JetBlue and AirInc ??

[kommutrdog]

I plan on going to the AirInc Job Fair in ATL to give Kit Darby $200 and listen to him tell us about the pilot shortage...

Seriously, my question to any JetBlue folks here is: Does making the appearance and giving the JB recruiter your resume really help you out in getting an interview ?? I have heard that JB selects strictly on a "by the numbers" basis.

Can anyone shed some light on JB's "real" interview selection process? I am not trying to sound jaded, because I would donate a kidney to get a job there and drink all the koolaid necessary. I just want to know what I am up against.

Thank you.

 

[pegasus]

An amusing 'aside'

I stood in line a while to chat to the JetBlue HR people in Atlanta 2001. After 45 minutes I finally got to show a very business like lady my resume. Glancing over it she said, "this looks fine, but what is an F-14 and do you have the necessary turbine time?"

I think you need a contact on the inside (Brilliant my dear Watson)

 

[B190Captain]

All I did was submit the app online. They sent me a confirmation letter and about 4 months later I get a call from a nice lady telling me that she needed to ask me some questions before she schedules me an interview.

She asked me mostly about my qualifications and then asked me, "Do you have 1000 or more pilot time in an aircraft of 20K lbs. or over?" I replied NO. Then I added that my aircraft is 17,120 MaxGTOW (BE1900D). She replied, "AWWWWW, JetBlue is really strict about their requirements, please apply when you meet the 20K criteria."

I did not have to pay Kit Darby a penny thank goodness.

 

[46Driver]

Is that 1000 hours in an airplane over 20,000 lbs or 1000 hours as aircraft commander in an airplane over 20,000 lbs? More importantly, who is that chick?

 

[B190Captain]

It's pilot time in either seat in a aircraft over 20K MGTOW.

Like my FA huh? hehe

 

[P3tarbaby]

I don't know if it has changed but when I met with the JB folks at the ATL Air Inc. conf in ATL in 2001, they looked at my resume and said it looked good but they weren't taking any resumes at the job fair...said "you have to apply online". I did and haven't heard a word from them in 2 years and I do know a couple of guys there.

 

[jointops]

Kommutrdog,

Well, it's been addressed on other threads before, so I won't beat a dead horse.

Contrary to the rumors, your interview selection is a computerized process. Each month the criteria change (hence the reason to update your app monthly before Dean does the downloads for the next round of interviews) based on the new qualifications they're interested in. Dean's team does an outstanding job of juggling the 121/135/corporate/military etc. fairly into the interviews.

Knowing someone on the inside isn't considered a part of the process until you pass the interview and are into the background phase. At that point, LORs are considered as part of your package.

We'll be in ATL. Yes, we've been instructed to take all resumes (since everyone goes to the effort do be there and present them in person) but it isn't the way we allocate interviews. Dean will be there and he'll tell you himself.

Many threads have dealt with this issue but I hope this helps some.

Happy landings,
See you in ATL.

 

[B190Captain]

jointops,

Will there ever be a time that the 20K MGTOW requirement be dropped?

 

[jointops]

B190Captain,

Well, I can't possibly say no. There's is always an outside chance.
However, we have 6000 apps on file and the qualified are becomingly increasingly so with all the "senior furloughees" out there.

We have guys in training now who are in their mid 50s with 30 years of flying already. Of course, the positive side to this is that JB is willing to take a chance on these folks that even if recalled, they won't go anywhere. Plus, the experience level is phenomenal and you can't ignore that in an interview.

Happy landings

 

[kommutrdog]

Thanks !

Thank you everyone for your input on this thread.

Guess I'll go to ATL, hand Dean my resume just to get my name in circulation and hope that it will stick, somehow.

 

[DH106]

Kommutrdog,

I went to the AirInc fair in DC last year (Oct, I think). I felt AirInc was only useful for lower-time pilots trying to get hired at regional airlines. At the time, I was furloughed with good, competitive credentials. But, I couldn't get any interest from any airlines (the regionals thought I'd jump ship to a major very quickly; and, I felt the majors were not there to do any genuine recruiting).

Being furloughed, it was not an effective job-hunting expense. The fair was far too crowded and extremely noisy, and it was impossible to "be noticed." Like Pegasus said, you'll spend all day in those 45-minute lines.

The best way (cost-wise and success-wise) to get a new job is to network among your friends that work for the company you're persuing. Save your money; for JB, I'd concentrate on networking and hard-driving follow-up.

 

[B190Captain]

B190Captain,

Well, I can't possibly say no. There's is always an outside chance.
However, we have 6000 apps on file and the qualified are becomingly increasingly so with all the "senior furloughees" out there.

We have guys in training now who are in their mid 50s with 30 years of flying already. Of course, the positive side to this is that JB is willing to take a chance on these folks that even if recalled, they won't go anywhere. Plus, the experience level is phenomenal and you can't ignore that in an interview.

Happy landings

It is understandable that there are pilots with that experience level but why focus on hirinig a 55 year old pilot that can only give JB a 5 year return on your investment when you can have a 30-35 year old experienced pilot that can be there for the next 25-30 years?

I tried to apply at JB and all I got was phone call telling me that I was 2880 lbs short for a chance to interview.

I am not implying to ignore the vast amounts of experience out there looking for employment but what is a few slots given to younger guys that can dedicate the rest of their lives and GAIN experience working for JB?

Thanks for the info!

Fly Safe!

 

[N1atEcon]

You answered your own question about if you feel the seminar will be worth while. "Listen to them talk about the pilot shortage." I think the Air inc stuff is a scam. It is a pilot who is taking adavntage of his brothers buy selling info about what pilots want most, a good paying steady flying job. Save your money, go out for a nice dinner with you wife or whatever. In the end you will feel better.

P.S. I think all pilots should stop attending his get a job seminars as well as buying his pubs. pilots shortage my a$$!!!

 

[segasora]

Do not waste your time with Air Inc. just get the minimum qual. and keep applying on line!

 

[FearlessFreep]

There are interview gouges available everywhere. What I would like to know is when someone is going to come up with a gouge of how to impress a computer program?

When things come down to a point where you are being screened only by a computer program, with supposedly no human interface in the selection process, you really have to question the wisdom and character of the people running the program. (Don't try to say it's because of the sheer volume because there have been other simarily sized companies that are dealing with an equal amount of applicants.) Sure yes, they select people that they have interviewed, but your chances of getting an interview are completely based on the somewhat random selection of a piece of software.

I am sure that the implementation of the web based application and computer screening software are entirely tied into the money and time that it saves. (Remember the application fees?)

When the cost of acquiring people as employees represents too much of a financial load so much so that you have to resort to a database program, one really has to give serious consideration to the motives of these companies. What is more important, cutting costs or treating their employees or potential employees like human beings?

I am sure that there are many happy campers at JB and it is certainly not my intention to cast aspersions on either them or their company.

I just really start questioning companies and their motives when I see a lot of rah, rah, smiley happy faces and company spirit rhetoric. This kind of behavior is just a thin veneer of what the company would like to categorize as their esprit de corp, but what in possible reality is merely the veiled manipulation of their employees for the ultimate benefit of keeping any collective bargining units out of sight while simultanoeusly vying for maximum productivity for minimal wages. This whole corporate "culture" concept is being taken to an extreme and has become a catch phrase and the "PC" thing to do. I am strongly questioning these companies motives and feel that there actions are very surreptitious and represent a possible selfish ulterior motives. Anyone for some Koolaid?

Mind you I work very hard and with much dedication to whomever I am employed with, but I will call a spade a spade and not bend to the whims of how the company feels I should behave (as it refers to corporate culture)

Showing up to a job fair and having these people tell you just how much they love and appreciate you and your interest in their company is just so much false pretense. You attend a job fair with the oft chance of possibly impressing someone enough to get an interview. Foolish? Maybe. But hope springs eternal. Go to a job fair and talk to the JB people and all they tell you is to go keep pounding keys on you computer keyboard, and that your appearance there has no input in the selection process whatsoever. Like I really need to pay $200.00 plus expenses to hear that.

I rant, sorry.

Take Care & Good Luck To Us All!

 

[Lakeviewa]

Jointops

Jointops:

I hate to destroy your Utopian illusion. I personally know two individuals who interviewed in the last three months. They both have 1/2 the time that dozens of others I know have (IN EVERY CATEGORY!!!) They do have one thing in common- they knew someone very high up. Guess what- when they got to the interview, the others also knew someone very high up. I hate to shatter your illusion but the selection process is anything but "by the numbers". That is Dean's perogative, but let's call a spade a spade.

 

[b757driver]

It's a personal choice to go or not to go to these job fairs. I used to buy into these (pilot shortages, LORs etc) - remember FAPA. I too, attended job fairs, bought material, listened to the good folks talk about this and that. Did I get any leads, never mind about a direct interview or job offer. Hell, no! I guess I knew no better and the dog & pny show was actually quite slick. Reminds me of......well, never mind.

There NEVER was a pilot shortage & there NEVER will be! I'm not trying to say that no one gets an opportunity at these seminars but as a previous poster mentions, it's mainly for the "young" guys. Presumably they're more impressionable and have more discretionary income to offload (& keep Mr. Kit in business).
It's also amazing but not rocket science that Air Inc & similar thrive when there are tens of thousands are out of work but you will hardly hear a peep when times are good.

I thought about going to the one in LAX but saved my sheckels & I'm glad I did. I could not possibly justify spending that kind of money for my 30 seconds of glory having stood in a line for up to 1 hour and for what? A maybe? We all know that there are no guarantees in life but is this the way you would spend an afternoon, to get even more frustrated. Nope, it just did not cut it for me, but that was a personal choice.

Notice also that the closer you get to the date of the fair, the higher the price. If I was really going "to help" my fellow professional aviators, I would make it easier, not harder to get there. Offer incentives, but of course, they can't. So why bother?
If you go, good luck to you, hope it works out & your time, energy & money made it worthwhile.

Maybe instead of touting that there is/will be a pilot shortage (how can there be with all those furloughees & unemployed??? duh!!) and so & so will be in attendance, Air Inc. should tell it like it REALLY is - it's all a crap shoot!! I think more people would listen then.

 

[skirt]

It's a personal choice to go or not to go to these job fairs. I used to buy into these (pilot shortages, LORs etc) - remember FAPA. I too, attended job fairs, bought material, listened to the good folks talk about this and that. Did I get any leads, never mind about a direct interview or job offer. Hell, no! I guess I knew no better and the dog & pny show was actually quite slick. Reminds me of......well, never mind.
.

Let me say up front, I'm not a big fan of Kit Darby or anyone else making a buck off people in hard luck times. However, job fairs do serve a purpose. If you're going with hopes of getting an interview, then you are viewing the job fair the wrong way. Except for perhaps a few commuters, very few airlines actually offer interview spots at fairs, as it is too much of a meat market.

What job fairs can do is help you gather intell on the various airlines and their hiring practices. Why get frustrated sending application after application somewhere when you might be better off looking at other options? Even one minute of "face time" looking at your app, and the recruiter could tell you if you're competitive. He/she might be able to point out some things you could do to get more competitive. It might also solve some folks questions why they aren't getting called (ie. the one guy on a different thread who has 15,000 hours and still no call from JB). Who knows why he doesn't get a call, but if he went to a job fair he could ask, and then stop wondering.

If airlines aren't going to hire from a job fair, why do they bother going? The answer is to inform the masses exactly what they are looking for. I used to go do job fairs on behalf of United, and I spent hours and hours talking to applicants trying to help them out. Some would listen, and some wouldn't. Like anything, you get out of it what you put into it. You might find options that you had not considered before.

When you finally do get the call for the interview, if you gathered a few extra kernels of information from the job fair, that might just be what gets you past the interview.

Skirt

 

[XPILOT]

JETBLUE

I have applied to JetBlue and no response.Does any one know Dave Bargers backround ie.. what did he do in his previous life?

 

[zonker]

Barger worked for Continental. I believe he was the EWR operations manager. At least that's what he said to the room when I interviewed in late 2000 (And turned down the job to go to a major. Yuck.)