Hey everyone, just finished Stage 3 yesterday. It has been a really intensive two days, and while I'm glad it is finally finished, the painful wait for an invitation to flight grading begins. I'd just like to share some pointers with everyone about to go through Stage 2 and 3 in the near future.
1. Be positive in ALL the exercises you do. They will try to put you off and give you stress, and it is up to you to demonstrate that you can deal with it. They want someone who will remain positive in adversity, and not just shrivel up or become defensive. If you cannot answer a question, just stay calm and tell them that you want some time to think about it. Don't reply with a quick "I don't know" and just let it go - be proactive and try to suggest a solution based on judgement and logical reasoning.
2. Show your aptitude at teamwork. Personality is a VERY important thing they consider, and they want people who are good at working with others. The group exercise and flight planning exercise are used to gauge your ability in this area. Make sure you respect others and listen to them when it is their turn to speak, and also make yourself heard as well. Make suggestions and try to refrain from being a control freak (if you are one).
3. Show your enthusiasm. Think about all the study you have done in the past few months, and remember that the interview is the very moment to let them know how much effort you have dedicated into trying to score this job. Sit up straight, look them in the eye, speak loudly and confidently. I have the impression that Cathay likes people who are confident and know what they are talking about (or at least look like it).
4. Don't be afraid of making mistakes. I know this kind of coincides with my previous point of being positive, but I'd like to emphasize this once again. Somehow people are afraid of making mistakes, and are therefore unwilling to talk about things they don't fully understand, or become uneasy after making an error. DON'T be scared of that, accept it is only normal. They will question you if you present an erroneous answer, so you need to keep calm and promptly re-think everything through. Don't dwell on mistakes you have made, they are not looking for someone who is perfect, but someone who can recognize mistakes, correct them and move on to become a better pilot through such experience.
Hope these hints are useful for other prospective candidates. I'm happy to share more of my experiences if that's what anyone would like. I was asked a bucket-load of questions during my Stage 2 and 3 interviews, as such I really cannot remember everything that was asked. I'll try to compile them and I will post them at a later date. Good luck to everyone else who has upcoming tests, and well done to everyone who have finally finished Stage 3.
I'd like to share a few words with those who unfortunately could not pass any particular stage in the selection. During my management interview, I had the opportunity to ask the management pilots several questions. One of my questions was what they thought was important for young, aspiring cadets like myself. The management captain looked me in the eye, and told me "Never give up on what you want to do." So A, E and J, if you are reading this, hope you guys will bounce back from today and eventually return as stronger candidates.
