Any New Hires at Atlas Air?

[Dornier 335]

Cliff, sorry to hear about your Atlas experience. I felt the same time when I didn't get the gig with EK three years ago. I had also spend a lot of money and time. One thing I have learned is that persistence pays off. Reapply until you get the job, even if it takes lots of time. If Atlas is your dream job, don't let yourself down by some HR idiot.

Looking at your flight experience, you should be better off than me, since the 145 @ Hulasair was the biggest airplane I ever flew. At least it gets you into the door @ some flight departments more easily where people like propsarebest work.

Best of luck!

3 3 5

 

[Whistlin' Dan]

All this talk of more hires for Atlas is depressing. I am almost always positive and upbeat, but the Atlas thing was hard to take. It took me a lot of years, time, and effort to get qualified for, and invited to the Atlas interview. I spent a TON of money and effort getting to the interview.

It seemed to me that, for whatever reason, the guy leading my panel interview was dead set against me coming to Atlas. Why, I have no idea! I did the best I could at the interview, but it was not good enough. I am really bummed.

Don't be! I'm sure you know how this game is played...too many well-qualified applicants looking for too few decent jobs. I'd be willing to bet that everybody at that interview was "good enough" to work for Atlas. The problem is that for each position they have to offer, they probably have 100+ qualified applicants, 20 or more well-qualified applicants, of which 10 make it to the phone-screen and maybe 5 to the interview.

By the time it gets to the interview, who they hire has very little to do with the quality of the applicant and more to do with how the interview panel was feeling at that very minute. The fact that you even got that far into the process should reassure you that you'll be in centention for whatever jobs do become available in the near future.

What's tough is getting the butt-jab when there aren't many other carriers hiring. If you'd had to sandwich your Atlas interview between pending UPS and FedEx interviews and before forthcoming Southwest and DAL/CAL interviews, you probably wouldn't care that you didn't get an offer from Atlas. In fact, if any of the companies I mentioned were hiring, it would probably come at the expense of carriers like Atlas, who would be forced to hire their replacements. Who knows? You might have been the very next one they were going to call.

Like I said, I'm sure you already know these things, but it doesn't hurt to be reminded of them, especially after an interview doesn't end the way you'd hoped.

For all you guys getting interviews, and waiting to hear, good luck! I think Atlas is one of the very best aviation jobs out there, and I would have been set for life. Too bad for me! I am picking up the pieces, and working again to get an interview at a career company.

At this exact moment, yes, Atlas would be a decent company to work for. But I no longer consider ANY airline a "set-for-life" company, not even FedEx, UPS, or SW. In fact, the mere fact that a company is even considered to be a "set-for-life" company seems to foretell it's demise. Remember Pan Am, TWA, Eastern, Braniff, Seaboard, Continental (pre-Lorenzo), and a bunch of others?

"Set-for-life?" In dog-years, maybe.

 

[johnsonrod]

You have to be persistent. I am a firm believer that when one door closes, another opens. You have to have an open mind and keep moving forward. Use the Atlas experience as a motivator - you at least got an interview with many high-timed pilots (many of us did not).

Good luck!

 

[Dornier 335]

One thing I'd like to add to the post made by johnsonrod is to not make the mistake I made and get consumed by negative energy. Maybe right now is not the time, maybe it is next year.

 

[atpcliff]

Hi!

Yeah, I know that getting the interview is a big deal. Lots of guys have not gotten an interview at a major, ever. This is weird: I have had an interview at DAL and Atlas, I got rejected via email by Compass, and I had to get my friend to help me barely get an interview at Colgan. That's what times are like these days!

I am flying a DC-9-34F in Togo now, and they may send me to an MD-83 PAX setup in France in a couple of months...I am glad to be flying and earning money for the family, that's for sure!

Thanks all for the inspiration....God bless!

cliff
LFW

 

[metrodriver]

Cliff, no more Kenya?

 

[atpcliff]

Hi!

The ACMI co. I work for has one plane in Nairobi and one in Lome. The NBO plane is moving to Dar-es-Salaam, a 3rd plane is being added in Lome, and a 4th aircraft is scheduled to start PAX service in Europe soon, and they move me there...I thought I was going to be here in Togo for about 6 months...

The Lome op was getting Southern service from Europe, and now has added EK belly freight. When the EK freight picks up enough, an Atlas/EK 747 will be used for the freight from DXB to Lome/Lagos...we pick up inbound freight in both places and take it all over West Africa.

cliff
LFW

 

[Whistlin' Dan]

This is weird: I have had an interview at DAL and Atlas, I got rejected via email by Compass, and I had to get my friend to help me barely get an interview at Colgan. That's what times are like these days!

I'm curious, have you ever used any of the "Airline Interview" preparation services? If not, I would highly recommend one. They won't add to your technical knowledge or impart character or personality to an otherwise vapid candidate, but they're pretty good at tuning guys up for the interview. Try to find somebody who's had recent experience in the airline selection/hiring environment, preferably at the company with whom you're interviewing. Also look for one who does post-interview follow-ups. In the event you get the job, you add to their knowledge base. If you don't, they may be able to tell you why.

It'll be the best couple-hundred bucks you'll ever spend.

 

[atpcliff]

Hi!

I have not. My buddy was hiring guy at Piedmont?...one of the WOs, and he helped me with my resume, interview stuff, etc. Have thought about doing the pro-assistance thing!
Thanx for the suggestion!
cliff
LFW