Railroad Worker Interview Questions & Answers
A railroad worker in railroad occupations ensures that passenger and freight trains safely run on time. They may drive trains, coordinate the activities of the trains, or operate signals and switches in the rail yard.
Examples of railroad worker positions are railroad conductors, railroad operators, locomotive engineers, locomotive operators, and train conductors.
Interviewers look for candidates that demonstrate excellent skills such as:
- Communication skills
- Customer-service skills
- Leadership skills
- Decision-making skills
- Mechanical skills
- Visual ability
- Hand-eye coordination
- Hearing ability
- Physical strength
In this blog, we discuss commonly asked interview questions during job interviews for Railroad Worker positions. We also discuss the qualities that interviewers look for in successful candidates. In other words, we’re here to help you out!
Also, read more about frequently asked job interview questions here and check our job interview preparation checklist.
Skills Interviewers Look For In Successful Candidates
Below we discuss the skills you can highlight in your answers to demonstrate that you’re qualified for the job.
Communication skills
Why interviewers are interested in your communication skills:
All rail employees have to be able to communicate effectively with other crew members and passengers to keep the trains on schedule.
Learn more about communication interview questions and how to answer them!
Customer-service skills
Why interviewers are interested in your customer-service skills:
Conductors on passenger trains ensure customers’ comfort, make announcements, and answer any travel questions a passenger has. They must be courteous and patient. They may have to deal with unruly or upset passengers.
Learn more about customer-service interview questions and how to answer them!
Decision-making skills
Why interviewers are interested in your decision-making skills:
When operating a locomotive, engineers must plan ahead and make decisions minutes or even hours in advance.
Hand-eye coordination
Why interviewers are interested in your hand-eye coordination:
Locomotive engineers have to operate various controls while staying aware of their surroundings.
Hearing ability
Why interviewers are interested in your hearing ability:
To show that they can hear warning signals and communicate with other employees, locomotive engineers have to pass a hearing test conducted by their rail company.
Leadership skills
Why interviewers are interested in your leadership skills:
On some trains, a conductor directs a crew. In rail yards, yardmasters oversee other workers.
Learn more about leadership interview questions and how to answer them!
Mechanical skills
Why interviewers are interested in your mechanical skills:
All rail employees work with complex machines. Most have to be able to adjust equipment when it does not work properly. Some rail yard engineers spend most of their time fixing broken equipment or conducting daily mechanical inspections.
Physical strength
Why interviewers are interested in your physical strength:
Some rail yard engineers have to lift heavy equipment.
Visual ability
Why interviewers are interested in your visual ability:
To drive a train, locomotive engineers have to pass a vision test conducted by their rail company. Eyesight, peripheral vision, and color vision may be tested.
In addition, locomotive operators must be at least 21 years of age and pass a background test. They must also pass random drug and alcohol screenings over the course of their employment.
(source: bls.gov)
(Conductor & Operator) Job Interview Questions & Answers
During a job interview, the hiring manager wants to discuss several things. Think of your:
- Employment history
- Skills and abilities
- Accomplishments
- Job qualifications
- Educational background
- Career goals
- Personality
Below you find a list of commonly asked interview questions.
Examples Of General (Conductor & Operator) Interview Questions
- Tell me about yourself.
- How would you describe yourself?
- Why do you want to work here?
- What interests you about this position?
- Walk me through your resume.
- What motivates you?
- Why are you leaving your current job?
- Describe your work ethic.
- What is your greatest strength?
- How does your experience qualify you for this job?
- What is your greatest weakness?
- Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
- Tell me about a challenging work situation and how you overcame it.
- What are your expectations for this position?
- What are your career goals?
- Why should we hire you?
- What did you like most about your last position?
- What did you like least about your last position?
- How do you handle stress?
- What is your greatest accomplishment?
Learn how to answer these common job interview questions!
Examples Of Specific (Conductor & Operator) Behavioral Interview Questions
Learn more about answering behavioral interview questions by using the STAR interview technique.
- How do you ensure effective and efficient communication in your work? Can you give me an example?
- Describe a time you thought outside the box to solve a problem at work.
- How would you define excellent customer service? Can you give me an example?
- What is the most challenging situation you have faced in your career? How did you deal with the situation?
- Describe a time you had to deal with an emergency. What happened. What actions did you take?
- Tell me what you find most rewarding about your work.
- What is your approach to handling difficult passengers? Can you give me an example?
- How do you handle stressful situations? Can you give me an example?
- Give me an example of how you ensure safety by following health and safety protocols.
Learn more about questions to ask the interviewer during your job interview.