Interview Advice

[TurboJ]

Can anyone share their experiences of what is asked at an interview for an instructing job, please ?

Are they geared towards aviation knowledge or more of a personal, tell me about yourself approach ?

Cheers TJ

[FlyingForFun]

TJ,

If you haven't already done so, have a read of my post dated 7th June in this thread (http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=132771), in which I describe the process by which I got my job. (I hesitate to use the word "interview", because it wasn't really an interview at all.)

FFF
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[whatunion]

excellent book publishe d by kogan page, cant remeber exact title something like. toughest interview questions.

interview are as different as each person conducting them but there are certain basics.

look smart and tidy

good eye contact

talk clearly and audibly

smile

be ready for the stock questions... eg what can you offer us, why should we employ you, how would you change our operation and the not so expected ones like, did you get on with everyone in your last job.

dont answer questions with single words, elaborate, stimulate conversation.

dont lecture or preach, you may be about to change the course of aviation but wait till you have the job, dont try it on the interview!

remeber nobody likes a big head or a know all(read how to win friends and influence people by dale carnegie)

finally some advice from the ex-chairman of boots sir james blyth.
"i never employ anyone until i have looked in their car to see how tidy minded they are!

[fireflybob]

>finally some advice from the ex-chairman of boots sir james blyth.
"i never employ anyone until i have looked in their car to see how tidy minded they are!<

This is more true than you may think.

Any answers which you give to questions which are not related to the job will be read across to how you will behave in the job.

For example, let's say they ask you how tidy your house is. If you reply (honestly) that it's a tip, it will be assumed that you will be untidy on the flight deck etc. I don't necessarily subscribe to this assumption - some of the best pilots I have flown with have been totally disorganised in their life outside the job!

So be a little economical with the truth if you are asked this type of question.

My other bit of advice is to be YOU. There is, IMHO, too much pseudo-babble about how to pass an interview.

[BigEndBob]

just be yourself

like doing a check out...or that airline interview...the outcome will be decided in about 30 seconds.

[whatunion]

only be yourself if you are the type of person they are looking for!!!

do you understand who you are!!! who was it that said." if only we could see ourselves as others see us"

do a mock interview and get some one to video it.

[FlyingForFun]

only be yourself if you are the type of person they are looking for!!!Is it worth applying for the job if you know in advance that you're not "the type of person they are looking for"? Even if you manage to get through the interview by pretending to be someone you're not, surely you won't get along well once you actually start working???

FFF
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[IRRenewal]

i never employ anyone until i have looked in their car to see how tidy minded they are!

Maybe that tidy car parked next to your messy car is only like that because the driver throws all his rubbish out of the window while driving, and you don't.

[whatunion]

flying for fun

go to every interview you can.

remeber what you wernt told on your fi course

whatunion says, practice makes perfect

[fireflybob]

I say Practice makes Permanent!

[whatunion]

whatunion says, beware of permanence, inflexibility is a sign of old age!

[fireflybob]

What's "old age"? - that phrase is not in my vocabulary!

I agree that "Flexibility is Power".

Have a nice day, whatunion, love, light and magic from fireflybob

[whatunion]

old age is when old people die and are replaced by young people with new fresh ideas! they call it progress or is it evolution?

[Vortex Thing]

Saucer of milk table number 2, please. As for the chap who said why would you want a job where you knew that you weren't the sort of person who a firm wanted?

Errm to pay the mortgage until you find another job.

[StrateandLevel]

The most important rule in any interview is to be yourself. If you are not what they want you won't get it, and you probably won't want it. If they think you are what they want but you have fooled them, you won't keep it. Imagine loosing a job because you create the wrong impression that isn't you!

First impressions do count, but you don't know what impression they are looking for!

Know something about them; the job; what they are likely to pay; what they can afford to pay; and what you want, but never disclose it untill after they make an offer. If there are no promotion prospects, don't appear to be in search of them.

Untidy cars reveal a lot, tidy cars are a blank sheet of paper; you could have hired it.

One candidate went for a job to find the interviewer sitting behind a large mahogany desk reading a paper. Without looking up the interviewer said: " Bloggs, all you have to do is impress me!"

Bloggs took out his lighter and set fire to the paper!

Bloggs had not checked to see if they had a non-smoking policy!