NATS interview process
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Manchester
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Found out yesterday that I didn't pass Stage 1. Not sure how I feel about it, part just accepts it, the other part wants to try and bounce back next year.
Trouble is, as they don't give feedback, I do t know whether it's worth trying next year. On one hand I may have just missed out, on the other hand, I may have been kidding myself and been well short if the required standard...
I'm pretty sure I would have passed all the sections, apart from the dreaded cubes, which I probably got less than half right..
Trouble is, as they don't give feedback, I do t know whether it's worth trying next year. On one hand I may have just missed out, on the other hand, I may have been kidding myself and been well short if the required standard...
I'm pretty sure I would have passed all the sections, apart from the dreaded cubes, which I probably got less than half right..
Join Date: Aug 2009
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Pat and Liz - thanks for your help on booking a tower visit. I might see if I can arrange something for Swanwick as well maybe - let me know how yours goes Liz. Did you have a good time in Oz?
Thanks for that very detailed post Pat! Was a great help although has now slightly scared me! Haven't picked a date for mine but think I will give myself as much time as possible to prepare. Did you get an impression from the interviewers as to how it went? Glad that a lot of our stage 2 people got through too!
Thanks for that very detailed post Pat! Was a great help although has now slightly scared me! Haven't picked a date for mine but think I will give myself as much time as possible to prepare. Did you get an impression from the interviewers as to how it went? Glad that a lot of our stage 2 people got through too!
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Unfortunately not, they were very professional and didn't give anything away. I felt I did quite well for myself and did the best I could, if I don't get it then its because their standard is extremely high and I don't think I'll feel too bad about myself (though will be sad that I don't get it of course).
Its not really that scary, just prepare well and you'll do fine
Its not really that scary, just prepare well and you'll do fine
Join Date: Oct 2009
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I did stage 1 last monday - 26th, at CTC. I know SimonSoton did his on the same day, and it looks like both he and I heard yesterday that we had passed. Maybe you should give HR a ring, just to politely enquire about results - keeping my fingers crossed for you!
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Just filling in the application, but I'm confused about the Skills part. Is it correct that the skills you choose have to match a skill on their list?
For example, I type in "mu..." and find that "Multi-Tasking" is available on the list. I choose Multi-Tasking, but then I have to specify how many years experience I have and at what level. Hmm, I have 3 years experience of multi-tasking at an expert level?
Anyone know what they want here? Should I include just obvious things, like Pilot because I have a pilot's licence, or personality traits as well (multi-tasking, teamwork etc...)?
For example, I type in "mu..." and find that "Multi-Tasking" is available on the list. I choose Multi-Tasking, but then I have to specify how many years experience I have and at what level. Hmm, I have 3 years experience of multi-tasking at an expert level?
Anyone know what they want here? Should I include just obvious things, like Pilot because I have a pilot's licence, or personality traits as well (multi-tasking, teamwork etc...)?
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LMX,
When I was filling in that application I found it a bit frustrating that I couldn't type in the skills I wanted to put in and had to choose off the list, but there's no way around it. You don't have to fill in how long you've had the skill for I think, so for the things like multi-tasking I simply didn't put int he time span for my experience. I included personality traits and skills and they accepted it.
* * *
And... is anyone here going to Swanwick on Wednesday the 11th for a visit? When I emailed them to ask they said there was a visit happening then so I'm going along and I was wondering if there was just going to be two of us or a few people. And if there is anyone here going then I thought I'd just say hello
When I was filling in that application I found it a bit frustrating that I couldn't type in the skills I wanted to put in and had to choose off the list, but there's no way around it. You don't have to fill in how long you've had the skill for I think, so for the things like multi-tasking I simply didn't put int he time span for my experience. I included personality traits and skills and they accepted it.
* * *
And... is anyone here going to Swanwick on Wednesday the 11th for a visit? When I emailed them to ask they said there was a visit happening then so I'm going along and I was wondering if there was just going to be two of us or a few people. And if there is anyone here going then I thought I'd just say hello
Thankfully I received good news about my S2 assessment and I have my S3 booked for December. I'm looking to get a tower visit scheduled soon. Would be nice to get an area visit booked too. Do you think NATS will have any objection to me looking to book a visit at both establishments?
S88
S88
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Having just sat S3 I would say the more visits you can fit in the better, it definitely helped at interview. With towers it's worth visiting some at different sized airports as well, I went to Southampton and Heathrow and they were VERY different.
I don't think NATS will have a problem with you visiting several establishments. Whether or not each facility is able to accomodate you is down to the staff at each location so it isn't like you'd be taking up lots of one person's time by going to several places or anything like that, and in my experience staff at most facilities or more than happy to show you around provided it's not too busy.
I don't think NATS will have a problem with you visiting several establishments. Whether or not each facility is able to accomodate you is down to the staff at each location so it isn't like you'd be taking up lots of one person's time by going to several places or anything like that, and in my experience staff at most facilities or more than happy to show you around provided it's not too busy.
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Was very lucky today to have been able to sit with ATCO's in both Area control and Terminal at the Swanwick en-route center. It was incredible. If you ever get the oppotunity to spend a good part of your day in Swanwick do it. Heathrow tower tomorrow then Stage 3 on tuesday!! Wish me luck!
ailzo - I will PM you my date, I'd like to retain some level of anonymity on these forums!
Yeah, that's a good idea, I'm hoping to arrange the area visit for the day before my interview as driving down there on two separate occasions will be very expensive.
I must admit, I've already visited Stansted and Luton in the past with my previous employer. It's just I see LHR tower as the holy grail of towers, I'd love to tick it off!
Thanks for the feedback. It's nice to have lots of support from this thread.
S88
Yeah, that's a good idea, I'm hoping to arrange the area visit for the day before my interview as driving down there on two separate occasions will be very expensive.
I must admit, I've already visited Stansted and Luton in the past with my previous employer. It's just I see LHR tower as the holy grail of towers, I'd love to tick it off!
Thanks for the feedback. It's nice to have lots of support from this thread.
S88
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Pat42 - wow, quite a post there, lots of information that will be useful to me in my stage 3 so thanks very much for that.
Lizplt - sorry I've taken a while, I've sent you a pm now. Good luck with your stage 3!
Regarding airport visits, I had an excellent tour around Manchester tower and ops room recently and thoroughly enjoyed it. I'd also like the opportunity to see the Liverpool tower if possible so does anyone have any contact details I might be able to try? Is it worth starting a new topic to ask?
Any help would be much appreciated,
Thanks
Peter.
Lizplt - sorry I've taken a while, I've sent you a pm now. Good luck with your stage 3!
Regarding airport visits, I had an excellent tour around Manchester tower and ops room recently and thoroughly enjoyed it. I'd also like the opportunity to see the Liverpool tower if possible so does anyone have any contact details I might be able to try? Is it worth starting a new topic to ask?
Any help would be much appreciated,
Thanks
Peter.
Join Date: Feb 2009
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Just applied for my second run at the selection process. Applied Nov 9 last year and i got to stage 3. From the feedback i got from the ATCO who interviewed me it was a case of just improving a few small things and he thought i'd make it.
Just spent about an hour doing the application. It seems a lot more complicated than before. I'm sure i didn't have to put my education and employment stuff until after stage 1 last year. Also, i'm sure i actually chose a date for stage 1 at the time of applying.
Have there been any major changes to any of the stages in the last 9 months or so? I remember seeing that stage 1 is only done at CTC a while back. Will be a bit of pain as the Hilton i went to before in London was only 30 mins away. Oh well. Here's hoping i can go all the way this time.
Just spent about an hour doing the application. It seems a lot more complicated than before. I'm sure i didn't have to put my education and employment stuff until after stage 1 last year. Also, i'm sure i actually chose a date for stage 1 at the time of applying.
Have there been any major changes to any of the stages in the last 9 months or so? I remember seeing that stage 1 is only done at CTC a while back. Will be a bit of pain as the Hilton i went to before in London was only 30 mins away. Oh well. Here's hoping i can go all the way this time.
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Hi Dave,
I've not had prior experience of the selection process myself, but my understanding is that it has changed quite a bit over the past year. I've recently finished all three stages (just waiting to hear the outcome now). You can find posts I put up about all three stages on pages 214 (post #4272), 232 (#4625) & 244 (#4867). I believe that the descriptions of each stage found in those posts are still current and accurate. There are also some online tests you are asked to do before stage 1, but I don't think anyone is entirely sure of the relevance of these or whether or not the marks have any bearing on whether or not you pass stage 1.
Hope that helps
Pat
I've not had prior experience of the selection process myself, but my understanding is that it has changed quite a bit over the past year. I've recently finished all three stages (just waiting to hear the outcome now). You can find posts I put up about all three stages on pages 214 (post #4272), 232 (#4625) & 244 (#4867). I believe that the descriptions of each stage found in those posts are still current and accurate. There are also some online tests you are asked to do before stage 1, but I don't think anyone is entirely sure of the relevance of these or whether or not the marks have any bearing on whether or not you pass stage 1.
Hope that helps
Pat
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Thanks Pat. Seems like stage 2 in particular is much more lengthy and complicated than when i did mine in Feb this year. Also the 'structured' interview in stage 3 sounds ominous. I don't think i'd describe the interview i had in stage 3 as structured. Seems a bit daunting. That said, i never thought i'd make it past stage 1 last time and it was probably only once i heard i passed stage 2 that i really started taking it seriously.
I'm surprised that so much seems to have changed in such a short time, but i guess NATS wants to improve it's success rate in the college.
I'm surprised that so much seems to have changed in such a short time, but i guess NATS wants to improve it's success rate in the college.
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Hi Dave Z
I sat my stage 1 last Friday at Prestwick, and this is my second attempt, I made it to Stage 2 last November, I passed the Computer test and NATS test and failed on the structured interview
But I was very surprised on Friday there at how much the stage 1 tests have changed, I found them to be quite a bit harder!! Last year at stage 1, there was a spacial reasoning test, Nats test, diagraming test and a checking test. This time there was a Nats test, a spacial reasoning test, diagramming test and a VDT test.
Hopefully I will hear soon, as I think the layout of the tests this year is to our advantage. Satage 2 being no structured interview to worry about, just computer tests.
Anyone else at Prestwick on Friday that has applied before, think they were harder???
Cheryl
I sat my stage 1 last Friday at Prestwick, and this is my second attempt, I made it to Stage 2 last November, I passed the Computer test and NATS test and failed on the structured interview
But I was very surprised on Friday there at how much the stage 1 tests have changed, I found them to be quite a bit harder!! Last year at stage 1, there was a spacial reasoning test, Nats test, diagraming test and a checking test. This time there was a Nats test, a spacial reasoning test, diagramming test and a VDT test. Hopefully I will hear soon, as I think the layout of the tests this year is to our advantage. Satage 2 being no structured interview to worry about, just computer tests.
Anyone else at Prestwick on Friday that has applied before, think they were harder???
Cheryl