AirInc Jan Dallas

[Hugh Jorgan]

Re: AirInc

Ask your friends and squadron mates who have already gotten out and you will make contacts along the way who will help you more than Airinc ever could.

Good point here...sort of. Your contacts from the military are an invaluable resource. Remember all those guys you went to flight school with who went to different communities? You haven't seen them in about 6 years and sort of lost track? Well, I ran into about a dozen of them at the Airinc Convention I attended (that also resulted in an interview I might add). So, this turned out to be quite a fun reunion of sorts and my network expanded a lot. We argue this point just about quarterly before each convention. The naysayers are out there. There's some logic to their point, but how can you justify not doing EVERYTHING you can to get hired? Yeah, keep that money in your checking account just to spite Kit Darby...the phone will ring...really, if you're a good pilot and a good guy you don't need to show your motivation to recruiters...stay home, spend the cash on beer...good luck.

 

[pilotyip]

Thank you YAKS

If you feel that way, you should not attend and you can recommened not to attend for that reason to others. But it is up to the individual to make their own chocie. I am one that says attending once is good idea, and as stated above I wish they would have had these back in 1977. BTW I have hired guys off the floor at the shows. As far a KD goes, he provides a service, if he provides a service, he is entitled to be paid as much as he can take in, the same as anyone in business. It is up to the market to determine if his service is properly priced and of a quality to demand it continued exisitence. The same as any airline, pilot group, etc.

 

[Hugh Jorgan]

Re: Thank you YAKS

BTW I have hired guys off the floor at the shows.

I can't imagine a better testimonial for going out and getting the job versus waiting for the job to come to them.

 

[Squirrely]

I would recommend going once for sure. I also got a lot out of the mil-to-civ transition seminar...but don't bother with the other seminars. I agree, the best part was the flight school buddies whom I had lost touch. There is no better networking tool than your military buddies in the same boat as you.

Huge---I mean Hugh--
I was out at your avitar's name sake last month, sipping a cool one by the beach and admiring the hotties. I should be back in the Spring (doing the USNR thing). PM me your info and I'll drop a line next time...see ya

Squirrely

 

[Steeler Fan]

It worked for me

I went to DFW AirInc last year, and today I'm an AirTran F/O. I knew one pilot at AirTran (who wrote me a letter---THANKS!).

I'm VERY satisfied with the return on my investment!

Another pilot in my new hire class was also there (prior AF)---He knew NOBODY at AirTran, but interviewed same day as me.


I'd spend the money, and drop the resumes if you want to work for ANY of the companies that'll be on hand.

If you're looking to see some old friends down there, they'll probably be wearing a blue suit, white shirt, and a red tie--Should be pretty easy to spot

 

[rangridr]

Just curious to know if anyone has any info on SWA giving a tour of their facilities during the weekend seminar like they have done in the past. Was planning on calling them next week, but if anyone has any info would you mind sharing. Thanks!

 

[Huck]

wearing a blue suit, white shirt, and a red tie

Don't forget - no facial hair, either.

Yeah, I been there before, but I must say - that much conformity in one room made my skin crawl. Half of the interesting, quirky characters I was lucky enough to fly with early in my career would not make it in today's Darby-ized atmosphere.

When we started the brief for the sim ride during my FDX interview, the first thing the guy said was, "Well, it's hot in here, why don't you lose the coats." I was the only one to take mine off. I remembered, later, that Kit said never take your coat off, even when asked to. BTW, I got hired, and 2 of the others didn't....

 

[Falconjet]

AirInc Conference

I concur with Huck. I was offered to lose the jacket at my interviews with two different major airlines, and although I was very reluctant to do so at the first one (based on info from the AirInc conference) I went ahead and did so. Both interviews worked out fine.

I thought that the info provided by the AirInc package was very useful, and sometimes wonder if KD is still providing it or if anybody buys it anymore when I see some of the questions on these threads. A lot of the basic info on the companies is in the big handbook they send you as part of the membership, and although you can piece together a lot of the info from websites, its nice to have the info handy in book form to refer to when you aren't sitting at a computer. A lot of questions asked here could be answered with that handbook.

One big, very helpful hint for those attending a conference:

During the big whirlwind conference with all the airline reps doing their spiels many of the recruiters are out in the main "interview" area setting up their booths and cooling their heels while waiting for the hordes to show up after KD cuts you loose. This is an excellent time to excuse yourself for a bathroom break and never come back. Instead mingle amongst the HR reps before all the other folks arrive. You might get to see several of them in a much less rushed manner before the line to see them goes out the main doors. If nothing else, you can camp near the one company you REALLY want to see and get in near the head of the line. The crowds were so bad at the ATL conf I went to that I didn't get to see all the recruiters I had hoped to because the lines were so long and some had left before I could get through all the lines. Bummer.

Wish I had slipped out of the main room and blown off the spiels and gotten a little more face time. I also felt that the military to airline transition was ok, but certainly not required. Again, most of the info is in the handbook, and they guy just sort of repeated that info. Spend the Fri night drinking beer with all your long lost buds!

Just my 2 cents worth.

FJ

 

[yaks]

If you guys need to pay someone 200 bucks to motivate you then I guess to you it might be worth it. My point is that if you are motivated and willing to put in a little effort, you can get all that Darby offers and more without spending the money. I went to one and came away feeling pretty stupid at spending the money and not learning a thing or meeting anyone for whom I wanted to work. The man asked for opinions and this is mine. The info is out there, the jobs are out there, and if you expend a little effort you will be successful.