Glad to know nothing has changed here and their recruitment procedures are as fair and equal as always
Gee - what tosh. Surely you are aware that every company in the modern world has employee recommendation schemes. All have to go through fair channels to comply with employment law - but it surely is natural to recruit someone that another can recommend than an unknown quantity?
Some people need to stop thinking of employers as charities, but as functioning businesses. Can you argue with a policy where a TRE recommends someone he has flown with before, if he thinks he is suitable? Surely a reduction in training risk as a result of a known quantity is in everyone's interest.
If you don't know anyone, then do some damn networking!