flying qualifications...

[chawbein]

I went ahead and put my package together yesterday. I decided not to use the logo, not very professional. I went to kinko's and put everything on nice paper except my letters of rec (I used origionals) and put it into a presentation portfolio. It is plastic kinda like those soft cover 3-ring binders except with a clear cover and no 3-ring. It has plastic sleeves that are bound together and I put the papers in there. The cover sheet plainly says (just like skyward) "Application Packet for chawbein". It looks good. I took the route of making this package like I would produce a report or presentation for my job. Neat, professional, good information. I just hope I didn't go overboard. Anyways, I'm sending it out today.

Thanks for all the advice, it helped alot.

 

[skyward80]

Sounds like you did just fine. Just to back up what airgator was saying about not worrying about the competition too much... one of the applicants who interviewed on the same day I did was a RJ FO for ACA. I'm just a lowly bugsmasher puke. The closest I've ever gotten to Jet A or turbines is waiting in line for take-off behind all the jets at my airport.

Good luck! Let us know how it goes.
Skyward80

 

[WinstonPilot]

The unit I was selected by shares an airport with a major US airways hub which provided some stiff competition for the FYO4 board. On paper I didn't deserve the slot, hell I haven't even finished college. Some of the things that helped me overcome the odds where showing them that I did something besides lay up in a frat house drunk for the past 3 years. I worked full-time, earned my certificates and ratings, and kept my GPA high. When it comes to the interview, mine was about 30 minutes long. They held the interviews over a 5 day period and I went the first day. Some may argue that is a bad move, but it actually worked out great because it gave me an opportunity to get my thank you letter in the mail and to them before the end of the interviews(later on I was complemented for that by one of the interviewers). Also, I had two difficult questions come up in the interview: would you take a nav slot if not selected for a pilot slot? and what kind of career do you see yourself doing outside the unit?. My answer to the first question was..... " My goal is to be an OFFICER and a PILOT in the Air National Guard. I have invested SO MUCH time, money, and energy into being a pilot, that if that opportunity does not exist right now I would like to be considered later when such an opportunity does exist. In the meantime, I am exploring other avenues of service, but this is my FIRST CHOICE." For the second, one of the board members mention that he was an airline pilot, so I did not hesitate to mention that was what I plan on doing also.
I know this is kind of long but these are some of the important aspects of my interview. BTW this was the only interview I did and I got the unit I wanted.

 

[talondriver]

Re: How about another question...

I was thinking about making a cover page (I'm going to get my package bound) with the squadron logo on the front and some sort of title. Is that gay? I just want it to get noticed and not put in the round file.

We had a dude put a package in with a picture of him in a full-on Thunderbird pose (him sitting in an F-16 with a huge T-bird smile) on the cover. We laughed forever but ended up hiring him. You going that extra mile usually doesn't go un-noticed, gay looking or not.

 

[skyward80]

A thank you note... now, why didn't I think of that?! Awesome idea, man!

Skyward80 (aka: The Uncultured, Ill-Mannered Pig)

 

[talondriver]

Oops! I forgot to mention...the dude with the T-bird smile flew F-16Cs so he had access to a jet.
You could probably jump in a "jet on a stick" or a static at a museum. Good luck trying to jump in a real viper. They're probably all in the frickin' desert or the ROK.