BT OpenReach Engineer position....

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Hi all.

I have just got the sad news that I was not selected for the job of OpenReach engineer. 3 weeks waiting for an answer.

I have broken the news to my wife who's gutted.

We really do not understand the process of selection.

I mean, I have a Cisco CCNA qualification and I also have done digital "ISDN" for Portugal Telecommunications for over a year, so climbing up pools is nothing I haven't done in the past.

The interview lasted about 2 hours and it went, really well, or so I thought.

Many of the situations thrown at me I have covered them from all angles and as the interviewer said it himself when asking if there was something else to add to the situation where he, himself was saying to be honest you have covered all grounds here, at least I can't think of anything else, he'd often say.

I have been in the UK for the past 13 years, have always worked, at the moment in college for my electrician qualification, done quite a few heath and safety courses.

What do these guys want from an individual? I have approached a open reach engineer in the street to ask him for some directions regarding getting a job at BT and his reply was if could get a job with them so could anybody. When I have asked him why would he say that he replied I'm an ex-convict and they have employed me.

Nothing against the man, as hey, we all make mistakes and I am a believer of second chances but how would this make you feel?

Any pointers any?

I was so keen in getting back to a job I love to do not to mention a top up on my current wage of £7k.

I guess I'll have to let my 2 boys down or maybe follow the wife's "British" suggestion to live off benefits as we'd be better off, but this is not me.

My boys first example starts at home, in me, I am their example for life.

Regards,
Albert

 

I'd second Arroryn, give them a call and ask for open and honest feedback because you want to improve in your interviews.

Hopefully you will find one of two things :-

1. You made some mistake or faux pas, which you can learn to correct in future

2. Their hiring process has some in built bias that discounts good candidates


If its number 2, forget about it for now and look for other opportunities. If you are doing everything right another job will come along and it will probably be a better one.

 

Hi Arroryn.

I was available to start within 1 week which is what I have to give my current employer. Regarding wages, no request was made from me as they have a package from 17k to 19K start off.

I already sent them an e-mail requesting feedback about my interview and what possibly went wrong.

The only thing I can think off is my out of date Portuguese ID card and passport. Which to be honest I never need in the UK as I have always relied upon my UK full driving license for ID.

They have flagged my expired ID when I was leaving and I have explained to them that I have always used my drivers license for ID reasons and that my ID card is due to be renewed this September at the local town hall when the Portuguese embassy will visit the local council.

Has this been the cause of this failure? I mean, I have done ISDN in the past, I have strong customer skills, it was even pointed out at the interview that the fact I was bilingual "Portuguese" would benefit BT as there are over 250.000 Portuguese immigrants living in the Norfolk/Suffolk area alone.

I just can't think what went wrong and the more I think the more I believe my wife is right. Hey, I just need to take a look at my next door neighbor who does nothing for a living, can build up sheds from scratch, climb a 7 foot high ladder to do Xmas decorations in the backyard and has BBQ's every weekend in the summer, and never use his cane. But, when he leaves the house, the cane mysteriously appears. Is he the stupid one? NO. I am. We, workers, are the stupid ones and have been taken for a ride for a long time.

Guys, girls, apologies for the rant but I am just letting off some steam as I am just like what do we need to do these days to get a job?

All I care is to set a good example and to lay some basic ground life rules for my two boys and provide for my family.

Thanks for all the advise.

Regards,
Albert

- - - Updated - - -

Thanks dmarsh.

Lets see what their feedback summary regarding my interview is.

I guess there's always something to learn.

Regards,
Albert

 

Don't rely on emails when you want someone to give you the inside track.

Call them up in person and be super nice, see what happens.

 

Hi Albert,

possibly your ID might have been the sole cause. Get that sorted and re-apply?

I have contracted for BT for over a year few years ago, doing only exchange work. At some point I have had an interview for Customer Service Engineer and I was told I would get the job but the position has gone away, this might always happen. I know what I was doing then is now contracted via agency called Kelly's - you could try and get a job with them? Sure it would help. However any agency will want a valid passport.

Dig through cableforum.co.uk for any pointers how to get in.

Kelly's BT Openreach Engineers - Cable Forum

(not read the link but possibly some info there?)

Good luck

 

Hi everyone.

I have got a reply in the end.

It seems it all boiled down to two things.

below is their e-mail back.

Example of problem solving for a customer and how you have done something different in your job to improve.

The interviewing manager felt the two examples did not demonstrate examples that were significantly challenging, although your customer example explained how you assisted a customer he felt this was business as usual activities and was looking for something significantly different to overcome a problem or done something challenging to improve your normal process and how you specifically drove the improvement.





Preparation and knowledge of the role/company and overview.

The interviewing manager noted your knowledge and understanding of Openreach and the role of an engineer was weaker than the interviewing manager would have expected and recommend for future interviews you should do some internet based research about the company so you could quote key business activates or even the share price to demonstrated your research and understanding.



Overall the two scenario didn’t score high enough which meant your total score did not meet the pass balanced against the other candidates on the day.


One thing is puzzling me now is that I have again been called to attend another interview. This time not in Ipswich but near London.

What on earth is going on?

Many thanks for all the pointers everybody.

Thank you.

Albert

P.S: I have alerted the lady for the fact that there has been an interview already of which I was not selected and her reply was that some data on her spreadsheet had been lost and, as I already had an interview, she couldn't offer another one.

- - - Updated - - -

Hi again.

I was thinking, I was utterly genuine on my interview and having seen the feedback, one perhaps should lie through their eyes when asked for problem solving IF there's simply no experience.

This was not my case but clearly the experience was NOT GOOD enough to meet the expected criteria.

I have read online by someone that, if you can climb up a ladder the job is yours. Well clearly not the case.

Surely no one will ever have a job if problem solving is key but say an 18 year old with no experience, has not a chance in hell to get the job.

I guess, this one is to be taken up the chinn and brush up for next interview after 6 months when applying again.

I am utterly upset.

Thanks everyone.

 

Unfortunately its a competitive environment.

People who have more experience or have been 'schooled for interview' by mates who are already in the profession have a natural advantage.

The best thing you can do is try to prepare 'pre-canned' answers to questions that might arise so that you can deliver a convincing answer.

Alongside this you should try and work on IT skills and troubleshooting anyway by getting involved in whatever you can, certification, home networking, volunteering etc.

Eventually you'll get better at answering the questions or get an easier interview and get a job.

In my experience interviewing is a fairly random process with little correlation to the actual job, so try not to worry about it too much.

Trip used to have a book about troubleshooting, or ask around here, or make up a story about how virgin MAC locked your home router and you had to resolve it on your new router by spoofing the old routers MAC address or something.

I expect they are looking for :-

1. obscure problem
2. troubleshooting steps to track down issue
3. resolution

try and build a good story around that.

 

If I remember correctly at BT they are looking for answers in line with SOARA:

SOARA - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

also known as STAR etc. Examples (usually) do not have to be related to job at hand, can be anything that shows how you overcome difficult situations and learn from them etc. Do not read too much into the feedback as employers need means to score candidates especially if they have plenty of good ones.

 

Hi all, I'm new to this. I have an interview in Brentwood on Friday for the openreach engineers job. I come from a construction industry background looking for a change of career. I have no experience in telecoms but I have electrical and engineering experience. I have come on here and other sites to research info on openreach and a bit of interview research too. Sounds like its a hard process!