Getting back to your initial question hoss....
These are just my experiences plus a few wise words from senior JQ pilots and others involved in JQ pilot selection.
Self applied via StaffCV in November 04. Got call from Juliette (recruitment consultant for JQ) mid April 05.
Have heard others waited longer, and some others waited less.
I had nothing in the "who do you know at Jetstar" box.
Other things to keep in mind with JQ recruitment process.
When you ask "how many people in groundschools and how often" I wonder if you are thinking that JQ recruitment and induction is run along QF lines. Short answer is no it is not.
It was set up by JQ and is managed by consultants hired by JQ. It has very little to do with QF recruitment people.
It is completely driven by the StaffCV database. Every recruitment effort starts with a search of the database.
If you go back and take a look at the generic questions and the JQ specific questions in the StaffCV application, you will note that there are no questions about age, marital status etc.
Not all searches of the database are done to the same criteria. Sometimes they are looking for experience on type (suitable to progress to left hand seat in a short time), other times they are simply looking for FO.
You do have to jump through the QF psychometric hoops, but unlike QF, it is not a 'gate' that you have to pass through before further consideration. It is considered alongside flying experience, sim check, and interview.
They have taken GA, ex Mil, ex AN, ex PNG, QF regional, other regional, all sorts.
There are no "bans" or "gentlemans agreements" to stop JQ from depleting the ranks of QF regionals or associated operations.
Neither do the NJS boys and girls that trained on 717 with Jetstar enjoy any special advantage.
Of those that pass through all the recruitment hoops, not all make it to the line. The most oft given reason for what looked like a good applicant, failing to qualify, is usually poor flight management in the sim.
There is some disappointment with the recommend-a-pilot system. Existing JQ pilots were invited to put their names against one pilot applicant as a recommendation if they thought that pilot would be a good choice for JQ. Unfortunately it seems the recommendations have been more to benefit 'mates' than assist the company to find good candidates, so such recommendations don't carry much weight in the recruitment process anymore.
Just the bits I have been told, from people whose job it is to know these things.
Last edited by ITCZ; 20th Mar 2006 at 23:30.