HR questions

[DLconnection]

I am familiar with many of the interview boards out there. Aviationinterviews.com is one of the best tools out there to help prepare for an interview for a particular airline.

The answers to the technical questions are easily answered. If u don't know the answer, with a little research the answers can be found.

I can't seem to find a good site that helps the applicant to answer those HR questions. Those questions are probably just as if not more important than the tech questions.

Does anyone know of a good link that gives suggestions as to how to answer those questions and maybe some of the common responses. I am not looking for answers to memorize. That would make my answers seemed canned. What I want is something to possibly mimic to bring a good delivery to the interview.

 

[hobbsmeter]

My $.02

I believe that the HR type questions are more important than the technical stuff because they are meant to evaluate YOU. So with saying that I think it would be better to formulate your OWN thoughts, ideas and possible answers to HR type questions instead of someone elses answer. Review your possible answers with a friend to get comfortable with the process, but don't change an answer significantly in order to make it sound like what you think they (the interviewers) want to hear. Just be yourself, keep a positive attitude and you'll be fine.

 

[bobbysamd]

Suggested reading

Get Airline Pilot Interviews: How You Can Succeed in Getting Hired by Irv Jasinski, ISBN: 0942195078. Terrific book that demystifies the airline interviewing process. You can find it at www.amazon.com or www.bn.com.

Mr. Jasinski offers an interview prep service that is first class. I used it to prepare for a job and I got the job. www.irvjasinski.com .

Good luck with your interview.

 

[FlyLawyer]

Questions for the Interview Panel

Indeed, both technical and human resources questions are important during the interview. However, just as important, or in many cases more important, are not the questions that the interview panel has for you, but the questions you have for the interview panel.

I have sat on the pilot interview panel and all too often observed that when the pilot was asked "Do you have any questions for us?" many had nothing to ask or they said, "No, you have answered my questions". Needless to say, they didn't get hired, regardless of their performance on the technical or HR type questions. When applicants have questions about a company,it shows a ingenous desire to be a part of the company. It shows that the applicant is concerned about long term committment. Some notable questions that were appreciated by the interview panel I was on include:

1. What would you perceive as being the company's strengths? Weaknessness?

2. How would you characterize the relationship between management and the pilot group at Brand x airlines?

3. What was the incentive for you to want to work at Brand X airlines?

4. Have your professional expectations been met by Brand X Airlines?

5. What do you think are some misconceptions that many pilot applicants have about Brand X airlines?

6. Do you think the company has implemented a successful business plan to successfully negotiate the dynamic environment of commercial aviation?

These are just a few, but they have all spelled success for applicants. Again, it shows genuine interest and company representatives find this endearing to say the least. Also, it is a good idea to have these questions written down.

Good Luck

Irvin

 

[bobbysamd]

Questions for them

But be verrrry careful of what you ask!

Case in point: I was interviewed by Grady Reed, the Vice-President of something or another, at my Mesa interview in 1990. He asked if I had any questions. During that time, the first RJs were being developed and were featured in pilot magazines. Mr. Reed asked if I had questions; I asked if Mesa had planned to acquire RJs. He said "no" and his annoyance at my questions was palpable. I thought my question was reasonable. As FlyLawyer stated above, I felt that my question exhibited an ingenuous desire to be part of the company; in reality, Mesa would have been a good situation for me and I would have been committed.

I was not hired, and I'm sure that my question was part of the reason. I found out later that Mr. Reed was the Mesa Beech 1900 King and that Larry Risley, Mesa's then-owner, loved 1900s.

As Paul Harvey would put it, we know the rest of the story about Mesa and RJs.

Just watch it!! Once more, good luck with your interview.

 

[Finch]

Huh?

In all my interviews to date, not one HR type has ever given a rat's wazzzzoo what I thought about the company! In fact, I can't remember being asked that question at regular job interviews either. Like they really need another know-it-all pilot!

I think Bobbysamd has it right-tread carefully! That question gives the interviewee ample rope to hang himself. Keep it simple.



Finch

 

[FlyLawyer]

Don't Ask/Ask at your Peril

Sure, be careful what you ask. Ask intelligent questions. And, all airlines are not alike. The consensus on the interview panel, for my company, for those that did not ask questions when given the opportunity was:

1. the job wasn't important enough or lack of interest (great indication that the applicant has applied to many airlines and this was the first one to call)

2. lack of confidence;

3. and a lack of assertivesness;

I can document over 50 pilot applicants that were rejected at my airline soley because they did not ask questions when given the opportunity. Asking intelligent questions, diplomatically, doesn't mean that you are a "know it all, pilot". It means that you are concerned and simply want to find out information about the company with which you wish to work. Pilots need to make certain that they can assimilate with the company. The only way to do this is to ask questions. I certainly asked questions at the four airlines that hired me. Quite frankly, if I had asked more questions, I would not have left one airline for another and wouldn't be furloughed now.

Bobbysamd:

I commiserate with your experience. Getting rejected is never pleasant and there was nothing wrong with your question. But, aside from your visceral reaction, do you know for a fact that was the reason you were not hired? If it was, it is disturbing and unfortunate to say the least. Nonetheless keep trying, Don't give up.

There are many other reasons for being turned down. This is just one area of concern. I encourage pilots like PilotYip and others who have flown with many airlines and have hired many pilots to give their assessment on this important issue.

Good luck to all in the inteview.

 

[bobbysamd]

<Sigh>

Bobbysamd:

I commiserate with your experience. Getting rejected is never pleasant and there was nothing wrong with your question. But, aside from your visceral reaction, do you know for a fact that was the reason you were not hired? If it was, it is disturbing and unfortunate to say the least. Nonetheless keep trying, Don't give up.

Well, I don't know it for a fact, but I feel that I'm good at reading people and situations. I'll take it to the grave that my question contributed to my failure at that interview (never mind "Mister" Reed's reputation in the company and elsewhere).

No one ever knows, for a fact, why one was rejected while one was hired. Perhaps I did a bad interview. But plenty of people who do bad interviews get hired while others who are perfect are rejected.

I appreciate your comments, but I gave up long ago. Read my other posts. I do appreciate your verification that I asked a righteous question. Just the same, folks, watch it!!

 

[ksu_aviator]

I don't know where you live, but here in Tennessee they have Career Centers formed by the WIA. The Career Centers will let you come by, jobless or not, and use their resources. One resource I have used to death is Interview toutoring. I have been working personally once or twice a week for the last three weeks to get all my answers to all the possible questions answered. I suggest that if your state has that type of program you take advantage of it. I haven't paid one cent. And my coach even called me and followed up with me after I interviewed yesterday.

BTW...I also got resume help and sence I have interviewed with 3 companies, have a 2nd interview with two of them and was offered a positition (PFT with outrageously low pay). One of the 2nd interviews hasn't happened yet, the other went so well I was told to pick up an apartment guide on my way out of town (no formal offer though). Point is, they helped me get results.

There is a lot more to being interviewed then knowing the answers to the spoken questions.

Take for example, what is the worst thing that has happened to you at work.
1st, what do you consider bad?
If you say something that seems trivial, you'll look like a whiner, if you say nothing has been hard you haven't been tested and if you list problem after problem you are back to being a whiner.
2nd, what did you learn from it?
Don't blame someone else, don't display ignorance etc.

I can't explain it all like they do, but its much more of an art than I realized. Get professional help, even if you pay for it, it will be worth the money