Hey Chase, or Luvchild, et al.

[enigma]

Enigma,


Certainly folks are spoken with, potential applicants meet the hiring team/recruiters/pilots & speak to them. Do folks ever impress the folks from SWA enough to generate a callback for an "official interview"? I don't know but I'm sure notes are passed back & forth among the folks.

Thanks Chase. I wish that you hadn't of included this, "I don't know but I'm sure notes are passed back & forth among the folks.". If this can happen, and I'm not spanking you for speculating, then the entire interview call system is suspect.

But, it's SWA's ball and they didn't ask me to help develop the rules for their game. I guess that I'd better tap into the job fair circuit.

Thanks again,
enigma

 

[ivauir]

...If this can happen ... then the entire interview call system is suspect.

Enigma,
I'm sure you've read much of the interview selection gossip and speculation that has been posted here. There are some who suspect there is more to the system than just a numbers game, but I doubt it. Previously, someone who was "connected" could make things happen a little faster, but I think the volume of applicants these days and questions of fairness brought that system down. There are a couple of scholarships that have their own interview process and training department folks get interviewed based on their contract. Those are the only exceptions that I can confirm. I flew with a VERY senior dude last month whose son flys for a well respected regional. He was frustrated that his son wasn't getting called. This guy plays golf/goes fishing wth the right people, and his son has to wait like everyone else.
Caveat: Life isn't fair and neither is our interview call out system. I have no idea what the relative weighting of things is. I do know that 1000 hours PIC isn't enough right now, and leadership roles seem to help (expecialy check airman). Few are getting called without the type, and they are exceptional candidates. Guys with a lot of SIC and not much PIC seem to not get called. Personaly, I wouldn't pay for a job fair in the hopes that itwould increase my odds. I would go if I wanted to ask the PD some questions and I felt that opportunity was worth the money (meaning I wouldn't go). I would focus on turbine PIC with an eye on several (retirement worthy) airlines, so I guess that means multiengine for FedEx and over 20,000 lbs for jetBlue.

OK I rambled enough, that is all I know or think.

 

[chase]

Enigma,

Sorry for the confusion...as I have said many time, I'm not privy to all the ways that Southwest selects interview candidates and don't wish to be...others on here probably have more insight than I. Certainly from what I know about the way 99% (my guess & not SWA) of the folks who get selected for an interview is through the standard way of applying online & being called randomly by whatever sort is decided upon that month for the various categories/types/experience/military/civilian criteria is the flavor of the month.

However, just as in any business, not just Southwest I would speculate as would others that there are folks who get called for interview because

1. They have applied on line
2. Favorably impressed person(s) enough through some interaction, association or invovlement that "caught someone's eye".

What is this called? The "good ole boy's network"....to deny that one-zes & two-zes of folks get lucky & get a call for this reason would be to deny humor nature. It happens in any line of work....military, civilian...doesn't matter. That's life 101. Quite frankly hanging out at Air Inc conferences or other job fairs doesn't guarantee squat but if some higher up at SWA had a roadside emergency & you were the good-samariatan who stopped to offer some assistance and the conversation got around to you wishing to work at SWA, I would hope they had the instincts & guts to ask that you get an interview....the scenarios are endless of being in the right place at the right time...again Life 101. I sure those who will find the negative in the above comments that the process is "suspect", tainted or invalid....to invalidate a process that is applied to 99% but not to everyone is to me not pragmatic or realistic in taking in to account all the things we call "life".

I know you have tried hard to get to SWA & admire your desire....please don't get discourage that hundreds or any significant numbers who are running to the front before you merely because they are "connected"...that is far from the truth and I'm sure you realize that. The process in place is fair & equitable I believe and works well. I say all of the above to dispel the lone poster who says "I know of so & so who got a call for an interview because of connections"....fine, I can't deny it "may" happen but even if it does, it doesn't preclude average Joe's like you & me to get the call....you got the call once for awaiting your turn, I suspect you will again. Continue to pursue your passion and I wish you good luck....I suspect you'll be successful the next time around so don't give up. Don't know if that eases your "pain" but I believe in the system Southwest has & believe it is fair across the board in how they select folks & how folks are selected for hiring. It ain't perfect but nothing is in my view...I'm sure you'd agree.

 

[Mr Hat]

mr hat,
it was my assumption that a 4 year degree was necessary, since they added that question on the app, "4 yr. degree from an accreditted college?" YES or NO.
and that three guys from my type rating classs were called and all three have at least a 4 year degree, so it was dicouraging until i talked to Rebekah.

Thats refreshing, I was afraid you were going to go the other way with it. I'm in the same boat...4 people from my class last month, I didn't get a call and due to human nature I start to assume that my lack of a degree is the reason and I'll never get there. The truth is probably that they just didn't get to you or me yet.

 

[JTB]

perspective from a new hire

a very humble new hire...

Chase's post above is absolutely correct (as usual). Most folks reading these threads know about the "good ole boy network" at various other carriers. I can say that the folks in my class certainly appear to have been called based on their quals and not knowing so and so.

There is a scholarship program and there are training center folks who are able to apply based on their contract w/ SWA. Other than these two programs, the process seems to be random based on quals. Bottom line - they're looking for folks who have flown the line and have been leaders in their respective positions. Check airman for the civ folks and standardization and/or NATOPS quals for the military guys seem to be a common theme among new hires.

Used to think "where" you got your type rating made a difference. I personally don't think "where" you got the type makes a difference based on the various schools the folks in my class got their types. I got mine from HPA and would highly recommend them. If another school is more convenient for you, then go to it and believe that it's a check on the app and that "where" you got it doesn't necessarily make a difference. IMHO, the filters for screening seem to be competitive hours based on civ or military, competive hours as PIC, advanced quals (check airman/standards officer), multi engine hours.


fly safe,

jtb

 

[Guam360]

well, I felt sort of good until mr hat, said he is in a similar position, dude, degree is significant whether she said it wasn't.

If you had 4 guys that all had degrees, man the odds suck.

well I should be done in 6 to 7 months if i schedule everything right. crap...

 

[enigma]

Next question

Does the update frequency really effect the interview call?

enigma

 

[JTB]

Does the update frequency really effect the interview call?

enigma

No. Wondered this same question during the process. We asked this question to the top HR person at SWA when they came to visit at Higher Power - she said that the number of times and most recent update information is not on the same "screen" of information that they're looking at when they're evaluating competitive candidates. Every few weeks or once a month should be fine. I'd be most concerned about getting my hours updated - because you never know.

Also, they are interviewing some folks w/out the degree.

Good luck,

jtb

 

[737tanker]

Talked with a CP last week and he said that SWA is going to drastically increase the number of interviews. So I would definitely recommend updating the application.