NATS interview process

[Maiya]

Thanks AJ7

I'm so nervous - I've read through this thread and found it to be extremely helpful, and I've learnt the document thoroughly, it's the computer tests and interview that are bringing me out in a cold sweat!

[ar_ni]

You read all over the place that you're not meant to finish the tests- there just isn't enough time. I think I only did 3/4 of both the cubes and diagramming and got through ok, so don't get too worried.

Hope you don't have too long a wait- I had 10 days for stage one and it was horrible!

Abi

[ar_ni]

I don't think the cruising speed thing will have required the conversion- the answers surely weren't all that similar since the conversion is very small (1=1.15 or something)? It's also written somewhere that speed is measured in knots but referred to as MPH (I'm sure someone can correct me...).

I finished the motivation paper and was fairly happy with it (I've read the pass mark is 70%). Didn't finish any of the aptitude tests. I noticed the bloke next to me was filling in the blanks randomly when we got to the last 20 seconds... I thought that was a bit mad but apparently you're not marked down...

Don't worry, worrying one!

[ar_ni]

I think that's just the motivation paper- think it must be lower on the aptitude tests. If she finished all the cubes she's superwoman.

Good luck, let us know how you do!

[Bamboozle Woozle]

I just want to know if I'm in!

thegolfpimp - Whoa, calm down!!! Worrying about whether you have passed the stage 1 tests or not is not going to make you find out the results any quicker! If you tried your best and put your all into it, then thats the most that you can do. Relax!

This is only the very first stage of a verrrrrrrrry long selection process; subject to you being successful (which I'm sure you will) you have the joys of the online personality questionaire.....the application form.......stage two with the lovely computer tests......stage three with those scary interviewers()......in all it can take up to about 5 months JUST to do the interview process.....then you have to wait for a college date.....medicals....then to ACTUALLY start - you really do have to have the patience of a saint!

If it helps, when I did my stage 1 (from what I can recall, it was back in March!) I only just made it on to the third page for the cube exercise (the net that was a real to try and fold together in your head!) when they told us to stop - we all came out of the room shaking our heads thinking we had failed that one!

...but I couldn't have done that badly, as I start down in sunny Bournemouth in January....

Best of Luck, but take some chill pills!

Oh, and is it just me, or does there seem to be some mass hysteria regarding the stage 1 on here??!!

[angry_muppet]

There seems to be a little bit of mass hysteria...

Keep a cool head and everything is going to be fine! Regarding completing all the tests in the time allotted; my own opinion is that practice makes perfect. I've did about 8 different aptitude based selection processes and NATS is by far the hardest, but I still managed to complete all the tests in the time given. If there's one in particular bugging you, skip it and move on. It's better to do three others and get them right than sit on one that you're not sure about.

I have heard (can't comment on the truth of it though) that it's not how many you do, but how many you get correct of the questions completed... Truth or not?

Obviously, do one, get one right = 100%, but they're not going to accept you!

[JonG]

knots is nautical miles per hour. That's what they would have wanted the answer in. There's no need for any conversion from knots to standard miles.

[GhostUK]

Hi guys,

I'm currently getting ready for my Stage 1.
I'm already going thru the motivation paper, aswell as the boxes and diagrams. I have about 2 weeks until the test, so fingers crossed should be ample time for prep.

Could someone please give me some examples of the types of math I should brush up on? (Keeping in mind its been a good few years since my last math exam).

Any help, advice given will be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

GhostUK

[AJ7]

GhostUk

Prepare using all the combinations of distance, speed and time. e.g...

If a/c flies at 420kts for 40 mins how far will it travel?
If a/c flies 60 miles in 10 mins how fast is it moving?
If point A and point B are 50 miles apart and a/c is doing 200kts how long will it take?

Get used to interchanging the three quantities as much as you can, and get good with multiples of 6 and 60

[GhostUK]

Thanks AJ7

[Gonzo]

BW,

stage three with those scary interviewers()

There are only a few very scary ones, you'll make everyone else nervous!

but I couldn't have done that badly, as I start down in sunny Bournemouth in January....

Errr, not quite.

Have you ever been to 'sunny' (sic) Bournemouth in January???

[AJ7]

I have.

It wasn't sunny.

Still...

[ctb_184]

See after your stage 3 NATS say you should hear from them within 15 days?

Is that 15 days or 15 working days? And is it by email as per usual?




Waiting in anticipation

[ctb_184]

Is right, its 15 working days, aaaaaaaaaargh

[Bamboozle Woozle]

They're usually pretty good in HR and you will find out in a couple of days. The gen for me was an email telling me I had passed followed by a telephone call to confirm it all, although I know of people who have had a telephone call before the email when they have passed.

Best of Luck

[watch_the_birdie]

I got a call the day after my stage 3 saying yes.

On my stage 2 I got a call on the train going home from it.

[coffee77]

Hi

And that makes me worried - I mean how quick you got your replies. It has been two weeks since my stage 1. Or maybe it takes them longer to check materials from stage 1 than from 2 and 3? Or maybe not... Eghhh

[watch_the_birdie]

Chill, stage 1 took me 14 days to hear.

Put it this way - there were like 60 at my stage 1 session, 4 at my stage 2, 3 at my stage 3.

You do the maths.

[Bamboozle Woozle]

Yep, the full 15 days for me to find out after stage 1. As Watch The Birdie says, there are a lot more people and a lot more test material to get through for stage 1 compared to stage 2 & 3. On Stage 3, the interviewers actually decide there and then whether you have passed - they just keep you hanging on for a while...!

[GhostUK]

Sorry if this is a little off topic. But I've just been trying to brush up on my maths using the example questions posted above.

I'm getting a slight variation between my results on paper and the one I get from the calculator.

Question: If a/c flies 764 miles in 78 mins how fast is it moving?

S=D/t

So the equation I'd use is

S = (764 / 78) x 60 (to convert the minutes to hours).

The result I got from long division is 578MPH...
However using a calculator, the answer I got was more like 587MPH..

I've noticed this problem with pretty much any equation I do using long division.. The answer is always slightly different to that of the calculator mainly after the decimal point. Before the x60 conversion, the decimal I had from long division (764 / 78 = 9.62) but the calculator's answer was more like 9.79.. which seems to make all the diffrence. No matter what I do, I cant seem to replicate this answer using simple long division.

Am I doing this all wrong? Or do they have a range of answers they accept?