Career Pilot: It’s showtime

Thanks to the folks at Future & Active Pilot Advisors, three veteran pilot hiring consultants discussed how to prevent you from making egregious errors during the interview.

Judy Tarver, former manager of pilot recruitment at American Airlines, has spent more than 37 years as an aviation consultant, writer, and speaker specializing in the field of pilot selection and recruitment.

Karen Floyd worked for years as a pilot recruiter at American Eagle. She has reviewed hundreds of applications and résumés and interviewed a boatload of aspiring Eagle pilots.

Claudette Carroll is a director of pilot career services at FAPA who spent 20 years at American Eagle. She was responsible for coordinating the hiring process, interviewing pilots, and representing human resources at the pilot review board. She has been deeply involved with several bridge programs with some of academia’s finest aviation programs.

First, the deal breakers: Lying in the application, logbooks, or during the interview is at the top of the list, and even minor differences in dates of employment or schooling is a red flag.

Applicants are expected to have conducted some due diligence on the company.Spelling errors, although not necessarily an outright no-go item, indicate a lack of attention. If the applicant is careless here, will that person be careless on the flight deck? Failing to provide requested or required items can be trouble— if the airline needs a copy of college transcripts or three letters of recommendation, showing up without them isn't good. Being a “dud” is not a way to impress those who are evaluating you. Exhibiting passion and enthusiasm for aviation, the airline, and life in general scores points.

“Why this airline?” is asked at most interviews. Responding with a blank look and “I dunno” is sure to shorten the interview. Applicants are expected to have conducted some due diligence on the company and form a basis for applying. Tarver recalls an applicant who actually quipped, “Well, this airline wasn’t my first choice.”

Arrogance is an absolute turnoff. Confidence with humility is valued.

Inappropriate attire on the outside has a tendency to reveal what’s on the inside. Showing up to the big day in unkempt duds or unprofessional attire reveals a lot about the person wearing them.

Failing to take responsibility for errors and failures by blaming others is a invitation to the door: “Well, yes, I failed a checkride. The examiner was a bonehead.” It is not a good idea to pass the buck.

Of course, as can be imagined, these professionals have stories that could fill a book. Here are just a few.

“I had a pilot bring his wife to the interview. During the check-in process, she completed his sentences, corrected him, and answered questions for him. The story became somewhat of a legend around the airline.”

“Pilot logbooks are enlightening. I’ve seen some comments such as, ‘got some scud running in today’ or ‘buzzed girlfriend’s house.'”

“Some military pilots have played a few games. We had an applicant say that he was a pilot even though his DD 214 form showed he was a navigator. Others have showed navigator or flight engineer time as co-pilot time.”

“Unbelievable, but we spot some egregious padding of flight time. In one instance, a flight from Palm Beach International to Nassau was listed as taking 10 hours.”

“We caught someone who left out a job where he was fired by noticing a different aircraft listed in the logs that he did not claim in the interview.”

“A very attractive woman came to the interview in a provocative sundress. When the captains came out to debrief, they didn’t remember a thing about her. No job.”

“One guy was asked about why he chose our company. He said, ‘Because you are hiring.’ Not a very impressive response.”

“One pilot was turned down because he wore his lucky Mickey Mouse tie that his son gave him.”

“I’ve had applicants cry during an interview because they were nervous or told a story that hit a nerve. A lot depends on the story, but tears during the interview can make it uncomfortable for all involved—but it isn’t necessarily a deal breaker.”

One applicant was offered conditional employment. On the flight home, he apparently became discourteous and gruff with some flight attendants. The flight attendants contacted pilot recruitment with the story and his offer for employment was rescinded.

A few parting words of wisdom from Carroll, Floyd, and Tarver:

Don’t attempt to mislead anyone. Recruiters are very adept at getting at the truth.

Don’t be condescending to nonpilot recruiters. Oversimplifying normal pilot lingo, assuming that because they are not pilots they wouldn’t understand, is a big mistake.

Go easy on or avoid entirely colognes and perfumes, which can be a distraction in the interview.

There is some conventional wisdom at the airlines that an applicant already has the job. It is up to the applicant to lose it during the interview. Interviewers and recruiters generally will not waste time on individuals whom they cannot envision as being a good fit with the company based upon the facts detailed in an application.

Further, as several interviewing captains have confessed, the bottom line is simply this: Are you ethical and honest, and do they like you? Can they see sitting next to you in a small office with wings for the next 30 years? Keep all of this in mind when you get the call.