Awesome. If you opened up this thread, then you probably know that a type rating is pretty much required to get an interview call at Southwest.
I read a post about a year ago from Chase - he asked new hire folks at SWA where they were a year ago. I thought about that post many a night and wanted to share my humble thoughts to those who are contemplating the type rating to improve their app or begin to apply at Southwest.
Many folks I knew put in the app (including myself) and thought they would wait for "the call" before they spent money on the type. So why did I get the type last summer instead of just wait for a call that may never come? Well, I didn't want to look back 10yrs from now and wonder "what if" I took a strain and got the type for an opportunity to interview at a class act company like Southwest. The friends I know at SW love their job. But I was doing what others around me were doing and were waiting for the call that odds are wasn't going to come. I have a friend who got the type in the spring of 02. SW wasn't interviewing or hiring at the time or for the forseeable future, but he knew that they would eventually and wanted to be the first to be called. His positive attitude definitely had a great effect on me.
So, I got the type. I was hungry and got lucky. I know many folks (both mil and civ) who paid money for the type and got the interview and subsequent rejection from SWA. I don't know the how or why behind the selection process, but I can honestly say that I would rather have paid the money and had an opportunity than have an attitude about spending my own money to get the type to possibly be told "no thanks."
Easier said than done.
The facts: On our day in December 12 of us interviewed, 4 got hired. Most folks who interviewed on that day had their "A game" and were contagiously enthusiastic. What happened to the other 8? I don't know. I believe everyone had the type. I also learned that a recent interview group had 8 out of 12 hired. These stats tell me only one thing - they're only going to hire folks who they believe will be a good fit for SWA.
Again, I'm an extremely lucky person who (a year and more ago) would spend a few hours on a given weekend and go over various posts to stay informed. Southwest is interviewing and hiring like gangbusters right now. Why? They're growing and are very smart about positioning themselves for the future.
Yes I'm drinking the Koolaid. Believe me, it's still just sinking in. But I'm sending this out because I was reading posts like this before and had discussions with my wife on the decisions that would ultimately affect our future.
Bottom line - Take a chance. Get the type. Get the prep to help you know who you are. I did mine with AlbieF15 (emeraldcoastinterviewconsulting.com) - class act and worth the $$.
Lastly, have a Plan B. I recently talked with a military bro who was getting out in the next couple of months. He had a "hook up" with a friend at one of the cargo companies. While that's an awesome plan, I asked him what if cargo company X doesn't work out - he didn't have another plan. When I asked him what about Jetblue or Airtran or SWA. He said the Jetblue app was too long, Airtran didn't want mil reserve folks and he didn't want to spend the money on the type for SWA. I of course talked with him about the benefits of each company, but the underlying problem with him was attitude. His attitude was "I'm gonna get the job with cargo company X. Well, I hope that works out. But for the rest of the folks who may read this note, please research and have a Plan A-X for the various great airlines that are hiring.
If you've read this note to this point then you have the ability to look into each of the great airlines that are hiring. Many folks may have read the thread title of Getting the Type... and moved on to something more interesting. If you're like me a year ago and are sitting on the fence (or haven't applied to the other various great airlines), hopefully this note will give you more perspective - the same way Chase's note gave me a year ago.
Good luck -it's worth the strain.
Fly safe,
jtb
I read a post about a year ago from Chase - he asked new hire folks at SWA where they were a year ago. I thought about that post many a night and wanted to share my humble thoughts to those who are contemplating the type rating to improve their app or begin to apply at Southwest.
Many folks I knew put in the app (including myself) and thought they would wait for "the call" before they spent money on the type. So why did I get the type last summer instead of just wait for a call that may never come? Well, I didn't want to look back 10yrs from now and wonder "what if" I took a strain and got the type for an opportunity to interview at a class act company like Southwest. The friends I know at SW love their job. But I was doing what others around me were doing and were waiting for the call that odds are wasn't going to come. I have a friend who got the type in the spring of 02. SW wasn't interviewing or hiring at the time or for the forseeable future, but he knew that they would eventually and wanted to be the first to be called. His positive attitude definitely had a great effect on me.
So, I got the type. I was hungry and got lucky. I know many folks (both mil and civ) who paid money for the type and got the interview and subsequent rejection from SWA. I don't know the how or why behind the selection process, but I can honestly say that I would rather have paid the money and had an opportunity than have an attitude about spending my own money to get the type to possibly be told "no thanks."
Easier said than done.
The facts: On our day in December 12 of us interviewed, 4 got hired. Most folks who interviewed on that day had their "A game" and were contagiously enthusiastic. What happened to the other 8? I don't know. I believe everyone had the type. I also learned that a recent interview group had 8 out of 12 hired. These stats tell me only one thing - they're only going to hire folks who they believe will be a good fit for SWA.
Again, I'm an extremely lucky person who (a year and more ago) would spend a few hours on a given weekend and go over various posts to stay informed. Southwest is interviewing and hiring like gangbusters right now. Why? They're growing and are very smart about positioning themselves for the future.
Yes I'm drinking the Koolaid. Believe me, it's still just sinking in. But I'm sending this out because I was reading posts like this before and had discussions with my wife on the decisions that would ultimately affect our future.
Bottom line - Take a chance. Get the type. Get the prep to help you know who you are. I did mine with AlbieF15 (emeraldcoastinterviewconsulting.com) - class act and worth the $$.
Lastly, have a Plan B. I recently talked with a military bro who was getting out in the next couple of months. He had a "hook up" with a friend at one of the cargo companies. While that's an awesome plan, I asked him what if cargo company X doesn't work out - he didn't have another plan. When I asked him what about Jetblue or Airtran or SWA. He said the Jetblue app was too long, Airtran didn't want mil reserve folks and he didn't want to spend the money on the type for SWA. I of course talked with him about the benefits of each company, but the underlying problem with him was attitude. His attitude was "I'm gonna get the job with cargo company X. Well, I hope that works out. But for the rest of the folks who may read this note, please research and have a Plan A-X for the various great airlines that are hiring.
If you've read this note to this point then you have the ability to look into each of the great airlines that are hiring. Many folks may have read the thread title of Getting the Type... and moved on to something more interesting. If you're like me a year ago and are sitting on the fence (or haven't applied to the other various great airlines), hopefully this note will give you more perspective - the same way Chase's note gave me a year ago.
Good luck -it's worth the strain.
Fly safe,
jtb
Last edited:
) 
