This is a fantastic thread and something that I have thought for a long time but never put into words.
df1 you are full of it. I can think of one HR manager, for a world famous cargo company that doesn't have a clue what being a pilot is all about but knows for a fact that if you don't score an average of 90% on her tests then you're not the kind of pilot they're looking for.
The chief pilot is the one who knows how difficult it is to become a pilot and what kind of person it takes.