No. That actually will look very good in your favor, as the railroads as a whole are looking for your "good experience" mainly in the "discipline" dept.

Amtrak actually in a sense has an obligation to give you some prime consideration due to the fact it receives government support subsidies each year. And I believe the freights operate on a very similar policy as well.

Good military experience will help you immensely in the search for a railroad career!

OBS gone freight...

Having gone the route of a railroad career I have to agree wholeheartedly with OBS Gone Freight. When I walked into the asst. Supt.'s office the first question he asked was, "Have you been to Viet Nam?" I think from that point on I felt that nothing else mattered.