Southwest/FTI Open House

[thepotato232]

Has anyone here heard about the employment open house SWA's having in Vegas on April 20th? Southwest's people are going to be there meeting prospective pilots and accepting resumes, and FTI will be there to sell cheap 737 type rating deals to prospective applicants. Plus, I'm sure a bunch of airline pilots will be able to think of something entertaining to do in Vegas on a Friday night in their spare time...

I plan on being there to get an early start on the whole resume submission/updating process. Any high-time regional flyers on this forum might have a really nice shot at an interview. There's a signup form for the whole thing on fti737.com. Anyone else interested?

 

[Mr Hat]

As much as I love Southwest.....Trying to nonrev into Vegas is a feat not for the weary!

 

[thepotato232]

Yeah, trying to find a free seat into Vegas on a Thursday night / Friday morning could be a real pain, now that I think about it. You can't just sneak in on the jumpseat?

 

[ERJpusher]

Resume submission at SWA is useless. The interview list is now solely generated by computer from online applications. A current pilot can't even walk a resume into the PD anymore.

That being said, if you are going to the open house strictly for informational purposes, it is a great opportunity to learn a lot about the company and it culture. You will definitely enjoy yourself while you are there.

If you are going there just for face time/resume drop-off, you are wasting your time. They will never remember your face and will not do anything with your resume.

I recommend that you go, though, if you have the time. They keep a list of everyone that shows up, and once you are selected for an interview, they can see in your file that you attended.

Best of luck!

 

[Lear70]

Does that mean the AIR, Inc career fairs are worthless, too?

Even the ones that Southwests hosts in Dallas?

 

[Mr Hat]

Even the jumpseats are usually full on Continental (who I would use to get out there).

ERJPusher, Ex-Expressjet?
I hate to do it but I totally disagree with the face time thing. I do think it's important and if the right impression is made, it COULD help. That being said, I have also heard that it's totally computer generated and pilots can't help their friends until they get an interview on their own....then the SWA guy can write a letter.
But I've also heard a story or two about people who've gotten excellent contacts and have snuck in under that stuff. One who I know personally had a Southwest Jumpseater who promptly called his Cheif Pilot when they got to where they were going and asked him to look closly at my buddy, who got an interview 2 weeks later.......I it COULD have just been a coincidence but thats pretty blatent.

All I gotta say is that I'm waiting for my second shot and I'll do just about anything to get that second shot!!! Except non-rev to Vegas.

 

[MED]

Does that mean the AIR, Inc career fairs are worthless, too?

Even the ones that Southwests hosts in Dallas?

It's useless for most major airlines. What do you think they do with the resumes at the end of the day? If you don't believe me, ask those housekeepers about those nice papers that they dispose every morning after the job fair.

 

[ERJpusher]

Even the jumpseats are usually full on Continental (who I would use to get out there).

ERJPusher, Ex-Expressjet?
I hate to do it but I totally disagree with the face time thing. I do think it's important and if the right impression is made, it COULD help. That being said, I have also heard that it's totally computer generated and pilots can't help their friends until they get an interview on their own....then the SWA guy can write a letter.
But I've also heard a story or two about people who've gotten excellent contacts and have snuck in under that stuff. One who I know personally had a Southwest Jumpseater who promptly called his Cheif Pilot when they got to where they were going and asked him to look closly at my buddy, who got an interview 2 weeks later.......I it COULD have just been a coincidence but thats pretty blatent.

All I gotta say is that I'm waiting for my second shot and I'll do just about anything to get that second shot!!! Except non-rev to Vegas.

No, not ex-Xjet.

I still stand by my statement that the face time is essentially useless. The PD is seeing about 250 INTERVIEWEES per month that they can't remember ever talking to by the next month. I sat next to one at a Higher Power lunch, chatted and laughed with her for over an hour, inteviewed with her a couple of months later, and she couldn't remember ever meeting me. I was in HQ with a couple of my buddies one day and we all saw a another person that had interviewed all of us 1.5 months prior. We went over to talk to her, and she couldn't remember any of us. If they can't remember the people that they are seriously considering for positions in the company, than what makes you think that they will remember random people they meet at a job fair? Not trying to be cruel, just being realistic.

As for the "No Walk-In Resumes" policy, this is new within the last month or so. I spoke with a check airman who tried to walk one in for his nephew, and was shot down due to the new procedures.

 

[hypersonic]

ERJ,
No-walk-in resume is correct but talking to them face to face may not be. From my experience, I got a call for the interview a month after talking to someone from the PD that I met while commuting.

 

[Lear70]

It's useless for most major airlines. What do you think they do with the resumes at the end of the day? If you don't believe me, ask those housekeepers about those nice papers that they dispose every morning after the job fair.

I guess we're still one of the standout exceptions to that rule.

SG instituted a new practice a couple months ago to where half of the interviewees are all AIR, Inc attendees with NO internal LOR's.

As far as I know, almost NO ONE gets hired here without attending an AIR, Inc / OBAP / WIA career fair unless they are personal friends or relatives of a senior management official.

Rumor has it there's a 22 year old in class with no 121 experience.

 

[thepotato232]

I still stand by my statement that the face time is essentially useless. The PD is seeing about 250 INTERVIEWEES per month that they can't remember ever talking to by the next month. I sat next to one at a Higher Power lunch, chatted and laughed with her for over an hour, inteviewed with her a couple of months later, and she couldn't remember ever meeting me. I was in HQ with a couple of my buddies one day and we all saw a another person that had interviewed all of us 1.5 months prior. We went over to talk to her, and she couldn't remember any of us.

If SWA isn't interested in meeting people before the interview, then why are they organizing their own job fair? Going to the event could be the quickest way to get an interview in the first place. Even if the guy on your interview board doesn't remember you from the job fair, the very fact that you went would help in the interview, and if you can remember something specific that happened there, then all the better. This isn't just a walk-in open house, there's a signup sheet at FTI's website with two sessions over the course of the day, and a limit to the number of people who can sign up. Could be a great way to separate yourself from the hordes of pilots who talk about how interested they are in the company. I'll be there, so here's hoping!

Here's a link to the signup sheet, if anyone else is interested:
http://www.fti737.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=page.display&page_id=19

 

[Lear70]

If SWA isn't interested in meeting people before the interview, then why are they organizing their own job fair?

I don't know... 'cause the PD wants to go party in Vegas and needs a good excuse for the bar tab they're gonna rack up?

Seriously though, wish I could come out. Say hi to Shari Egan for me at FTI, she has to be one of the most genuinely NICE people I've ever met in my life.

Good luck to ya'!

 

[thepotato232]

I'll be sure to pass along your greetings if I see her. She's great, in that caffiene-induced optimism sort of way.
I asked the guys at FTI about registration for the open house, and they say they're about halfway booked up. They're trying to keep the pool of hopeful SWA pilots small in the hopes that the company representatives will actually remember a few faces - something that doesn't happen in most of the cattle calls I've been to. Could be a nice change.

Regarding the bar tab, doesn't SWA have a cheap beer deal with the bars in their domiciles? Who needs an excuse?

 

[Porch]

They have room for 600 pilots, but they are only letting 60 in...

 

[ERJpusher]

If SWA isn't interested in meeting people before the interview, then why are they organizing their own job fair? Going to the event could be the quickest way to get an interview in the first place. Even if the guy on your interview board doesn't remember you from the job fair, the very fact that you went would help in the interview, and if you can remember something specific that happened there, then all the better. This isn't just a walk-in open house, there's a signup sheet at FTI's website with two sessions over the course of the day, and a limit to the number of people who can sign up. Could be a great way to separate yourself from the hordes of pilots who talk about how interested they are in the company. I'll be there, so here's hoping!

Here's a link to the signup sheet, if anyone else is interested:
http://www.fti737.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=page.display&page_id=19

Why are they organizing a job fair? Precisely for the reason I stated earlier-- to dispell information to you. It is still a recruiting event, but not so that they become interested in YOU, but vice versa. SWA has 700-800 seats to fill this year and will have to interview over 3000 people to fill them. The PD is trying to get people hyped about coming here, as well as answer FAQs, explain how to fill out the application, what to expect during the interview/hiring process, and what life on the line is like here. I absolutely recommend it that you go. At the open house in DAL last summer, over 800 people showed up. The single most effective way to get a quick interview is to have the type, which it looks like you already have. Otherwise, it will just depend on when the computer generates your name.

I'm really not trying to rain on anyone's parade, just trying to explain the reality of an event like this. I know at least a dozen qualified people who were at the open house last summer who have still not been called for an interview. I also know qualified people that have had the type rating for nearly six months, went to the open house, had face time with the PD at the Higher Power lunch, and still haven't been called for the interview. There is no magic formula.

I wish you the best and I hope it works out for you!!

 

[328dude]

As much as I would hate to admit it from ERJPusher (you finish IOE yet), he does have a valid point. Think about it, the last SWA Open House had 800 people there. Do you really think that they are going to remember every face that shows up? Of course not. Most job fairs are informational based, and SWA more then others. It's a time to ask questions in person and have them answered in person. Don't expect miracles to happen over night and that you being there gives you priviliges over those that do not attend.

Current pilots are useless in regards to helping others out by submitting resumes for prespective candidates. Once your selected for the interview, these yes, all powers are then made valid and your buddys can help, but not till then.

Here's my advice on helping yourself along with trying to get picked. Update, update and update. This is probably the single most important thing you can do to help your chances of getting called. Second, if you have a question about something on the application, by all means call them and ask. However, they are going to answer your question, but don't assume that they are going to remember your name caused you called. Interviews are computer generated by a wide range of factors on what they are looking for. Types or no types. Degrees, PIC time, type of time, military, civilian. It really depends on what the parameters are they select. Besides the updating, there's nothing you can do to help your chances of getting called.

I waited over 2 years from my type to get called with no regrets. The single most important thing the PD told me was to be patient and keep updating. I did just that, lived my life and waited for them to get around to me. They finally did and it paid off.

 

[thepotato232]

Actually, the cap for this particular open house is set at about 200. I don't expect them to remember the face of everyone that shows up, but I would hope they'd remember the face of a few that manage to grab their attention. Plus, the fabled SWA computer will notice I showed up. I'm certainly not expecting any miracles, I'm just looking for any advantage I can get.
From what I've heard, updating your resume has pretty much become par for the course, not necessarily the "key" to getting the job. I'll continue to do it until I get the call - things are just competitive enough these days that I'll take anything that could be another mark in my favor. Even if it won't help me get the interview call, it might help me out later on in the process. Plus, it's an excuse to hit Vegas...

Thanks for the advice, it's good to hear from people who actually made it.