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Gouge site posting common sense

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AlbieF15

F15 Ret/FDX/InterviewPrep
Joined
Nov 25, 2001
Posts
1,764
Pirep from a guy said a new hire got pulled out of a training event and grilled about info he (allegedly) posted on a will fly for food type site.

Trip reports have been around a long time, and for years became squadron (military) or company (regionals) read file folders. The internet has taken something that used to be close hold and shared it with many other readers.
I for one appreciated all the help I got getting ready back in 2001 when I finally had my big chance.

However, if you feel compelled to pass on your experiences you need to realize that some of the readers of those sites just might not be aspiring airline hopefuls, but rather someone else taking a very close look with a slightly different agenda. So...if you say you interviewed on X date with 3 military and 3 civilians, had 2500 hours PIC turbine (mostly fighter) etc etc it ain't too darn hard to figure out who you might be. If you mention a question only one interview asked that day then you are very easy to ID. Many airlines require you to sign a non-disclosure agreement, and violating this, especially while on probation, and especially if your company is in the middle of contract negotiations, might not be the smartest decision you ever made. This, by the way, doesn't apply to just one company. Southwest has in the past put a lot of pressure on some of their crews who were coaching or helping folks get ready for interviews.

It is exactly this reason that many coaches don't tell you WHAT to say to a specific question, but rather try to teach you to effectively think and communicate in a high pressure situation. If all you want to know is what are typical JetBlue, FedEx, Continental, etc questions than you can go find those on various sites. I know its a stretch to compare, but if you have ever watched a beauty pageant when someone sticks a mic in a gal's face for an on-stage question, you likely have seen gal's both shine and bomb. What is the difference? NONE of these gals knew the exact question they would be asked, but the successful ones had already given a lot of thought to how they might answer questions on a variety of issues. Then they practiced, and practiced, and practiced.

Gouge is good, but the rule is live by the gouge, die by the gouge. A new corollary should also be "...don't stick your name all over the gouge you post..."

A few weeks back I made a point when someone suggested a "private" forum for pilots that nothing on the internet is truely "private". Be a good bro and help your buddies, but don't shoot your own foot off in the process.

Chase....any thoughts or additions?
 
SHACK!! Albie, sage advice as always. I heard this same story last week but with an added attention-getting word that they were trying to send this fella packing.

An old boss of my told me to never put anything in an e-mail that you wouldn't want to see on the front page of the Washington Post. The same could apply, as you have plainly stated, to putting anything on the internet or any other electronic media. Big brother is watching!!!
 
Ok boys and girls, here's how you beat management's game at figuring out who you were after posting gouge.....

So you interviewed with 3 civies and 3 military? Lie. Say it was all civies.

So you had 3500TT when you interviewed? Say you had 5000.

etc etc etc.....

My point is, nobody cares how much time you had or how many people you interviewed with. Think for a minute before you post and you're gold.
 
Albie - good advice.
I can't NOT try to hook my brethren up though..heck I might be bugging yall for Fed Ex gouge soon.
 
AlbieF15 said:
However, if you feel compelled to pass on your experiences you need to realize that some of the readers of those sites just might not be aspiring airline hopefuls, but rather someone else taking a very close look with a slightly different agenda.
I submit that no matter how well-intentioned the showing of those sites to one of those "non-airline" hopefuls was when a certain interview prep specialist was the grillee, the grilling that new hire took might never have happened. Meant to be or not, it was a Buddyf--- move.
That said, duhhh, if someone isn't bright enough to make their trip reports generic, then it's hard to feel very sorry for them when they burn for one.
 
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...that's me...the classic buddy f'er. :rolleyes: Just ask anyone. Ask the SWA prep guys...management has been rolling in on those for years. Dean Melonas is also a Flight info regular lurker. The news is old. The putting specific info down on the profile was the error here.
 
AlbieF15 said:
...that's me...the classic buddy f'er. :rolleyes: Just ask anyone. Ask the SWA prep guys...management has been rolling in on those for years. Dean Melonas is also a Flight info regular lurker. The news is old. The putting specific info down on the profile was the error here.
I don't think anyone would argue the value of your product...just ask anyone here. My gut just says there were two mistakes made here. Showing that site to your CP could not have possibly helped anyone. I could be wrong.
 
Hugh Jorgan said:
I don't think anyone would argue the value of your product...just ask anyone here. My gut just says there were two mistakes made here. Showing that site to your CP could not have possibly helped anyone. I could be wrong.

Wow 2756 Post....You sure talk alot, but have yet to say anything!

blah blah blah
 
I'm sorry but it is a truly sad day when a company "lurks" on a website......comes to the conclusion that they "think" they know who you are and grill you about it. Truly sad.
 
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capt. megadeth said:
I'm sorry but it is a truly sad day when a company "lurks" on a website......comes to the conclusion that they "think" they know who you are and grill you about it. Truly sad.

It truly is sad when a company lurks on websites. I can guarantee you that it happens all the time. We had management types on the AFA website, that was supposed to be secure, use ex-FA employee numbers to sign up and find out what people were complaining about. Then they would use the info against the people if they could figure out which person it was in the workgroup.

I agree with Albie - use common sense. When I encounter pilots that have not heard of flightinfo.com (I know, hard to believe! :D ), the FIRST thing I tell them is NOT to use their real name as a screenname. I also tell them to be careful what they post, as they could be identified. The same thing goes for discussing when your interview was, what your "opinion" was of the interview, etc., on here.

I agree with Albie also that it is NOT the particular question they ask, but your skill in answering the question. It takes practice and being able to view the question and answer from all perspectives.

I am working with a VP of a Biomedical company this week on his interviewing skills. He asked me to send him "typical" questions that he would be asked prior to our session. I declined to do this, explaining that he would not get the same questions as I would ask, and he needed to be able to think on his feet. I did provide him with general guidelines of "topics" they would ask. Trust me folks, no matter what industry, the questions are generally the same! :)

The point is this - to interview well, you must get into the mind of the interviewer. You need to look at your answers and evaluate how they will be viewed by the party (or parties) across the table. Sometimes it is hard to be objective about your answers. In addition, having a family member grill you may not be the best approach. They may not want to hurt your feelings, get you mad with their criticism, or have no clue what to look for in the answers you give.

In the first 15-30 seconds of meeting you, the interviewer makes the justification in their mind whether they want to hire you or not. They spend the next 20-60 minutes justifying their first impression - either way. Be on your game, do your homework, develop your stories to work with several scenarios, and write them down, not to recite them, but to get your chronology correct.

Kathy
 

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