Career Adviser: It’s my turn

» A: All the important elements that apply to any interview, inside or outside aviation, are relevant: professional grooming and dress; positive demeanor; honesty. However, it is virtually impossible to dispense wisdom specific to each air carrier, because each airline has its own interviewing philosophy.

Some companies have applicants complete a written test based on federal aviation regulations, while others may require the completion of a psychological profile. Certain companies interview in groups, whereas others interview one on one.

The best strategy to employ is getting “the gouge” well in advance of interview day. The most effective way to mine this information is to pin down a recent hire. This is why networking is so important.

An interview is in reality a sales presentation. In this event, you are both salesperson and product—and the airline is the customer.Aviation colleges, schools, and academies would serve their students well by developing online bulletin boards where graduates of a particular institution could post their interviewing adventures for the benefit of others. After all, the best source for interviewing gouge is the person who was hired last week.

Thanks to the Internet, there are several sources for interviewing scoop. Two of the best seem to be www.airlineinterviews.com and www.willflyforfood.com. Remember that postings on the Internet can be deceiving and there are a lot of so-called experts out there. However, the info contained on these two websites appears to be useful.

An interview is in reality a sales presentation. In this event, you are both salesperson and product—and the airline is the customer.

Any marketing professional will key into several strategies: come prepared, know the customer, and anticipate objections.

Advance preparation is critical. Doing homework on the company; relearning the systems of a particular airplane that could be the basis of several interview questions; reviewing the Federal Aviation Regulations/Aeronautical Information Manual; expecting and rehearsing the inevitable psychological questions are all part of the drill.

The airline interviewers represent the customer. If you conduct thorough research before the interview, you can learn what is important to the company. Does the airline prefer college graduates? Does the airline want actual IFR experience? Does the airline require a CFI background? How does it feel about loyalty? Does the airline expect a long-term commitment from its applicants and hires?

I asked three pilot recruiting experts with decades of experience for their advice on conducting an airline interview. See “Career Pilot: It's Showtime,” p. 47.