Latest SWA interview Intel

[Uppercrust]

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Doing things like the bermuda shorts is very dangerous. You have to be able to sell it as really the kind of funky person you are. Most times someone goes goofy at SWA interview with weird ties, stunts, etc. they are doing it because they think SWA wants it, not because it represent the kind of person they are.

[/B]

Not completely true canyonblue737. A friend of mine interviewed last June and got the naked Jumpseater at FL340 between ABQ and DFW scenario on his LOI. The jumpseater was a checkairman and oredered him to take his clothes off. The FO said they should divert to ABQ and have the Jumpseter arrested. Well he decided to take his clothes off and press to DFW. No kidding he said they were all sitting there naked in this room. I think they were impressed with his decision making.:laugh:

 

[320AV8R]

Here's some SWA gouge I got from a friend.....maybe it can help someone out.......



JULY 05 Trip Report

Here's a bit about my interview..
The LOI...
I thought the LOI was very straight forward. I made a plan for myself to spend the first 2-3 minutes gathering opinions of my crew and dispatch. I would compare these opinions with my own (which I had formulated even before the 7 minute scenario started). For the 3-5 minute time frame I made my decision and discussed it with the pertinent crew members. Once I got them onboard with my plan, I spent the last two minutes calling dispatch, the station, and briefing the flight attendants and passengers.
From the interview...
Most of the questions were covered numerous times in other trip reports. The questions that stand out the most were...

TMA your last emergency.
TMA the most recent time you went out of your way to help a customer.
TMA a different time you helped a customer that was way above and beyond the call of duty.
How do you prepare for you PC checks?
Have you ever failed a PC check?
Why SWA?
TMAT you saw an unsafe trend developing while flying and what you did to stop it.
TMAT you had to take the aircraft from the other pilot.
TMAT you had to counsel a fellow crewmember.
How was that counseling received?
TMAT you diverted.
TMAT you broke a company policy intentionally.
How long have you wanted to work at SWA?
How did you get into aviation?
Have you ever had an FO that was difficult to deal with and how did you handle the situation?

Sorry the list of questions is short. I know I was asked more but these are the ones that I remember off the top of my head.

 

[320AV8R]

Preparation tips:

Start your individual prep early! Use the following question bank to build core stories that you can easily recount and relate to interview questions. Use logbooks to help you recall certain flight situations that you can use for interview stories. Every person has different study techniques, use what works for you – flashcards, tape recorders, etc… Use your commute time to formulate and review your stories. There are various techniques for preparing for the Southwest interview. Some like to formulate a response for every interview question listed in this writing. Some like to polish 8-9 “core” stories making each story adaptable to 2-3 interview questions.The acronym SAR is a good way to format your responses! SAR stands for Situation, Action & Result and it’s the recommended way to format your responses.

-Situation: set the stage for your story by defining the characters and explaining the situation. Details are important - If your story involves a conflict with a superior make sure you explain your rank or position in the company at the time and how it relates to your superiors rank or standing in the company/organization. If you work for a carrier, cargo company or you are a military aviator, remember that acronyms or terms that are familiar within the company jargon may not be familiar to the interviewer – take the time to explain these things. Mention the aircraft, the seat you were occupying, your position (CA, FO, FE, etc.), the company, the mission (revenue, cargo, military, etc…), the location and destination, pertinent wx, daytime/nighttime, etc. Explain any particulars about the aircraft, remember that not everyone understands all types of aircraft and their capabilities and nuances. Take the time to properly set the stage for your story, don’t make the interviewer play catch up during the story because you left out important details that are pertinent.

-Action: tell the tale with an eye for detail, especially actions that highlight leadership, judgement, decision making, CRM, airmanship, passion for flying, integrity, initiative, professionalism, etc……

-Result: what was the outcome and what did you do to influence the outcome.

Wrap it up and spin it with something positive: your story is not complete until you convey something positive from the experience. What did you learn from the situation and how did it make you a better aviator or a better person. How did your actions improve yourself or a junior/subordinate aviator or employee or the organization overall? Think personal growth, think betterment of the organization and think POSITIVE. End every story with a positive spin, even a negative outcome or ending can teach an aviator something positive. Be positive!!

Remember: SAR – it will help you keep a standardized format for your responses/stories.

We highly recommend that you sit through at least one, preferably two, mock interviews with your wife/significant other/friend. We further recommend that you videotape one of these mock interviews. You will be surprised at how many small mannerisms that you exhibit that may not be attractive in an interview (improper posture, fidgeting, stammering, exaggerated gestures, picking your nails, use of the word “ugh….”, etc….). You will also realize where you are weak and where you are strong in your responses. If you conduct at least one of these on your own time, you will be infinitely better prepared when SWIP conducts your mock interview. You will learn a great deal more having already experienced what it is like to sit in front of somebody and talk about yourself for 45-55 minutes. If you have been through other airline interviews your past experiences will serve you well but do not think that you can prepare less for this one because you’ve done it before or because this is a “non-technical” interview.

Questions and Responses:

You should strive to make your responses about 4-5 minutes in length. You will be allotted approximately 45-55 minutes with each interviewer. Listen carefully to the questions and make sure you understand the question before you respond, if you’re not sure of the question ask the interviewer to clarify the question. If you are caught in the unenviable position of not being able to come up with a response to a question, defer the question until later in the interview vice responding with “I don’t know or I don’t have an answer for that”. Chances are that answering some other questions will not only relax you but also will likely jar your memory and you will be able to come up with some response to the question you deferred.

There are a few “stock” interview questions not listed below that are as important as any you will answer. One of these is “Tell us a little bit about yourself”. Do not take this question for granted! ‘Tell me about yourself’ will usually be among the first questions asked which is why it is very important. Your response to this question will set the table and the tone of the interview and should boost your confidence. This question is one that most consultants will tell you is very difficult to answer. The reason it is tough is because you can literally go in 30 different directions with your response. Try sitting in front of your wife/significant other and give he or she a 4 minute response to the question ‘Tell me about yourself”.You can talk about your upbringing, formidable years, college years, adult life, marriage/family life, hobbies and interests, community involvement, military service/training, civilian training, flight experiences etc… The choices and topics for this response are endless and merit serious consideration. As mentioned earlier, we do not recommend that you memorize your responses, however, you should have a very good idea how you plan to answer this specific question!

‘Why do you want to work for Southwest’ is also a very common question that gives you the opportunity to show off your knowledge of the company. There are many ways to attack this question as well. You can talk about many areas: Business plan, financial position, aircraft type, commonality of airframes, differences between SWA and other majors, safety record, corporate philosophy, number of aircraft, number of employees, markets, marketing philosophy, SWA culture, etc….. Lots of ways to skin this cat, you should have a very good idea of how you specifically plan to answer this question before walking into the interview.

Another question that fits into this category is ‘Why should we hire you over other candidates’? Most interviewers consider this a “home run” question. This is your chance to really sell yourself for the job. Make sure your response highlights your breadth of experience, judgment, leadership and professionalism. This question will generally come at the end of the interview; it is your chance to “seal the deal”. Spend some time thinking about your answer, you should have put substantial thought into your response. Remember that SWA has 8-9000 applicants just waiting for the chance to answer this question. Make sure that your response clearly states what sets you apart from other candidates. Potential topics: Discuss any significant part of your educational background that sets you apart. Highlight your leadership capabilities and experience. Touch on your technical expertise by listing various aircraft that you have flown and any noteworthy positions that exhibit a high level of trust and confidence - i.e. check airman/NATOPS Officer. Use this opportunity to show your breadth of experience by listing challenging or noteworthy flying assignments that you have held, military or civilian. If you are a military aviator with combat experience, highlight those facts. If you have flown in foreign countries or demanding environments, these should be mentioned as they emphasize your depth of experience. If you have any specialized Safety related education or Safety related experiences or positions make sure that you mention them. Remember that this is also your chance to talk about other intangibles such as community involvement, marriage, family life, etc (the company is looking for well rounded individuals, this question offers you the opportunity to talk about other areas of your make-up besides flying…). Last but not least, make sure that your passion for aviation and your desire to work for Southwest comes across as you wrap up this response. Talk about your love of flying. Also remember that SWA is hiring future captains; make sure somewhere along the way that you emphasize your qualifications and experiences and the fact that you believe those qualities will make you an excellent Southwest Airlines captain. These are but a few examples of possible topics for answering this important question. You can go in a variety of directions, just make sure that you highlight your strengths and make the interviewer leave the room thinking, “we can’t do without this candidate”. All questions that you answer are important but this one may be the most important and you should have a very good idea about how you plan to respond.

 

[320AV8R]

Land mines and grenades?

Negativity, racial or gender related stereotypes, socially contentious issues, politics and comic relief are all potential land mines and require a deft touch if you choose to open this box. Even an innocent attempt to explain a racial or gender specific situation can easily be misinterpreted by an interviewer, male or female (be careful, best advice is to avoid these areas). It is also wise to avoid delving deeply into areas such as politics, religion or any other socially contentious area. Be yourself and inject some humor when appropriate, just do not go overboard. Do not open the interview with a joke!
Integrity based questions such as ‘tell me about a time your integrity has been called into question’ or ‘tell me about a time you violated an FAR’ require serious consideration. Past experience has shown that the wrong answer is to say “my integrity has never been called into question” or “I’ve never violated an FAR”. Most well rounded, experienced aviators have made mistakes and have made poor choices somewhere along the way. Being able to admit and learn from these events shows your breadth of experience, your willingness to play a subordinate role in the cockpit and a general humility that is attractive to the company. Remember that you want to let the interviewer get to know you, reveal your soul and fess up!! Of course you need to do this within reason, some confessions are better than others! Also remember to end these responses with something positive, i.e. how it made you a better aviator, leader or company employee. These confessions are a prime opportunity to show how you bettered yourself, a subordinate or the organization from your experiences, i.e. personal and professional growth. One last point: if you are called to interview at Southwest you can obviously fly an airplane, Southwest is interested in hiring well-rounded individuals. Take every opportunity to show that you are that person; separate yourself from the pack. It in not uncommon to be asked the same question by different interviewers, if your responses are not based on fact you could be caught in a situation where your stories are inconsistent between interviewers, make sure that your stories can be validated. As always - integrity first!
If you are coming from another carrier, esp. a legacy carrier, realize that your experience is an asset but in some cases it will bring extra scrutiny upon you in the interview. SWA takes a very close look at furloughed pilots and pilots who have been with another carrier for an extended period of time. Why? This is a people oriented company and SWA wants to make sure that you aren’t bitter or burned out by working in “the industry during hard times”.
No begging! Don’t tell the interviewer how much you need this job and that you would do anything to get it. Let the quality of your responses take care of transmitting your desire to work for the company. Nothing speaks as loudly about your desire to work for the company as being extraordinarily well prepared for this interview!


Question Bank:

Tell me about your flight background.


What was the most unpopular decision you have made?


Tell me about a time that you were scheduled to fly but did not.


Have you experienced an ego in the cockpit?


What distracts you in the cockpit?


Have you ever flown with someone you did not like?


Tell me an experience in the cockpit from which you’ve learned something.


Have you ever had a situation in the cockpit where your flying and CRM could have been better?


job done?

 

[Falconjet]

If I remember correctly when I interviewed at SW they had you sign a non-disclosure statement about the interview process. I know they did at FedEx. I would be very careful about what info I provided to someone after signing such an agreement.

You are agreeing to limit your right to free speech in regard to proprietary company info, and not adhering to that agreement could certainly come back to bite you in the butt.

FJ

 

[320AV8R]

Why do you like to fly?
What aspects of flying do you avoid?
Do you have any accidents, incidents or violations?
Tell me about a time you made a decision that was not popular with the crew.
Tell me about a time you had to directly correct or reprimand another crewmember using a style you don’t normally use.
Tell me about a time you were able to directly help another crewmember.
Tell me about a time you had to land at a base or an airport other than planned.
Which achievements in school are you most proud of?
What is your idea of a Southwest Captain?
How do you measure performance in-flight?
How do you measure success as a pilot?
Why do you want to fly for Southwest?
Tell me about a time your performance was below standards.
Describe a time where you made a mistake and learned from that error.
Tell me about a major project for which you were directly responsible and how it turned out.
What type of working environment do you want?
Did you ever consider another career field?
Were you ever in an environment beyond your control?
Has your integrity ever been challenged or brought into question?
Have you ever gone against the rules?
Have you ever refused a direct order?
Have you ever caused a problem on a flight?
What is your best and worst characteristic?
Tell me about a time you were the first one to recognize a problem.
Tell me about a situation where you directly responsible for preventing something bad from happening in the aircraft.
Have you ever made a split second decision in the cockpit?
How do you stay attuned to potential problems in the cockpit?
Tell me about a time you were reprimanded by your supervisor for your performance.
What is your approach to solving problems?
What is CRM?
What do you like the least or most about flying?
What have you done to expedite a flight?
What is your career goal?What is your leadership style?
How do you handle a nonstandard pilot?
Did you ever do work for which someone else got the credit?
Have you ever been in a low fuel situation?
Have you ever been apprehensive in-flight?
Have you ever flown with a tough Captain? Did you get along with him?
What was your greatest achievement while flying?
When did you alter a procedure to meet a deadline?
When did you set an example for other crewmembers?
Tell me about a situation in the cockpit that you would have handled differently.
Tell me about a low fuel situation you had.
Name a project you took on where you were successful.
Name a project you took on where you were not successful.
Tell me about your biggest mistake in an airplane.
What was the scariest flight you’ve ever had?
Why should we hire you over the other candidates that are here today?
What is one thing that you would like to leave in the interviewer’s mind before leaving?
What policy or new ideas have you recently implemented which was quite different from SOPs? What steps did you take?
What are your standards for success and how do you meet those standards?
Have you ever had another crewmember disagree in the way you were operating?
Have you ever reported or called ahead to your CC DO about something that has happened on a trip/mission or with crewmember?
When have you had to work closely with other crewmembers to get a mission accomplished?
What has been the toughest technical aircraft you have flown?
Why do you like to fly? (And don’t give me the standard “the thrill I get” or
“the office with a view” answers. This question is a great opportunity to emphasize your passion for flying.)
Where do you see yourself as most productive?
What is your major responsibility with your current job?
Tell me about a time when another coworker or crewmember broke company policy and what you did about it.
Describe Southwest culture.
How do you resolve problems and conflicts with people?
How do you resolve a personnel conflict?
Tell us what you think a typical day on the line at Southwest will be like?

 

[320AV8R]

SWA Trip Report – Mar 2005


Obviously flew SW to Love field, packing is important to get you there with ducks in a row. If you travel from Va Beach you must go NOR-BWI-HOU-DAL and if you check a bag it will be a redass! Try to take a roller bag that will fit in the overhead and carry your suit on in a garment bag, it will lay on top of your bag in the overhead (737’s do not have a closet or space for hanging bags). I also had a briefcase for logbooks and interview packet and ended up having to check a bag for the HOU-DAL leg. Stayed at the Radisson near Love field, info for the hotel will be in the packet that you get from SW prior to the interview. When you book your reservation ask for the $65.00 room rate. There is an IHOP and Waffle House nearby for the power breakfast the morning of your interview. Also recommend Pappadeux Cajun Seafood Kitchen the night before if you like great seafood! It’s about a mile from the hotel and the shuttle will drop and pick up. Hotel has iron and board in all rooms for last minute wrinkles in your shirt/suit but no on-site dry cleaning/pressing capabilities.

Took 0700 morning shuttle from Radisson to SWA corporate HQ and arrived at 0715 for the 0800 interview. Process began with 12 applicants gathered in a conference room and introduced to SW interview team. They explained the events of the day and told everyone how excited they were to have us there. A very positive start to a great experience! We were then asked for the packet of info that was sent to us in the mail. (When you get this packet in the mail, get started on it right away, there is quite a bit of info and if you put it off it may catch you by surprise. I typed most of the documents, you will be surprised with how hard it is to find a decent typewriter these days ((library, admin spaces at the squadron)). One doc requires notarization and I was sent scrambling to find/locate a copy of my high school transcripts?! You must also possess a current passport.) The group of 12 was split in half, 6 guys started interviewing and the other 6 went to the sim building for the LOI. I went to the LOI first.

LOI – you are placed in the left seat of a 737 CPT and given a written scenario, they leave the room and give you 5 minutes to digest the info. They come back in and you get a SW FO in your right seat with another SW pilot riding in the jump seat. There is a laptop that sits on the console of the trainer that has a fuel gage and timer that counts down. You are given 7:00 to work your way through the problem. I found it to be very straight forward, and there is no right answer – they simply want to watch you work your way through an airborne “situation/problem” and how you go about doing so. Then they leave for 5 minutes and come back and you debrief how you thought it went and what you could have done better. Be hard on yourself and admit to mistakes, just like you would in a tactical debrief!

Lunch is on the company at the HQ building. We resumed and the groups flip flopped LOI’s/interviews. For the interview you get 3 one on ones with 2 pilots and People dept rep. My flow was pilots first and then the People dept rep was last and it was a female. Questions:

-Tma how you became interested in flying
-Tma little about yourself
-Tmaat you noticed something in the cockpit that prevented potential problems and what you did
-Tmaat you were frustrated after flying with someone
-Tmaat you had to change a plan and how you gathered info to make it happen
-Tma your most rewarding flight or about a flight that gave you the most satisfaction
-Tma the most pressure packed flight you have had
-Tmaat you were counseled regarding your performance
-Tmaat you went above and beyond your job requirements
-Do you think your transition from flying single seat strike fighters to “driving a bus” will be a difficult one? Why??
-Tmaat your integrity has been called into question
-What was the scariest flight you ever had
-Tell me what you think a typical day on the line will be like at SWA
-Why do you want to work for SWA
-Why should we hire you (home run/money shot question – don’t be humble, sell yourself here and convince the interviewer that you are a guy that SWA can’t do without - get the job)
-Tmaat you did something you are not proud of
-Tma your most difficult student
-Tmaat you counseled someone on his or her performance

Recommendations:

-Go to Kinko’s/Office Max and get something to place your completed packet in for presentation purposes
-Make copies of your packet and take it with you
-After you update your online app prior to going to the interview, make a copy and take it with you. Even though I had updated mine 3 days prior the copy the interviewer had in his possession was outdated??
-The current contacts sheet must have people on it that the company can contact easily. I made a supplemental contact sheet with a bunch of contacts listed to ensure that SWA could get in touch with someone that can verify my employment status (they seemed to like the fact that I provided this document)
-Jackets on or off in the interview? When I interviewed with the 2 pilots they both had their jackets off and told me to do the same so I did. When I interviewed with the female from the People dept it seemed more appropriate to keep my jacket on, so I did. Just use your judgement and be yourself, if you’re hot – take of your jacket!
-Some of the literature that I read said not to over-prepare for the interview. This is an individual decision that only you can make. I may have over-prepared but when it came time for the interviews I was prepared for all the questions, a couple caught me off guard but I was still able to relate a story and answer the question. I believe the reason I was able to do that is the result of about 4 weeks of fairly intensive prep that I did prior, including 2 mock interviews. Cheryl Cage says not to memorize stories and I personally think that she is right, with a couple of exceptions. The question “Why SWA” is an important chance for you to talk briefly about your knowledge of the company and what it’s about and what its philosophies are all about. I spent a fair amount of time going over what my response was going to be for this question. Finally, the question “Why should we hire you” is, in my opinion, the most important response you will give during the interview. I went over my response to this question several times, refining it and tweaking it until I felt great about my answer.
-Very important to LISTEN to the question, some of the questions I got were variations or subsets of questions from the gouge and they were delivered in a different tone and format. Some of my questions were combined with small talk and the interviewers own opinions and a couple of times I asked the interviewer to repeat the question. Don’t start your answer until you know the question! Also, if you don’t have an answer – defer vice saying I don’t know (didn’t happen to me but could easily happen to anyone).
-Last but not least: if you get a question like “tmaat your integrity was called into question” or “tmaat you did something you are not proud of”, you need to have thought about these two at length before walking in. Having gone through the process, I strongly believe that they want you to answer this question with a story or circumstance, they don’t want to hear you say “Never” or “I’ve never done something I wasn’t proud of”. Remember that they want to get to know you, they want you to open up and bear your soul a bit so that they know what kind of person you are. I think they also want to hear you admit that you’ve made mistakes (within reason, of course!) and what you learned from those mistakes, i.e. personal growth! I had to embellish one of these answers but, at the time, it seemed better than saying “never” or “I’ve never done that”.
-Some guys had thank you cards for the interviewers. I didn’t – if I don’t get hired I’ll know I should have. One guy brought a cake as well, seemed to me as if he was trying a bit to hard. Be yourself, relax and have fun during the process!



Overall, it was an amazingly positive and laid back experience! It only reaffirms my desire to work for SWA.

 

[Headfake14]

I interviewed recently...we didn't sign anything nor did they ask us to "keep a lid on it". They know there is a gazillion things out there about the process. I think that no matter how much gouge and inside intel one may get...it'll all boil down to what kind of guy/girl you are and they'll figure it out. Just beeee yourself and don't put on a show...thats what I did. I should find out here in a couple weeks.

...waiting...waiting...

 

[320AV8R]

SWA Trip Report Jun 2005
TRAVEL--The positive space pass worked great. I hand carried everything to expedite the process and arrived without any problems. All three flights down and back were FULL! Business is good. When I arrived in Dallas I called the Renaissance and a van was there in 10 minutes. Talked to a couple of folks going through training and the ride was pleasant.
ACCOMMODATIONS--I stayed at the Renaissance just because it was highly recommended and very easy. I got a SWA discount with the interview letter along with all the other discounts the SWA people get. Sign up for the bus the night before, it will be crowded.
INTERVIEW SHOW--I took the 0700 bus and got there 40 minutes early. Those who took the later bus also showed a little early. There were 18 interviewees, mostly military with very impressive backgrounds, a couple of furloughed UAL types and an ATA guy. All had types except the ATA pilot. Cathy Nusbaum was running the show and gave us days breakdown. No different from the other trip reports.
SWA INTERVIEW TEAM--
Headquarters: Training Center:
Melissa Bryan Mark Patkunas
Doug Lindquist BV Hammond
Jim Tomallo Don Magnuson
Cathy Nusbaum Jay Bellar
Bud Bennet Cathy Dees
John Dalton Rod Jones
Dennis Hagemeier
Nancy Bruce
INTERVIEWS--Half of the 18 went to the training center for the LOI and the other stayed for the interviews. I interviewed with Nancy, Melissa, and Dennis. Nancy did the logbook review, pretty big picture but thorough. I provided the AF Flying History Report with highlights of items used on the application. I also had a spread sheet to make it easy to read at a glance which she liked. All were pleasant to "chat" with but didn't provide any feedback.
QUESTIONS--
Why SWA X2
TMAAT you landed at other than your planned destination
TMAAT you were the most scared in an airplane
TMAAT fuel or weather were your biggest concern
TMAAT an event or flight didn't go as planned
TMAAT a supervisor asked you to do something wrong
TMAAT you were a mediator in a conflict
TMAAT you had a change in schedule
TMA a decision you disagreed with and how you supported it.
TMAAT you had to fly with somebody you didn't get along with
TMAAT you were counseled
TMA about yourself X2
TMA about your flying career
LOI--Pretty much the same routine as the past. Don't assume anything! My first look at the scenario was "this is an easy one-no problem."
Flying from Phoenix to San Diego and a plane lands gear up at San Diego which will open about 1 hour after flame out.
My Card included min fuel, emergency fuel, and burn rate.
Hand off the plane to F/0 and keep F/A's informed. Get information from everybody and make the decision. Between the weather and notams this scenario got ugly fast.
Have a good debrief and discuss where you could have done better.
WRAP UP--I did the LOI first and sat in the waiting room for a few hours talking to the others interviewees. The group broke for lunch at noon then swapped out. I ended up being the last person to finish at 1600L. I still could have made it home but stayed the night and visited with some friends in Dallas. Some of the guys headed back after the interview. My contacts were called about a week later. Good luck to you all.

 

[320AV8R]

I received the package in 2 weeks before the actual interview. I had most items at hand; I spoke to Jennifer Box at the people department for my many questions. She was always very helpful and went out of her way to get me the information requested.
Once the paper work was complete, I found the web sight and set a meeting time with you. Since time was short I focused on the gouge and made some notes for stories. I sat in front of a mirror to answer the questions and see what my facial expressions looked like. I had learned I didn’t smile much but with time, I was able change that and it did change the tone of my answers. This was important because SWA wants happy people and I did notice that some of the other applicants didn’t look to happy (stress from the interview).
I stayed at the Holiday inn not a bad hotel and they give a SWA discount on meals. I took the 0700 van and arrived early, I had the chance to meet Colleen Barrett who was going to court that day and saw Herb Kelleher as he dashed out for the court hearing later that day. If you bring your roller bag it can be storied by security at the front desk. Security directed us to the People Department and we filled out a computer quiz on our Texas tax status and were then finger printed. Since we were early we had time to have some cold H2o and wait for the others.
8:00am the rest of the applicants came in. They had to do the drill and we helped as best we could, it really helps to introduce yourself and be friendly. (Our group was told they could hire all of us, we were in competition with ourselves not each other). We were split into two groups. I was in the first group for the LOI, It was straight forward as you mentioned. I had passengers fighting in the back of the aircraft. I had the first officer fly the aircraft and I coordinated the flight. I had a great first officer and a check airman in the jump seat. I kept them in the loop and the flight attendants were in constant communication with updates. I worked the clock down to: 42 and made the decision to land at the nearest airport. Once the decision was made the LOI was over, they gave me 5 min to regroup and I had several recommendations and that was that.
We continued after lunch, be nice to everyone in the lunch room. We had 3 interviews 1 with PD , 1 retired Capt, 1 active Capt. I had to remember to keep some interview formality, they are great at getting you to relax, very sincere. Before I answered any question, I asked what are they looking for and how can I answer this question to enhance my leadership, flight or professional experiences during my flight career and “wrap” my story.
Some of the questions were: Why SWA? Why should we hire you?, TMAAT when you went about and beyond your job duties?
TMAAT when you had a conflict at work? TMAAT you had a scare flight? TMAAT you were reprimanded by your supervisor? Take your time pause then answer your question and WRAP the story.
I felt very prepared and feel very confidant about the outcome of the interview. Once again Thank you it was a great experience, and going in prepared made it so much better. Your service in person or over the phone is a must for any one who is going to SWA for a career Interview, Thanks and fly safe.

 

[coex]

Well...Dean Melonas and Verna Kay from JB have frequented the boards, as has Rebekah Krone from SWA... I have no idea who has been on here from FedEx, but I expect some of our management occassionally peeks in. This is exactly why I sometimes remind guys to think before hitting "post reply" as you are not nearly as mysterious as you think you are.

If you really are sharing information, engaging in meaningful dialoge, and learning about the industry then this is a great tool. If you think you can spread "work action" campaigns or bad-mouth people or organizations with impunity, you are probably wrong.

I have met so many folks through these boards including some wonderful folks who encouraged me and helped me get ready when I was making my transition from the military. There is some humor, some BS, and some really good info mixed together. However--if you ever forget that there are people who "lurk" these boards that might be able to figure out who you are you might just embarass yourself every once in a while. So--post, play, and have fun--be don't be an idiot.

I run AviationInterviews.com and can assure you that posting your gouge about some companies is perfectly OK and other companies it is not acceptable. As someone said above, if you do not want anyone to know who you are when you post your gouge, you can obviously adjust the dates and flight times so you can not be identified.

 

[320AV8R]

Got a call from Kim at SWA to invite me down for an interview. I was given 5 dates to choose from, all less than one month away. I selected June 22, 2005, the second to last date available.

I had interviewed 6 years prior and had some idea of what to expect, though the LOI was new. Signed up with SWIP for help this time and started prepping. Made reservation at Renaissance Hotel ASAP and got SWA discount. Put in requests for recommendations. I was busy with work and studied as much as possible in between. The SWA packet took at least 4 days to arrive. Paperwork was pretty straightforward, but I suggest making multiple blank copies of everything in case of any errors. One form needs to be notarized. Prep takes lots of time. Stay ahead of it!

Had a mock interview with SWIP on June 13, 2005. It was extremely thorough, realistic, and helpful. Some of the answers that I thought were strong had problems that I had not seen. Got some advice for them and some positive feedback on my other answers/stories. It was money well spent. Tweaked some of my stories after the mock and prepped for the final interview. Reworked the online application for final review. Be careful with this as some things may unexpectedly change by default.

18 of us interviewed on June 22. I had LOI in the afternoon. Morning interviews were pretty much as expected. Questions are very similar to gouge with some twists (unfortunately I don’t remember the twists). If you have enough good stories you will find one that fits every time. I had backup stories to some questions that came in handy for these variations.

Any accidents, incidents, violations?
Why SWA? 2X
TMAAT you had a crew conflict?
TMAAT you were asked to do something wrong?
TMA your scariest flight.
TMAAT you learned something on a flt. 2X
TMA why someone might not like you.
TMAAT CRM could have been better.
TMAAT you counseled someone.
TMAAT you made a mistake and learned from that error.
TMAA project you were directly responsible for 1 good/1 bad.
TMAAT you made a split second decision that you later regretted.
TMAAT you were counseled by a superior for you performance.
TMAA flight you were very proud of

LOI: Enroute FL 350 from PHX to MCI. T’storms from Mexico to Wichita. Low pressure over ABQ. Two pax are fighting in the back. 117 pax aboard. About 5 minutes to prepare (not long at all).

Transferred A/C control to FO. I asked JS to go back to check on situation. He started to say he’d be back in 5 when I told him to be back in 2 minutes max. JS (as dispatch) started giving me the slow version of weather reports. I had to ask him to just read the FT for each airport to get him moving. Simultaneously, FO was giving me ETA’s to destination and alternates. JS came back and reported that things were bad in cabin. FO and JS both wanted me to divert to ABQ and land low IFR with a howling tailwind. The JS even offered to land the plane for me since I was uncomfortable with the tailwind. I asked JS for other alternates and FO for ETA’s. Weather checks of those places were all low. Made decision to return to PHX with very brief explanation. Asked for any final disagreements on my decision. None. Asked FO to change destination. He asked me for altitude going back to PHX. I said FL 340. Called Dispatch to say get ready for us at PHX. Time left was 3 seconds. You need to have things pretty well figured out with 2 minutes left. It takes that long to get it implemented. 7 minutes goes by really quick!

Short time to gather thoughts for debrief. Debriefed what came to mind. Most thoughts come to you on the flight home though. Airline guys probably know better than to send a crewmember into the cabin. I’m corporate, and the risk never occurred to me.

All in all, it was a great learning experience. The Southwest people are terrific. Hope

 

[Falconjet]

Mike: Thanks for running that website, it was very helpful to me when I was in the job hunt. (As was this site).

FJ

 

[320AV8R]

March 8, 2004 Interview Feedback. Southwest Airlines. One lesson learned here was that it might be a good idea to tab the logbook pageswhere you started logging PIC time for each new aircraft flown.From the list one of my fellow interviewees copied, other interviewers at HQ were: Kim Howell, Ryan Hurling, Lance Wilkerson, Mary Sterling. Sonny Childers and Bill Cass were also hanging out, watching the process. And, Lilah Steen andLindsey Lang were coordinating the whole process.Questions asked: (** hadn't heard before)Why SWA? (All three asked)**TMAAT recently where you had a major schedule change and how did you deal with it.**TMAA day where you were flying and you just thought, "This is the most fun I've ever had/This is a great day".Why are you leaving the military?TMAAT where something catastrophic would have happened if you hadn't been paying attention. (A little different wording than I've heard)TMA my Scariest Flight (2 asked)**Tell me what you think a typical day is like for a SWA pilot. (2 asked)TMAAT someone either questioned your integrity or asked you to do something that was wrong. (A little different wording than I've heard) (2 asked)TMAA difficult coworker/captain/someone you didn't like. How did you deal with it? (2 asked)Tell me about a project you initiated that produced positive results. (2 asked)** TM how you prepare for a check ride.What qualities do you have that would make you a good fit at SWA?TMAAT you helped someone with flying, not as an IP.TMAAT you had to use outside help to get a job accomplished.TMAAT when fuel became a factor. (2 asked)TMAAT you were counseled on your performance. (2 asked)TMAAT you were disappointed with your CRM skills. (2 asked)TM how you got started flying.TMA your flying career.TMA highest pressure flying situation.TMAAT you had to intervene between two people having a conflict in flight.TMAAT you had to land somewhere other than planned.TMAAT you had to reprimand someone using a style you don't normally use.Fingerprinting went on between interviews.Got all twelve back together and put neon visitor stickers on. Went to fifth floor for lunch. (Grill takes the longest to get food). Short time to visit gift shop. Then, back after it.LOIMy interviewers: Lee Kinnebrew and Mark PatkunasOther team: Cathy Dees and Barnes PruettShort brief on ground rules: No walking around building unescorted. Stay in break room when not in LOI. ROE: Use jumpseater (Check Airman) and FO. Jumpseater is also FA/ATC/Dispatch/Maint/Ops/Everybody else.Two taken in at a time. On with each set of interviewers. Others wait in break room at training center. No chance to get gouge. They keep those who've done the LOI away from those who haven't yet.My scenario (I went last): Go into room with paper trainer. Only gauges that move are one with time (7 minutes) and one with fuel remaining.Handed laminated card with scenario. FL 330 in holding over Terre Haute. Second leg of day: First leg was MCI to MDW, Now going from MDW to BNA. Emergency aircraft in front of you going to BNA. FA just rang to say there was a medical emergency. Card also had max crosswind/tailwind components with differing runway conditions/ clg/vis; fuel requirements: 5k to land, 4k minfuel, 3k emergency fuel. Given 5 minutes to study card.Any questions? Does FO know what you know, or do you have to repeat? Answer: he hears everything you hear. Is the FO someone I have to really back up on instruments, etc? Answer; he's super FO, can trust him.Clock started. I first handed FO the controls, asked FA what the problem was. Customer allergic to peanuts, in and out of consciousness, trouble breathing. I asked her to see if there were any medical folks on board. Then called dispatchto get medical help (Medlink), and patch it through to F/As.Took controls back from FO. Had him get ATIS at Terre Haute, MDW, BNA. BNA: 2L half plowed, 2C fully plowed, winds favoring 2, within crosswind, 31 open and plowed. Asked him to call ATC and see nature of emergency, length of delay for us. They said 30 min delay. Also, asked me what my max holding airspeed wouldbe: Pulled 265 out of thin air, lucky guess.MDW weather and winds better. No weather at Terre Haute avail. How long to MDW? 30 mins.FA calls with update. Medical person in back says we need to get on deck ASAP.Passed controls back to FO. I ask ATC how long now with delay. Still need to wait. Time and gas ticking down to 2 mins. I ask FO what he thinks we should do. He says go to BNA. I ask Jumpseater, he says MDW. I make the decision to go to MDW. They say okay, you made a decision and then they leave the room.They come back and ask me how I want to debrief it. I say things I did good vs things I could have done better/other things to think about.Good:Called FAGot ATISAsked ATC about emerg ahead of usCalled dispatch, got Medlink initiated.Passed controls when neededInvolved FO/Jumpseater in decisionJS/Check Airman more experiencedWho knows what trouble emergency could cause usWeather not the best at BNAOther:Could have asked what type of medical facilities at each location.Need to consider liability to company if something happened to customer.Could have climbed to get better burn rate.Could have got more frequent updates from FA.Didn't ask dispatch what they suggested.Another way to get Terre Haute weather?Could have tried other airfields.Other comments I made, but can't remember. I told them I was just brainstorming, and they said I was doing some "good brainstorming".After the fact, I think I should have mentioned the possibilty of having to declare min/emerg fuel. I didn't really address that. We had 1 min 30 secs left on clock with about 6.6K.Other scenarios we traded at a bar later: One guy had a bird strike just after takeoff from Lubbock, just at takeoff mins, discussed takeoff alternates, etc. I think he passed up Amarillo and went to Dallas, due to weather. Another one sounded similar to mine but had MCI and Omaha involved.Every interviewer asked me if I had any questions. My one question for every pilot was how they ended up at SWA and what they thought of SWA. ​

 

[320AV8R]

Trip Report for Southwest Airlines Interview


18 May 2004


Received a call on 15 April from Melissa Dexter inviting me to come in and interview. Returned her call, and confirmed 18 May 2004. The previous gouge is right on. My goal is not to regurgitate the previous gouge, but to highlight some points I believe were important and perhaps illuminate some others.


My initial preparations consisted of securing a hotel room at the Renaissance Hotel, by booking early you can get the SWA rate of $52.00/night. The coverletter you receive with your package of information from SWA serves to confirm your SWA rate with the hotel, which reservations asked me to fax to them. Renaissance was nice, they have scheduled van service to/from both Love Field and SWA training/headquarters. Highly recommend taking the 0700 bus, the 0730 was extremely full with new hires going to training and the interview team. Due to demand, it did not arrive at SWA People Dept until a few minutes after 0800. I utilized the 0730 bus to Love to catch my flight out. ​

In preparation for the interview I spoke with everyone I knew who was currently employed with SWA, and all reiterated that being yourself in the interview was essential. I would summarize their advise this way: try to put yourself in a bar/social situation, and you are telling stories to your buds, obviously without any foul pilot/sailor language or being overly flamboyant. I took this onboard and determined that SWA was looking for a fit, everyone asked to the interview has the experience. At my interview I talked with my hands, showed emotion/passion for why I was there and why I wanted to work for SWA!

Preparing for the interview I utilized the gouge questions to develop talking points on note cards. I would not recommend writing out a long story for each question.
- An example, TMAAT you had a conflict in the flight station. On my card: Commodore, Adak, Bus A.
These were all the points I needed to remember the story. My reasoning was that the interviewers could change the question slightly (WHICH THEY DID!), and thus I could frame/modify my response using the same story to the ‘slightly different’ question, such as:
TMAAT you had a conflict with a superior.
I also thought I would not come across as rehearsed or over-prepared, allowing the story to come to me as I remembered it. This is one approach. I had never interviewed for a job in my life, last interview of any significance was 25 years ago. For practice, I utilized the base’s family service program to set up a ‘mock’ interview. I provided the ‘interviewer’ with questions from the gouge. I dressed up in coat and tie, trying to get as close as I could to a dress rehearsal.
I reviewed my stories with my wife, who provided some outstanding insight as to how I came across. For one question, TMAAT you did not get along with a peer, and how did you handle it, my response was too emotional, (as I hated the guy), which came across. I changed my response to a different individual, less emotional.
A few weeks prior to your interview you will receive a package of papers from SWA. Most are print/sign your name, date, SSN etc. One requires notarization, ensure the date you have it notarized is the same date you sign it!! There are a few that require more work, specifically the contact information sheet. HIGHLY recommend making copies of every sheet that requires being filled out. If you make a mistake you still have a clean copy to try again. Regarding the contact list, most strongly recommend double-checking contact phone numbers/names. In my first interview, the SWA Captain pulled out this sheet, “If I call this number right here, will I will get this person.” I was surprised by the number of folks filling out these forms on the morning of the interview, some had made mistakes, and did not have a clean copy to reattempt.
Regarding flight time, for USN, strongly recommend breaking out your time from the logbooks. I used Excel, and was able to show how I calculated, PIC, SIC, and Part I factors. Don’t forget to break out your Instructor Time, they really appreciated that. I had a summary sheet that showed my totals and Part I factor. Lots of effort, but absolutely worth it, that part of the interview went very smoothly and was off to a good start.
You will be asked to update your on-line application a week before your interview date. They will have a copy, I made sure all my flight time matched. Some had to answer questions as to why their logs, Form 15, or whatever did not match their application. Awkward.



THE INTERVIEW:

Flew to Dallas day before, checked in. Remember everyone is your friend. Flew from BWI, recommend checking in a little early, took the ticket agent about 15 minutes to coordinate my must ride pass. From the gouge I tried to look around to see how crowded the flights were. Glad I did, they asked. Carried on all my luggage/suit, paperwork and logbooks. Recommend flying in business casual, that’s coat and tie. Never hurts to look nice as your must ride pass will indicate you are heading to Dallas for a F/O Interview.

Called the Renaissance Shuttle after arriving at Dallas Love. Checked in and signed up for the 0700 shuttle. Previous gouge said the 0730 is fine, I disagree, given the amount of new-hire training going on, and the interviews, you can easily be late. Better to be there a little early. Don’t forget to tip the driver!

Met in the lobby with the other candidates, took the shuttle to PD. Once everyone arrived we moved to the conference room and started separating our paperwork. PD folks reiterated you are not competing with everyone there, you are competing with yourself. If they like you, they will hire you. Be yourself, they only have about 45 mins/interview to get to know you. That’s your shot.