NATS interview process
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whilst discussing mistakes on the NATS booklet, did anyone notice how it states x million flights a year at the beginning, was that supposed to be a number they forgot to macro in? lol or just my version?
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I haven't checked, but I can say with near-certainty that you'll find the correct number somewhere prominent on the NATS website. They freaking LOVE numbers like that. Sorry, did I say 'numbers'? I meant 'metrics'. Oops.
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Stage 3, 21st September 2009
I have been given the option of booking my Stage 3 for the 21st September, and hope to do so, pending a few current work arrangements. Just hope it's not booked out by the time those arrangements have been made!
Will keep you posted, best of luck!
Will keep you posted, best of luck!
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Freestyle
I'll be there on friday but for my stage 2. Don't worry about the facts being right or wrong, they just want to see if you can recall the information they have given you. So don't try and be too clever!
Seb
Seb
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Stage One question
Hi All,
I've just joined, this forum is so useful, really glad I've found it.
I've been reading through and learning the information NATS send you in preparation for the Stage 1 test, the last 8 or so pages are taken up with stats of Aircraft regularly using UK airspace. I was just wondering if anyone would kindly advise whether I need to learn these off by heart or not? I'd prefer to spend more time concentrating on the bread and butter areas but obviously don't want to abuse this area should I actually need to learn it.
Thanks!
John
I've just joined, this forum is so useful, really glad I've found it.
I've been reading through and learning the information NATS send you in preparation for the Stage 1 test, the last 8 or so pages are taken up with stats of Aircraft regularly using UK airspace. I was just wondering if anyone would kindly advise whether I need to learn these off by heart or not? I'd prefer to spend more time concentrating on the bread and butter areas but obviously don't want to abuse this area should I actually need to learn it.
Thanks!
John
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Hey guys,
Just wanted to say a quick thankyou to everyone who's posted, I had my stage 1 this afternoon and I found this thread really helpful during preperation.
As I've now been through stage one I figured I'd do my bit and answer a few questions, so here's a quick description of the tests I had today:
There's quite a long personality questionaire (about 100 questions) to do as soon as you get there, I figure the best you can do is answer this honestly - its not a test and I don't think there are right or wrong answers. After this the tests begin. All the tests were multiple choice.
The first test was the ATC motivation test, based upon the 30 pages of info they email you before you book the test. They gave us 18 mins to finish this (think it was about 20 - 30 questions) which I found was plenty. I didn't find this particularly hard, though there were one or two answers I wasn't sure about... as long as you've read the stuff they send you through thuroughly several times you shouldn't find it too hard. There were only a couple of questions on the aircraft info in the back, if you have a general idea of the kind of destinations the most common aircraft can fly to and at what kind of speed you would have done ok on the test I sat today... but who knows what they might choose to ask on any given day, I've no idea if everybody sits the same paper or not, so if it were me I'd still suggest memorising as much detail as possible anyway.
The next test was the spatial reasoning test (the infamous cubes). For this we had 20 mins to answer 40 questions. They are exactly like the example questions NATS send out in the emails you get before the test, but they do get quite a bit harder (the patterns get a bit more complicated and the 2D frame is a much harder layout in the later questions). I think the hardest thing about these is the time, I managed (just) to get it all finished, but the fact that you are being pushed for time makes it tougher than it would be at a more leisurely pace. At 40 questions in 20 mins thats one every 30 seconds, so bare that in mind when preparing.
The next test was the diagramming test. Again this was very similar to the example they email you before hand. Some of them got a bit long and you have to juggle a whole load of operations and symbols around in your head at once to work out the answer. They did give us scrap paper for rough working in this one, but again the time limit is the trickiest bit and I think if you have to start scribbling you'd likely not finish it all. You have 50 questions in 20 mins. I managed to finish 49 of them.
The final paper is the arithmatic test. This is all distance speed time questions. Most were very straight forward mental arithmatic. I had to use the scrap paper to calculate a couple of the harder ones. Yet again, none of the questions were terribly difficult in and of themselves, but the time limit means you have to work quite fast and there is little time to check your answers. I think this one was 25 questions in 15 minutes. I finished but had no time to check my answers.
Hope this is helpful, if anyone has any questions I'd be happy to help. If anyone else was there today I hope it went well for you, good luck.
Just wanted to say a quick thankyou to everyone who's posted, I had my stage 1 this afternoon and I found this thread really helpful during preperation.
As I've now been through stage one I figured I'd do my bit and answer a few questions, so here's a quick description of the tests I had today:
There's quite a long personality questionaire (about 100 questions) to do as soon as you get there, I figure the best you can do is answer this honestly - its not a test and I don't think there are right or wrong answers. After this the tests begin. All the tests were multiple choice.
The first test was the ATC motivation test, based upon the 30 pages of info they email you before you book the test. They gave us 18 mins to finish this (think it was about 20 - 30 questions) which I found was plenty. I didn't find this particularly hard, though there were one or two answers I wasn't sure about... as long as you've read the stuff they send you through thuroughly several times you shouldn't find it too hard. There were only a couple of questions on the aircraft info in the back, if you have a general idea of the kind of destinations the most common aircraft can fly to and at what kind of speed you would have done ok on the test I sat today... but who knows what they might choose to ask on any given day, I've no idea if everybody sits the same paper or not, so if it were me I'd still suggest memorising as much detail as possible anyway.
The next test was the spatial reasoning test (the infamous cubes). For this we had 20 mins to answer 40 questions. They are exactly like the example questions NATS send out in the emails you get before the test, but they do get quite a bit harder (the patterns get a bit more complicated and the 2D frame is a much harder layout in the later questions). I think the hardest thing about these is the time, I managed (just) to get it all finished, but the fact that you are being pushed for time makes it tougher than it would be at a more leisurely pace. At 40 questions in 20 mins thats one every 30 seconds, so bare that in mind when preparing.
The next test was the diagramming test. Again this was very similar to the example they email you before hand. Some of them got a bit long and you have to juggle a whole load of operations and symbols around in your head at once to work out the answer. They did give us scrap paper for rough working in this one, but again the time limit is the trickiest bit and I think if you have to start scribbling you'd likely not finish it all. You have 50 questions in 20 mins. I managed to finish 49 of them.
The final paper is the arithmatic test. This is all distance speed time questions. Most were very straight forward mental arithmatic. I had to use the scrap paper to calculate a couple of the harder ones. Yet again, none of the questions were terribly difficult in and of themselves, but the time limit means you have to work quite fast and there is little time to check your answers. I think this one was 25 questions in 15 minutes. I finished but had no time to check my answers.
Hope this is helpful, if anyone has any questions I'd be happy to help. If anyone else was there today I hope it went well for you, good luck.
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I've been reading through and learning the information NATS send you in preparation for the Stage 1 test, the last 8 or so pages are taken up with stats of Aircraft regularly using UK airspace. I was just wondering if anyone would kindly advise whether I need to learn these off by heart or not? I'd prefer to spend more time concentrating on the bread and butter areas but obviously don't want to abuse this area should I actually need to learn it.
Please don't take this personally, but this question has been asked countless times.
More to the point, however; if NATS have stated in their invite...
"The information contained in this document will also form part of the first stage of the selection. Candidates are strongly advised to read it carefully."
...would it not make sense to learn the provided information as well as you possibly can? Who knows, there may be twenty questions on aircraft stats, there may only be two.
The paper in question relates to motivation, and as such, if a candidate really does have motivation for this job they would surely go ahead and learn all facts rather than attempt to compromise.
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there is an old adage that says you can never be over dressed for an interview!
one other tip- never wear cream trousers- if you splash yourself washing your hands or having a drink, it looks like you peed yourself- it DOES get noticed!
one other tip- never wear cream trousers- if you splash yourself washing your hands or having a drink, it looks like you peed yourself- it DOES get noticed!
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lol pugwash sounds like you are speaking from experience. Ok so i will wear a suit! I am quietly confident about Stage 2...don't know why just have a good feeling. 2 Days to go!
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Sebby,
At my stage 2, out of the group of 9/10 candidates, only 1 guy out of the group wore a suit (not me!) which in my opinion looked a bit overdressed for a day of computer tests
Everyone else was smart casual - shirts and trousers.
At my stage 2, out of the group of 9/10 candidates, only 1 guy out of the group wore a suit (not me!) which in my opinion looked a bit overdressed for a day of computer tests
Everyone else was smart casual - shirts and trousers.
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At my Stage 1 yesterday everyone was wearing a suit. One or two of the ladies were dressed a little less formally, but only a little. I would assume similar dress would be appropriate for stage 2 - even if it is only computer tests there will still be NATS staff who are there to run the assessment and may well be taking note of things like how you dress. I may be wrong, but I certainly got the impression in stage 1 that we were being observed quite closely throughout.
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Pat, you mean there was pretty much always a security guard there watching us? 
hehe, it was a pretty awesome place in my opinion, I didn't expect it to be such a MASSIVE building at least from the outside!
hehe, it was a pretty awesome place in my opinion, I didn't expect it to be such a MASSIVE building at least from the outside!
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I think the people that complete all the cube questions either got the majority wrong or are incredibly gifted. The two times I've done the cube(once for Eurocontrol and once for NATS) I don't think I got half way through them.
I still passed on to the next stage though. Just a tip from somebody that has passed the cube stage.
I still passed on to the next stage though. Just a tip from somebody that has passed the cube stage.
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Hey Fumbles,
I meant that the lady taking us through all the tests was probably taking more of a note of our appearance and behaviour etc. than she let on. I don't know how much any of that counts for, but I'd imagine if you behaved like an idiot (which nobody did) you probably wouldn't get an invite to stage 2 even if you aced the tests....
Don't worry too much about the maths paper, I'm sure that you did fine. I literally only just finished it in time and reckon I probably made a few mistakes because I didn't have time to check my answers. The timings were pretty tight and they were obviously designed to push you, I think the ability to work accurately and efficiently without panicking under pressure are more important that completing the test. I get the impression from these forums that a lot of people don't finish all of the tests and still get through.
I meant that the lady taking us through all the tests was probably taking more of a note of our appearance and behaviour etc. than she let on. I don't know how much any of that counts for, but I'd imagine if you behaved like an idiot (which nobody did) you probably wouldn't get an invite to stage 2 even if you aced the tests....
Don't worry too much about the maths paper, I'm sure that you did fine. I literally only just finished it in time and reckon I probably made a few mistakes because I didn't have time to check my answers. The timings were pretty tight and they were obviously designed to push you, I think the ability to work accurately and efficiently without panicking under pressure are more important that completing the test. I get the impression from these forums that a lot of people don't finish all of the tests and still get through.