Age discrimination
Indigo said:
That was some interesting reading.
Thanks. Thought that you would find it of interest.
A few years ago I applied to a number of regional airlines. I'm not really a career-changer or a late starter but I have had a very slow career progression. I was also "older" (early 40s). I interviewed and was turned down by one regional which was probably all my fault because I didn't know how to play the interview game. I also received invitations to interview from a few others.
During 1990-1991 I had four interviews, and a cattle call with Express I/NW Airlink (is that Pinnacle now?). I wasn't hired. I might not have interviewed well because I was excited about just getting an interview. I would submit that a large percentage of our readers do not realize how hard it is to get a regional airline interview. I would submit that perhaps I was brought in for an interview in bad faith
because of my age to help them check off an EEOC and ADEA square.
Now, I can hear people say I got interviews and what am I complaining about - that I screwed up the interviews I had. Maybe, although people interview poorly and are still hired. My point is I never heard at all from regionals
where my much-younger colleagues had also applied and were hired. I can hear people say that I should not have disclosed my age and I was stupid to do so. There is no point in not being up-front about your age because it will be found out; moreover, I was counseled that being older would be an advantage because of the maturity factor.
If you come across the same way in an interview that you do in your posts and I was an interviewer for a company who was looking for people to toe the line without question, I would look for someone else.
I appreciate your observation. Much of it is writing style honed by my work in the law office.
My employment history has always shown that I have been loyal to my companies and walked the extra mile for them. I have always "toed the line."
I had interviews for other aviation jobs and was hired. One interview was before a board of consisting of a taciturn ex-AF colonel and his owners, who were United Airlines pilots. This was for a company that did primarily airline training. I interviewed successfully at MAPD, which upgrades instructors to FO positions. That could be considered as a quasi-airline interview. I was always extremely grateful for the interviews I had and said so. I always followed-up with thank-you notes to all people I met. I would have jumped for joy just to have been invited to class.
Looking at your times it seems like you would be able to get a job in charter, corporate or fractionals when hiring picks up.
No. I'm not going back. My life has changed since I gave up ten years ago. I might go back to part-time instructing one day.
Thanks again for reading what I've had to say.