No LUV from SWA Yet?

[RHINO AIR]

Does anybody understand what kind of process the People Dept are using?
Did I miss the meeting where they passed out the "Password" or "Secret Handshake"?
I was really dismayed when this new online application process started.
In the past your application would float to the top of the pile by your original date of submission and date of type rating. Now your just floating around in the PD's HAL 9000.
My Original App date Feb 02, Type Rated Apr 02.
After seeing who is getting the calls for interviews from this web site and others it seems like people who "Put my App in 2 weeks ago, Got Type Rated last week, Interviewed this week, and start class next month" are the ones getting in the door.
With Higher Power and other schools pumping out new 737 type rated groups every week, it seems like us "Old Dogs" are being left at the pound.

Oh, and the other thing: Having the 737 Type Rating has been the "Kiss of Death" at numerous interviews for airline, corporate and charter flying jobs because nobody is willing th take the chance on you.

Still waiting for some LUV!

As Linda Richmond aka Mike Myers would say "DISCUSS"
Because I'm getting very "Ve Klept" here

 

[farmboy]

turbine pic is heavily weighted..along with total part 121 pic time..i originally applied in december of 2001, did the online app jan. of this year and got the interview in may of this year..in may i had over 7500hrs total, 3000 turbine 121/135 pic, 4500 total pic, 1500 737 sic and 450 737 pic...
if you can, get some 737 time some how..that will get the interview for sure...if you can't get 737 time, you'll just have to wait it out....your right, that type you have is a curse when you are looking for another job...look at small 737 operators...casino express, sky king, sport jet..ect....there are more out there, just most people don't know they even exist....if you really want swa, this will get the interview and it will be hard for them to turn you down if your a normal guy or gal......just my opinion...farmboy..

 

[Swerpipe]

Waiting is painful

Hey Rhino,

I definitely feel your pain and many on the board do. Focus your energy in positive actions like learning more about the company, going over flying experiences, your logbook, references, etc... instead of wondering why they have not called?. That will get you nowhere. Southwest doesn't owe you or anyone else anything. I got my type in Jan 02 and applied in Aug 02. Have more than 2100 PIC turbine, engineering degree... so what? They'll call when they think I am someone they want in their property. Maybe they'll call when I have 6000 hours. They have the right to do that. My opinion of who deserves to be called is so biased and not objective that I'll save it! What I CAN DO is be prepared. A bitter person comes across very different at an interview than a truly grateful person that was called. Be careful. That also applies for interviews at other jobs.

I don't think a type rating is the kiss of death. You desire to work for SWA instead of other airlines or other corporate jobs is. I am sure it shows when you interview. It would show on me. Good luck and relax. Many of us on the ship. You are certainly not alone man. Good luck.

 

[LoveGun]

You guys are have me scared. I am taking a break from my 737 studying and just saw this post. A 737 type is the kiss of death? Great... I already sent my deposit to Higher Power. Did you see that post earlier this week that said everyone with a type will be interviewed within a year? I hope they were posting correct info. SWA is my #1 choice so I figure I have to take the shot or else I'll be kicking myself five years from now. My big worry right now is US Airways shuts down (I work at PSA) and I can't find another regional to work at cuz they don't like seeing my 737 type and then, SWA won't interview me because i am not current. On the other hand, I could sit here at PSA, never take the chance, and never know how things would've turned out. This career will give me an Ulcer sooner or later.

 

[azxj]

The kiss of death is in applying at other airlines. I won't even bother applying at AWA with a 737 type. I've heard that doesn't go over too well. I'm trying to stay positive as well but it is a little frustrating to see the posts "Applied Jan, Interview Feb, Type Mar, Class Apr."

If anyone is keeping track:
Typed/applied Mar '03
5000 TT Civilian
1900 Turbine PIC all Turbo prop
Interview............................

 

[johnnyV]

I put the info about being interviewed within a year. That's what the PD put out at my HPA type course in Jan & a bunch of us were called already this year. As they continue to interview type rated folks, sooner or later they should get to you. Plenty of folks are scrambling to get the type now but they are interviewing 140+/- a month most months. Stay positive, prepared, & current. Chase put some good info out earlier this year about getting HS/College transcripts, driving records, backround checks etc.. Keeping my mind on completing these tasks kept me sane while waiting & when the call came, I was alittle more prepared than I would have been a couple of months prior.


Hope this helps. Try to get to one of the HPA/SWA pilot hiring seminars. They are setting one up in Pensacola for 17/18 Sept at Seville Quarter, one of the most popular bars in town. You can ask Rebekah Krone or whoever comes from the SWA PD yourself, face to face.. mano a mano... I don't think they are in the habit of putting out bad info or giving false hope.

Good luck.

JV

 

[SilentBob]

Quit Worrying

LG,

You're doing the right thing getting the type, especially if you want LUV first. I have an FE written that has not expired yet and put it on all the resumes I sent out thinking the more quals the better, right? Shows interest and motivation in aviation, right? I was asked about it in an interview with a company that has never employed an FE and simply answered that I got it when I got my ATP since you guys (the company asking about it in the interview) were not hiring and some companies that employed FEs were hiring and with market conditions etc I felt I needed to do all I could. They were fine with the answer and stopped just short of saying, "So if FedEx does call what will do?" They were honestly trying to judge my commitment level to the company, the job and my career there. Still, if I had to do it over, I would have left something so small as an FE written score off the resume.

As far as who is getting calls for interviews, who knows? Keep the attitude pos and it will show well when you do get the interview.

SB

 

[LoveGun]

Thanks JohnnyV


I really need to get off this computer and get back to studying. This type rating has me a bit freaked out. It's like getting married or something. I know for sure SWA is the best choice for making a career. I like the stability, the culture, and bases. But I have AirTran, and America West giving me slutty looks, and I start thinking, "Do I really want to limit myself to just Southwest? There are so many other airlines out there."

 

[reepicheep]

I believe the key is turbine, preferable jet, PIC. Most at my airline (US Airways) who I've heard of getting interviews are captains or recently were. The career F/O's like me generally aren't getting called. No sour grapes, that's just the way it is right now.

Applied Feb. 2002
737 type
TT 14000+
jet 11000+
737 6500
PIC turbine 1000

 

[LJDRVR]

Be patient Bro, It'll happen. I've been waiting a long time, and I can wait a lot longer. As far as the type rating being the "kiss of death", bull! Didn't hurt me at all with an international cargo airline, (which I turned down) or a major airline sized "regional" which I accepted and am now having a lot of fun with. Press on with your life and ask yourself: what more can I do to become more competitive?

Hang on dude!

 

[LoveGun]

Thanks also silent Bob. Your post came up while I was typing my last response.

OK... My computer is getting shut down for the day. Time to get back to studying.

Thanks. And good luck to you old dogs. I'm sure you'll be senior to me at SWA. Please don't bid PHX. I really want to live there .

 

[kelbill]

People, snap out of it!!! Lets face it, no one is guaranteed an interview let alone a job at any place of employment, no matter how qualified one thinks they are. I'm in my fifth year at SWA now, still loving it, and thank my lucky stars they hired me, especially with a lot of friends on the street elsewhere. Don't fret over things you have no control over (easier said than done, I know). All you are doing is raising your blood pressure and sounding to me like you will eventually choke when you do get your interview, which I'm sure you will. I saw some great points made by others that I will add along with some of my own.

1. Get the 737 type rating yesterday, not tomorrow. It IS that important. From what I've heard the vast majority of interviewees had it. If you really want to work here you have to roll the dice. I spent my bucks at HP and know I would'nt be here without it (it was required back when I interviewed). Even if I didn't get hired, I would have considered it money well spent as I learned a lot about airline ops (ex military) from the training as well as from the other students.

2. Keep the 737 type on your resume. Some airlines used to prohibit putting it on your app unless you had actual flight experience in type. Will it hurt your chances at getting hired by John Deere or Dairy Air, who knows. If you make it to the interview you will be honest telling them you were doing everything possible to make yourself competitive for every flying job available. I put the FE written crud on my SWA resume and they didn't seem to care. Besides, if you got to the interview with the 737 type on the resume, either the folks doing the interviewing are total idiots by having you come in with no chance of being hired, OR, maybe your answers to their questions about the type weren't too good.

3. Prepare now so you don't have to sweat when you do get the call. Can you overprepare? You bet, but if you prepare consistently now, you will be calmer for the interview, and you won't be scratching your head to answer questions they really want answers to.

4. Flight time. The more Turbine PIC the better, but seeing your resume I hope you didn't count all that helo time for SWA. They don't care if the H60 has two turbine engines, it is still null time for their purposes.

5. Watch your attitude. I'm sure you are smart enough to not even mention waiting too long for the call when it comes. Not everyone is too smart though.

6. Don't quit your day job waiting for a job in the airline industry until you have one lined up. In times of plenty that might not be a problem, but right now, you'd have to be crazy quitting any paying job on the hope of getting hired here under most circumstances.

Good luck.

 

[Cactus73]

The kiss of death is in applying at other airlines. I won't even bother applying at AWA with a 737 type.

AWA will hire you with a 737 type no problem. A few people in my new hire class had the type.

The reason you may not get hired at AWA has nothing to do with the type. They don't want to hire people that don't want to make a career and committment to the airline. If they think that you are just coming here while waiting for SWA or that this is your second choice, you are right - don't even bother applying.

 

[azxj]

You're right, I do want to work for SWA, although AWA would be my second choice. I don't think I would be too convincing in an interview. I would love to work for AWA, seems like nice people, and I live in PHX, but they are just that, my second choice. Was that too many commas for one sentence?

 

[Reelbigfish]

Although no one wants to say it, and everyone gets all fired up if you say it, the numbers don't lie (not just from this board, one of my good friends is high up in the inner circle there) being military or ex heavily slants it in your favor.


I think the conversion is like take anything you flew in the military, times it by anything you want to make it be whatever you need it to be. I've seen people who flew crap in the military make it into LUV with less than 2000 hours. Can't argue too much about the favortism with that happening.

LUV is still a good company, but they are not the company they were a few years ago. Their game plan that got them where they are now seems to be being thrown away. I'm not negative, I'm just a realist. If LUV doesn't want me, there are several other just as good or better places. If they don't want me, I'm beginning to think that that's a good sign that I might not want to work there. Company culture, and the type of people that a company favors in hiring, can make you really happy or unhappy in what otherwise might be a great job.

Applied: Oct 2002
Typed: July 2002
TT: 4500
PIC Turbine: 2200

 

[miles otoole]

I'm not negative, I'm just a realist. If LUV doesn't want me, there are several other just as good or better places.

Where, in your opinion, are these several companies?

 

[English]

The 737 type is not the kiss of death. I was hired at both a corporate/charter operator, as well as at Aloha Airlines, with the type on my certificate. No big deal, and it was never even discussed.

 

[turn&pull]

--Fish
Relax man. From someone who has interviewed there twice, SWA hiring practices is nothing if not above board and fair.

Military guys have always gotten hired with less flight time than civilians, but I would argue that in the big picture they have just as much experience if not more than their civi counter parts. Although they may only have a 2000 actual flight hours, they may have 10 years of overall aviation experience that might include SIC,PIC, Instructor Pilot, Check-airman, squadron commanders, etc.

SWA and other airlines are looking for the total package. Instead of spending your time accusing SWA of unfair hiring practices, why don't you spend that time increasing your overall qualifications. Are you a Check-airman? Flight Manager? Instructor Pilot? Have you taken on leadership roles in your union? Worked with the safety department? Taken on projects that would make your airline a better place?

Spend your time increasing your own qualifications and I guarantee you when you have been working as a professional aviator for 10 years you will get a call too.

 

[Yahtzee]

Does anybody understand what kind of process the People Dept are using?
Did I miss the meeting where they passed out the "Password" or "Secret Handshake"?
I was really dismayed when this new online application process started.
In the past your application would float to the top of the pile by your original date of submission and date of type rating. Now your just floating around in the PD's HAL 9000. My Original App date Feb 02, Type Rated Apr 02.

Rhino,

Maybe these are the wrong questions. There seems to be an assumption that the nice folks in the People Dept who interact with us lowly pilots determine who and when we are interviewed. Have you ever considered that just maybe the nice folks in the People Dept aren't the ones who determine who gets interviewed. However even if they don't determine who gets an interview, I'm willing to bet my next month's paycheck they can quickly determine who doesn't get one. Hopefully this news isn't shocking to anyone. So be nice.


Both the SWA application and interview processes changed. Do you think it's possible that someone other than the bright folks in the People Dept determine who to interview and when? Also consider the possibility of 5000 or more apps on file. At 144 interviews per month, maybe 700 or so folks have been interviewed...still a big pool of applicants.

Is it that hard to imagine a computer program assigning values to categories such as Turbine PIC Time, or to those who were Check Airman or Evaluators and then compiling a list of names based on many factors?


Regardless of who picks who gets interviewed, my point is "someone" at SWA controls that decision. We can only control what is in our lane. When you’re least expecting it the call will come, and when it does, like the Boy Scouts: Be Prepared.


Yahtz

 

[RHINO AIR]

No Worries , Be Happy

Linda Richmond asked for "DISCUSSION"

I'm Not being Negative or feel SWA owes me anything. I was just voicing some thoughts that many of the people I went through training with, and who REALLY want to work at Southwest, and have been waiting a long time to get the chance, are wondering how their prospects look now with the new application process.

All good advice from replys: Keep Flying, Keep Upgrading, Keep Faith and Patience, and Good things will probably happen.

As for the 73 type rating being a "negative" thing. Not if you are really intent on flying for SWA, but it has been a factor in my interviewing experiances.