Railroad Forums 

  • BNSF Grudge?

  • General discussion about working in the railroad industry. Industry employers are welcome to post openings here.
General discussion about working in the railroad industry. Industry employers are welcome to post openings here.

Moderator: thebigc

 #1331084  by jbrooks226
 
I have been applying fo BNSF for years. I have been rejected at least 45 times over. I have been turned away most recently 7 times since the new BNSF recruitment site went up. In 2005 I applied for the very first time. I applied in Seattle for Signal Apprentice. I received notice quickly as to the next steps in the process. I drove to Seattle and had an interview, went well. I had a test as well I just do not recall the order in which it all took place. I had a second interview and was told I was being offered a position. I never did any doctors office stuff. Unfortinately something came up in my life which would not allow me to fulfill my obligation to the RR. I contacted the HR department and sated such, I thanked them for their time and apologized. The reason was not a choice I made, it was made for me. I talked with a lady from BNSF and she said when asked if I was flagged "you should'nt still be, that was a long time ago". She also stated that my resume needed to be more in depth, basically not like a normal resume.....just go into detail. I went into detail, my profile is up to date.

My 13 year history is working in the emergency room, on an ambulance and as a volunteer Lt. Firefighter?EMT. Prior to that I was working in the automotive industry installing hoist both surface and subsurface applications. I was a "hydraulic and pneumatic plumber" installing huge tank farms and elaborate air and oil systems. I have operated many different types of machinery, limited but have knowledge of most. Welding, not certified but do it at the house and had to do it fabricating fixtures for oil reels.

I have tons of accolades from the fire service and hospital. I have leadership in my past, mechanical expereicnce, certified Harley Davidson Mechanic. What else do I need to do? Am I really screwed becasue of the 2005 situation? Please give me some advice!
 #1332308  by trishbyrd1
 
As of right now BNSF has hired too many people and the majority of those new hires are furloughed. I don't see BNSF hiring for a very long time. When I hired on there where over 200 job listings for BNSF. Now there are only 32 listings. They have an abundance of employees.
 #1351729  by BR&P
 
Somebody - Einstein maybe? - said the definition of insanity was doing the same thing over and over while expecting different results.

They have rejected you 45 times. They don't want you. Face reality and move on in a different direction.
 #1352361  by Gadfly
 
Yeah....there's something goin' on to which we are not privy. When you ask for a "date" 45 times(???), and the "lady" says NO, its time to find a different lady! :P

Without knowing the true facts, on the surface it seems that applying for the job, being conditionally accepted, THEN backing out was the first step in not being hired. At all! This isn't the first time I've heard of this situation. The railroads seem to "hold a grudge" and mark applicants who apply and then don't seem serious about it. To them it seems you are not really a serious candidate, you *may* not be conscientious AT the job. Besides. they have PLENTY of candidates who ARE falling all over themselves to GET the job, would do almost ANYTHING to have it! In fact, the very fact that you continue to apply so frequently may signal that you are simply playing with them, and would back again if offered a job. If you DO, indeed, want to work for that company, then I would strongly advise that you lay off for awhile, or apply to other rail companies such as UP or NS. It may mean a move out of the area, but if this is what you really want to do, then I would do WHATEVER it took to obtain that job and NEVER, NEVER back out no matter what! Seems to me that if I am applying to a job, it would be a bad thing to apply then back out at the last minute.

The railroad is NOT a "run of the mill" job like so many others. It is like nothing else you will ever do. It has a culture all its own. It is a CAREER and a LIFESTYLE that will change you personally. If you are suited to it, it will become an integral part of who you are, and it is not something one should casually approach, then drop. Because of the railroad's unique approach to its work, its relationship with its employees, it does things like no other. And, yes, they sometimes remember people who, because of a casual attitude, back out of what they see as a commitment.

I, too, had conflicts at the time of my employment with Southern, but I also knew that this was my future path, and no matter what, I was going to pursue it--former job be damned! Turned out to be the best thing that could have happened. I wish you luck! :wink:

Gadfly
 #1379040  by MichaelB86
 
When I read "BNSF Grudge" I thought of something else. Like them not dimming their headlights when you meet them on double track or their conductors not giving you a rollby... :wink:
 #1380276  by slchub
 
Oh. I thought that was the "norm" now. Afraid of the dark (Lights On) and it is much safer to stay in the seat than climb off the ladder and look you over.

HIGHBALL!