Since this is an interview board...

[chase]

Question to spark some thought (serious which is tough to do with pilots I know)

What is the toughest interview question you've had or fear?


What was/would be your response?

Since folks hopefully come to this site to get some interview gouge/help in the spirit of Thanksgiving for those regulars or for those who have been lurking & were afraid to ask here's your chance to chime in with your thoughts.

The point isn't to "make up answers for others" but many times in interviews the applicant is asked a question but is either confused with the question or caught off guard with the wording. Many interviewers will help clarify the question but some may sit there & see the applicant squirm. My goal is to save someone some squirming if possible.

So if you remember your question & wish to give some "advice" on how you went about answering it please contribute your thoughts. If you have a question that is troubling you feel free to throw it out & maybe someone can provide you some perspective that maybe you hadn't thought of.

Let the games begin!!!

I'll throw out one that many folks struggle with.....

TMAAT you had your integrity checked?

Any thoughts out there on this one?

 

[KeroseneSnorter]

What is the toughest interview question you've had or fear?

Fear........ "So Mister Applicant, Do you think my breasts are perky?"

Response...... "Ummmmm, is this part of the interview?"

Super double secret fear question........The same one asked my a male interviewer!!!!

 

[Swerpipe]

Know the company

Interviewing with McDonnell Douglas in Saint Louis for an engineering position...
1st question
"What are the three aircraft coming off our assembly plant"

While not an airline question, you either know that about the company in which case it is the easiest question in the World or you don't and you start the interview thinking and knowing you busted. Even though I knew the answer I panicked for a micro second while I thought about the answer. Know the company you are applying for.
Incidentally, the PD folks at Southwest have said at every meeting I've attended, "Know our company!".

 

[UALjan15]

At SWA Interview, April 2004:

SWA Pilot: Soooo, I see we offered you a job back in '99. Why didn't you take it?
Me: Tap-tap-tappity-tap.........Show me some LUV!!

 

[AlbieF15]

So...how did it turn out? Did you get the offer the second time?

 

[enigma]

TMAAT, you observed a conflict between crew members. Not, TMAAT you had a conflict with a crew member, just observed a conflict.

 

[Nightmare67]

Mr.Applicant,


Please explain the universe and give two examples...

 

[Yahtzee]

TMW you don't like about flying?

Me: Landing somewhere you're not familiar and needing a haircut and getting one of these (pointing to the worst haircut I have ever had in my life as I laughed.)

One of the interviewers said: "I got one of those one time. I asked for a medium cut, but the barber thought I said Marine Cut."

To which I replied, "I asked for a basic haircut, but I think the lady heard "I'd like to look like a shaved dog's butt'. "

Yes both interviewers laughed for a long time.

 

[BonesF15]

I just fell out of my chair

 

[Vik]

I just peed

 

[enigma]

To which I replied, "I asked for a basic haircut, but I think the lady heard "I'd like to look like a shaved dog's butt'. "

Positive proof that people do look like their pet (bulldogs).


enigma, a pilot with two horse in the pasture. I report, you conclude.

 

[HarleyGuy]

Sincere thanks from a guy who's been too stressed out to laugh much lately. I just about wet myself. Did you get hired?

 

[Gulfstream 200]

That was dammm funny!


I would have hired ya.

 

[bafanguy]

Question to spark some thought (serious which is tough to do with pilots I know)

What is the toughest interview question you've had or fear?

SWA: " We see you were one of the original SWA pilots in 1971 but left in 1973. Can you explain this for us ? "

Me: "Well, if I said I was a moron, would that hurt my chances of reemployment ?"

 

[Resume Writer]

TMW you don't like about flying?

Me: Landing somewhere you're not familiar and needing a haircut and getting one of these (pointing to the worst haircut I have ever had in my life as I laughed.)

One of the interviewers said: "I got one of those one time. I asked for a medium cut, but the barber thought I said Marine Cut."

To which I replied, "I asked for a basic haircut, but I think the lady heard "I'd like to look like a shaved dog's butt'. "

Yes both interviewers laughed for a long time.

I would have hired you on the spot! Very rare to have someone have a quick wit and be themselves in an interview. Bravo!

Kathy

 

[G4G5]

DAL Shrink

Who do you love more, your mother or your father?

Me
I think the last guy peed on the couch because I feel wet

 

[flyfastinmy10]

Been there done that got the haircut..........They were out of t-shirts!

 

[Yahtzee]

Glad I made some of you laugh. I felt I needed to explain the haircut, as it was so bad, I thought they might actually hold it against me....thinking I actually chose a haircut like that. Yes, it was that bad.

I appreciate the kind words from ya'll especially from Engima, Kathy and Harley Guy. I was fortunate the day I interviewed and blessed with an offer. I also know many good people didn't get offers and only the interviewers know why.

Harley Guy, thoughts and prayers to you and the rest of the folks at ATA. Hopefully your stress will soon subside and things will work out. I wish you and your family the best.

To get this thread back on track that Chase orginally intended:

Interviewer: TMAAT you saw a trend developing?

Me: Imagine a deer in the highlights look, thinking "breath slowly--think quickly--talk slowly" I pondered for about 30 secs with nothing popping up, thinking I was going to have to say "I'm sorry, I can't think of anything to answer your question and then "spoof" something popped into my pea size brain.

I mentioned a time I was working in a Flight Safety postion for our squadron, when I started tracking recurring Emergencies in the T-1 fleet. I described my experience with the emergencies and how I worked with MX and our Safety Office to track specific problems which seemed to be having an increased frequency of occurances. I told the interviewers how I briefed the squadron IPs of the items we were tracking and reviewing the emergency procedures for the items we were tracking. How the problems were addressed through our Systems Safety and how we got our System Program Office to address a long term fix to reduce the occurances. I gave examples of the trends we were tracking and how the problems were eventually fixed.

This question completey caught me off guard. I didn't expect it and felt relieved after answering it.

Yahtz

 

[Lear70]

My resume shows how I moved quickly from one aircraft / job to another, better aircraft / job almost every 12 to 18 months in the mid 90's (just luck of the times). Flight instruction to King Airs to Lears to EFIS/FMS Lears with a schedule to the 727 then to a regional (727 company went out of business), so I nearly ALWAYS get the dreaded:

"You seem to move around a lot. Why so many jobs in such a short period of time and why do you think you'd be happy enough here to make a career out of it and not switch jobs again?"

I evidently still haven't found a good answer, because every company I've interviewed for who has asked that question has sent me the "nasty-gram" in the mail, and every company who has NOT asked that question offered me the job, or maybe that's just coincidence.

Only 9 more months until I can reapply at Southwest...

 

[Resume Writer]

Glad I made some of you laugh. I felt I needed to explain the haircut, as it was so bad, I thought they might actually hold it against me....thinking I actually chose a haircut like that. Yes, it was that bad.

Yahtz

Of course, we want to know if you have photo evidence?

Kathy