Alaska Interview? Just Kidding!

[reepicheep]

Last week I applied for a pilot position using their new online format, today I received an email from Alaska titiled "Interview Invitation" - and it was from inflight services offerering me a F/A interview in LAX next tues! Anyone else get this by mistake?

Would that pilot interviews were this easy to come by!

 

[newguy]

I did the same thing and got the same results. How did you find out that it was for a flight attendant interview. It seems stupid but I was fairly excited about the interview offer and everything seem correct until I saw your thread.

Newguy

 

[reepicheep]

Newguy, the return address to this email at Alaska is to inflight which means inflight services which at most if not all airlines means f/a's. Also, think about it, if you really had an interivew offer from Alaska would they just tell you to show up at a hotel at LAX? To my knowledge Alaska interviews their pilots at SEA only, and you would be invited to an individual interview not a group affair as indicated in this email.

Perhaps an Alaska pilot on the board can clarify; hope I'm wrong but 99% sure I'm right.

 

[CRJ Driver]

Got the same email to.

 

[ATA73Pilot]

Maybe it is just Alaska's unique way of seeing how committed you are to working there. Sort of like SWA's 73 type rating deal.

Instead, if you really want to work for Alaska as a pilot, well...you have to start somewhere and slingin' peanuts and drinks for a year in the back shows how serious you are.

 

[mach none]

Obviously a glitch in the system.

 

[Dignan]

Jeez, I didn't even get offered the FA interview...

Later,
D

 

[PBRstreetgang]

Oh well,
You probably have not completed the required mixology ratings, back to school for you!
PBR
P.S. It could be your recncy of experience or lack thereof, when was the last time you were facedown, in-the-bushes drunk?

 

[Dignan]

Yeah, guess I'll have to re-enroll in my correspondence mixology course. That Night Train is a mean wine...

D

 

[Orionpilot]

Online pilot application process

Does anyone know if the new online pilot application website will
allow LORs to be attached? I recently attended a seminar during which Captain Majer made reference to the online app system and said pilots applying would be able to attach LORs.
Thanks.

 

[AK737FO]

Strange...

I wish I had some valuable info to tell everyone, but this on line app deal has me perplexed.
Silver bullets, pilot referral program, wooden stakes - what ever you want to call it - has always been a big piece of the puzzle to getting interviewed around here.
Paul told the pilot group last year (when hiring stopped), that when hiring resumed "we" would be givin advanced notice and be able to once again bring in our recommendations.
There has been NO word, zero, nadda, zip - about hiring - not even rumors from instructors or check airmen.
So... why the on line app now? Why fill the coffers with thousands of apps - that have no pilot referral? When we do start to hire, I assume we will be given a chance to Silver Bullet our recommendations and help these pilots get there app in - so what happens to the thousands of apps that are going in there now? Bottom of the stack? If they stay true to form, the vast majority of people being called to interview are officially recommended. So why waste the time to open this on line app now? Surely they know that with thousands of good people on the street they wouldn't have trouble getting apps into the system.
I hate to say it... but I think this could just be an on line test to work the bugs out of the system. If you really want to work here, you need to get a referral. I wish I had better news.
Good luck to all.
AK737FO

 

[reepicheep]

Re: Strange...

If they stay true to form, the vast majority of people being called to interview are officially recommended. So why waste the time to open this on line app now? AK737FO

Could it be they plan to some hire folks based on quals. and not on who their buddies are?

 

[av8instyle]

Could it be they plan to some hire folks based on quals. and not on who their buddies are?

right.

 

[AK737FO]

I just can't do it...

Sorry, I just can't let that go...
Here at Alaska Airlines we have a group of highly skilled aviators, who are also good people. Sure you get a bad apple from time to time but any system lets a bad one through the cracks occasionally.
Who is better to choose our pilots? Some HR woman that has never seen the pointy end of a jet? How about a psych test that some burned out hippy made up while on shrooms? Maybe we should just look at total time, whoever has the most wins?
No thanks... I'll keep our system.
The only thing a silver bullet / pilot referral gets you is a phone call - the rest is up to you. The system works, for example : To the best of my knowledge, there is 1 F/O in the ANC base that commutes from out of state. One guy who chooses to live "outside". The rest live in state. How many airlines can put up that kind of stat? The point - people were hired because they fit the mold - they want to be there. You can't get that kind of specific hiring from a HR department or a psych test - you have to recommend your Bro - they man / woman you know wants to be there and get the job done.
If you want to work here, you can find a way to get a bullet. If you are not willing to make friends / connections and get a bullet, then welcome to the bottom of the stack.
AK737FO

 

[dogg]

AK,

How do you fit in the pointy end of a jet with a head as big as yours. Flying a 737-200 is not rocket science and it does not require an astronaut to get the job done. And maybe Alaska is planning on widening there search just a bit. Point is , you dont know any more than anyone else, so lighten up a bit.... Jeez

 

[sf340flyer]

AK 73 Fo , I support you 100%. From the sounds of it everyone is upset because they can't get a siilver bullet. On a side note, I applied last fall, (with a silver bullet and internship), and I wasn't in the "new online" system. Does anyone else have this problem???

 

[whiff]

Off the subject kinda, but..for anyone over at Alaska how long is your reserve callout? thanks

 

[reepicheep]

"If you want to work here, you can find a way to get a bullet. If you are not willing to make friends / connections and get a bullet, then welcome to the bottom of the stack."
AK737FO

I respectfully disagree. Some good people are going to fall through the cracks with your system. FWIW, the guys from my network from the mid 80's all got hired at places like American and United. And, in 16+ years as a US Airways F/O not one captain that I've flown with who could be a potential Silver Bullet has resigned from US Airways and gone to Alaska. And correct me if I'm wrong but the Silver Bullet program is not for someone you met on the jumpseat or who you sort of remember from your last job or who you met at Starbucks at Sea-Tac, it has to be someone who has flown with you and known you over a sustained period of time. Or so my 2 Alaska acquaintances tell me.

No sour grapes here but at least acknowledge that it's a crapshoot. You either know someone there you've flown with or you don't. If Iwas an airline looking to cut costs, I'd probably do the same thing. Why pay dozens of HR people to comb through thousands of resumes when your own pilots can serve this function? There are whispers that this, in reality, is what jetBLue is doing, despite claims to the contrary from some of their pilots. And with their new system it appears Southwest will begin moving in this direction.

And I agree once you're in the door you still have to come up big and sell yourself. But at least you're in the door.

 

[Kool]

sf340flyer-

I also got my application in last fall with a Silver Bullet. What I learned is that the old apps are not automatically entered into the new system and you have to do it yourself. Those in flight ops/HR departments will work behind the scenes to attach the previously completed screening remarks, LOR's, etc.

The one piece of info I just can't seem to squeeze out of my contact is WHEN interviewing will start up again....

 

[mach none]

Our Silver Bullet system works and we will stick with it. That is not to say that some people will get interviews that do not know anyone here.

Your odds of getting the call go up to around 100% with a silver bullet. It took me about 1.5 years for my app. to surface. Once you get the call though, you have to get hired yourself. Lots of guys/gals don't get hired even though they have the silver bullet.
We have the best and most challenging flying anywhere and we need the best pilots. No arrogance, just pride.

Hang in there. This is a new system and like AK737FO stated, they are probably debugging the system right now and getting ready for future hiring. I would image we will see hiring resume late spring sometime.