FedEx SBI Interview

[goflyme]

Can people that have gone through the SBI phase at FedEx please post some examples of the situations they were presented with?

Thanks

 

[Goose17]

not important

The situations themselves are not important, but rather how you handle yourself. There are many situations, and there is no "right answer or solution". What the interviewers are looking for is how you interact with your crewmembers. Solicit their help, cut them off if needed, listen, but be directive. When it is all said and done, you must be able to recognize what went well and what could have gone better.

Goose17

 

[donger]

This is a couple years old. Goose is right on about the purpose of the SBI. Its focus is how you make your decision not what that decision is. There really are no good choices.


SBI- My scenario was cruising along 35,000 ft when you are contacted by GOC (Global Operations Center). They tell you there has been a bomb threat made against your aircraft with someone who seems to be very knowledgeable with FedEx procedures and security. The bomb is designed to detonate when the altitude goes below 6,000 feet. Your destination is ABQ but the field elevation is 5500. Grand Junction is above 6k, but the weather is not all that great and the distance would put you in gauge error for fuel. The other choice is Solar Acres, which is closer, but weather is right at minimums so there is no room for error, i.e. only one approach so it had better be perfect. The interviewers role-play as your first officer and flight engineer. They have information on their cards that will help you get more information. Bottom line they want to see if you can work with a crew to solve a problem. What they ask for is: make a decision and brief the crew. Those were the only 2 requirements they had. How you do it is up to you, but you only have seven minutes. After the time is up they leave the room and let you write on the white board what you think you did well and what you could improve on. Whole evolution lasts about 30 minutes.

Hope that helps you... Just think CRM

 

[klhoard]

SBI interview. . .

And remember, the most important part of the SBI interview is at the end when they ask you to not tell anyone else the scenario you got. . . .

 

[C-17->Majors]

I agree, about the worst thing you can do is to study past SBIs. It almost bit me in the rear when I got one that sounded very close to one that I heard about. Get a process for working through such problems. I have heard that Ablie does a very good job of helping you through the PIC decision making process that FedEx and others such as SWA are looking for.

The SBI is an important part of the interview process. I spoke with a CRM interviewer the other day about this subject. Some people fail it outright while others cause the decison makers to take an extra hard look at the rest of the process.

Best of luck. The hiring should be picking up soon!!!

 

[AlbieF15]

Couple of warning shots for FDX wannabes....

First--trying to memorize scenarios of any type on an SBI/LOI type interview is worthless. As mentioned by others, the process is the important part. There are likely dozens of scenarios they could throw at you, so trying to "learn" how to handle ONE of them is a setup for failure. I also imagine that asking about something during your interview in the heat of the moment that didn't come from YOUR scenario (but rather the ones you studied) would be both embarrassing and potentially disqualifying.

Second--last week several guys busted out of the sim. Regional pilots (including a LCA) and a gold-wing military type were included in that total.

If you haven't figured it out, most of the folks interviewing right now have gotten some help getting in the door. Yet, once you are there, you still have to EXECUTE. You may be Steve Canyon, but if you haven't done any hand flying lately or have never tried to fly a vertical S in great big jet, you had better invest some time and money getting ready. The fact your uncle/squadron buddy/former chief pilot hooked up up doesn't mean anything when the sim evaluator is taking notes three feet behind you.

My nightmare was driving back early from my interview after busting a sim. Fortunately, it didn't happen to me, but some of the guys its happened to lately were not slouches and they must have known the sim was coming...and yet they didn't get it done. Who knows how many other guys will get a shot before they get another one?

Not trying to be glum--just warning you to take the flying part VERY seriously. You won't get the chance to bumble through your interview or SBI on day 2 if you can't fly the sim on day 1.

Good luck.

 

[PurpleTail]

Prep

If you want to prep for the SBI review some CRM articles or buy a video on developing CRM skills. That way, no matter what scenerio you are given, you will be prepared to analyze the situation and make the best decision. Again, there really isn't any one right course of action, it is how you work your way through it...Recognize the problem, gather as much info as possible from all sourses, devise a plan and exucute it. They want to see that you can make a decision.

Even if the outcome is not good if you can logically explain your course of action and justify it (safety first, move the freight) you will pass the SBI phase.

Once you get the interview you are hired...the job is only yours to LOSE so be prepared and most of all...be yourself.

Good luck.

 

[Kav]

SBI and Interview prep...

I used AlbieF15's FedEx interview prep services a couple of years ago. His info/advice for the SBI interview portion was very helpful, as well as for all other aspects of the interview. Well worth the money.

He's in this message thread above. Send him a private message... I'm sure he'll be happy to explain what he has to offer.

Regards,

Kav