Interview Foul Ups

[jetexas]

We've all done them or heard of them. Does anyone have some good stories in this area?
I was talking to a guy the other night who had an interview with a British airline several years ago. When asked "what makes you angry??" he stumbled for an answer and, for some reason, came up with "when I set my car on fire!!". He didn't get the job.I almost choked on my beer over that one!

 

[Texan Driver]

Not really a foul up, but it could have been one.

I interviewed for a gig a few years ago. Went out to dinner and drinks with the CP and ended up getting kinda drunk (he was too). I went to bed that night thinking "Welp...that was stupid". I was offered the job the next day.

 

[Swede]

Part of my resume was the fact that I spoke a bit of french (I know, I know...). A pretty female screener was asking me some questions. "You speak French?" "Yup" "Say something in French for me."

Slightly panicked, I said "Vous etes tres joli mademoiselle". "Oh, what does that mean?" she asked.

Gulp. It means "You are very beautiful." She could have taken that two ways. Fortunately, she was pleased. I did get the job.

 

[pilotyip]

Actual answer

"Why didn't you fill out the second page of your application?" Answer "This is a freight dog outfit, nobody cares, so why bother” was not hired.

 

[RichardFitzwell]

There I was sitting in front of a Line Captain, a Manager and a woman from HR when I was asked, “What the stupidest thing you’ve ever done in an airplane?” Easy question, right?


I’m blank…Nothing…Zip…Nada…

O.K. One bad story pops in my pea brain and it won’t leave so out it comes…

I’m flying checks in a C210 and my courier is very late. I’ve been drinking coffee for just over an hour when he finally shows up. I loaded my cargo and departed. Shortly after takeoff I had to “use the restroom - #1” but I had nowhere to go. I still had a long flight ahead of me so I decided to use my Ziplock sandwich bag. No problem. Things were fine until I tried to shove it out the window and it exploded all over me. Not good and really quite stupid.

The Line Capt was laughing so hard he was crying, the manager was smiling also, and the woman from HR excused herself from the interview, never to return.

The thanks-but-no-thanks letter showed up two weeks later.

 

[mar]

Where I hang my hat

I interviewed with Cathay Pacific and relocation to Hong Kong was mandatory for the position.

The interviewer asked me: Do you like living in Alaska?

Me (sitting up straight, beaming, great eye contact): I *LOVE* it!

In retrospect, wrong answer. No job (for various other reasons).

 

[jobear]

*loud wet fart sound*

ME(in my best Peter Griffin voice): Wasn't me hehehehe

















JK
Jobear

 

[OhDannyBoy]

am too a dork pilot

"Do your uniforms come with leather jackets?"


I can't believe it came out of my mouth.

 

[Gatorman]

there are dork mechanices too

'Oh, I am in the process of finding a lawyer to sue the last company I worked for because they fired me....."

At least I did not have a restraining order against me by the HR biach or an arrest warrent for threating to bomb the place.

 

[Hugh Jorgan]

"Why didn't you fill out the second page of your application?" Answer "This is a freight dog outfit, nobody cares, so why bother” was not hired.

"why didn't you ever get a college degree?"

Answer "This is a freight dog outfit, nobody cares, so why bother”

When can you start?

 

[aeronautic1]

No YIP comments

No pilotyip college comments until 10-27-04

 

[skystud25]

...not an interview, but during the oral portion of my 37 type rating, we got to talking about the 60 year rule and how we both thought it was bogus, I said "well, you must have a couple good years left" (he looked about 55 at best).

He was 42.

 

[Cappy]

When I interviewed at ACA in '92, I was paired with another pilot that I knew for the CP interview. Although I skimmed over the FAR part 135 regs the evening before I wasn't quite up to understanding them yet.

The CP asked me "So Mike, what do you need at your alternate to be lagal under part 135?" I thought for a moment and said "You know, I did study this last night but I don't think I can answer that question accurately. Instead of guesing for you, I know that John here (the other pilot) can answer it for you."

He answered fine and we are both still here today as Standards Captains.

 

[Dan CFI/CFII]

About when I realized that these guys wanted WAY more of a committment than I would give (it's like employers are all 22 year old females)...

Q: "Why did you leave that job?"

A: "I had an opportunity to go mountaineering in the high Himalayas for a few months."

Q: "Why did you leave this job?"

A: "I was presented the opportunity to mountaineer a little bit in Antarctica and South America."

Q: "And your last job, did you leave that one to go mountaineering?"

A: "Yeah, the opportunity to go back to the Himalayas was just too good to pass up on."

Q: "You have had a lot of opportunities to go mountaineering."

A: "Well it's easy when you quit your job because they won't let you go play in the Mountains!"


Amazingly enough, I think they still were interested in me at that point. At one point in the interview, I was actually asked "you aren't a musician by any chance are you?"

Dan

 

[bobbysamd]

Interview foul-ups

I interviewed at Mesa in 1991. Grady Reed, the Vice-President of whatever, interviewed me. At the end of the interview, he asked if I had any questions. At that time, RJs were being developed. There were articles about them in professional pilot magazines. So, I asked him if Mesa planned to obtain RJs. He said "no" and his annoyance at my question was obvious. I was not hired.

I don't feel I fouled-up by asking that question - but I probably did foul-up by asking a question. Lesson learned the hard way. Do not ask questions if invited to at interviews.

People disagree if one should ask questions if invited at interviews. Some say you must ask questions to prove that you're interested in the company and how you would fit in. I felt that I was showing my interest in Mesa by asking my question. Therefore, I see it as a gambit intended to qualify or disqualify you for the job. For that reason alone, I say, decline the gambit. Maybe another plan would be to follow trial strategy. A good trial lawyer never asks a question in trial for which he/she does not know the answer. Or, ask a question where there will not be a "no" for an answer.

 

[TWA Dude]

My first ever airline interview was with Liberty Express in 1995.

Not coming the night before, I got bumped from the first available PIT-Du Bois flight. They weren't happy that I was "late".

I brought a green school knapsack instead of a briefcase. (Hey, it's easier to carry!)

My shoes were new but not broken-in so I was limping. Both my heels were soon bleeding.

I had shaved at 0400 and didn't get the one-on-one interview until 1600 so I was looking a bit less than fresh.

The interview was interrupted for twenty minutes while the CP took a conference call. When he hung up he asked me "what were we talking about?" and I had no idea.

He asked if I was a smoker and I exclaimed "NO!" a bit too loudly (I hate smokers). He was thus convinced that I was indeed a smoker and trying to hide it.

Near the end of the interview he stopped asking me questions and started coaching me on how to answer when (if) I interview somewhere again. He did me a huge favor.

 

[Sir Humpalot]

funny about your ex.

I went to an interview and studied for every portion of the techical part. Night and day i went through airspace, FARs, systems but when the HR person asked me what seperates me from other candidates, my mind just went blank and i just couldnt come up with a good bullshiiiiat answer. I just stayed silent and couldnt think of anything. After what seemed like minutes, i told her that "i am more desperate than the other pilots and i dont really care about QOL."

Needless the say, i didnt get the job. I found a better job couple of weeks later.