AFCO Selection Interview

[whatsitabout]

Ive got my formal OASC selection interview coming up. Any hints on how to impress the flt lt?! Can anyone remember what questions they were asked? Thanks people! :)

[airborne_artist]

As I recall, they quite like officers and SNCOs who can use their own initiative. An example of this could be searching this thread (http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=280990) for the term "AFCO".

Just a thought ;)

[whatsitabout]

Hmmm... thanks 4 the suggestion! Having already tried several searches, i couldnt find anything particularly relevant. Not without sifting through a load of waffle. I thought id excersise some efficiency by posing the question directly. Hopefully it will make it easier for others looking for the same info in future! :rolleyes:

[Roland Pulfrew]

whatsit

Initiative - tick

Perseverance - Hmmm?

119 pages might be a lot of "waffle" but I think you will find all the info that you need in there. That's why that topic is a 'sticky'.

Good luck

[tradewind]

'Hopefully it will make it easier for others looking for the same info in future!'

No it won't - I suspect this thread will disappear quickly. The above referenced thread is stickied for a reason!

I suggest you put the question there if you want others to benefit from the answer.

Good luck :ok:

[AlJH]

lyk omg! Wen I 1st saw dis i fort o no. and den in iz nxt post he used a 4 instd of for and i fort o god dis bloke az no ope wotsoeva!

[Strangelove PhD]

:rolleyes: wot e sed init

[c130jbloke]

Init :ooh:

[whatsitabout]

Lol jesus its not as if im sat on my arse! Ive aleady had advice from my afco, i volunteer 4 a support group and air cadets. Im just tryin to cast as wide a net as possible incase theres something i miss. Its only cause i want this a hell of alot. I thought part of military life was helpin each other not bein judgemental and dismissive.

[airborne_artist]

Lol jesus its not as if im sat on my arse! Ive aleady had advice from my afco, i volunteer 4 a support group and air cadets. Im just tryin to cast as wide a net as possible incase theres something i miss. Its only cause i want this a hell of alot. I thought part of military life was helpin each other not bein judgemental and dismissive.Another key skill in the military is being able to write clearly, using standard punctuation and being able to spell correctly. Trust me, we are being helpful.

[Evileyes]

To clarify the situation,you are asking questions of the members of a military forum with remarkable depth of experience and rank. They range from newbies in uniform to senior NCOs, WOs, and Officers of Air/Flag rank. Their common denominator is that they have succeeded in entering the profession of arms. Some, in point of fact, will be the ones deciding your suitability for service.

Your mission is to convince them you are worthy of their efforts to help you join their profession.

Respect for their profession is key and learning to communicate to their professional standard is a pre-requisite. Text-speak, chav-speak, yoof-speak etc. will rightfully get you burned at the stake as a buffoon unworthy of their profession (as you would well know had you read the sticky at the top of the forum).

Regarding the sticky, it is a sticky because lazy people who thought they were unique, special, and could cut corners kept starting new threads on the same topic and the kind souls who tried to help were going cross-eyed answering the same questions over and over. There is a tremendous amount of useful and relevant information in what you describe as 'waffle' but admit you haven't read. When wannbees don't bother to read it irritates us.

A lesson in military life and the life of a flight student in particular; expecting to be individually spoon-fed isn't characteristic of someone who survives the program. The required information is provided, dare to show up for a brief without knowing it stone cold and expect a short career. In most military aviation communities that would be known as a 'ready room down', a failure to do your required preparation. A failed flight before you even touched an aircraft.

However, after familiarizing yourself with the information provided, any questions you have are absolutely welcome and expected. You should feel free to post a specific question in the stickied thread after you have done your homework by reading the rest of the sticky.

Don't take this as a personal thrashing. Think of it as friendly career advice. You are neither the first wannabee nor unfortunately the last who will make such posts. Dust yourself off and get back in the fight.

Good luck!

[Melchett01]

the profession of arms

Now there's one I haven't heard for a while. It takes me back to a happier time before yoof speak and when text was something you found in a book!

[WolvoWill]

The AFCO selection interview is fairly laid back I would say, having had one a couple of weeks ago (and passing). The questioning is not too intense or probing, nor does it go into great depth - that is (so I am told :D) saved for OASC at Cranwell.

This does not mean preparation isn't required though - know your trade, where and what the RAF has (basing and aircraft in the UK and overseas, and the roles of each), and broad current affairs knowledge is useful - not just news relating to defence. For example I ended up being asked for my opinion on the Madelaine McCann case!

Advice I would offer, based upon my own experience of how I feel my interview went, and feedback I received immediately afterwards - memorise the years when you did things, as recalling them on the spot can be hard even though you know what order you did things, and may remember them more by school than calendar years! Saying 'when I was in year 12 at school I did....' comes across as rather less professional and mature than 'in 2003 I was involved in x activity...'.

Speak clearly and try to be expressive - in an interview situation you are invariably faced with a somewhat un-natural and slightly forced conversation, and this can be reflected in your body language and monotonous speech patterns. I was also told that a West Midlands accent does not necessarily help this - unlucky for me! ;)

The interview debrief is important though, and take heed of the recommendations made - just because you pass this stage doesn't mean you can't improve things and learn/do extra things which will favour you when it comes to the OASC interview.

[GPMG]

isn't it......