Hey watch_the_birdie,

Wasn't meant to be hindrance, think it is reassuring for lots of people out there to find out that perhaps "all this "extra reading" people had done and all these facts they thought they should know" isn't as daunting as they might have first thought. But the question needs to be asked to find out the truth about these things!

As an interviewer, I'm consistently disappointed by the most common answer to my first question: "What have you done to prepare for today?"

".....Errrr, well, I had another look through the documents for stage 1 and stage 2..........errrr, and then I had a look at NATS website for a bit.........."

:ugh:

^^^ That was the first question asked at my Stage 3 :ok:

Did you any stage 3's in Manchester last Jan, Gonzo

And is this where you loiter NeoDude

Hmm ok, maybe I am not entirely writing my advice correctly. Not to sound too big for my boots and all that, and also not to sound like I did no preparation at all (because I did).... but the prep I mainly did was talk to air traffic people (both civvi (NATS and otherwise) and RAF), and read into things.

As a past interviewer myself for army entrance for various levels, I used to hate it when people came in with what they thought were the right facts and figures about things, and their ideas about whatever, when really they were completely wrong and ended up making a tit of themselves.

Yes, read into things, but not to the extent of being chock-a-block full of unneeded crap? Surely talking to people in the know (i.e. visits) is far more worthy than reading reels of text? If you can't make a visit, yes, reading is a good substitute, but surely there is a limit before it becomes all too much?

wtb

Or am I barking up the wrong tree.

Shouldn't you be studying or something? :}

MancLad,

Sorry, my first interview day in Manchester was only last month.

WTB, My post wasn't aimed at you. You appear to have done exactly the sort of thing to prove to me that you had prepared adequately. You obviously had done research about the job.:ok:

Gonzo,

No, I didn't tell anyone about the HR guy, as the chap was rather large :} He really seemed unbothered, more pissed off, that we had turned up at all. Nothing personal with me, but he was a bit rude to some other people.
You weren't the ATCO chap giving the talk, were you? Great guy, also very funny. "You need to pass the medical, because passing out at the radar is frowned upon", haha. The biscuits were also very nice. :) No video though:sad:
Bring on stage 2 and 3.

10 dec
 

DCR100,

Did you get an answer already? :ooh:

DCR100,

I might as well get in early before my so called colleagues do so:............You obviously don't know me! :}

Nope, it wasn't me.

If I were you I'd pass on the feedback about that guy, such feedback has had results in the past.

Shouldn't you be studying or something? :}

wish there was something to study for!!:confused:

yeray

No reply yet, so don't worry. I know the motivation papers were marked on the day, as when I handed in my psyche answer paper ( I was one of the last out), I could see the guy overseeing had put the results in the top of the motivation paper answer sheets (I know one chap, whose name begins with an A and ends with D, got 15/30. I don't think that's enough to pass?) And again, I didn't want to complain about that guy because he was the one marking those papers! I will relay that guy's attitude later on though...Anyway, good luck dude.

Is that true then that all the papers marked there on the day? I thought they'd be taken away and fed into a computer somewhere.

So I guess if the controller didnt like the look of ya then they could fail you there and then?

No, he was talking about the motivation paper which was the multi choice thing about aircraft and VORs and runways and stuff. They easy to mark there and then I guess.

The computer-marked papers are those 3 tests of numerical checking, the code thing and the cubes. So they get sent away with the company that runs them. :)

They are all marked on the day, but nobody there knows the pass mark, so the results get sent back to HQ.

I really, really hope that was a joke.

Not really a joke no Gonzo. For example at my stage one a chap was half an hour late, and kept phoning up every five minutes for directions. He couldn't find The Cumberland Hotel even though it's right outside the tube station. Then when he finally turned up he was dressed in a tracksuit, didn't apologise and clearly didn't care or make an effort. Surely not a good sign and I'm sure the ATCO there would have been doubting his credentials despite how early in the selection process it was. Also after the personality test a chap stayed behind a further 20 minutes or so after the last person had finished and we were all sat outside waiting. I would think that personality traits such as these would be noted by the ATCOs, but probably not accounted for I don't know, just wondering.

As far as NATS is concerned at that point you're just a number. As much as sometimes one might wish to take into account 'other factors', I'm afraid we are professional about these things (dammit!):O. At the end of the day, not doing so would leave NATS open to all sorts of claims and appeals.

Not attempting to explain things, but I do know the Cumberland used to have the wrong directions on their website....and also you should see the Ops room on a typical day at Swanwick. Scruffy jeans, hoodies, all sorts. Some of us do attempt to make an effort, sartorially speaking, but I'm afraid many of my colleagues are a lost cause in that regard!

1st stage test result
 

:rolleyes: Anybody recieved result for the 1st stage test in glasgow 11 dec 2007 ??
Anybody knows what was the overall score ??? :confused:

Received an email from NATS on Friday inviting me to take the personality questionnaire - so I guess I got through the stage one tests. I hope the personality questionnaire is just as successful :eek:.

Not sure on the overall score. You'd probably have to ask HR but they may not be able to give it to you.

I Been simply told by NATS that i am unsucessfull :sad: on 1st stage and not been given any feedback as well which is unfair. :{

NATS Testing Matrials
 

Anyone knows websites which provides more information about Spatial Reasoning Test ???? apart from www.shl.com or http://www.psychometric-success.com/ .

Any other site ??? plz help. :rolleyes:

check your pm's

You are not the only one chaudhrysahab,:(

Any use of chasing for a feed back? Or they do not provide feed back for 1 Stage applicants?

Regards

What PM's ??? :(

basic checking
 

Yes, today on 17-12-07 they given me some feedback, i scored 55 in basic checking and requred was 65 where i failed. :{
Rest was passed.
They also told me that the scoring was overall not with any specific section for passing the test so it means you mus have to get atleast 65 marks on each section to pass the exam but still thats my opinion so it is not compulsry it may be right...!

Had an email from NATS HR this afternoon and I failed on the damn personality questionnaire :ugh:. I know they say they don't give feedback but there must be some sort of an indication of where I tripped up surely? They say to be 100% honest in your answers but there must be something else to it. If not then presumably I'd fail the personality questionnaire every time I took it.

May give HR a call tomorrow to see if I can gather any information. I'd rather be told that I didn't get through the aptitude tests since at least then you have a rough idea of where to brush up, but I'm completely lost as to what I should do about this questionnaire :confused:.

Let's hope I can reapply in 12 months and be more successful then.

To be blunt, yes. I'm sorry that you didn't succeed, but there'd be no point in a personality testing stage if it wasn't consistent.

I'm afraid there's not much you can do. If you retake it, and put down what you think we want to see, then you will get found out.

To add to what Gonzo said, I followed everyones advice here and answered it 100% honestly. Through the test there was so much temptation to click what you think they want from you; but I did remain honest. At times I was almost cringeing when clicking the answer, "this is going to make me look really really bad". But I did get through, so the honesty thing its the best advice.

Sorry you didn't pass, it must be so frustrating knowing it was on the personality questionnaire.

Yep, the personality questionnaires are all to do with correlation. I think over the whole process you do about 4 or 5, normally all asking similar things, just worded differently. If you answer one question with one answer, and then another similar question with a completely different answer, then this will flag up as an inconsistency. One or two inconsistencies are fine, but a lot will flag up something to HR.

In fact, I apparently had some inconsistencies, and they actually asked me straight out in the stage 3 interview about it, so obviously it wasn't bad enough to fail me there and then, but still serious enough to question me about it. I explained myself (it was something about "do I look to the future" or something) and I found it much easier talking myself than picking a multi choice answer.

So answer honestly, yes, and you should be fine as all your answers will usually match....The worst you can do is think what they want, because it really doesn't work like that. Me and this other girl put completely opposite answers to one another, and we both got through. I think there's a great emphasis on consistency, rather than actual answer.

(Though obviously, if you answer things like "no I never exercise", "I like sitting on my bum all day every day eating pies", "I don't like working" and "I hate talking to people", then that ain't going to help. But in all honestly, I guess those personalities don't generally try to join NATS as ATCOs, or do they?!)

Thanks for all the advice folks. I think my best option is to try again in 12 months and simply give the questionnaire another go, with a 100% honest approach should I get to that stage again.

Mixmastermike, I was referring to the "Occupational Personality Questionnaire". There was a "Learning Styles" questionnaire on the test day, however I was led to believe that it was not assessed. I may be wrong, but I don't believe the responses on the OPQ had to correlate to the learning styles questionnaire, however I suppose with full honesty they should!

Thanks again folks :).

EDIT: Looks like the questionnaire responses are correlated - thanks for the info.

I'd be interested to know as well info on spatial reasoning tests. I'd like a practice book of the cubes but can't seem to find one :sad: I can find aptitude books with a couple of examples but nothing specific to it.

Chaudhrysahab

Your private messages - top right of this page.

Vic154 - check yours too

65 percent for basic checking only..... not sure for any other!:rolleyes:

On a different note, within the application form (I'm quite behind most of you above me!) do HR take much notice of the detail you write such as 'why did you apply' etc. I don't want to waste time if its not necessary and will say it if I get to interview anyway?

thanks for help........ :)

timhan0,

You should make every effort to put in 100% where you can.

If you are successful and get to the college, 100% effort is required 100% of the time.

Just ask the many people who get chopped from various courses.

Good luck with the rest of your application.

Hello everyone!

I've just completed the online personality questionnaire after passing the 1st stage tests...am I right in thinking this part needs to be passed before you are invited to the 2nd stage? It would make total sense if that is the case. I gave my honest answers but took awhile to do so - some questions I found really hard to answer when there was not much difference between what I felt least/most about myself.

Must say this thread has been most helpful. I want to prepare as much as I can as haven't been in a interview environment for something this important for a long time so it's great to see the hints and tips - thanks guys and gals! - fingers crossed it comes in useful if I pass this personality questionnaire.

Just wanted to add a little something to tomharrison (sp?) about not passing it - don't get too down about it. At the end of the day this whole process is about making sure you are right for the job and the job is right for you. That can be hard to accept if you really want the job and don't ever see yourself doing anything else, but these people are experienced in finding the right people for the right job and visa versa.

Good luck to those waiting to hear.

:)

Further to my last post, I just found out I've got through to the 2nd stage (quiet yippee - don't want to rub people's faces in it who haven't got through:O).

So far so good...but I still have the rest to go so I think the apprehension I'm feeling is not only justified but probably healthy too. I'm off to start this revision!

But I'm sure I'll be back lol!

I attended stage 1 on monday 10th, had an email yesterday asking me to do the occupational personality questionnaire then received a further email this morning asking me along to the 2nd stage so all in all, 6/7 working days. That doesn't mean its the same for everyone though...I'm sure they have plenty of people to work through.

You still not heard anything mixmastermike?

You can't prep for the next questionnaire either! When did you have your stage 1?