UsAirways interview

[skyguy40]

Hey guy's. I have an interview comeing up at the end of the month. I am preparing as I would in the past for an interview. But I want the deck stacked in my favor as much as I can. What are ways you guy's would go about it? I have never went to a interview prep course… are they worth going to or is it a waist of time and money

Thanks

 

[ackattacker]

Hey guy's. I have an interview comeing up at the end of the month. I am preparing as I would in the past for an interview. But I want the deck stacked in my favor as much as I can. What are ways you guy's would go about it? I have never went to a interview prep course… are they worth going to or is it a waist of time and money

Thanks

They probably help but IMHO you can prep yourself for an interview just as well if you have a modicum of motivation, especially if you have a friend who's willing to help you with a mock interview.

Basic method is read the gouges for a list of typical questions, usually "Tell Me About a Time that..." (TMAAT)

Perform a brainstorming session where you write out a list of stories/experiences you have (aviation mostly, but other life experiences may be valid). Then try to cross-reference the stories you have with the questions. So for example one story may be useful for "TMAAT you had a conflict with a co-worker", or "TMAAT that you exercised leadership", or "TMAAT that you went above and beyond for a customer" depending upon how you spin the story.

Have your friend pretend to interview you and throw those questions at you, and give you feedback about your stories and your overall presentation (body language is key).

 

[ERfly]

Hey guy's. I have an interview comeing up at the end of the month. I am preparing as I would in the past for an interview. But I want the deck stacked in my favor as much as I can. What are ways you guy's would go about it? I have never went to a interview prep course… are they worth going to or is it a waist of time and money

Thanks

Mind posting your stats and when you applied/got called, etc? Did you have "View the Directions" on your profile? Congrats and good luck!

 

[The Drizzle]

They probably help but IMHO you can prep yourself for an interview just as well if you have a modicum of motivation, especially if you have a friend who's willing to help you with a mock interview.

Basic method is read the gouges for a list of typical questions, usually "Tell Me About a Time that..." (TMAAT)

Perform a brainstorming session where you write out a list of stories/experiences you have (aviation mostly, but other life experiences may be valid). Then try to cross-reference the stories you have with the questions. So for example one story may be useful for "TMAAT you had a conflict with a co-worker", or "TMAAT that you exercised leadership", or "TMAAT that you went above and beyond for a customer" depending upon how you spin the story.

Have your friend pretend to interview you and throw those questions at you, and give you feedback about your stories and your overall presentation (body language is key).

This is what I did with my wife for 3 days or so. There's some gouge floating around and while I didn't get asked specific questions from that gouge, they certainly helped form narratives in my mind that I could recall.

As for technical stuff, make sure you can read the fine details of a LO chart and give a good look at Caribbean charts.

 

[Whine Lover]

I have been given every job I ever applied for.....Except one.

Here is what I have learned.


Critical points:

> Do NOT - Say the "Eff Word" and "Management" in the same sentence.

> Do NOT - Stare at the 25 year old H.R. Lady's Ta-Ta's while you fumble along through what you think are coherent sentences.

I usually charge for this type of Information....But, not for my F.I. Brethren.




Ya'll be careful out there....

Whine

 

[skyguy40]

Guys that's good stuff. Keep it coming. My company does not use jepp charts so I need to relearn those.
my stats are
8800TT
1400 TPIC
Military...non pilot
4 year degree
Third airline.....furloughed 4 times
49 years old
My app page said "under review" last I checked. Several weeks ago.
Applied second day the window opened in Aug.

 

[Data]

Google 'targeted selection', it's the process they use in the interview. Your TMAAT questions need to come from your experience, not a 'best answer' you found online. This is all about you and your experiences flying. It’s an easy interview because it’s about you and not the typical ATP test.

Structure your answers, and they tell you this in the packet they send you, in a Situation, Action, Result format. I found every question relating to aviation interviewing that was a TMAAT question and then came up with a twitter like recap of the story. When I first started my stories were long meandering sentences and had no real structure or theme. But when I organized them into a situation, action and result and then reduced them to something I could study and remember, it made the stories easier to recall in the interview. It's hard to do but in the process you end up rehearsing each scenario and making the story more compact and oriented towards what they're looking for. I went one step further and tried to reduce each story down to 2 minutes (and practiced with my wife). It’s not necessary but it really helps your reduce the story down to the point. And when you’re done talking, stop talking!

What are they looking for in the questions? Who knows, that's a behind the scenes part of targeted selection, but they take notes and, if you've read about targeted selection, you'll see that they're scoring each part of your answer based on key words in the situation, action and result part of your story. My father in law used to use targeted selection and he was explaining that the scoring is based on 0-5, with 3, 4 and 5 being passing scores. I gather when they listen to your story they’re listening for key traits, confidence, sound decision making, etc. But the key is to keep it positive and only have a clear reason for telling the story. Some of the scenarios are hard to answer, tell me about a time when you had conflict in the cockpit. 'Oh, he was an as5hole, everybody hated that guy' (that's my John R. story) isn’t going to work.

It’s a low stress environment, I found everyone to be very, very friendly and they really try to put you at ease. And not be corny, but I genuinely liked the interviewers, there were several chief pilots, a line pilot and the HR reps, all great people. The technical stuff is pretty straight forward, MEA, MOCA, Grid Mora, FIR, brief a taxi out at O’hare with a new FO, hot spots etc.

 

[The Drizzle]

^^perfect summation^^

 

[redflyer65]

As above.

Interview prep is worth every penny.

 

[airplane wizard]

I have been given every job I ever applied for.....Except one.

Here is what I have learned.


Critical points:

> Do NOT - Say the "Eff Word" and "Management" in the same sentence.

> Do NOT - Stare at the 25 year old H.R. Lady's Ta-Ta's while you fumble along through what you think are coherent sentences.

I usually charge for this type of Information....But, not for my F.I. Brethren.




Ya'll be careful out there....

Whine

But they say to make eye contact though? Now I am confused.

 

[skyguy40]

Thanks guy's. So if I were to go for the interview prep where are some of the places you guy's would reomend? There seems to be quite of few out there.

 

[Mad Dog 80]

skyguy40 did you have "view directions" on your profile? I have that on mine for about 3 weeks but no call yet.

 

[skyguy40]

Mad Dog
My profile has said...and still says "under review". It has never said anything different. Not sure why some say one thing and others say something else.

 

[Mad Dog 80]

skyguy40 my profile also has "under review"

Let me explain:

Go to your US Air app. Open up additional information. Do you have just 3 links there? Or 4?

Everyone has the standard 3 (view job description, update application/view application).

But there is a 4th option..... "view directions."

Some have it, others don't. You should have it since you got an interview. My question is did you have this "view directions" link before you got the interview call?

Thanks, sorry for not explain it better before.

 

[skyguy40]

Mad Dog
Thanks for that. It does say that "view directions". I have not seen that before so not sure how long its been there. After I clicked on it. It says... The interview will take place at the Phoenix airport. What does yours say when you click on view directions?
Sorry don't think I was much help here.

 

[Mad Dog 80]

This is a profile review slot. A Senior Recruiter will be reviewing your informaiton.
Directions:

 

[climbhappy]

think i'd score high if i told them ATT "my young low time chinese FO clicked the AP off over the OM with low ceilings,mdt rain and gusty crosswind at night ( failed to brief this in the decent briefing) and I said "what the Fuk are you doing ?" and took the controls?

 

[zasca]

I have an interview at the end of the month. Never saw the "see directions" last time I checked. Does it stay up or say anything meaningful? They said the detailed email about the flights and such wouldn't come until the day before my travel date. I have another email asking to setup travel to the interview, if you didn't get to do it over the phone.

 

[ElBurro]

VERY important to respond to the TMAAT question with S.A.R.

S - Situation... describe the situation and your position
A - Action... how you responded in that situation
R - Result ... summarize what you learned and how it made you better

In fact, during my interview (several years ago) the interviewers even had a sheet divided into three columns labeled for just those responses. Most questions can be answered with this technique and it keeps the interviewer from trying to dig information out of you, making the whole process easier and less confrontational. Some of the questions I got, and used this technique with, were:

TMAAT
- you disagreed with a company policy.
- you flew with someone you didn't get along with
- you could have tried harder
- you flew into an unfamiliar airport
- you had trouble in training/failed checkride/exam
- you did something you later regretted
- you were accused of something you didn't do
- you made a controversial decision
- you helped change a policy
- you broke a rule/regulation
etc

Be sure to end every question on a positive note. It seemed to me that the emphasis was less on flying skills and experience, but more on personal character and integrity. Your resume/application show you have the experience/ratings/hours to be qualified. Now show us who you are to see if you're a good fit. Good luck. Maybe I'll see you around here

 

[skyguy40]

Elburro
That was great. Just what I was looking for. It was also mentioned before I think to. I have been trying to think about my stories in that way.
Does anyone recall how many TMAAT's they're looking for?