SWA Interview - Current Employer?

[Pseuodopod]

I have a SWA interview in January and was wondering if any of you all could shed some light on how SWA handles your current employer during the background check. Specifically, SWA asks if they can contact your current employer. I really don't want them calling my chief pilot's office or any other office on the management side letting them know that I'm looking for another job because if I end up not getting hired by SWA that could put me on bad terms at my current airline. On the other hand, I can give them the names of a couple of people at the airline who can verify that I do, in fact, work there. Finally, I don't mind at all if they contact my Reserve unit. How do I let SWA know all of this without making myself sound like a goon? Chase? Anyone?

 

[canyonblue737]

you have to answer yes to can they call your employer. however as far as i know they will not call the employer to verify employment until they decide to hire you and do the full background check where of course it is necessary for them to call. what you will do is give several letters of recommendation from fellow pilots etc. at your current employer and they will contact those LORs during the post-interview process to verify they were real and ask those folks further questions including in a way verifying employment. it is very common that LORs come from chief pilots etc. but in your case you can simply list folks you trust.

 

[swait]

There are a lot of ways to verify employment without telling your employer that you are being considered for a job. Most companies do a simple credit check, calling to verify employment dates and wages as if you had applied for a loan somewhere. If you have names of people that SWA can contact at your current employer, have them write a letter of referral for you. That way SWA is free to talk to them. And there are always some back door ways to find out.

 

[canyonblue737]

i just wouldn't mark "no" to can they call your employer. based on my experience and those i know who interview at SWA those questions are there to speed up the final background check which occurs after the interview and after they "call to continue" which is code for, "we will offer you a job if it turns out your background is clean." before that they will only call people off of LORs and names of folks you list on your contact sheet for them.

 

[knelson]

For what it's worth, I marked yes, but I am in a little different situation than most. I work for a small part 91 flight department and my current employer knows that I am working very hard toward SWA. That has been the goal since I long before I started with this company almost 5 years ago. I checked the yes box and was asked again in the interview if it was really okay. The interviewer acted almosed a little supprised when I said "yes, please do!". My current employer was the first reference they called. Now if I can just keep my sanity until Jan 11. . . . .

Merry Christmas to everyone and good luck with your interview. It is a great process and you have heard this a million times before, but I can't stress it enough, BE YOURSELF AND HAVE A GOOD TIME! all they want to do is get to know you a little. I hope to see you in big D soon!

 

[canyonblue737]

let me clarify this... i would recommend checking yes, BUT i wouldn't hesistate to ask the question to the people department folks and let them know your situation in advance of the interview. call 'em up, tell them you would like to check no for the following reasons but if it in anyway could hurt your chances you will check yes. they will be honest and let you know how to go about it, and the phone call won't hurt. i wouldn't wait to the day of the interview and then try to explain it to folks while in that already stressful process.

good luck, be yourself as knelson said and you'll do great.

 

[ezviper]

Pseudo
I just interviewed in Oct and was told by many prior to the interview that SWA understands the possible sensitivity of your current situation and the people department later confirmed that they would not hold it against you at all if you mark "no".

 

[commode Air]

No you do not have to check yes! A friend of mine check no and he got hired. SWA knows how current employers can be. I would check No to this but give them people that they can call to verify your employment. Don't sweat it.

 

[herewego again]

I can speak first hand here...... I marked no, please do not contact my current employer, and I typed below that box on the application something to the effect of "Please do not contact my current employer until employment is accepted". It was reviewed during one of my interviews and highlighted by the pilot conducting the interview, and I was given the impression that they were very sensitive to this and would not put me in a compromising position (and that it was no big deal at all). I was offered the job. When the background check was done (its done by an independent company), they verified my employment by asking me to fax in copies of pay statements, from random, staggered dates through out my employment term there. I imagine w2's would work fine too. Once it came close to my class date, and my training/ drug/alcohol records had to be pulled from my then employer, SWA PD asked that I send them a quick fax, authorizing them to contact my employer. This was not done until the day I resigned, approx 3-4 weeks prior to the start of class at SWA.
I cannot stress enough that the SWA PD were more than accommodating in this area, and in no way do I believe it will negatively affect your application. Just realize that at some time they're going to have to get those records pulled. I did also give them the name of another pilot that I had flown with at that employer. I believe you have to list a second contact if you have not flown with your 'supervisor'. Make sure this person can verify your employment, is completely in the loop on what is going on, and can give you a glowing recommendation.
I was listed as a reference for a friend of mine. Similar situation, we had worked together and I was to verify his employment, but we had never "flown" together. I was asked many questions about his personality, ability to get along with others, would I like to hang out with him on a 4 day etc etc.
Good luck
Here we go again.

 

[Pseuodopod]

Thanks for the replies! It sounds like it’s no big deal to mark “No” do not contact my current employer.

To add some additional background info; my company has had a spate of FO's leave over the course of the last year for other airlines like SWA, FedEx, UPS, and CO. The word is that the Chief Pilot and the VP of Flight Op's are not happy at all about it. My fear is that my Chief Pilot might receive a call from the People Department saying something like, "Hi, my name is so-and-so from SWA. We are considering hiring one of your pilots, Pseudopod, and was wondering if you had any positive or negative comments that could help us make an informed hiring decision." My guess is that the immediate reaction of my Chief Pilot might be anger that another FO was considering leaving the fold. This might result in him either saying something not terribly glowing to the SWA background checker or highlighting me at my company as disloyal. I don't like either option. I'd much prefer providing references at my company whom I trust that could verify my employment.

Any more comments or advice? I'd love to hear what Chase has to say on this one.

 

[Capt. X]

What about if you interviewed a year ago and were turned down. To reapply do you need to refill out the whole online app or just update your app? I'll probly need to call Kim for that answer. Can anyone shed some light. Thx

 

[kc81900]

I interviewed on October 11th SWA called the chief pilot within one week of my interview. I don't know what your chief pilot is like but most are pilots at heart and have no problem with this. Except for a level of jealousness. Good luck!

 

[swait]

Capt X

What about if you interviewed a year ago and were turned down. To reapply do you need to refill out the whole online app or just update your app?

Just update your application. It makes it easier for them when they go to look something up about you if they don't see multiple applications.

 

[Alcatraz]

Pseudopod: I'll second what most everyone else has said here: you can check "NO" and it shouldn't negatively affect things. I asked about it in my first face-to-face interview, and my interviewer understood how things can be at some employers. Like you noticed, you WILL have to list someone to contact at your current employer (which could be simply another pilot you've flown with)... SWA never contacted the person that I listed.

I got hired (in class now), and they contacted my employer a few weeks after I found out I was "in the pool."

Do you work at AirTran? I interviewed there a few weeks before SWA, and it seemed half of my interview was "We don't want to hire someone that might leave us," "Will you leave if offered a job at Brand X?" and "Are you sure?"

Good luck, and MERRY CHRISTMAS all!!!