- Interviews with personnel department representatives, chief pilots and/or a board of pilots.
- Talks with psychologists.
- Up to eight hours of achievement/personality tests.
- Simulator checks graded by computer or a check pilot.
- Extensive physical exam, including stress EKG, blood work, height/weight check.
- A pilot candidate must be both mentally and physically prepared for the interview process.
Attitude is paramount. It can make or break the interview.
Every pilot who is interviewed is qualified for the job. Therefore, you must display a positive attitude to succeed. It helps to remember that you have to deal with the personnel department only to get the job. The rest of your career will be in the environment to which you are accustomed: pilots dealing with pilots.
Furloughed or older applicants have a lower level of enthusiasm than pilots getting their first airline job. The older pilot must get excited in order to be competitive.
Each interviewee must concentrate on selling himself/herself. It will not pay to become preoccupied with what you think the interviewer wants to hear. Instead, you must compete using your achievements and communication skills.
Both mental and physical preparation is important. The more you know about the company you are interviewing with, the more comfortable you will feel during the entire process. There are various methods of gathering information.
The local library will have various publications with financial information (Dun and Bradstreet; Standard & Poor's Register of Corporations, Directors and Executives).
Physical Preparation
Most companies will provide a pilot with transportation to and from the interview, but hotel accommodations are usually at the pilot's own expense. If the pilot is staying overnight, he or she will need to make reservations early. When interviews are being conducted, many hotels near the interview site may be full. During phone conversations with the company or with hotels, the interviewing pilot should ask about hotel locations and transportation to the interview: Many hotels accommodating interviewees will provide transportation to the interview site at no extra charge.
If you have not been provided with transportation, you should make your own arrangements either by plane, train, bus or car. In addition, you can avoid a lot of pain and embarrassment if you:
- Plan your trip carefully.
- Allow extra time for delays and unforeseen emergencies.
- Always have a backup plan.
- Try to travel on the day or night before the interview. You will feel rested and relaxed during the interview if you arrive the night before. If you schedule your flight for the same day as your interview, your flight will have to be a quite early one in order for you to be on time for an afternoon appointment.
- Organize your packing the night before. You should lay out what you plan to wear and all of the materials that you will take with you to the interview.
- Make sure not to pack logbooks and other important documents (college transcripts, birth certificates, etc.) in your suitcase. These should be carried separately. If the suitcase is lost and your logbook(s) is in it, chances are you will not have your logbook for the interview.
- Bring along, without fail, all of your interview paperwork, which includes current copies of your resume, a copy of the employment application, a copy of references, and the interview invitation.
- Get a good night's sleep. If you cannot sleep, you should try only natural remedies to induce sleep. You should avoid any medication, no matter how mild. Sleep aids may make you groggy next morning and affect both your appearance and your performance during the interview. Also, you may be asked to take a physical examination. Any recent drug use will show up in the blood/urine tests.
- Arrive at the interview site at least 15 minutes early. If you are staying at a hotel, you should ask the desk clerk or concierge about departure times to and from the interview site. Also, you should inquire as to how long it will take to get there. Getting to the interview early allows time to relax and freshen up. (Note: An interviewee should use the restroom before the interview only if not scheduled for a physical that requires a urine test.)
- Maintain a conservative appearance. A quick glance at the advertising and promotional brochures of the airlines reveals that they prefer pilots with short hair, sharp-looking clothes, and a slim and trim physique. This does not mean they have not hired or will not hire pilots with none of the above, but it does indicate that in order to improve your chances, you should look as much like their "image" as possible.
- FAPA gives the following advice on grooming: "If you have a moustache, we generally recommend that you neatly shave and groom yourself. From the feedback we have received, the moustache is, at best, neutral. You must remember, most companies still look for a conservative image.
- Dress conservatively. The recommended dress for men is a gray or blue two-piece suit, a white shirt and a conservative tie. You should wear dark socks with black shoes and be sure your shoes are nicely polished.
- For women, we recommend a dress suit for the personnel and pilot board interview, but a pantsuit for the simulator check ride." FAPA recommends that the interviewing pilot read Dress for Success, by John T. Molloy, Warner Books, Inc., 666 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10103.
