My airline interview.
Getting the opportunity to interview is the toughest part.
The interview process consisted of three separate events occurring over the span of several days. The first step was a simulator evaluation. There were 4 of us pared with a senior instructor. We met late in the afternoon and gathered in a break room where the instructor introduced himself and asked us about our backgrounds. It was an informal conversation; he was dressed in business causal attire we were in 3 piece suits. When one of the company simulators became available the instructor had two candidates occupy the two front seats he was in the observer’s seat and the other two stood in the back. The candidate in the Captain’s seat was being directly evaluated; the candidate in the FO’s seat was assisting.
Each candidate flew the same profile; if my memory is correct the profile was simple SID with a DME arc. Direct routing to a NDB followed by a NDB hold issued about 2 minutes out. That was followed by raw data, non radar procedures to a NDB approach followed by a missed approach clearance straight ahead; then radar vectors to an ILS and a landing.
After each of us flew the profile we were privately debriefed. It was at this point I likely came closest to not making it to the next level. The instructor “accused” (I chose this word deliberately) me of turning inbound prematurely towards the NDB and not being “established” on final prior to turning inbound. I listened very carefully, restated the regulatory criteria for turning inbound and said that was the performance standard I was working to achieve. The instructor actually ratcheted up the tension by physically closing the distance between us, increasing his volume, maintaining eye contact and restated that I had turned inbound prior to being established on the final approach course. I did not rise to the occasion, become confrontational or refute his recollection (it would have been pointless). I restated the regulatory requirements, told him I had no recollection of having turned in early, and then said that an early turn would have definitely be a violation of procedure and not appropriate and to have turned early would have been a mistake on my part. He did not pursue it further; I thanked him for his time and told him I would love to fly for his airline.
I am not sure if he was pressing me to see how I responded to critique or pressure or if in fact I had turned early. I honestly think I flew the profile correctly. It was an “interesting” exchange. I was relieved when the invitation to attend the Human Resource and Captain’s board interview arrived.
]The next interview took place early in the morning at corporate headquarters; there were 2 Human Resource specialists, the Chief Pilot and another senior Captain. There was a snow storm that morning and one or two others who were supposed to be there did not make it in. They looked at my resume and asked general questions about my corporate flying job and the time I had spent flying the bush in Africa. Eventually they asked the question about what I would do if I were flying with a Captain that that wanted to descend below minimums on an approach? I do not remember any “technical’ questions; they were more interested in my experiences flying for a multi-billion dollar corporation and my “exotic” flying experience in Africa. I was happy to “entertain” them with yarns of “high adventure”. I closed our time with restating some of the company’s recent accomplishments, telling them they would be my first choice as a place to spend a working lifetime and specifically asked for the job. They smiled and told me they would be in touch with me. It was a pleasant experience; still I was relieved to receive the invitation for the medical exam.
The final phase was a FAA first class medical exam; I think they might have had a chest X-Ray done as well. It was routine. A few days later my son was born, and when I got home from the hospital that night there was a letter with an offer of employment and a class date from that airline; which has been my employer for the last 16 years.
Over the last 40 years I have interviewed 10 times for a pilot position. I was given a job offer at 8 of the 10. One commuter airline turned me down because I lacked the stated experience minimums; they later offered me a job when I met the minimums. One corporate flight department was not interested in me. The other 8 pilot job interviews I was a successful candidate. The very best interview resource I can recommend is offered by Martin Yate in his “Knock ‘em Dead” books and web site (Google search it if you are interested. I do not work for this individual nor am I compensated in any way for recommending him).
That was my last airline interview experience. Good luck with your preparation!