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Old 18th Jan 2005, 20:28
  #10 (permalink)  
Bealzebub
 
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What I find interesting in that set of questions is that they all contain either the word "you" or "your". They seem to be designed to get an idea of your personality or character. There is nothing technical or particularly factual so it would be difficult to see how you could give a wrong answer. I suppose if someone were to portray a picture of themselves of having what might be regarded as traits towards the extreme end of the spectrum, that might be regarded as the wrong answer. The questions you have listed seem to be compiled in such a way that a person would be required to give an analysis of something they ought to be familiar with. Themselves !

So I cannot see that there is any right or wrong answer since aviation comprises so many different characters and personalities. What is important is that an individual can recognize their own strengths and weaknesses and various character traits, so that these can be adapted and integrated. From a CRM viewpoint this self awareness is very important. If someone didn't feel they had any particular strengths or weaknesses it is probably because they are either very unaware or very guarded or modest. More than one question in a similar vein might suggest which ?

These questions would also tend to preclude very short answers, which help an interviewer assess the personality and communication skills of a person. Does the individual give honest replies or replies that are scripted to a formula ? Does the individual seem irritated by unexpected questions ? Does the individual have a sense of humour ? The answers that are given to such questions are likely to be varied as indeed are the individuals. Anybody in this situation is naturally going to be nervous and pressured to some degree, but the answers ought to project whatever the interviewer is looking for in relation to the job. For a pilot that would probably be a perception of tidyness, maturity, sincerity, sense of humour, awareness, commitment, integrity. If the interviewer is another pilot they might also want to be reasonably assured that the interviewee would be somebody they would be happy to sit with for 12 hours or more (or less) in a confined environment. They might also want to be assured that the individual is also lilkely to be a potential commander and as such would be able to quickly adapt to the imminent role of second in command with the abilty to assume the temporary role of commander as directed or indeed by initiative should the need arise.

The last two questions seem to go a little further in that they are presumably looking for an ability to rapidly come to a decision in a difficult situation. Again it would seem that there may be a number of ways of achieving it, but how does the individual do it, and indeed how committed or flexible are they to that decision ?

In summary, these questions don't seem to have a right or wrong answer although some might, depending on the perception of the interviewer. They seem designed to get a idea of the interviewees personality. That perception might be right or wrong or probably somewhere in between, but no system is perfect. All interviews are to some extent a combination of all of the parties experience and personality, with a degree of luck thrown in on the day.
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