Originally Posted by
A37575
There is also a company in Australia that during the interview which is run solely by the Personnel people (aka HR) and there is not one single technical question asked of the candidate. Every question is on the subject of flight deck conflict resolution. The result is they are recruiting a tribe of pilots whose technical knowledge is unknown apart from the fact they hold a pilots licence, but they know the HR answers off pat having spent significant dollars being coached by a professional firm who specialises in interview techniques.
But in the subsequent simulator sessions ask these pilots what do they know about avoiding storms using airborne weather radar or the risks involved in climbing and cruising with actual altitude 4000 ft above optimum, most hadn't a clue. Some even arrive at the sim wearing designer aviator sunnies over the head and carefully ripped expensive jeans. These are the captains of the future..heaven help the passengers on a dark and stormy night over the Pacific.
I've had two interviews not unlike that, one as a Flight Test Engineer for a business jet manufacturer, and one managing a large flying laboratory - both were about 90-95% "soft skills", and the general assumption seemed to be that my CV said I knew all the technical stuff so there was no point in bothering to check. (A bit irritating since in both cases I'd spent a couple of weeks preparing; on the other hand I was offered both jobs so shouldn't complain too loudly.)
Without doubt soft skills have an important place and have to be got right - but personally I also want to know that the people I'm employing, or flying with, can hold their own when everything hangs on a weather forecast or judgement of serviceability of an aircraft as well.