"121 & 135" - US vs THEM mentality

[zuka]

I've heard this from people on both sides.

The US vs THEM mentality.

"I won't hire someone from an airline becuase then I have to retrain them"
- Anonymous 135 Corporate chief pilot

"I won't hire someone from an airline because they will be gone as soon as the majors pick up hiring again"
- Anonymous 135 Corporate chief pilot

I've heard some 121 guys have a chip in their sholder about 135 Corporate or Fractional guys. I'm not talking 135 cargo, I'm talking 135 corporate or fractional. I think both can be are equally rewarding and challenging in terms of skill required but it seems to be true that there are people on both sides that are biased for some reason. I don't wish to take sides and don't know if the statements above are true, just wondering if anybody else has sensed this type of mentality in the industry. Is it true that going down one road early will make it harder to take the other road later? Sure not everybody is the same and there are exceptions, but what's your experience?

 

[mar]

Here's the deal:

People who do the hiring like to hire people from the same background as themselves.

It cuts down on the "quantity X" factor.

That's why you'll see (saw) lots of military hiring at FedEx and Delta.

Of course there are exceptions.

I knew one chief pilot who claimed he would never hire a career changer.

There is plenty of bias to go around. You just need to build your resume and logbook with the most solid experience you can find and persist, and persist and persist.

Network, network and network.

Eventually you'll find a job that fits you--and vice versa.

Good luck and keep on keepin' on.

 

[pilotyip]

The chip on the shoulder on both sides

I don't think it is the 121 background, as much as it is the individual. I have interviewed some laid off 121 drivers, who gave me the impression during the interview they were doing me a favor by coming in to interview for a DA-20 F/O position. They had a "you owe me something", and they did not get hired. I have interviewed and hired laid off UAL, DAL, NWA pilots, who told me how lucky they felt to have chance to interview with USA Jet. The individual makes the difference.

 

[LearLove]

I agree with both Mar and Yip here.

Your background, work history and contacts get you in the door for the interview and attitude gets you the job.

4+ years ago in an interview I was asked the "why should hire you" question. Part of my answer included my 100% attendance record in the previous 4 years. The interviewer commented that attendance was seldom mentioned in that type of question and that he liked me including that. He aslo mentioned that he could hire 20 Chuck Yeagers today but if non of them could show up on time and they all had bad attitudes then his planes were not going anywhere. Attitude Attitude Attitude.

 

[501261]

"I won't hire someone from an airline becuase then I have to retrain them"
- Anonymous 135 Corporate chief pilot

"I won't hire someone from an airline because they will be gone as soon as the majors pick up hiring again"
- Anonymous 135 Corporate chief pilot

A, what the hell is a "135 Corporate"? There's a big difference between 135 and corporate.

B. I don't think there's a real bias against hiring a 121 guy in the corporate world, with two caveats, 1, I'm scared of the furloughed guy (why didn't you send a resume in when you had a job?), and 2, as YIP mentioned it really depends on the person. In the corporate world there is much more personal interaction than there is in the 121 world. In the 121 world if you fly with an a$$ on a 4 day trip, you make sure you bid around him and never see that guy again, well imagine flying with that same guy for the next 30 years? Having 10,000 hours in type does me no good if everybody hates flying with you.

Sure there's always going to be some people that have "issues" and make themselves feel better by putting everyone else down, but those people end up where they are for a reason.

Me, I just try to be happy. I enjoy watching a LR25 take off as much as I do a 747 and have an equal amount of respect for those crewing both. I know that I have been extremely lucky to have been successful in this industry.

 

[350DRIVER]

People who do the hiring like to hire people from the same background as themselves.

This is pretty much right on the money.

3 5 0

 

[zuka]

A, what the hell is a "135 Corporate"? There's a big difference between 135 and corporate.

You know what I meant.

 

[FN FAL]

Originally Posted by 501261
A, what the hell is a "135 Corporate"? There's a big difference between 135 and corporate.

yea, that does look a little wierd when you mention it.


But anywhoo...we tossed a bunch of airline resumes out over the past few years. Although we hired a few furloughed NWA fo's, the fax machine was ripe with high time airline guys that wanted to get a job flying a, how does "kerosene snorter" say it..."a drag ass caravan".

I think management had to make a choice between who was going to be the happiest and the best fit at the job and that the choice wasn't based on bias against the high time airline pilot guys for whatever reason.

You'd see the same thing happen if you had an M.D. and interviewed at Green Bay Packaging to work on the production floor as a laborer making corrugated boxes.