Equipment Operator

[magoo]

This forum is a great tool for doing "due diligence" research of the nuclear industry! It is great that somebody set this up and moderates it. I am impressed by all the contributions members have made to make it a truly remarkable site for anyone wanting to know about the industry.

Here is the real reason I am posting though. I talked with a recruiter by phone and email and I am very excited about the possible opportunity to test and interview for an Equipment Operator position. It has been a month since I was last able to talk with the recruiter and I have left a voice message and email but have not heard back yet. The position is not being filled until September though. I noticed that the job is no longer listed on the company job postings so I am somewhat concerned.

Any suggestions or advice? I am assuming the recruiter is very busy and probably doesn't have testing dates set up yet since the job isn't being filled until September. Why would it not be posted on the job listings anymore though?

[JustinHEMI05]

Keep calling.

Justin

[heavymetal atom]

First off, welcome to nukeworker.  Glad to see an intelligible first post  

What you're saying sounds pretty typical of the hiring process, I wouldn't be too worried yet.  If the positions aren't going to be filled until September it is a little surprising that they've contacted you this early, but there's no reason to be concerned about the listing being removed.  That just means that think they've gotten enough qualified applicants already.  As an example I just got a call yesterday to come in and take the POSS/interview for an AO position which I applied for in late February.  The listing for that one has been offline since mid to late March and the class is supposed to be filled by July 1.  So that gives you a rough estimate of how these timelines can work out.  Thankfully this time I was able to tell them "Thank you but I've already accepted another position."  

In your present situation I would suggest persistence.  Email the recruiter about once a week just to "check in" on the process while displaying your continued interest.  HR reps have a tendency to forget about you if you let them.  If your recruiter hasn't given you test dates yet then ask for them.  Don't be a pest, but do make sure to give them some good reasons to get you in for an interview.  Good luck and keep us posted with regards to your future success.

-Tim      

[magoo]

Thanks for the information and advise Heavymetal Atom and Justin! It is nice to know that I am having the typical start to the interview process. Justin, I think I will call them every week or two like Heavymetal Atom said. I guess it is a good thing I got my name in the hat before the job posting was withdrawn.

Any idea how competitive it is? I know it all starts with the testing. If "X" number of people pass the test what is a typical percentage of these people that get hired? Is the testing pass/fail or do they have a scoring system that helps decide who is hired (I have read opposing stories)? I realize that each company is different but I just thought I could get other peoples experiences.

I have read that the ASVAB books helps prepare for the testing and that some recruiters mail out sample tests as well. I haven't heard much about the BMST test though.

I don't want to put the cart in front of the horse since I haven't even been called in for testing yet. I also don't want to get surprised by a short notification for testing though. Any idea how much advanced notice you get?

I'll keep everyone posted on my progress and hopefully I'll have a successful outcome. Any advise and suggestions are greatly appreciated!