Kelly's BT Openreach Engineers

[hippopig]

had a call yesterday asking if i could take my own car and they would pay me fuel....if i did my other half would be kind of stranded....so they said would arrange a hire car for me (yay) but rang back after 20 mins asking if i could lift share with a guy coming up from redruth which kind of sucks for him

[albertc30]

Originally Posted by Stevo11

To anyone offered a job with Kellys, I'd say don't let other people's opinions put you off taking a job, especially in this economy. Like one guy said, if these guys were out until 8pm and doing 12 hour days dying on their arses, then there's a problem here. Simple fact is: these engineers couldn't cut it. I'm sorry, but the BT contract is a dream compared to AVC or Fujitsu. I've worked for the latter and that was! a nightmare. 9 or 10 multi room installs a day- TV, BB, and Telco for about 12 quid per job. Then you have to activate the boxes and cards, demo the service, connect the customer's computer to the hub, and on and on.... a total fecking nightmare. I've literally seen engineers with tears in thier eyes when they get thier job sheet for the day.

With BT It's just a single phone line for £25, and you don't even have to touch the modem or mess about with the customer's PC or laptop. So If you can't handle 4 or 5 Telco installs per day with relative ease, then you're in the wrong game. I've worked for Kellys since October, and even though they do mercilessly throw you out there on day one, once you start using your head and refining your self to become self sufficient, you can earn good money working short hours. If I'm not on my way home around 4pm then I've had a really bad day. But some techs just want thier hands held, so they quit when they run in to problems, instead of using initiative.

Typical example: They spend hours at a cab, because the e side isn't there. They waste half a day calling BT coaches because they arn't answering thier phones waiting for a tone to be sent, but never learnt you can put them on your self with a little inside info. Or they waste an hour trying to find a cab, but never think to pester a manager for a cab location pdf file that you can load up on your work phone and have instant cab locations on the fly. Just a couple of examples, but It's stuff like this that really eats into your day.

You are absolutely correct mate.

I have been there in the past.

This was back when I was 23 years old and was self employed for Portugal Telecommunications doing only digital ISDN circuits.

I was once doing this customer and needed to access the cabinet on the street and oh man. I must have drove up and down this road 20 times until I plucked up the courage to ask the person that trained me.

He laughed. Do you know where it was? Behind the stupid bus stop which wasn't there when the cabinet was first installed.

Have had an interview recently with Open Reach but failed to impress.

I would have loved to go back to a field I am passionate about.

---------- Post added at 14:24 ---------- Previous post was at 14:14 ----------

Originally Posted by MrIca

Everyone looking for jobs with Kelly's or Quinns, why not look apply for jobs with Openreach themselves? It's way better!

More interesting, less stress and better paid.

I have and shown them my experience.

Yet I was turned down due to, according to the interviewing manager, weak problem solving skills.

I have worked self employed for portugal Telecom doing digital "ISDN" and everyday I had to do above ground lines due to the area I was covering.

I have also done networking and am a qualified Cisco engineer "CCNA" and again, did not meet their expectations.

So, if i want to get back at telecoms then a third party employer will have to suffice.

---------- Post added at 14:48 ---------- Previous post was at 14:24 ----------

Originally Posted by mines

I have applied for a BT Openreach Engineers job. I was asked to take an online test with SHL, which I aced (i think)! I was told I would hear back within 14 working days, which brings us to tomorrow. Fingers crossed!

Hi mines.

Have you heard from them?

I have had my interview at Ipswich on the 3rd last month and after 3 weeks I was told it was a NO GO due to not accruing enough points on problem solving.

I was gutted as I have done this job before "ISDN" and overhead cable was my day in and out.

Still no job offer for me.

Hope you have had better luck than I had.

Albert

[M80JJB]

Doesn't give first timers/inexperienced applicants much hope or confidence when they are unwilling to take on experienced people like yourself

[albertc30]

Originally Posted by M80JJB

Doesn't give first timers/inexperienced applicants much hope or confidence when they are unwilling to take on experienced people like yourself

My point precisely.

My wife was astounded when she read the e-mail.

Not god at problem solving? Really?

What chances does an 18 year old has and what will he have to say to the question "What is your solving skills?" really?

[calcot]

If Kellys or Quinns worked out for you good luck, but it didn't for me, but with 1600 new engineers comming on board at BTOpenreach what do you think the future holds for Kellys Quinns or even Hays?

[kkenr1]

Possibly means Kell's Quinns or Hays will be even busier

[albertc30]

Originally Posted by calcot

If Kellys or Quinns worked out for you good luck, but it didn't for me, but with 1600 new engineers comming on board at BTOpenreach what do you think the future holds for Kellys Quinns or even Hays?

I can see your point.

Still, they have turned down someone whit experience in the job.

And to say my problem solving wasn't to their expectations well, I have for the past 4 years done nothing but to solve problems out on a busy food factory. Solving problems that could escalate to over £15k each time these problems come to surface.

In fact anyone's opinion may/will vary but I guess the old saying applies here. Had I been related to anyone withing the O R family I would get a job without an interview.

The more I see the more I think people are right.

These days it's not what you know but who you know.

So what would be the other opportunities?

I can't even apply again at open reach until 6 months have gone past.

[calcot]

cant see them being busier when they wont be needed

[kkenr1]

Well the way it works is,they say they are taking on 1600 more engineers but they actually wont the will farm out more work. here is an example Tesco to employ 800 more staff but what they are actually doing is taking on more agency staff

[judgey]

well i had an email regarding my online test, and i FAILED it

[mines]

Originally Posted by judgey

well i had an email regarding my online test, and i FAILED it

When did you take the test?
What did you get on the practice test?
How did you originally think you did on the test?

[judgey]

Originally Posted by mines

When did you take the test?
What did you get on the practice test?
How did you originally think you did on the test?

1. it was about 2/3 weeks ago
2. practice test 5/5,
3. the test was quite hard it was a mechanical test , which i could understand if i was going for a mechanical job , but not telecoms. so i was 50/50 on it.

[thebluenun]

Just received an email to say:

the good news is that you achieved the threshold standard we expect from the assessment, and you have therefore passed the initial stage of our recruitment process. However, I’m afraid competition was extremely fierce in your local area, and we have more candidates than roles available.

We will therefore be inviting people to interview based on their exact scores in the test – and unfortunately, in your location we have other candidates who scored more highly in the test than you. We are sorry that we will therefore not be able to invite you to our first batch of interviews.

I know I did really well at the aptitude test so these guys that are getting interviews must of got 90%+.....oh well

[mines]

Same response here. I know I did well on the aptitude test too.
What area are you in? East Mids here

[thebluenun]

Originally Posted by mines

Same response here. I know I did well on the aptitude test too.
What area are you in? East Mids here

Newcastle Upon Tyne

I'm a bit miffed as the goal posts have been moved slightly:-

If you pass the online assessment test, we will then ask you to attend one of our interview hubs as the final part of our assessment process. If you do not pass the online assessment, we will let you know.