Southwest Competitive Mins?

[Obi-Wan]

What do they mean at SWA when they say they are now looking at competative mins vs. 1000PIC and a type? Thanks.

 

[atpcliff]

Hi!

If U want to go there, and you meet the MINIMUMS, APPLY!

Do it now, don't wait.

I know a ton of guys who don't have the job they want. Why?

They haven't applied. They don't have as many hours as other guys who are looking for jobs, they don't have as many degrees, they're too old, blah blah blah.

If you don't apply, I guarantee you won't get the job (actually, I know of a couple of guys who got jobs without applying, but that's VERY rare).

If I meet the mins for a job I want, I'll apply. The worst that can happen is I don't here back from the company, which is the same result as if I didn't apply.

Cliff
ELP

 

[English]

...uh....did something change and I missed it?

Southwest isn't accepting applications at this time. So Obi-wan has to wait.

 

[Obi-Wan]

Back to the original question please!! which is
What do they mean at SWA when they say they are now looking at competative mins vs. 1000PIC and a type? Thanks.

 

[Falconjet]

Competitive Mins

"1000 hours PIC and the type" are the minimums to apply (although in this case you can't apply at all, and before the window closed I don't think you needed the type to apply), just like a class I medical and the ATP.

Competitive mins are what you need to have to actually compete for an interview slot. Typically, the competitive mins would be higher and the range which more people than not with those amounts of time would get an interview invite.

So although a candidate might meet the mins and apply, they might not actually get an interview until they have reached somewhere in the competitive mins range, which you could say might be an average of the actual times that those who interviewed actually had.

Only the folks in the hiring department would know what exactly that range might be, but AirInc used to do class surveys for every new hire class they could get people to reply to in an effort to identify the competitive mins for a particular company at a particular time.

 

[MLBWINGBORN]

Hmmm...

Good question..

There are very few 1001 Pic with 2501 total and a wet ATP with an even wetter 737 type that get hired..I didnt however say it was impossible..

My class averages were around 6000 hours in total time and if my memory serves me around 3000 Pic turbine..

This is a guess on my part and may be worth a call to the PD at some point..

As the level of qualified folks rises im sure that the average time and background would rise as well..In the past if you met the mins you would get the call for the interview..

Since they are looking at changing the system they may have a different set of qualifications at some point in the future..

Ive heard that they havnt made ANY decisions yet as to what changes they may make to the hiring system as far as qualificatons..

I understand that the system itself is being changed to improve/reduce processing time and reduce cost per applicant..

If I run across somebody that may know for sure I will try to ask..

Mike

 

[Falconjet]

Wait, there's more

Perhaps I should add why this might be important to some folks. In the old days (yes, just before 9/11) SWA seemed to have a policy that if you met their mins you would eventually get an interview, presumably in the order you applied. There were two piles of apps, those with types and those without, and those with the type got called sooner that those without, but eventually, everyone who met the mins would get called. NOW I don't know if these were actual policies (I did say it "seemed" to be the policy) but they were generally perceived to be the policy by those who were applying and on this forum, correctly or not.

Now what people are speculating is that with the huge number of pilots on the market now that SWA can and will be more selective in their screening process. One way to do that would be to offer interviews in order of the competitiveness (defined somehow by the company) rather than a simple first in first out mentality. So if you apply the instant the window opens and are patiently waiting but someone who is "better qualified" applies 6 months later, they may call that pilot instead of you for the next interview.

None of this is official policy of course, just pilots on the forum speculating of their chances of getting an interview after the app window opens up again. Don't worry about the process, you can't change it. Just get the type and make sure you get your app in the instant the window opens. SWA will take care of the rest!

 

[PTinbound]

I got my 1,000th turbine PIC hour on Sept. 21, 2001, ten days after the attacks. I mailed in my stuff when I finished the trip a couple days later with 1,009 turbine PIC. I had a fairly wet type that I had gotten at around 700 PIC. If they were willing to talk with me and my qualifications in the post 9/11 world, they'll talk to you too. Falconjet is right on target. You do the best you can, get as many good hours as you can, and more importantly, be a great person and a great employee at your current job. Jim and Colleen will take care of the rest. They run a company full of fair and caring people.

 

[Obi-Wan]

Is it true that SWA does not hire pilots furloughed from other airlines.

 

[RightBettor]

No!

"Is it true that SWA does not hire pilots furloughed from other airlines."

No, not true!! In my class we had three or four furloughed guys from the following: UAL (me), NWA, and AA (I think two AA guys... could've been one.)

When things start back up, don't hesitate to apply simply because you are furloughed.

 

[MLBWINGBORN]

In a word...No!

They do not care if you are furloughed!!

Mike

 

[stb]

I do believe a letter...

of resignation is required for employment.