Hey Jetblue Folks

[Stanky]

Hey,

I'm a somewhat high-time guy. I've got about 11,000 hours, most of which is on the DC9 and glass/FMS equipped MD88 aircraft. I flew for Midwest Express for a long time and then made the mistake of jumping ship and going to United. I was furloughed about a year later.

I'm currently flying as a DC9/MD82/MD88 skipper for a nice little non-sched.

My question is, how do I make myself look better for JB? Should I sell everything that I have left and buy a type on the Bus? I will if that's what's required.

I've been applying to JB regularly for about a year and a half. I can't get an interview.

I really like what you guys do. I've been a passenger on JB several times in the last year, and I have to say that I think that you are the wave of the future. I really like the attitude and the atmosphere and would love to play a part in the success of a great airline.

I'm just at a loss as to what I can do to make myself more marketable.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Stank

 

[bravodude]

who do you work for and are they hirring.

 

[banger]

Stanky
Unless you have significant time in the Airbus, a type rating really won't be worth your time and money. Concentrate on raising your PIC time (which is probably already looking good) and continue to update your application often. At the very least once a month. Lastly you should scour all your old aviation buddies and see if you can find a friend who is already a jetBlue pilot. They can write you an online recommendation that can only help your cause. Best of luck! - Banger

 

[Eagleflip]

Stank--

Let me preface this with the caveat that I'm not on the hiring committee, so my thoughts on this are not necessarily exactly what the People department may be thinking. I believe it to be accurate, however.

I do not know why you haven't been called. We have well over 6000 applications on file, all of whom meet JetBlue minimum requirements. Given the current state of the industry, this number is not surprising. However, your overall stats seem quite respectable and competitive, thus I am at a loss to explain why you haven't been looked at.

Buying a Bus type will not help. From what I've heard from the hiring folks, you need Airbus time to make the 320 type worthwhile. Just typing in the jet would indicate only that you'd payed a bunch of money to look competitive. Don't waste your money.

My recommendations? Update your online application routinely and search for three buddies already at JetBlue who can write internal letters of recommendation. Once your name percolates to the top of the computerized "interviewee nomination list," these LORs will make your application stand out. You would then have a better chance for an interview.

Best of luck--honestly--and pm me if you have other questions you don't want out on the board.

 

[Eagleflip]

What Banger said....

He beat me to the punch.

 

[jetblue320]

My recommendations? Update your online application routinely and search for three buddies already at JetBlue who can write internal letters of recommendation. Once your name percolates to the top of the computerized "interviewee nomination list," these LORs will make your application stand out. You would then have a better chance for an interview.

A little correction here: The LOR's are not even looked at until AFTER the interview is sucessfully passed. They aren't even collected until the interview itself, so having them before will not secure you an interview. I think what Eagleflip means was maybe the online comments that a current JB employee can make in your behalf once you have an online application PIN and application number. This can be done by ANY jetBlue employee, pilot or otherwise. Of course, I am sure a pilot that can attest to your flying skills would be better than someone from another department. We try to be fair to all applicants until we have at least met them face to face. The "competitive" edge you hear about is based on your flying experience and hours. That is what gets you to the table, then, after Phase I selection, you pull out all your cards and play them.

Hope this helps.

 

[reepicheep]

I can vouch for the fact that an A320 type won't get you the call; I've also had my app. in for a year and a half. In fact, even my 600 hours of A320 time hasn't helped, most likey due to low PIC time. So I think you're doing the very thing that you need to do which is log jet PIC time. I don't think you should bother with the type rating.

 

[Stanky]

Thanks

I appreciate all of the good opinions. I guess that I'll keep my money for now and just try to figure out who I might know at JB.

Does anyone know of a way to get my hands on a senority list so I could see if there's anyone there that I know?

By the way, I work for Southeast Airlines now. We aren't hiring yet, but all of our furloughed people should be back by October or so. I'm not sure if there is much of a growth plan after that, but there might be.

Thanks again and good luck.

Stank

 

[Hutcha]

I got the call in Jan. with :
5000 TT
2000 PIC
A320 Type with 230 hrs

I don't think that 230 hrs in the bus is what did it for me. It's my thinking that I would not have been called if not for the type.

My 2 cents,
Hutch

 

[bravodude]

yeh but you are mil. i think that helps alot.

 

[reepicheep]

Plus I bet the ratio of PIC time to TT and the recency of PIC time is a factor. A current jet PIC with 5000 TT and 2,000 PIC gets the nod over an F/O with 10,000 TT and 2,000 PIC.

 

[Skank]

Stank, (real close to stealing my name)
I agree. Keep updating. But like JBLU320 says, those LOR's are meaningless as far as getting an interview goes. Many of us here didn't know anyone at Jetblue. Remember that an LOR from a butthead (not that we have any) can cut the other way. So if you go that route, choose carefully. You will be the one to get the job, not your LOR. Updating often is very important.

Good luck!

 

[Hutcha]

An online recommendation can help you get pulled for an interview. Once the computer spits out the names, they go through by hand and pick the ones they want to call in for an interview. I'm told that the computer will spit out as many as 150 names for 75 interview slots. This is where an online rec might help you.

As for the military time getting me called. I do think it helped, but there are guys I know, with the same background, that have more hours than me, and have not been called. Out of these guys, none of them have a 320 type.

Hutch

 

[Skank]

Hutch,
no offense, but Dean has gone to great pains to squash the idea that inhouse LOR's influence the interview selection process. Either he is wrong (I doubt it), or he is purposely misleading us (I doubt it again). Please don't spread that info around unless you are absolutely 100% sure it is correct. Check with Dean if you want.

 

[banger]

Skank
Are you confusing online rec's (which I think Hutcha was reffering to) with LOR which are paper letters delivered after selection for interview?

 

[Skank]

I'm referring to the online LOR. In fact neither online, nor paper LOR's have anything to do with being selected for an interview.

 

[Eagleflip]

Skank, I beg to differ...

See Dean Melonas' email to the pilots on 05/23/03, section 3... I will not post it here because it was originally sent to crewmembers and I will not retransmit it without Dean's approval.

In summary, he specifically states that online LORs can be a factor on who receives an interview. The application, howevever, must surface on its own merit prior to any online commentary being weighed.

Dean may have rescinded this strategy but I haven't heard of it. Sorry to muddy the water, but I believe the distinction is important to those out there with applications in the system.

 

[side stick-n]

Eagleflip is correct. If you apply and know ANYONE at jetBlue that can attest to either your flying ability or even your personality, have them complete an on-line LOR using your app number and pin. This WILL be a factor after the computer selects a group to be "hand picked" from.

 

[j328driver]

Hey Stanky, et. al.

Keep the faith. I've been updating my jetBlue online app almost monthly for over 2 years. I've been faithfully running downstairs after every trip for over 2 years to check my emails. Last Saturday it finally happened. I'm interviewing on Sep 10th.

In the last two years I've been to the Air Inc. DCA job fair to meet Dean and the pilots that they have had there. I've also emailed Dean a couple of times with questions about jetBlue's hiring. I have 5900 TT, 4700 PIC (2800 PIC in the D328Jet) and have flown about 1800 hrs in the past 24 months.

About a month ago I met one of jetBlue's pilots and talked with him for about 30 minutes. I don't know if he ever did an internal online LOR or not, I haven't been able to contact him. I really don't know if that helps, because I too remember Dean saying that nothing "happens" until your name jumps out of the computer.

In any event, keep doing what you're doing and don't get frustrated. It will happen. It seems that some combination active updating, flying alot, networking and patience has helped me.

I'm absolutely thrilled at the opportunity to interview.

By the way, I'm coming up on my 7th anniversary at Skyway.

Here's hoping we can all get Blue!

 

[TurnLeft]

When's the next round?

So for those of us that didn't get the call. When is jetBlue pulling names for the next set of interviews. 4-6 weeks?
(I recall something about upgrade training slowing down the flow of new hires after the September round).