CP Rail

[Ajay]

Anyone here work for or know anyone that works for CP Rail?

I have a phone interview with them next Thursday and I was just curious to know what the company itself is like. Currently I'm in a sales management trainee position with Pepsi but still keeping my options open. The position I applied for with CP is for a Marketing Trainee position. It's more relevant to my education.

[xxjessmicaxx]

Hey, a friend of mine worked there and hated it. She was a marketing major, and left after a year. Not much room for advancement she thought.

[redbeast]

I personally knew of a guy whose wife worked for them and she was in a management position and she would never leave as she said it was a great job, environment and the benefits are very good. I guess it depends what department you are in. Good luck

[Ajay]

Thanks for the input. Just a phone interview but we'll see what happens I guess. Heard some mixed things from people about the company and advancement but guess we'll see how the first interview goes.

[Euro838]

Good company to work for if you value work/life balance. Pay is decent. Advancement depends on you, if you work hard and do the right things, then you'll move up. Just like any other place, you have to earn your promotion, don't think just because you do your job you'll become a director or higher. They are a multi-billion dollar company that will invest in you if you show then you have potential. There are people there that have been "fast-tracked" to management because they did things right AND did the right things.

If you hang in there and make it to senior management, life will be quite good. But the only word of advice is to stay away from technical IT or positions on the expense side of the balance sheet.

[black_2.5RS]

Company sucks. I happen to know about 10 former CP employees who have gone on to greener pastures and have never looked back. Jobs have been everything from IT to Accounting. If you are in IT - esp. stay away since they have made big changes recently to improve their operating ratio such that it is is more competitive w/ their competitors by trimming (read outsourcing) IT.

[broken_legs]

I know a few people who worked for CP or maybe it was CN

Whats in a single letter anywyas?



So Two guys I know, one is an Engineer and the other is a conductor

They are both lovin it and seem to be doing quite well for themselves.

[eur0]

My gfs dad has been there for 25 years, I would assume he likes his job.

[kvanderlaag]

My dad's been working for CP for a number of years now, they pretty much just outsourced his entire department to India. I will second the 'stay away from IT' comment.

I applied for the rail traffic control position they were hiring for, we'll see if I hear back from them.

[CaptainReboot]

I used to work there in the IT department. Left after a year. Pretty much everybody that worked on the same project as me has left the company.

[Ajay]

Had my phone interview two weeks ago with them. They informed me that I will not be going forward to the next stage and I'm perfectly fine with that.

Initial position was as a CSR having to take calls from people finding out where their product was. You have to stay in that position for a minimum of two years as per company policy even if you know more than your manager and THEN you can move to more of an account management role. With my current job at Pepsi I'm already learning account management skills.

[Euro838]

It would have been the longest 2 years of your life! Basically, coming into to work and being asked the same question for 8 hours a day (I think you can answer about 2-300 calls a day or more, can't remember the stats). If you are a guy though, that's where the young chicks are! LOL! They also totally overdress for their position considering they only answer phones.

I think they use this position to find out who has potential and who's destined to just be a phone monkey! If you don't put in a good effort everyday, they'll never move you. But getting up to go to work everyday to do that job is so dull and boring that two years will feel like twenty!

[xxjessmicaxx]

Originally posted by Ajay
Had my phone interview two weeks ago with them. They informed me that I will not be going forward to the next stage and I'm perfectly fine with that.

Initial position was as a CSR having to take calls from people finding out where their product was. You have to stay in that position for a minimum of two years as per company policy even if you know more than your manager and THEN you can move to more of an account management role. With my current job at Pepsi I'm already learning account management skills.

you're much better off where you are now.. see i told you CP sucks! lol just kidding ;)

[bspot]

Originally posted by xxjessmicaxx
Hey, a friend of mine worked there and hated it. She was a marketing major, and left after a year. Not much room for advancement she thought.

Bingo. That's her problem right there. If you're a female, or an immigrant/visible minority you're screwed. God help you if you are a female visible minority there. They actually got in shit for not having fair hiring practices.



Originally posted by CaptainReboot
I used to work there in the IT department. Left after a year. Pretty much everybody that worked on the same project as me has left the company.

TYES? What a f*ck up that was.

I worked there too and got my ass shipped off to IBM. Lost a promotion and a trip to Australia I had saved my vacation for because of it.

[walperstyle]

buddy of mine worked for them, hated it.

best to work in the patch, unions suck the life out of you and only look after themselves

[trevh]

I work for Pepsi, It's fun!

[trevh]

Ajay, I promise I won't tell anyone about this thread.

[dodgy]

Originally posted by Euro838
It would have been the longest 2 years of your life! Basically, coming into to work and being asked the same question for 8 hours a day (I think you can answer about 2-300 calls a day or more, can't remember the stats). If you are a guy though, that's where the young chicks are! LOL! They also totally overdress for their position considering they only answer phones.

I think they use this position to find out who has potential and who's destined to just be a phone monkey! If you don't put in a good effort everyday, they'll never move you. But getting up to go to work everyday to do that job is so dull and boring that two years will feel like twenty!

These positions come up all the time (turnover must be high!), so what kind of pay to they offer. Hours / benefits etc?

[Graham_A_M]

Originally posted by walperstyle
best to work in the patch,

no its not actually:thumbsup:

job security can be as fickle as you can imagine in certain sectors of the oil patch. I'm glad I'm gone.
The company I was working for went from SCREAMING for people (and shutting down service trucks due to a lack of a crew) to laying 15 people off in the time span of one month. :nut:

[Euro838]

Originally posted by dodgy


These positions come up all the time (turnover must be high!), so what kind of pay to they offer. Hours / benefits etc?

I'd estimate pay is probably $35-40K per year. I think they are on shift work so if you are a newbie you'll get like 6 am - 2pm or 10 am - 6 pm. Once you've been there a while you can get the 8-4 shifts. Benefits are probably like any other employee. i.e. health/dental, etc. I think you may start off with 3-4 weeks of A/V though.