Reserves question during an Interview?

[SoBeFlyer]

Have any prior military folks been asked in an interview if they plan on pursuing the Reserves/Guard? If so, what airlines asked?

I have been wondering about this question since in the Airline's mind Reservists are more difficult to employ than in the past due to current events. The USERRA law prohibits the discrimination of Reservists in employment. Asking this question in an interview would denote that this was pertinent to the hiring decision which could get them in hot water. I know that you can't find out why you weren't hired, but isn't asking this question illegal?

 

[BamaBoy]

Reserve Interview Question

Have any prior military folks been asked in an interview if they plan on pursuing the Reserves/Guard? If so, what airlines asked?

SoBeFlyer, not sure about the others, but FEDEX doesn't, and none of my SWA buds said anything about it in their interviews either.

 

[AlbieF15]

They shouldn't be asking the question.

If you babble on about all your life's plans, however, what you say MIGHT be used against you by a less than scrupulous company. So...best advice is answer their questions with a smile and then STFU. I have no idea on SWA or JB's take, but at FDX they seem to be proud of the contributions our crew members have made to the nation. Maybe I'm naive, but I think its sincere.

The pragmatic guy will take about how much he is looking foward to his NEW career, etc and leave the ANG/Reserve discussion off the table. What you do AFTER you are hired in 100% your business. If they don't know, they cannot used the information against you.

 

[2dogs]

interview

If they ask,

Just lie...tell them to shove it after you are hired!

The law in this case is very harsh for the employer. First, get hired!

2dogs

 

[Cheesemo]

SWA has hundreds of guard/reservists. We're glad to have them, and an interviewer would be severely beat about the head and shoulders if he/she asked such a question!

Cheers

 

[SWAdude]

"an interviewer would be severely beat about the head and shoulders if he/she asked such a question!"

Why??

SWAdude

 

[NAVSPECWAR Dude]

SoBe Flyer:


I've got a non flying billet in the USNR. I had a great interview experience and got the call to continue without a type rating. They asked about my job in the military but that was about it. They explained that they have tons of reservists and are proud of the fact. I would be honest and not sweat it. Not to beat a dead horse but honesty is the best policy not just at SWA but anywhere. Best of luck.

Dude

 

[michael707767]

Yes. Years ago when I interviewed at UAL, the pilot interviewer asked, then seemed dismayed that I was pursuing a reserve job. I got the total opposite reaction from Delta and FedEx. Both asked about the reserves (by then I was in the reserves, so it was on my resume/application) but seemed pleased by it.

 

[Andy]

Yes. Years ago when I interviewed at UAL, the pilot interviewer asked, then seemed dismayed that I was pursuing a reserve job. I got the total opposite reaction from Delta and FedEx. Both asked about the reserves (by then I was in the reserves, so it was on my resume/application) but seemed pleased by it.

We have a ton of Guard/Reserve pilots at UAL. I was with the Guard when hired by UAL. My best guess is that better than 1/3 of my new hire class were active in the Guard/Reserve.
Of course, that was 2000; I don't know when you interviewed or if the interviewer was trying to keep you off balance.

 

[SoBeFlyer]

If you ask ANY airline, sure they are going to wholeheartedly support their Guard/Reservists that they have already hired. THEY HAVE TO BY LAW, even if their hearts are pure when they say it.

The interveiw issue is completely different. They don't have to hire you, and they don't have to tell you why they didn't hire you. Asking about your intentions in an interview could point to a dirty little secret that they don't want let out. I may sound paranoid, but I'm sure that recent increases in Reserve/Guard activations make airlines "concerned".

 

[ShaggyF16]

What th'

If they ask,

Just lie...tell them to shove it after you are hired!

The law in this case is very harsh for the employer. First, get hired!

2dogs

Nice attitude.

First you want to lie in order to get hired, and before you're even hired you want to tell "them" to "shove it".

What else should you lie about in order to get hired? Your background, perhaps?

I hope you're not really in the Guard or Reserve. I have been fortunate enough to serve with folks who had much higher ethical standards.

If you have an app in with our company, your attitude is not what we're looking for. If you somehow managed to sing 'n dance your way through the interview, please turn in your resignation letter immediately.

Of course, an intervewer shouldn't ask this during an interview. They would only be opening themselves up to discrimination charges if they did.

If the topic did arise (sts), I would be completely open. I was and I have been treated with nothing but respect and fairness -- two virtues you seem to have precluded with your attitude in your previous post.

If a company really didn't hire you because of your possible recall to military service during a time of war, would you want to work there anyway?

Respect and fairness with a prospective (or current) employer regarding military service is a two-way street. I suggest you start holding up your end of the bargain. They will more than likely go out of their way to fulfill their obligations to you if you do.

Be a man, not a weasel.

Shaggy

P.S. This may be a bit harsh. My apologies if I somehow misinterpreted your post.

 

[Mooseflyer]

AirTran asked me

I had an interview with AirTran in June, about 2 weeks after my active duty separation but before I signed in with my current reserve unit. I was asked point blank if I planned on joining the guard/reserve. Before I could answer, the interviewer added that my intentions would have no bearing on the hiring outcome (legal disclaimer?). Call me stupid, but I told him that yes, I was planning to join since I enjoyed my military service. I added that as long as I was able to participate and maintain currency with my unit without impacting my #1 job at AirTran, I would continue. Did that have an effect on the result of my interivew? Who knows, but for some reason I wasn't hired.

 

[miles otoole]

I had an interview with AirTran in June, about 2 weeks after my active duty separation but before I signed in with my current reserve unit. I was asked point blank if I planned on joining the guard/reserve. Before I could answer, the interviewer added that my intentions would have no bearing on the hiring outcome (legal disclaimer?). Call me stupid, but I told him that yes, I was planning to join since I enjoyed my military service. I added that as long as I was able to participate and maintain currency with my unit without impacting my #1 job at AirTran, I would continue. Did that have an effect on the result of my interivew? Who knows, but for some reason I wasn't hired.

WOW-I smell lawsuit. That's considered an illegal? Let me guess-a pilot asked you this question? HR folks should know that that ? is borderline discriminatory.

 

[SoBeFlyer]

WOW! As Well

Mooseflyer,

Your interview experience is the one I was afraid existed. I'm amazed that they asked the question and then told you "Your answer will not affect your hiring". What an idiot! Why ask the question then? If they were honest that your answer didn't affect your hiring, then I'm sure they were also asking you questions like "What's your favorite color" too!

 

[Flyboy4ND]

Advice for Moose

Moose,

Contact USERRA immediately. 1-800-336-4590

If AirTran already said no to offering you a job, it can't thurt to make them prove that your reserve affiliation was not a basis of their decision. AND it helps all your bubbas out here going for an interview, so they don't end up with the same question you now face. Was my reserve affiliation and being honest about it a factor. Simple answer is for the HR folks to stop asking the question.

Hope this helps. Web link at the very bottom.

Q: I have enjoyed your series of articles, beginning June 1998, concerning the Uniformed Services Employment and Re-employment Rights Act (USERRA). I recently left active duty after almost ten years, and I have affiliated with the Naval Reserve. I am currently searching for a civilian job. Several prospective employers have asked me via the employment application form or the job interview, about my Reserve status. Is it unlawful for a prospective employer to ask such a question? What protection do I have against an employer refusing to hire me because of my Naval Reserve obligations?

A: Asking the question is not unlawful, but USERRA makes it unlawful for an employer or prospective employer to deny you initial employment, re-employment, retention in employment, promotion, or any benefit of employment because you are a member of, apply to be a member of, or have been a member of a uniformed service or because you perform, have performed, apply to perform, or have an obligation to perform service in the uniformed services. 38 U.S.C. 4311 (a).

Q: To prove a violation of 38 U.S.C. 4311, is it necessary for me to prove that I was denied employment solely because of my Naval Reserve affiliation?

A: No. Under USERRA, it is sufficient for you to prove that your Naval Reserve affiliation was a motivating factor in the prospective employer's decision not to hire you. If you prove that, the burden of proof shifts to employer to prove that, even If you had not been a Reservist, you would not have been hired, for a lawful reason unrelated to your Naval Reserve affiliation. 38 U.S. C. 4311 (b).
In my opinion, showing that the prospective employer asked the question on the application form, or during the interview, is sufficient to shift the burden of proof to the employer. Every question on an employment application form is put there because the employer plans to use the answer in deciding whom to hire.

Note to Readers: If your employer is giving you a hard time about time away from work for Reserve component training or service, or if you believe that an employer or prospective employer has denied you a beneflt to which you believe yourself entitled under USERRA, I suggest that you contact the National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (NCESGR) at 1-800-336-4590. You may also wish to visit the NCESGR~ Web site at www.esgr.com.

http://www.roa.org/home/law_review_11.asp

 

[michael707767]

We have a ton of Guard/Reserve pilots at UAL. I was with the Guard when hired by UAL. My best guess is that better than 1/3 of my new hire class were active in the Guard/Reserve.
Of course, that was 2000; I don't know when you interviewed or if the interviewer was trying to keep you off balance.

I'm sure you do. I know some guys in the reserves who fly for UAL. I interviewed at UAL in June of 96. My reserve unit had seven straight guys interview with UAL and get turned down. All of us got hired by other majors.

 

[SoBeFlyer]

I'm sure you do. I know some guys in the reserves who fly for UAL. I interviewed at UAL in June of 96. My reserve unit had seven straight guys interview with UAL and get turned down. All of us got hired by other majors.

But did they all get asked the question of future intent in the interview? Or do you think that their current status as drilling reservists could have been considered intent to continue in the reserves and thus affected the outcome?

I'm guessing you're not too distraught being somewhere other than UAL now.

 

[michael707767]

But did they all get asked the question of future intent in the interview? Or do you think that their current status as drilling reservists could have been considered intent to continue in the reserves and thus affected the outcome?

I'm guessing you're not too distraught being somewhere other than UAL now.

I don't know what was going on there, but it seemed wierd. Seven people in a row from a reserve unit, who get hired at other majors, should not have been turned down by UAL. Oh well.

No, none of us are upset. Funny how things turn out.

 

[AlbieF15]

Flyboy....great informative post...

Moose: Sorry about AT not working out. I can't tell you whether or not to pursue the legal stuff, but with C-17 stink on you there must be a lot of guys here at FDX who could help you get in here. PM me if you need some contacts and want to fly for FDX.

Shaggy: I love your idealism, and working at a place like you do there might not be an anti-reserve bias. However, I'm not convinced every other company holds itself to the same moral high ground that I know you personally hold. There are some companies (some listed on this thread, others NOT listed...) that I have a feeling might not be so accomodating. You say "Be a man!". Well...being a man sometimes means doing what is in the best interest of your family, and sometimes that means getting a job to put bread on the table and pay for braces, bicycles, and the things that make the world go around for your kids. I know you as a fighter pilot, a moral guy, and a good $hit...but not every HR person or accountant in the company is necessarily cut from the same cloth. At your company, "do the right thing" is a mantra. I'm not sure that is the case everywhere else.

That leads to this advice I frequently give clients. The interview is NOT about validation, or justifying every decision or choice you have made (or will make) in your life. It is about getting a JOB OFFER so you can then decide whether or not to join that company and comply with their rules. Waxing philosophic about your thoughts on defending the nation, setting an example for your community, etc might make SOME folks like you, but it might also potentially close the door at some places (even though its illegal...). If you were getting 5 interviews in a month, maybe you could be a bit more "fast and loose", but there are a lot of qualified guys who are waiting for ONE shot right now. My advice is to do whatever you can to secure that position, THEN decide if you want to go somewhere else when other opportunities exist. Don't lower your Pk of getting the job by bringing up potentially concerning issues.

So...how do you answer those questions about the ANG?

Are you employed by the Air National Guard/Reserves? "No"....which is true if you are still active duty or on terminal leave.

Are you actively purusing the ANG? "Well...it might be fun, but right now I am looking forward to a more regular schedule and learning the ropes at X. I also want to put down roots and start settling in my family. This is the job I always dreamed of having, and I want to do what it takes to be successful here." (...and dammit, you ARE looking forward to that stuff, and you ARE going to work hard to do a good job, especially in your new hire class)

Now the hard part...don't babble on about all your plans with the ANG/Reserves during the other questions or chit chat. Focus on all the things you look forward to at X, including learning a new jet, traveling to different places, learning to work as a crew (if applicable), and finally being able to "settle down" and not move every 3 years. Many guys make a "clean break" after military service--you don't have to say you will or make any promises, but if you imply you are looking forward to all the new "freedom" of being able to live where you want and knowing your schedule a month in advance, the message most interviewers would read between the lines is "...dude...I'm DONE with that military lifestyle..."

Once you secure the job, you are now protected by law. Is is "immoral" not to telegraph you want to be in the ANG? IMHO, no. Their intentions in asking you that question may be less than honorable, so don't feel like you have to announce your "life plan" to someone is your interview. That is your business, not the company's.

And if someone on the board complains that the company spent X dollars to train me, but then I had to go work for the ANG, my answer is simply "...you are welcome for all the freedom I am helping provide. Relish it. It hasn't been free for my family or my comrades, either..."

Just one guys opinion. Been wrong before, will be again...

 

[Mooseflyer]

Thanks for the replys guys. I didn't expect to be asked about my plans with the guard/reserve, as I also figured this question was off limits. Nonetheless, I thought about a response ahead of time just in case it came up. Yes, it was a pilot who asked and I got the feeling , given his quick disclaimer, that he wished he hadn't gone there. If that was the case, why not just say "oops, don't answer that" instead of adding that it wouldn't affect my chances? In hindsight, my response should have been a non-commital "undecided", since I hadn't yet signed in with my unit. The same answer would work if you're already signed in with a unit and the question is "do you plan to continue". Although I tipped my hand by saying that, yes, I do plan on signing up, I was quick to follow up with "only if it doesn't interfere with my work here" (but stated much more eloquently, like Albie's post above, I hope). Perhaps by then it was too late. Like I said though, it could have been something else entirely that ruled me out - but again I'll never know.

The legal road? Hmmmm, there's a tough one. I won't discuss my personal feelings on the subject here on the board, but there are many general considerations involved. Some that come to mind include protecting the rights of other military guys who follow, second chance interivew opportunity (or lack thereof) for the plantiff, smearing your internal contact's good name at the company, the welfare of the guard/reserve program in general, and probably a host of others I could come up with if it weren't midnight thirty.

'nite all......