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Alaska ANYONE
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Going2Baja
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fly-n-fish
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This has been on the street for a few days now, in case many of you who would like to fly for Alaska haven't seen it yet. This is pretty much the current scoop right from the horse's mouth. From Rob Spero ...
June 19, 2006
Just wanted to give our Pilot Group an update on the hiring practices, as a few things have changed in the past couple of months. Alaska is in the driver’s seat in regards to hiring right now. Even though many of the carriers are starting to call back furloughed pilots, it is apparent that many will remain off those carriers’ active rolls for a while. Until they have had a chance to recall these pilots, we, along with FedEx and Southwest seem to be the major players in the hiring game right now. This gives us the ability to actively search out the best, most qualified, and interested pilots who show the desire to make Alaska Airlines their future. We, along with the other carriers, have all raised the standards by which a candidate is considered.
All applicants submit their application online. They are then added to the database that we have created to identify those applicants who have the preferred qualifications for consideration. We just recertified the database, and all applicants were sent an email requesting that they validate the data they had previously submitted. Only those who have re-validated are being considered for an interview.
The Chief Pilots office actively reviews all applications. Only those with the highest qualification are being asked to participate in the process. Being the size that Alaska is, we ask only those pilots who have the best chance to be hired to interview. The candidates are chosen with regards to their aviation experience and background, with an eye towards diversity. The strength of our pilot group is that we have a healthy mix of pilots from all sectors of aviation: civilian, military, commuter, corporate, those with Alaska experience, those without, some with prior jet time, others who have slogged their way through the aviation trenches, some with ties to the company, some who just won the lottery. This has always been the strength of what makes this pilot group as versatile, diverse, and professional as it is. We also consider candidates who are members of a diversity group such as Women in Aviation and the Organization of Black Airline Pilots as well as current Horizon pilots. We are looking for the best: both as pilots and as someone who you would be willing to share a four-day trip with for the entire month.
Once the candidate successfully screens, they are invited to Seattle for an initial interview. These are normally held at Flight Ops, and you can tell who the candidates are by the uniform they wear: blue suit, white shirt, and conservative tie. They are the ones waiting nervously on the second floor right outside flight operations. (We are going to move them. Trust me, they’re nervous enough without feeling like they’re on display and having everyone wish them good luck.) The initial board consists of two pilots, both captains, and an employee services representative. This board will delve into their aviation background, educational experience, and technical proficiency to try to get a sense as to who these folks are and how they will fit into our group. They do a very good job in determining who is well prepared for the interview, as well as who presents themselves as being truly interested in working for Alaska. The interview normally takes approximately 1:30 to 2:00 hours to complete.
If successful with the first phase, the candidate is then asked to take an online assessment that is available only within the Company system. These assessments will measure each candidate against a base-line group of current Alaska pilots, looking for adaptability to training, flexibility in their decision making process, their compatibility with the base line group and try to identify their long term goals and perceptions. This information is only used to better gauge each candidate and provides the basis for refinement of questions in the next phase of the process. It is not a pass/fail test.
These candidates are then scheduled for what is being called the ‘Qualified Interview’. Qualified as in the candidates are considered fully qualified to be offered a position with Alaska. The Chief Pilot and a senior Employee Services representative conduct this interview. This portion of the process gives us the ability to get to know the person on a more personal basis: the questions are more geared towards who they are, not what they are. The technical aspect of their abilities has already been looked at. What I’m interested in is the person: how will they fit into our group? Why are they interested in coming to Alaska? What unique abilities will they bring to the party? What has sparked their interest and why have they worked so hard in this industry to get to the point where they are being considered for a position with the Company? How much do they know about our industry, our Airline and our Pilot group, and where we stand today? We’re trying to get a feel about the person as well as the pilot during this process.
If successful with this interview, the candidate’s complete application is then reviewed by a Fleet Captain with an eye towards suitability for training and to identify any potential areas of concern. The completed application packet then is returned to the Chief Pilot’s office. The Chief Pilot makes the final selection and those who are offered a position with Alaska Airlines receive a personal phone call from me congratulating them on successfully completing the application process. Well, most of the time. Successful applicants have recently been offered a position here by their sponsor, via ACARS and a PA by the crew as well as on a napkin handed to them while in-flight from the flight deck when I asked the Captain of the flight to make an offer. Uniqueness counts at times.
Now that you have an idea of the process, here are the preferred qualifications that we are looking for:
Education: 4-year degree required
Total Time: 3000 hours or 1500 hours (high performance military jets)
PIC: 1000 hrs > 12,500 lbs or 750 > 12500 and 2000 SIC or
1500 hrs high performance military jet
Currency: Consideration (if required for determination, simulator evaluation available on recommendation of Chief Pilot)
Many of you have asked about the Silver Bullet program: it is alive and well, just suspended for the time being. We are working through all the previous Silver Bullet recommendations and once we get them to a manageable level, we will bring it back online with some slight modifications. For now, if you have a recommendation you’d like to make, hold on to it until we get ready to reinstate the program.
Numbers so far this year far this year in regards to interviews:
106 applicants invited to the initial interview
66 offers of employment
We’ll have more of a breakdown on the process in the future as we capture the data.
I plan on continuing to interview into the foreseeable future with no end in sight. We are also planning on regional hiring events, with the team going to both Anchorage and Los Angeles. We are looking for the best pilots, as well as the best possible people that will make an excellent match and addition to our pilot group and employee work force. The bottom line will always remain that Alaska Airlines hires the best possible pilot candidates who will be our Captains of the future. I do not hire just Pilots. I hire Captains.
As with all successful programs, this one will remain flexible over the long run. Modifications can be made to required qualifications as well as the interview process. I will keep you up to date on any changes as they are being made.
Fly safe, fly smart.
June 19, 2006
Just wanted to give our Pilot Group an update on the hiring practices, as a few things have changed in the past couple of months. Alaska is in the driver’s seat in regards to hiring right now. Even though many of the carriers are starting to call back furloughed pilots, it is apparent that many will remain off those carriers’ active rolls for a while. Until they have had a chance to recall these pilots, we, along with FedEx and Southwest seem to be the major players in the hiring game right now. This gives us the ability to actively search out the best, most qualified, and interested pilots who show the desire to make Alaska Airlines their future. We, along with the other carriers, have all raised the standards by which a candidate is considered.
All applicants submit their application online. They are then added to the database that we have created to identify those applicants who have the preferred qualifications for consideration. We just recertified the database, and all applicants were sent an email requesting that they validate the data they had previously submitted. Only those who have re-validated are being considered for an interview.
The Chief Pilots office actively reviews all applications. Only those with the highest qualification are being asked to participate in the process. Being the size that Alaska is, we ask only those pilots who have the best chance to be hired to interview. The candidates are chosen with regards to their aviation experience and background, with an eye towards diversity. The strength of our pilot group is that we have a healthy mix of pilots from all sectors of aviation: civilian, military, commuter, corporate, those with Alaska experience, those without, some with prior jet time, others who have slogged their way through the aviation trenches, some with ties to the company, some who just won the lottery. This has always been the strength of what makes this pilot group as versatile, diverse, and professional as it is. We also consider candidates who are members of a diversity group such as Women in Aviation and the Organization of Black Airline Pilots as well as current Horizon pilots. We are looking for the best: both as pilots and as someone who you would be willing to share a four-day trip with for the entire month.
Once the candidate successfully screens, they are invited to Seattle for an initial interview. These are normally held at Flight Ops, and you can tell who the candidates are by the uniform they wear: blue suit, white shirt, and conservative tie. They are the ones waiting nervously on the second floor right outside flight operations. (We are going to move them. Trust me, they’re nervous enough without feeling like they’re on display and having everyone wish them good luck.) The initial board consists of two pilots, both captains, and an employee services representative. This board will delve into their aviation background, educational experience, and technical proficiency to try to get a sense as to who these folks are and how they will fit into our group. They do a very good job in determining who is well prepared for the interview, as well as who presents themselves as being truly interested in working for Alaska. The interview normally takes approximately 1:30 to 2:00 hours to complete.
If successful with the first phase, the candidate is then asked to take an online assessment that is available only within the Company system. These assessments will measure each candidate against a base-line group of current Alaska pilots, looking for adaptability to training, flexibility in their decision making process, their compatibility with the base line group and try to identify their long term goals and perceptions. This information is only used to better gauge each candidate and provides the basis for refinement of questions in the next phase of the process. It is not a pass/fail test.
These candidates are then scheduled for what is being called the ‘Qualified Interview’. Qualified as in the candidates are considered fully qualified to be offered a position with Alaska. The Chief Pilot and a senior Employee Services representative conduct this interview. This portion of the process gives us the ability to get to know the person on a more personal basis: the questions are more geared towards who they are, not what they are. The technical aspect of their abilities has already been looked at. What I’m interested in is the person: how will they fit into our group? Why are they interested in coming to Alaska? What unique abilities will they bring to the party? What has sparked their interest and why have they worked so hard in this industry to get to the point where they are being considered for a position with the Company? How much do they know about our industry, our Airline and our Pilot group, and where we stand today? We’re trying to get a feel about the person as well as the pilot during this process.
If successful with this interview, the candidate’s complete application is then reviewed by a Fleet Captain with an eye towards suitability for training and to identify any potential areas of concern. The completed application packet then is returned to the Chief Pilot’s office. The Chief Pilot makes the final selection and those who are offered a position with Alaska Airlines receive a personal phone call from me congratulating them on successfully completing the application process. Well, most of the time. Successful applicants have recently been offered a position here by their sponsor, via ACARS and a PA by the crew as well as on a napkin handed to them while in-flight from the flight deck when I asked the Captain of the flight to make an offer. Uniqueness counts at times.
Now that you have an idea of the process, here are the preferred qualifications that we are looking for:
Education: 4-year degree required
Total Time: 3000 hours or 1500 hours (high performance military jets)
PIC: 1000 hrs > 12,500 lbs or 750 > 12500 and 2000 SIC or
1500 hrs high performance military jet
Currency: Consideration (if required for determination, simulator evaluation available on recommendation of Chief Pilot)
Many of you have asked about the Silver Bullet program: it is alive and well, just suspended for the time being. We are working through all the previous Silver Bullet recommendations and once we get them to a manageable level, we will bring it back online with some slight modifications. For now, if you have a recommendation you’d like to make, hold on to it until we get ready to reinstate the program.
Numbers so far this year far this year in regards to interviews:
106 applicants invited to the initial interview
66 offers of employment
We’ll have more of a breakdown on the process in the future as we capture the data.
I plan on continuing to interview into the foreseeable future with no end in sight. We are also planning on regional hiring events, with the team going to both Anchorage and Los Angeles. We are looking for the best pilots, as well as the best possible people that will make an excellent match and addition to our pilot group and employee work force. The bottom line will always remain that Alaska Airlines hires the best possible pilot candidates who will be our Captains of the future. I do not hire just Pilots. I hire Captains.
As with all successful programs, this one will remain flexible over the long run. Modifications can be made to required qualifications as well as the interview process. I will keep you up to date on any changes as they are being made.
Fly safe, fly smart.
Ih8AFYesmen
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 24, 2003
- Posts
- 227
Here's what I make of the "new" interview process, IMHO:
They want "yesmen".... the non-militant types, middle of the roaders. They don't want opinionated, strong willed individuals so that you can be manipuated and molded.
So my suggestion, if you want to get hired by Alaska..... tell them what they want to hear and play the game, especially to the HR chick. The company wants to hire pilots who will bend over, take it with a smile, and ask for more. After your probation year is over, which is really no threat, then you can be militant all you want (and rightfully so). The state of euphoria of this pilot group ended last May. Why do you think they've implemented the psych test in the interview process?
They want "yesmen".... the non-militant types, middle of the roaders. They don't want opinionated, strong willed individuals so that you can be manipuated and molded.
So my suggestion, if you want to get hired by Alaska..... tell them what they want to hear and play the game, especially to the HR chick. The company wants to hire pilots who will bend over, take it with a smile, and ask for more. After your probation year is over, which is really no threat, then you can be militant all you want (and rightfully so). The state of euphoria of this pilot group ended last May. Why do you think they've implemented the psych test in the interview process?
Flip Conroy
havin fun
- Joined
- Jul 28, 2002
- Posts
- 116
Ih8AFYesmen said:
And this is different from all the other companies' pilot interview process how? ALL companies want to believe they are hiring "yesmen", non-militant types, middle of the roaders. NO company wants opinonated, strong-willed individuals. ALL companies want to believe they are hiring pilots that can be manipulated and molded into the type of pilots/Captains they want.
Anyone who believes any different is just plain stupid. Alaska is no different in this respect than any other company. I guess the company pilots want to believe that somehow because of this "new" hiring process, no one will apply, they won't be able to stafff the airline and therefore the company will magically retrun things to the "state of euphoria" that existed before last May.
Yeah...good luck with that.
Stearmandriver
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 9, 2003
- Posts
- 249
Well, unfortunately, not so good news for me. I suppose I owe you guys the end to my story:
I did my second interview Friday - not with Spero, but with the Director of Training and an HR Director. Both were very nice and professional, and the interview was almost a repeat of the HR questions from phase 1. I provided all the same answers, and basically I was the same person in both interviews... not sure why that was good enough for phase one, but not phase 2. I'd feel better if there was a question I could point to and say, "ok, that's where I went wrong, I need to work on that." But I really can't figure it out. At the end of the interview, I was told "we know you know people get hired right out of this interview. We can't do that today because the Chief Pilot isn't here, but you'll hear from us next week. I assume you've been sucessful. " Then the call came Wednesday telling me I was eligible to re-apply in a year.
Sigh... back to the drawing board. I was SO looking forward to exploring Alaska, and FINALLY being able to move back to Seattle. Oh well, congratulations to everyone else. I sincerely hope everyone has a great experience at AS... and maybe I'll see you in a year or so! (Let me keep my blind optimism; it's all I have right now...;-) )
And thanks to everyone who has offered advice and encouragement, both on the forum and through PM's and email. I appreciate everything I've been given, and I hope some of what I've provided has been useful to some of you. Best of luck to everyone,
Joe
I did my second interview Friday - not with Spero, but with the Director of Training and an HR Director. Both were very nice and professional, and the interview was almost a repeat of the HR questions from phase 1. I provided all the same answers, and basically I was the same person in both interviews... not sure why that was good enough for phase one, but not phase 2. I'd feel better if there was a question I could point to and say, "ok, that's where I went wrong, I need to work on that." But I really can't figure it out. At the end of the interview, I was told "we know you know people get hired right out of this interview. We can't do that today because the Chief Pilot isn't here, but you'll hear from us next week. I assume you've been sucessful. " Then the call came Wednesday telling me I was eligible to re-apply in a year.
Sigh... back to the drawing board. I was SO looking forward to exploring Alaska, and FINALLY being able to move back to Seattle. Oh well, congratulations to everyone else. I sincerely hope everyone has a great experience at AS... and maybe I'll see you in a year or so! (Let me keep my blind optimism; it's all I have right now...;-) )
And thanks to everyone who has offered advice and encouragement, both on the forum and through PM's and email. I appreciate everything I've been given, and I hope some of what I've provided has been useful to some of you. Best of luck to everyone,
Joe
Last edited:
Wowjack
I love Bro...,but I go RJ
- Joined
- Nov 26, 2001
- Posts
- 148
Stearmandriver, vbmenu_register("postmenu_1039606", true); a year isn't that far away. I hope you told them you'll be back if you really want it. Perseverence will pay off.
kingair1
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jun 19, 2004
- Posts
- 79
Stearmandriver,
That news is always a bummer and hope you can get on very soon. I know others that have wanted to only work for Alaska and get turned down. I thought some of those questions asked were a little tough and didn't know if I made it or not after Phase 2. PM me if you would like. I wish everyone luck in the interview in the future. vbmenu_register("postmenu_1039606", true);
That news is always a bummer and hope you can get on very soon. I know others that have wanted to only work for Alaska and get turned down. I thought some of those questions asked were a little tough and didn't know if I made it or not after Phase 2. PM me if you would like. I wish everyone luck in the interview in the future. vbmenu_register("postmenu_1039606", true);
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