First Biz Jet Interview

[TopGunGB]

Hi everyone,

I've got an interview coming up shortly with a biz jet company. It will be my first ever interview for a flying job and I'm curious if anyone has any advice or tips for success. I've spoken with friends and colleagues about their experiences with various airline interviews and I think I have basic understanding of the assessment process. But am I right in thinking that interviews in the corporate world are different from their airline counterparts?

Any advice is greatly appreciated! :)

[DA-10mm]

yes, your thinking is correct.

[TopGunGB]

A speedy reply if ever there was one. Cheers, DA.

In what way is a corporate interview different?

[spannerbearer]

they supply the lube?:E

[Arkwright]

Well I'm sorry for the flippant replies to your very reasonable request for advice. Obviously some forum members have plenty of time on their hands.

Corporate operations differ from airlines mainly because of the reduced exposure to different crew. Depending on the size of the company (and fleet) you're applying for, you may only be flying with a handful of other crew, and therefore your personality and character becomes more important than any psychometric assessments!!!

In my experience, its unlikely that you will be asked much in the way of technobabble, but the interviewer will be looking to assess how well you will fit in with heir team. (I once employed a Tee total pilot.......big mistake!!!!!) :}

Your willingness to be flexible is widely acknowledged to be a valuable attribute, as corporate flying is rarely if ever a scheduled operation, and passengers normally have a very poor record on punctuality!

Happy to chat if you need further advice......PM me.

A

[His dudeness]

(I once employed a Tee total pilot.......big mistake!!!!!)

Hmmm. I´m a teetotaler - have we worked together?

TopGun, probably every interview is different. I was DO for a small ops and deputy in 2 others - no interview went as the other. I personally wanted to see if the candidate was:

a) willing to go the extra mile for the company and clients
b) knowing what he was about to jump into
c) an able aviator - in respect of his experience


Good luck.

[Gulfstreamaviator]

Biz Jet operation is totally different from Airline work.

When recruiting raw data crew, we seek someone who shows a great desire to learn. So learn as much about the fleet as possible, know the range, capacity, quirks of the aircraft operated.
The job is 180' from airline work.
You will be asked if you have trouble carrying passengers bags, empty toilets, or clean cabin floor.
Class 1 medical is essential.
Non smoker is normally an essential.
Non drinker can be good, depends on CP.
Willingness to be issued a roster, that has no relation to reality.
Vacation bookings are always treated with contempt, and you must expect charges.
Flexablity is 101% essential.
No family life expectations is a good asset.

In general with he market being so slack, I am surprised at a Zero Jet Time pilot being employed is a big big surprise.
In general I see only type Rated, well experienced with local knowledge being employed.
I wish you all the best, and if the job is in the Middle East I am so very surprised.

glf





Get some good references showing how flexable you are.

[what next]

Hello!

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

Be yourself, be honest, don't lie, don't tell them icredible stories, especially regarding what you would be willing to do once you get the job. Be prepared to answer questions regarding details of your CV rather than questions about the minimum climb gradient in the second segment.

There's not much you can do to prepare yourself other than a good night's sleep before the interview. It's like going to a blind date with a girl. You really don't know what to expect. Almost certainly, they won't look for the perfect (robot) pilot, but for a human team member. Able to work in a very small team with (sometimes) minimal support from the outside. Able to perform duties totally different from operating a modern aeroplane (my ten year old son could do that and they know it).
Many employers care more about general life experience than flying hours. In "my" company, most pilots have worked (some still do, like myself) in completely different jobs before starting their flying career. This is certainly no coincidence. So if you have other things than flying on your CV, tell them about it! That will impress them more than the speed at which you can punch co-ordinates into the FMS...

Good luck,
Max

[TopGunGB]

Many thanks for the superb advice, everyone! I'll post more questions as they come to mind. Thanks again! :ok:

[WSUshox]

I agree with most of the posts. To fly in our operation (here in the U.S.), you must have an ATP. So, when you come to us we already know that you know how to fly. We are looking for attitude. Is this the type of person that I could go on a two week trip with, and not want to kill? Is he/she a "team player"? Do they appear to have a Customer Service attitude? Customer Service is extremely important in the Corporate world.

Good luck and let us all know how it goes!

[DA50driver]

Good luck. Being on the hiring end I look for pilots that can get along with others. We can teach flying, but we can not teach attitude.

Be flexible, sometimes that's not enough so you have to be fluid. Every once in a while you may have to be gaseous:)

We have everyone spend time with the candidate, then we all decide if this is a person we can get along with. You may spend more time with this person than you spend with your family.

Be yourself, smile (we did not hire one applicant because he never smiled while he was visiting), and enjoy. If the first one doesn't work out it's good practice for the next interview.

[TopGunGB]

More great advice! Thanks chaps! I must admit, I was losing faith in PPRuNe reading some of the awful replies found in the 'Wannabe' forums! But the advice here has truly been a great help.

A word that has come up consistently is 'flexibility'. I assume that means I'd be willing to schedule my life around the demands of the job. The only point on my CV that alludes to any kind of the sort is my single status (I suppose). But what would some other examples be which illustrate that a person is flexible?

[G-SPOTs Lost]

All you need to know about corporate flying summised in two phrases....

"Be There"

&

"Do the right thing"

In large letters on the back of many GA crew room doors.

Quote that in your interview and your interviewer will know you're on the the same page as he is (hopefully)

[what next]

Good morning!

A word that has come up consistently is 'flexibility'. I assume that means I'd be willing to schedule my life around the demands of the job.


Basically yes.

The only point on my CV that alludes to any kind of the sort is my single status (I suppose).

I have met enough colleagues, whose (unmarried) girlfriend gave them a much harder time when they wouldn't be there on her birthday or had to cancel the planned weekend trip at the last moment, than any (married) wife would have. So it is not really the single status that counts.

Again, be honest about it. Tell them you can offer this kind of flexibility only if you really can (maybe you want a family and children in the near future?). I never did have this flexibilty, because I really only started flying _after_ I had met my wife. I have my familiy plus home, garden, animals here and reallly want/need to be home as often as possible. I told them within the first five minutes of the interview. And they said: "Fine for us, so you won't run away at the first opportunity to a bigger aeroplane with more pay. We are so fed up with pilots who use our company only as a stepping stone towads the airlines..."
As you see, no two employers are equal...

But what would some other examples be which illustrate that a person is flexible?

For example: Being able to adapt to living standards below one's personal minumum level of comfort from time to time. Sometimes and in some places, you won't be able to get food for yourself. So you will have to take what the passengers left over or skip the meal altogether. Some colleagues always carry their own "emergency rations" for two or three days along, but with the stupid security measures in some countries (a group of large islands to the north of France comes to mind first ;) ) these can get confiscated and thrown into the bin. So I don't bother any more and just skip the meal. We are all overweight anyway. Or they will put you up in really sub-standard hotel rooms. Not with the intention of saving money, but because nothing else is awailable within reasonable distance. But again, as a pilot you must have a healthy immune system and what does not kill you will only make you stronger.

And then there is this flexibilty in bending the rules, that some operators take for granted. Unfortunately, business aviation and the duty and rest time regulations stand in opposition to each other. Unfortunately, weather minima and runway lengths sometimes stand in opposition to the urgent needs of your paying customers. Rumour has it, that some operators require their crews to be "flexible" in these regards. Some, I am told, do ask questions during the interview, that may be interpreted in such a way. Of course, they will not ask you bluntly "are you willing to falsify your flight log if we can't meet the duty times otherwise?" But you will know what they are after once the conversation starts taking that turn. I personally would not offer anyone such a flexibilty of mine (it is my - only! - life and my - only! - license/career that willl be lost it something goes wrong) and my current employer never asked for it. But I have flown (freelance only) for companies who expected one to do these things. All of them are out of business now, by the way.

So, my advice, if it is this flexibility they are after, don't work for them. Another opportunity will come along.

Good luck,
max

[Sepp]

Arkwright
Yeah - he was fun, wasn't he? Never seemed to sleep either... a very odd chap.

TopGunGB
There's some good advice written above - what next and DA50driver have hit the nail particularly firmly on the head, I think. Gulfstreamaviator also makes a good point - you are signing on to be a smartly dressed toilet attendant / domestic cleaner / driver, so put the Breitling and Ray-bans away! Much better to invest in a good pair of Marigolds, lol. I wonder who house-trained some of the pax we see ... one or two behave like animals.

Whilst you have to be prepared to "go the extra mile" to ensure that the customer is a happy bunny when they get off your aircraft, you also have to be able to say "no" - sometimes quite firmly - if you're asked to do something you know to be illegal. Sadly, however, there is still at least one operator out there that thinks that the rules are optional.

Lastly - best of luck at the interview!