Paperwork prep for SWA interview

[flyNICKair]

Hoping to get a call from SWA. Trying to get ahead of the game. Does anyone know what type of paperwork I should have in line in case they call? Passport copied, High school transcript etc?

Thanks for the help.

 

[chase]

Three letters of recommendation from folks who can attest to your flying ability.

First class medical certificate

ATP Certificate (both sides)

Unexpired US Passport & Drivers License

Copies of Unexpired US Passport & Drivers License

Copy of HS Diplomas or transcripts or GED

Copy of College Diploma or transcripts

Logbooks along with a logbook review sheet (sent to you before the interview)

________________
These are the essentials. A couple of notes on each.

LORs - make sure they are current, dated within the last 6 months, start talking to these folks tomorrow & find out what they will say & write about you in advance, not 2 weeks prior to the interview

Actual passport (confirms age) & copies of it...not a misprint (don't believe that has changed but if there are folks who didn't please chime in)

Yes HS diploma, copy will do or transcript....see mother for location, no whining

Same for college diploma or associate degree programs

Logbooks or your version of logbook....I've heard electronic is OK but have some papers signed by you verifying their authenticity...military folks bring your summaries & logbooks just to minimize the discussion & pain is my suggestion

As in all cases call the PD if you have questions....the folks there will give you the straight skinny & won't BS you...great folks!!!!

 

[YellowLab]

I interview the 3rd week in Feb. and one thing that I found to be the most time consuming is the Contact info and PRIA Contact sheet. Call all your previous jobs and get the up do date contact info for all your flying supervisors as well as the name and title of the person that keeps your training records. If you have questions everyone in the PD are all more than willing to help. They are outstanding people. It continues to amaze me how great everyone is down there. I hope this helps, Good Luck.

Chase,

I appreciate your posts on here, it's nice to hear the facts vs. the rumors. It's all really good information.

 

[chase]

Yellowlab,

Your advice on the contact sheet is excellent....those numbers, emails need to be firm, 100% accurate. Calling ahead to find out if your training records are available for review or even still around (some shops close out, fold...that gets to be a problem but solveable)....makes sense to get copies of these whenever one leaves one job for another (for those reading & wanting to not get caught in a bind later when the phone call comes). These contacts need to be able to vouch for your flying ability & character, not merely that you were employed at xx company. Talk with these folks in advance & see what they will be saying about you...it may surprise you...one doesn't want surprises in this situation.

As for my "facts"....

My "facts" aren't always that...they're better described as "advice" & we all know there is a lot of that out there, some good, some not so good...only the PD & the folks in flight ops hold the "fact" key.....don't confuse any of my "advice" as fact...it ain't, trust me...but thanks for the kind words. The overall goal is to make this process less of a mystery & lower the stress so that when you go in you can be yourself & the folks there can see you for yourself & not as a nervous nellie still worrying about your contact sheets or logbook issues. Cheers....

 

[Spudbud]

As of March of last year, a copy of your birth certificate OR current passport were required for proof of citizenship. Might want to call the PD before spending the bucks on a passport.

 

[flyNICKair]

Thank you very much for the info. It is very helpful.

 

[ChinaClipper]

Chase, lemmie get this straight.......

You must have 3 folks that can verify your flying ability, correct? Unless I am reading this wrong (STRONG possiblity) are you also saying that your PRIA type contacts have to be able to "..vouch for your character and flying ability not merely that you were employed at XYZ Co....as well?" My second to last company had 1400 pilots and VERY few were known by the Chief pilot or Training department by anything other than file number. If these people are contacted, they'll probably say "...yeah he worked here, never got disciplined or killed anyone...." Is this an accurate characterisation of the process? Thanks for all your input!! Clip

 

[OffHot]

ChinaClipper, I'll try to answer your question but let me start with I don't know what PRIA stands for. The three letters are from individuals who can attest to your flying skills. Nothing more or less. A letter from your Chief Pilot from a compay at XYZ airline who only knows you by your emplyee number is not what we want. We want letters from people you have flown with, not once but many times. Character letters are also great but get at least three good letters of recommendation from folks who can personally attest to your flying skills. We will contact that former Chief Pilot whether he/she writes a letter or not. We also understand that Chief Pilots don't remember every pilot that has ever worked for them. Hope that helps.

 

[flyNICKair]

Are the 3 letters in addition to the in-house letters submited on the online app that my friends will put in for me?

Thanks again

 

[OffHot]

I believe so, but those at SWA can do both.

 

[chase]

China,


Offhot is right in his summary of the 3 letters & the comments about the chief pilot. The contact sheet talks about someone at each company that can vouch you worked there...yes CPs can vouch for that. However my understanding of that "contact" sheet is that you should consider folks who have flown with you & can speak about you personally...can a CP do that? In your case & in the case of many the size of the company precludes that, however, consider the following, choose the highest person in the leadership chain who can (1) vouch for your employment & (2) speak about you as a flyer & person of character....in some cases that won't be a CP but may be a check airman or someone of stature in the company who can talk about your character & flying ability while confirming your employment status....again as always (I'd recommend it in this situation so you're completely comfortable with it), contact the PD to get the straight skinny...good luck,

 

[PDXflyguy]

I think there's two different conversations going on here.

There are actually 2 contact forms that SWA sends out. One is "Company Contacts", and this is someone who can vouch for your flying ability, character, etc.

There is also a second form, almost identical for your PRIA (Pilot Record Improvement Act) contact. This is just so SWA knows where to send the record request.

Sure, it's unreasonable to think that the person who oversees the training records from your airline is going to be able to say anything about you personally, which is why they are listed on a different form.

Hope this clears things up...

 

[tranceport]

What? no FCC license? What kind of outfit is this? ; )

 

[shagadelic]

My grades in college kind of sucked, so I gave a copy of my diploma for undergraduate. My grades in my masters were excellent, so I gave a copy of my transcript for graduate school. Keep that in mind when deciding whether to copy the diploma or to give a transcript. Not that they care about your grades much, but I would still only show transcripts if they are good.

 

[SWAFO]

Contact sheet

FlyNick and China,
Above are all good recommendations, also consider an additional "contact" sheet. Remember - if any of the 3 contacts you list are not reached when SWA is verifying employment/checking references/validating letters of rec, they will place your file at the bottom of the stack and move on to another file/candidate. Recommend you provide an additional contact sheet with anyone that you can think of who can speak to your "flying skills and your character....etc". It worked for me, and the interviewers seemed happy that I provided this document. Make it as easy for the company as possible when it comes to checking your facts!

SWAFO

p.s. Have a bud who raves about the web site below, said it sealed the deal for him when he went to Dallas.

http://www.southwestinterviewprep.com