FedEx rejection letter

[SWA/FO]

FedEx didn't like me either. I made it through the two day process, also. I was bummed out too but soon another door opened. Looking back I'm glad the way things worked out. You will be too... maybe that includes getting on with them down the road or maybe a career at UPS is in your future? (was your interview suit brown?)

 

[westward]

I've been through the same bunch of goofy interviews everyone else has experienced and I still don't get it. It seems to me that if one airline had found the magic formula to get 100% best pilots/employees, the secret would get out and all the others would hire using the same method. Yet, that doesn't happen and you wind up with the standard mix.
5% that never get the word,
90% that just come to work and do a good job
and 5% who are astronauts.
Sure the balance may vary one or two points, but it seems to be fairly accurate.

So then why all the extra drama at the interviews? HR protecting their turf? Management showing how much they know? Explain it to me, please.

My last interview was a quick interview (CP, senior pilot and HR) with no sim, no test, no gunk. It's not the greatest job, but guess what? Here's the break down on the pilot group: About 5% never seem to get it, 90% just show up and...

 

[jumppilot]

Westward,


I've never heard it put like that (ratio formula) but that is a pretty good thing you came up with.

 

[mar]

Not to get too far off topic, but...

It seems to me that if one airline had found the magic formula to get 100% best pilots/employees, the secret would get out and all the others would hire using the same method.

See, here's the problem: The airlines (gross over-generalization, I admit) aren't looking for the "best" pilots. It ain't Top Gun. It's just an airline that operates highly automated equipment. What most hiring boards are looking for is someone that they feel they can spend a week with and not want to rip their lungs out after the very first leg. Not only that, but they'd like to have a warm fuzzy feeling that someone won't take their very expensive training and immediately bolt to the next airline...

...but there's not a lot of hiring right now so it's super-competitve and recommendations from the check-airmen alone are probably enough to fill classes for the next year...

...thus, they need to utilize those "goofy" (and I agree for the most part) interview games to help thin the herd.

And then there are the psychologists who have gotten themselves a fine salary studying monkies--er--I mean, pilots, and developing really dumb tests to predict how one will succeed in their very 'unique' training environment.

Well. What are we left with? Absurd hypotheticals, unrealistic sim profiles, crazy little written tests and blue suits with red ties.

Whatever. The bottom line is that past performance predicts future behavior. That, and a variation on the sentiment that if you want to show me who you are, then show me your friends.

Press on.

 

[P3tarbaby]

Sluggo,

I think sometimes there is no rhyme or reason...I had and offer form NWA (pre 9/11) and got hired by Fedex, but was turned down by Alaska and ATA... I thought all the interviews went well but you never really know. Just keep plugging...two of the eight in my new hire class were hired second time around and interviewed the first time withing the last 3 years. Good luck.

 

[CWI]

Kalitta Air Needs U!

Kalitta Air flies around the world around the clock. B747-100/200.

Four more classes are planned this year with 12 FO's per class.

Send resumes to the CP and do a search in the Cargo Forum for more info.

17 days per month usually in a row and the layovers aren't bad ANC, EHAM. HKG, HNL, LAX, KWI, BRU to name a few.

It's not a FedEx, UPS, or a SWA, but it sure beats unemployment!

Good Luck!