Show us your enthusiasm and your personality!
If you wish to apply for the Arriva Graduate Programme in a particular country, you should be able to speak and write the local language fluently. Apart from that, we ask for fluency in English, as you will need it for international events, training modules, networking and in case of any international placements.
Your motivation letter should include a small introduction of yourself, the reasons why you want to join Arriva and the Graduate Programme and why you are a suitable candidate for the programme.
The most common errors tend to be poor grammar, incomplete information and not sticking to the deadlines. Try to avoid making these errors by submitting your application in advance and double-checking everything before sending.
We all have strengths and weaknesses. Quite often your greatest strength also shows an opposite or hidden weakness, e.g. paying attention to detail can sometimes mean it takes you longer to do things; conversely, having a propensity to do things quickly might mean that you miss attention to detail. The important thing is that you have self-awareness, understanding your strengths and weaknesses. Make sure you think about this before the interview!
The level of feedback will depend on what stage of the selection process you have reached. Usually, when applications are not selected to go forward at stages 1, 2 or 3 it is because one of the minimum criteria has not been met. Due to the amount of applications we receive, we are not able to give everyone feedback. If you have reached stages 4 or 5 you will receive the contact details of the person in charge of the selection process to request feedback.
It is preferable that your academic background fits the stream that you are applying for: Operational, Engineering or Functional area. However, it is not necessary that there is a perfect fit. We accept a variety of degrees. You should have successfully completed a Bachelor degree (2:1 in UK), a Master degree or have at least 2 years of very relevant working experience. Your personality and ambition are the most important selection criteria!
Arriva values diversity and welcomes applications from all candidates, however EU legislation dictates that candidates from outside of the EU must produce documentation to support their right to work in the country that they apply to. It is the responsibility of international candidates to ensure that they have the relevant documentation prior to submitting their application.
If you are still studying we recommend you to do an internship at Arriva. If you wish to apply for a job or join the Arriva Graduate Programme after completing your studies, you will then have the advantage of knowing the company and perhaps even having a recommendation from an Arriva manager.
