How to turn down interview but not burn bridge?

[LearLove]

Back in Feb I got a call to interview with Xpress Jet but I kindly turned it down (wanted to see what the PDT merger would bring also thought the merger would have happened faster back then).

Today out of nowhere Xjet calls again and leaves a message to sked an interview.

I still want to see what the PDT and MDA options holds, so how do I turn Xjet again? Its not that i don't want to work for Xjet I do and the company fits I just want to ride the U thing out.

So my question is how do I turn them down but still retain a good repor so that I may have the chance to interview in the future if things don't work out in the U system?

Any suggestions? I don't want to burn any bridges.

Thanks

 

[mooser]

Back in Feb I got a call to interview with Xpress Jet but I kindly turned it down (wanted to see what the PDT merger would bring also thought the merger would have happened faster back then).

Today out of nowhere Xjet calls again and leaves a message to sked an interview.

I still want to see what the PDT and MDA options holds, so how do I turn Xjet again? Its not that i don't want to work for Xjet I do and the company fits I just want to ride the U thing out.

So my question is how do I turn them down but still retain a good repor so that I may have the chance to interview in the future if things don't work out in the U system?

Any suggestions? I don't want to burn any bridges.

Thanks

Just don't call back...Wait for them to call you agian.

I have a bud who did this with COEX and then kept calling. Don't know if this will work but I have heard also that Dawn Daniels doesn't like it when you put off your interview date.

 

[COEX-FO]

Why not go on the interview and see how it goes. If you are offered the job, then you could decide if you want to join us and perhaps get a class date set far enough out to enable you to make the decision.

If you are not offered the job, then the problem is solved.

At some point, they are going to stop calling and when you are ready and call for that interview, you just might find they the interview offer has passed.

 

[sleepy]

I just talked to an ASA newhire the other day who left Piedmont after 4 years there. It might be a good time to get out of there.

 

[climbhappy]

i would think that you could get a strategy but no "sure fire" way to keep the "rapport" that you desire.

remember, a low paid office worker is told to call x number of qualified pilots from the qualified pilot stack until she gets it done. some are more friendly than others. i don't think it's a question of you wanting to keep the rapport, i think your hesitant about the inevitable. there's no future for a us air wholly owned pilot. it's just my opinion. As sleepy said, it's time to go. even saw an ASA thread that said they'd run out of qualified pilots and were turning to CFI's again. and the thread said 25% were making it throught the sim eval.

Good Luck!

 

[LJDRVR]

Excellent advice from climbhappy.

I too had a "wait and see mentality" at my previous employer. I almost blew off the XJET interview several times. I felt I was better off waiting for my shot at WN. Well, I went just to get some interview parctive, and an interesting thing happened. I was impressed with everything I saw. I'm talking knock my socks off impressed, and I'm not the kind of person that happens to easily. So, I got invited back to the second interview. I was even more blown away. To make a long story short, I quit my Captain/Director of Safety position, take a HUGE pay cut, and go to class at XJET. Training was world-class, everybody I came into contact with was excellent. (Unlike most operators, their training department has weeded out all the goobers that somehow seem to gravitate to such positions.) IOE starts this afternoon and I couldn't be happier. The culture I've observed thus far is outstanding, and the leadership in flight operations really does appear to have their stuff together.

Food for thought. I really believe this is the place to be right now. Don't have much in the way of ideas about how to prolong the process.

Good Luck Bro. Come fly with us!

Drop me a line if I can help.

 

[Dewey Oxberger]

The big question is, is this where you're going to make your career? You will most certainly spend well over 5 years in the right seat, perhaps closer to 10. Current mgt. proposal is $37.52 6yr. FO, of course we'll vote no if the TA (if we ever get one) is that crappy, but that's what they think your worth. I should finally upgrade after 4 1/2 years this winter and you'll be 1000#s junior to me. If the thought of being an RJ FO until the cows come home doesn't scare you away, then XJT will be a great place after the contract is finished. It all depends on your priorities.

 

[rvsm410]

Burning wood the slow way...

Unfortunately people in the HR departments dont have alot of time for emotion or reasoning to keep calling you, It could be months or never before the call again.

My suggestion to you is to take a long walk somewhere quiet, weigh the pros and cons of where your at, be honest with your self with the best information you have, then ask where do you want to be...I think you already know the answer based on your post, so why take chances at all with this..quit kicking your self for the current situation, cuz you will really hate yourself if the damm breaks at US and the market is saturated with quailified folks, getting that interview may be a whole lot tougher then, especially if the HR people start to recognize your name as the guy that never calls back....they will toss you in the circle file.....

I see this as burning bridges very slowly, step back and make a choice while the making is good! Of course this is just my opinion, I could be wrong....

Col Bill USAF (ret)

 

[Tooslow]

Piedmont?

had two former Piedmont pilots in my class 3 months ago, they said they ran while they could..........

 

[Heavy Set]

Go to the dang interview - you might not even pass. You'll never know unless you give it a chance. I am sure a lot of people would be envious of the opportunity. Check it out!

 

[buckdanny]

If it were me I would go with what the others are saying and go to the interview. You might not know what the future holds for PDT, but if you don't go to the X-jet interview you are 100% sure NOT to have the choice of where to go at all. Just my $0.02.

Buck

 

[Cardinal]

I concur, just go to the interview and see what happens, then the question is answered for ya. LJDRVR apparently saw some things he liked during the interview and is happy as a clam. I had a more negative first impression during the interview, perhaps it showed, and I was given the boot. So be it. In either case the question resolved itself. I went back to my creaky, old, poorly-ventilated Beech and near-term upgrade with considerably more joy and a more positive attitude - it made me realize that I really like where I am.

For the record they seemed quite unimpressed with prior 121 experience, clearly they are looking for a specific type of person - you may or may not be it. On the flight down I talked to a 4 year FO who was quite happy and seemed tickled to upgrade in the next year - he fit the classic XJT profile. I don't. See what happens.

 

[WhiteCloud]

If it were me I would go with what the others are saying and go to the interview. You might not know what the future holds for PDT, but if you don't go to the X-jet interview you are 100% sure NOT to have the choice of where to go at all. Just my $0.02.

Buck

I doubt an HR secretary keeps some kind of do not call list or even remembers who he/she called from one day to the next. Why not just tell them a polite version of the truth. Say..."This is a bad time for me to switch jobs right now but I'm very interested in working with you in the near future. May I call you when I'm able to interview?"