Before anyone goes over the top this isn't a thread about annoucing SWA is starting interviews....yes they are talking about it, yes there are 6 classes planned for April & May combined which equates to approximately 110-130 more folks out of the pool....sooooooo what does that mean in the way of needing more interviews...from interview to class date has been around 6+ months(varies)....could it be shortened by SWA? Of course.
For that reason there is ample reason to conclude that SWA "may" be opening up interviews in the near future (I can't define this term, suffice it to say I'm simply saying, "be ready", you don't won't to be unprepared).
That is why this reminder is coming your way....for regular readers this isn't anything novel or unique but for others new to the process here are some things to put on your "to do" list....not next week or the following week but TODAY!!!
Here is why, IF SWA opens up interviews sometime in May or June, by accomplishing this "to do" list you will have gone a long way toward relieving the stress that comes into play after you get the phone call for an interview. You'll initially hyperventilate & after coming to you'll start thinking about all the things you wish you had done already, LORs, birth certificates, transcripts, logbook prep, etc....so to relieve ERs around the country from having to treat SWA interviewees, I offer these gems of advice as passed on to me by others:
1. Raise your hand if you don't have your HS diploma within walking distance of where you are sitting right now? That doesn't mean you can call your 60 yr old mom who's resting comfortably & stressing her out as she scrambles through the old cedar chest looking for it on your behalf....get that now...same goes for birth certificate or passport...too close to Mother's day to piss her off so don't.
2. College transcript or diploma...same as above...get copies of that immediately & have it standing by....if you don't have one do you have transcripts of what you have accomplished so far from your school....don't wait for the end of the semester (get another one then), get what you have right now & have it ready to go.
3. LORs...yea, those guys will be around 24/7 whenever you need to call 'em right? Ever heard of summer vacation? Emergencies? Procrastinators? Bug 'em now, put the current date on 'em & read what they are saying about you. Maybe you need to send them a current resume or a reminder of when you flew together or even a rough draft but all of this takes time & you won't have it when the phone call comes, even if you have 3-4 weeks (some folks get only 1-2 weeks if they're called to fill in cancellations....don't go if you're not ready though..."yea brilliant chase, did you think of that on your own?" ....believe it or not some folks do & expect SWA to cut you slack because you "helped them out" by filling in the slot....sorry it doesn't work that way.)
Call your buds & talk to them to see what they are going to say even when the phone calls come (hopefully) from the background checkers....what do they really know about you that makes you a great fit for SWA? Deciding on which three or more you should ask may require some time & don't have just the three....have some backups since everyone writes differently & choose the best of the best of the best.
4. Logbook....if you can't explain it to your wife within 5 minutes, your time & how you came up with your IP, Evaluator, PIC, SIC & total, well, work on it....if you have traditional logbook have it tabbed out in a simple format showing the things that SWA wants, 1000 PIC, 2500 total, type rides (at least 737), total SIC/PIC/IP/Evaluator times & then transfer that to a simple sheet of paper so the interviewer can see what you're talking about...AF folks have it a little more simple but I'd be prepared to have all the summaries (yearly summaries) with me just in case they want to see something more than just one sheet of paper, Navy/Army have a more difficult problem but regardless, get your logbook story down & keep it simple with just the "facts" i.e. numbers
5. Review your aviation career...start thinking about the "tell me about a time stories....". You've got to be yourself & comfortable talking about your aviation career...for folks with short memories like myself it took me a little doing to recall some of the experiences I had year earlier....get on it now versus waiting for it during the stressful time after the "phone call". Sit down & answer some of these questions into a tape player, spouse & get some feedback..."does this sound like me?" If the answer is no, then you're missing the point....you're not defending a disertation, you're simply talking to someone about your aviation career & why you want to work at SWA...nothing more, nothing less....keep it simple.
6. Learn about the company, read the financial info on SWA, "NUTS", Lamar Muse's book, & others that are out there......knowing more about the company can help you determine if you & SWA are a good match or not.
7. Talk to your friends & possibly family about "you"....those within the industry that know something about SWA may be able to provide a perspective about your career & personality that because you are "too close to" realize yourself can use their help in understanding why you match up with SWA well...what do I mean? For many of us it is difficult to do a good self-anaylsis of our own personality, strengths, weaknesses...our friends & family can offer some perspective to that but can't if you don't sit down & have a serious conversation with them....a little advice....to keep them from thinking you've gone unisex on them , let them know why you're doing it....they maybe able to offer some perspective that you may not have but find useful after your discussion. Warning: doing this in a public place, ready room or squadron may result in having your callsign changed to "Mr/Mrs Sensitive"
There is no Holy Grail path to follow for getting hired....no anonymous message board contributors, books, prep services or friends have the full proof method for presenting you in a manner that will insure success...if someone is selling you that bill of goods off the internet, at job fairs or anywhere else they are misleading you so run away quickly....my advice should be taken for what it's worth, zilch, nada, nothing because it is only one method when in fact it has already been proven there are thousands of paths to a successful interview with SWA.
There are many other folks out there that have gone through this experience & from those folks I ask that you contribute the things that helped you prepare in advance so that when the phone call came you weren't a candidate for divorce court or caused you to not have to shut down the rest of your life the weeks before the interview. Please chime in & help those folks who will soon be in the same situation.
Be yourself but it never hurts to be prepared!!! Good luck to the folks who are already on the next list to get called by SWA but don't even know it...."you may have won & you don't even know it!!!"....not a bad feeling either.....for the folks at the new hire party tonight....have a great time, hope to see you there,
For that reason there is ample reason to conclude that SWA "may" be opening up interviews in the near future (I can't define this term, suffice it to say I'm simply saying, "be ready", you don't won't to be unprepared).
That is why this reminder is coming your way....for regular readers this isn't anything novel or unique but for others new to the process here are some things to put on your "to do" list....not next week or the following week but TODAY!!!
Here is why, IF SWA opens up interviews sometime in May or June, by accomplishing this "to do" list you will have gone a long way toward relieving the stress that comes into play after you get the phone call for an interview. You'll initially hyperventilate & after coming to you'll start thinking about all the things you wish you had done already, LORs, birth certificates, transcripts, logbook prep, etc....so to relieve ERs around the country from having to treat SWA interviewees, I offer these gems of advice as passed on to me by others:
1. Raise your hand if you don't have your HS diploma within walking distance of where you are sitting right now? That doesn't mean you can call your 60 yr old mom who's resting comfortably & stressing her out as she scrambles through the old cedar chest looking for it on your behalf....get that now...same goes for birth certificate or passport...too close to Mother's day to piss her off so don't.
2. College transcript or diploma...same as above...get copies of that immediately & have it standing by....if you don't have one do you have transcripts of what you have accomplished so far from your school....don't wait for the end of the semester (get another one then), get what you have right now & have it ready to go.
3. LORs...yea, those guys will be around 24/7 whenever you need to call 'em right? Ever heard of summer vacation? Emergencies? Procrastinators? Bug 'em now, put the current date on 'em & read what they are saying about you. Maybe you need to send them a current resume or a reminder of when you flew together or even a rough draft but all of this takes time & you won't have it when the phone call comes, even if you have 3-4 weeks (some folks get only 1-2 weeks if they're called to fill in cancellations....don't go if you're not ready though..."yea brilliant chase, did you think of that on your own?" ....believe it or not some folks do & expect SWA to cut you slack because you "helped them out" by filling in the slot....sorry it doesn't work that way.)
Call your buds & talk to them to see what they are going to say even when the phone calls come (hopefully) from the background checkers....what do they really know about you that makes you a great fit for SWA? Deciding on which three or more you should ask may require some time & don't have just the three....have some backups since everyone writes differently & choose the best of the best of the best.
4. Logbook....if you can't explain it to your wife within 5 minutes, your time & how you came up with your IP, Evaluator, PIC, SIC & total, well, work on it....if you have traditional logbook have it tabbed out in a simple format showing the things that SWA wants, 1000 PIC, 2500 total, type rides (at least 737), total SIC/PIC/IP/Evaluator times & then transfer that to a simple sheet of paper so the interviewer can see what you're talking about...AF folks have it a little more simple but I'd be prepared to have all the summaries (yearly summaries) with me just in case they want to see something more than just one sheet of paper, Navy/Army have a more difficult problem but regardless, get your logbook story down & keep it simple with just the "facts" i.e. numbers
5. Review your aviation career...start thinking about the "tell me about a time stories....". You've got to be yourself & comfortable talking about your aviation career...for folks with short memories like myself it took me a little doing to recall some of the experiences I had year earlier....get on it now versus waiting for it during the stressful time after the "phone call". Sit down & answer some of these questions into a tape player, spouse & get some feedback..."does this sound like me?" If the answer is no, then you're missing the point....you're not defending a disertation, you're simply talking to someone about your aviation career & why you want to work at SWA...nothing more, nothing less....keep it simple.
6. Learn about the company, read the financial info on SWA, "NUTS", Lamar Muse's book, & others that are out there......knowing more about the company can help you determine if you & SWA are a good match or not.
7. Talk to your friends & possibly family about "you"....those within the industry that know something about SWA may be able to provide a perspective about your career & personality that because you are "too close to" realize yourself can use their help in understanding why you match up with SWA well...what do I mean? For many of us it is difficult to do a good self-anaylsis of our own personality, strengths, weaknesses...our friends & family can offer some perspective to that but can't if you don't sit down & have a serious conversation with them....a little advice....to keep them from thinking you've gone unisex on them , let them know why you're doing it....they maybe able to offer some perspective that you may not have but find useful after your discussion. Warning: doing this in a public place, ready room or squadron may result in having your callsign changed to "Mr/Mrs Sensitive"
There is no Holy Grail path to follow for getting hired....no anonymous message board contributors, books, prep services or friends have the full proof method for presenting you in a manner that will insure success...if someone is selling you that bill of goods off the internet, at job fairs or anywhere else they are misleading you so run away quickly....my advice should be taken for what it's worth, zilch, nada, nothing because it is only one method when in fact it has already been proven there are thousands of paths to a successful interview with SWA.
There are many other folks out there that have gone through this experience & from those folks I ask that you contribute the things that helped you prepare in advance so that when the phone call came you weren't a candidate for divorce court or caused you to not have to shut down the rest of your life the weeks before the interview. Please chime in & help those folks who will soon be in the same situation.
Be yourself but it never hurts to be prepared!!! Good luck to the folks who are already on the next list to get called by SWA but don't even know it...."you may have won & you don't even know it!!!"....not a bad feeling either.....for the folks at the new hire party tonight....have a great time, hope to see you there,
