Swa Db

[SWABound]

I read on another thread that only about 44% who make it to the decision board get hired. If the interviewers send you up to the board then what would make them say no? Flight time or recency of experience? I figured that would be weeded out by the interviewers.

Anyone know?

 

[Snoopy58]

The DB looks at the whole enchillada, everything. If there's a problem with the background check or references, they're the only ones who'll make that call. If they're not okay with recency of experience or total experience, that's their call, not necessarily the logbook checker's. As I understand the process, the logbook checker (one of the 3 interviewers) will verify that you have the 1000 TPIC & the rest of the mins & that your logbooks support what the summary page says. But he won't make judgement calls... those are left to the DB.

Don't know how much it's a factor now, but in the past there were reports of guys who just barely met the mins being told, essentially, get another couple years as a captain under your belt, and then try again. Or guys who finished their military career flying a desk for the last 3 years. Or somebody with, say 10,000 hrs SIC at 3 or 4 airlines but never more than 350 hours PIC any one place (or maybe never upgraded at all once or twice) before moving on with little explanation... hmm, did nobody trust him in the left seat? Only the DB makes calls like that. (And of course they can distinguish between "left the job when the airline liquidated" and "left airline A as a captain to start over as an FO at B.")

ALSO, unless things have changed, everybody who interviews will have their records looked at by the DB, since (for legal reasons) only the DB can say "no." NOW, if somebody tubes the interview beyond all doubt, there's no point in calling references or doing a drug test, and it'll be a quick "interview said no, we say no, NEXT!" call for the DB. But depending on the source and the statistic, that 44% may be the same thing as 44% of those who GET an interview (since they'll all meet a DB), or it may be 44% of those who PASS the interview (since they're the ones the DB spends time considering at greater length).

BUT, in any event, that's just history. If the DB likes you, they'll take you, even if it means a higher %age of applicants getting accepted that board, and if they don't like you, they won't, even if it's a lower %age than normal. Everything out there indicates that they aren't bound to take the top X%, no more no less. Do the best you can, and let the outcome fall where it does. Don't sweat it that you "have to be in the top 44%," 'cause it just ain't so!

Best of luck!

 

[FlyingFred]

Recently heard a rumour that they did away with the pool, and are basically just "hiring" those numbers for a class...so if 10 go to the DB and they only need 5 for the next class, they'll only hire 5....doesn't mean they didn't like the other 5, just means they took the most "competitive" 5 out of the 10 they interviewed.....

like I said...just a rumour and unsubstantiated.

 

[chase]

flyingfredNot true...hadn't heard that one...put that one to rest.

Southwest never wants to get in the situation again where they had 200+ in the pool as they did when they stopped hiring back in 2002...not a good thing for them or the poolies...as far as how many are in the current status of waiting for a class (definition of "the pool"), don't know, I have my guesses but it appears to be taking 5 months to go from interview to class date. Certainly the possibility exists (remember, this is the airline industry!!!) even Southwest may stop calling folks for a month or two for new hiring...things can happen...I would assume SWA would hold off immediately on interviewing more folks right away to stop the influx of folks to the pool if aircraft deliveries slowed or didn't go as plan....it is a process they watch very closely....so far that doesn't appear to be shaping up at all but I throw that caveat out there for everyone to be realistic about their expectations....no givens in this business but the plan is out there right now from all appearances to continue for the near future (2-3 months) but a decision could be made Monday to shut down the pipeline for a month or to take what they have & use them to fill up projected classes for the next month or so & not conduct anymore interviews for awhile.

Don't panic, just keep doing what you're doing & be patient. Cheers

 

[SWABound]

Thanks for the info. I had my references called and can't think of any other reason to not be hired. Crossing fingers....