Failed ATCO @ round one

[DanGLA]

Hi there, i recently completed the first stage of interviews for ATCO in Glasgow. I was (and still am) very keen on the job, and even visited Prestwick for a full afternoon a week or so before the interviews. I had done as much reading as i possibly could and i don't honestly believe i could do any more practical work.

I consider myself to be intelligent, and very hands on in my learning.

However, today i heard that i will not be asked back for round two of interviewing.

To say i was disappointed is an understatement.

I will obviously re-apply next year, but i would really like to hear from anyone that could suggest what i might want to do employment-wise in the meantime to better my chances?

Also, what personality traits are the personality tests really looking for? I think i was maybe a bit too honest?!

Advice appreciated.

[Inverted81]

Hi DanGLA,
Sorry to hear that you weren't successful at the first stage selection tests. I can only give you advice according to my own experience, but you never know, it may help! :)

From what i've experienced you cant really prepare for this stage of the process... the mental arithmetic, you can, put aside those calculators in day to day life, do as much in your head as you can, however mundane it may seem. (sorry if you know what your doing already! :) )
Spatial awareness (cubes and instructions) just practice a few online iq tests. I only answered around 13 questions on the cubes part of the test, around two questions into the second cube...

As for the personality questionnaire, they are looking for people to "fit" into the average ATCO profile. There isn't a wrong or right answer, just be honest as if you get to interview you will readily come unstuck if you were not truthfull. You need to show flexibility to adapt to situations and ability to work in teams etc.... attributes i guess essential to be an atco, these were the lines i approached in my questionnaire.

Learn the booklet they sent you thats all you'll be asked, and apart from that go in as relaxed as you can.

Its a long process, but you can ask HR for the reasons why you were not successfull the first time round, take note and see if you can improve on it.

As for work in the meantime, its not necessarily wise to be tunnel visioned in your choice of work, (i.e. aviation related) they will be just as impressed if you make future career contingency plans ijn another area that you enjoy (shows a sense of awareness of the realistic situation).

I hope this helps, i've been lucky enough to get thro the complete process 1st time round, so any questions you have just post em here or email or PM me!

Good Luck!
Chris

[DanGLA]

Thanks very much for your words. I know someone a bit higher up at Prestwick than some, i think she's a bank manager (hehe). I might see if there's anything she could help me with.

I too only got to the second cube, but i would say i got about half way through it.

In my opinion i really knew what i was doing for that side of testing, but i think it may have been thrown up by the psychometric testing. I tended to emphasise the "happy working alone" and "don't need confirmation from others before making a decision" and i think that they may have looked at that as "a loner" and "stubborn minded". I've emailed Andy Hutchinson to see if he can offer any advice as to my weak points.

I might have more questions for you over the coming weeks as think more about my post-university options.

Thanks for your reply

[DanGLA]

:mad: :mad: :mad:

Danny,

I am sorry but NATS do not provide feedback on Interviews or Assessments.

Kind Regards

Vicki

oh well, it's anyones guess i suppose.

[karrank]

You probably don't want to hear this at this point, but the aptitude testing may have saved you a couple of years work with no rating at the end of it. It's been a while since I did mine, and I did it here in Oz, but I just answered the questions and hoped for the best. People I know and respect didn't pass and it didn't seem fair to them (or me).

There were a couple of people who didn't get through the testing who had previously washed out from previous courses, was it just they weren't right for the job? Can't be proven either way.

Certainly try again, and don't try to project anything in particular. One guy on my course answered all the psych questions "strongly agree" or "strongly dissagree" to show he was decisive. He was asked later by someone with access to the results if he was really a Nazi...

[DanGLA]

Well there's no doubt i'll be trying again, but i'm interested in the Assistant idea.... It seems to be a slow-track certainly, and surely the fact that NATS turned me down should suggest that they also won't think i'm right for the job? We'll see. Persistance!

as an aside; my sister just moved to Australia.. currently living in Melbourne ;)

[VectorLine]

Danny,

I am sorry but NATS do not provide feedback on Interviews or Assessments.

Kind Regards

Vicki

Well, that's B:mad: ll:mad: cks in my opinion.

They used to and they certainly should do.

Anyway keep trying matey!

VL

[Fletchers Left Boot]

So far as I know (Disclaimer: and I dont think this has changed !)

The personality/learning styles questionnaires do not form part of the aptitude tests themselves - it is used to build a profile of you in preparation for a possible (personnel) interview at the second stage.. so you dont fail the the first stage on personality grounds.

It will have been one or more of the basic checking, diagramming, cubes or arithmetic tests that will have done for you.

Good luck for the future.

[mps12]

Hi,

What they look for in the personality questionnaire is CONSISTENCY. You have to answer honestly which will naturally make you consistent with your answers. Notice how they asked you the same question about times but worded slightly differently each time, if you answered them differently then you will not go thru. The Personell interviewer told me that!

If you want anymore tips, please dont hesitate to email me.:ok:

[DanGLA]

that's the thing, i was aware of that in advance and always answer these things as honestly as possible.. besides, spotting the pattern was not too hard ;)

i really want to know what it was, even just to put me out of my misery. I remember at one point leaving a question out to come back to it, time permitting (5secs per question roughly!) but NOT leaving the space on the multiple choice answer sheet, meaning that my last X number of answers would all have been shifted up one. I tried to go back through them and find the one which i'd missed and i think i got close, but, well, maybe not. My own fault i suppose... Too worried about getting answers down rather than checking they were in the right place.

I really hope that isn't what happened.

The infuriating thing is that i genuinely believe that i was the right candidate for the job and hope that it wasn't a foolish error that messed it up for me.

Apologies for the typing errors, and the general loose approach to the post but tonight i was celebrating my failure :ugh:

Chin up, and prepare for next year.

[AlphaSierra]

Hi Dan,

Hard luck. Just think though, if you still qualify to do the tests again, the 12 months will pass in a jiffy. I failed at OASC (RAF officer selection) back in november '03 and it's April already! I've done no prep at all for re-selection and it's fast approaching.

I had my NATS tests yesterday and am in the 'I Hate Waiting' phase of the selection process. Like you I think that if I pass, I will make a more than adequate ATCO and will more than likely love every second of it. I felt like this during OASC too though and they gave me the boot and told me to try again next year!

Keep trying and it'll happen mate. That's what I'm hoping anyway! Think positive.


Fletcher

[DanGLA]

Thanks.

Yep, it's only another 357 days to go!

Best of luck for November.