Tips on Successfully Interviewing at SWA?

[7S3W7A]

My logbook review was INCREDIBLY painful! My interviewer was civilian and spent about 10 minutes multiplying everything that I had on my form by .3 or some other random #. She quizzed me on every column that was listed. It was a painful process. The other 2 people that I interviewed with were quite pleasant.

The LOI was crazy! Would have been much better if they would have laid out planned alternates. Basically, you sit down with a situation and have to pull stuff out of your magic cape. No charts, no flight plan, etc, etc.

Otherwise, it was a very nice experience...

I've have never read a more sterotypical military post in my life.

1. Why didn't you make it easier for the interviewer and do the math before hand?

2. Do you have a brain or does someone have to write everything out for you in big letters?

 

[mule]

I've have never read a more sterotypical military post in my life.

1. Why didn't you make it easier for the interviewer and do the math before hand?

2. Do you have a brain or does someone have to write everything out for you in big letters?

Alright, let's turn this into a civ vs. mil post...very smart there...those arguments go very far.

I had a sheet that was broken out very clearly for her. It had all of the times with and w/o conversions, but because she was a civilian and didn't believe that us military folks are capable of using a calculator, she "double checked" every number that I had (sarcasm...in case you didn't catch it). Even though I met the mins with and w/o the conversion, she had to make sure us sneaky mil guys weren't trying to pull a fast one on her (more sarcasm for you).

Boy, if I just would have had your advice before the interview, it would have made it sooooo much easier. Gosh darnit, where were you before the interview? Please continue to grace this board with your wonderful tidbits. Thanks again!

Thank you for the kind advice for the poor little military guy that has never had any experience with the fast paced civilian world that you live in.

 

[:-)]

,

A lot of brain cells used to analyze the logic...I have to keep things simple. After 7 years I've assumed many folks who visit the FI Hangar>Aviation Interview Board>Major are looking for information that could help them during an interview. I don't know the secret formula for SWA, I don't believe there is one as evidenced by the variety of folks who are selected compared to those who are. Engaging in a discussion on a topic that might help others was the motive....as I've recalled this story many times, in a previous time the head of the People Department came on a compuserve forum and routinely encouraged folks with helpful information on how to best present themselves for an interview....basic information but spot on that helped me & many others who use to regularly visit there....she also routinely answered questions from strangers on the forum...she was super. I'm no exec VP by any means....just an FO who hopes folks put their best foot forward....we've all had help from someone...just paying back a debt to those who helped me. Nothing more cosmic than that my friend.

Chase, my sometimes smartarse comments aside I do respect you, so I'll try and explain my logic. Here goes.

Every SWA insider (left nameless to protect the guilty) I've ever spoken to, represents the SWA interview as nothing more than a "get to know you" session. The constant refrain is, "just go in and be yourself". After lurking here for years, I've read many, many times that the SWA technique isn't a game, it isn't trickery or anything like it. It is just an opportunity for them to get to know you. I've spoken to some of you via PM and been told that SWA stands by their system, and that SWA is confident in their systems ability to choose people who possess the SWA "personality".

Taking all of that into consideration, adding it to SWA's well known dislike of interview preparation, I find it odd that you attempt to help people pass the interview.

To me, it is logical that if you believe in your systems ability to predict performance, then you will avoid interfering with the system. Yet, I see you interfere with the system; therefore I can only conclude that you must not totally accept the ability ofyour system.

My analysis would be this: Chase, knowing that the SWA interview/selection system sometimes misses on good people, and recognizing that such misses are the result of shortcomings in the "system", is attempting to help those good people circumvent part of that system.

My logic tells me that your attempts to offer help, whilst eminating from the goodness of your heart, are nothing more than a concession that the system is not accurate nor trustworthy.

Love ya man,


PS, (added later) Do you hand out advice on passing the LOI? If not, why?

 

[:-)]

I've have never read a more sterotypical military post in my life.

1. Why didn't you make it easier for the interviewer and do the math before hand?

2. Do you have a brain or does someone have to write everything out for you in big letters?

He there bud, I think it's called sarcasm

 

[:-)]

Let me preface this post by saying that with a military background, I can't offer much experience in civilian hiring practices, so this is opinion only...

, have you ever known someone smart who didn't score well on the SAT? Just like there are really intelligent people who don't test well, I'd bet there are excellent pilots (in the cockpit and in the crew room) who don't interview well. If Chase can help those out, then he is adding value to this forum.

Obviously, SWA understands that some people interview better than others. You have to give SWA the benefit of the doubt on this one and conclude that the SWA pilot hiring process allows for ineptitude in interview skills. Chase may be adding value to the forum, but he isn't adding value to SWA.

Those who are excellent pilots and interview well don't need the help, and the idiots who try to hide it in the interview will probably have tells that distinguish their idiocy. Sure, the system is not perfect: good people like T2Pilot don't get the call.........

If Chase wants to prevent this occurance, Chase should be working from within the company structure to change the system so that it doesn't allow good people to slip past. Helping applicants is good for the applicants, but detrimental to the company, or at the very least it is counterproductive.

......... and bad apples slip into the company, but a few words on an online forum with the goal of helping out those looking to move up in the industry from those already there is a good thing. Except for a few on this forum who think their stuff doesn’t stink and wants everyone to know it, most comments by declared SWA pilots seem intelligent and helpful, so maybe it works.

Agreed, I should mention that I luv to tilt at windmills. It is my contention that the process/technique utilized by SWA is less than optimum, and I sometimes come out from under my rock to try and make that point. I do, fits of smartarse aside, respect Chase and am glad that his advice helps people succeed.

I'm still waiting for a class date, so the process is still fresh in my mind. I actually enjoyed the LOI, but I am the type who relishes a good challenge, facing a problem, gathering information, making a decision, delegating responsibilities, and critiquing the process to do better the next time. I've never seen seven minutes go by so quickly.

Agreed again, I believe that the LOI is the only part of the interview that accounts for a darned thing. That would be because, AFAIK, the LOI is controlled by the ops side of the house, where the rest of the process is controlled by, and graded by, HR.

There was nothing in the interviews that really surprised me, but I had a lot of time in the upper bunk on an aircraft carrier crossing the

Atlantic to remember personal stories of flying, teamwork, leadership, and learning. I did leave a little dejected, because in the last interview I didn't finish a question well. I missed the opportunity to say "This is what I learned about that..." allowing the interviewer to relate one of his own stories while I tried to convey that any mistakes I made were the result of youthful inexperience and not character flaws. Of course, this is what stuck in my mind, so I spent the next five weeks thinking up more places where I should have said this, or had a better story for that, becoming more and more depressed and convinced of failure. In the end, it worked out for me.

I approached the interview as a chance to tell good aviation and personal stories as if I were trying to make a good impression on a new supervisor, or fit into a new social setting. I wanted to show that I could be trusted with the lives of 137 customers in the back, that I would make decent conversation passing the time at the hotel bar on an overnight, and that a captain wouldn't look at his trip and mutter "Oh great, not eight hours in the cockpit with this kid again." I would recommend interview prep to anyone who has not looked for a job recently, a lot of time thinking about personal events that detail desirable personality traits, and a suit that makes you feel comfortable and confident.

Supa

congrats on your success in the process.



BTW, I have no idea why the forum software is breaking up the last quote at Atlantic.

 

[puddlejumper101]

I will have to say this, what has been said on this thread is actually very helpful. I don't know if I have what it takes, but I would rather know whats in store instead of being surprised. No other interview in the industry is as intriguing as Southwest. While I know my personality won't change, the way I prepare can. I am still months away from being in a position to interview (I do have the type), but merely reading all of this is slowly helping me prepare mentally for this interview. I am beggining to think that personality is the only thing that matters in this interview. All of the preperation in the world won't change who you are, it's just a matter of being yourself, proud yet humble, excited, enthusiastic, and hope that the personality I have fits into the mold. Am I close to getting this right? I have no clue, if I get turned down then either I missed the entire point or my personality does not fit with SWA. (hope not...)

 

[Tejas-Jet]

My logbook review was INCREDIBLY painful! My interviewer was civilian and spent about 10 minutes multiplying everything that I had on my form by .3 or some other random #.

I guess it all depends on who you get....my logbook review was as painless as one can get. Took all of 2 minutes...if that !!! Ex-military guy.

Wanted to see the date of my type rating ( thanks to my old legacy carrier for that), any failed checkrides (1), and my total times....that was pretty much it.

Tejas

 

[PHX767]

I guess it all depends on who you get....my logbook review was as painless as one can get. Took all of 2 minutes...if that !!! Ex-military guy.
Wanted to see the date of my type rating ( thanks to my old legacy carrier for that), any failed checkrides (1), and my total times....that was pretty much it. Tejas

Mine went the other way. Ex mil guy who took 15 minutes to go through my civilian logbook. Everything was tabbed, had a spreadsheet with all the times, he kept saying, this is really hard, a form 5 is so much easier....

 

[SWA/FO]

Review your logbook to find stories, then Interview Prep...Inteview Prep..... & Interview Prep....

 

[canyonblue]

I videotaped mine. Here is my 6 minute way to hit it big.

(You at least hit it big with every age group, from the Senior CA to the new F/O)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMH0bHeiRNg