Gama

[GWYN]

Does anyone have any information on the Ops vacancies currently advertised by the above company, such as pay / conditions, etc.? Anything would be useful, since they refuse to discuss the jobs on the phone.

I doubt I would wish to work for a company with such an attitude anyway, but it's always useful to know what is available.

[VIKING9]

I applied for 2 jobs and got a reject e-mail from the Ops Manager. Didn't specify though which one I had been rejected for. I assume both.

[Lifeguard2728]

I applied to Gama about 4 times in the past 2 years and didn't get any sort of response whatsoever from the Ops Manager P.C. except for the recent vacancy they had advertised on their website.

Ist reply in 2 years of applying, show's how professional they are
(ha ha)

Viking - I agree - real odd unprof outfit!!!!


Regards

LF2728

[GWYN]

Many thanks for those replies. Two negative opinions, no positive. It starts to look as if my first impression was pretty close to the mark. Does anyone else have anything to say?

GWYN

[Celestar]

received this email:

<i>
Thank you for your interest in Gama Aviation's current recruitment campaign.
This e-mail is simply to confirm receipt of your application and we will be reviewing these shortly.
If your applications is for an Flight Deck or Flight Attendant position, please note the following:
In view of the number of applications we have received for the Aircrew positions please note below the exact vacancies we have, we regret that if you do not fit the requirement we will not be able to process your application further at present:
Gulfstream V Captain. Type Rated, Minimum of 5000 Hrs TT, with 2,500 Jet.
We currently have no vacancies for Flight Deck Crew on the BBJ, however we will retain CV's which are from Type Rated, minimum 5000 Hrs TT, 2500 Hrs Jet and corporate/VIP experienced applicants.
Flight Attendants. Previous experience on an large Executive Jet Aircraft essential (BBJ, ACJ, Gulfstream, Falcon, Challenger, Hawker etc).
Please be patient in the meantime and we will let you know of any decision as soon as we can.
Thanks and best regards
</i>


Cheers
Celestar

[onthedefensive]

I work for Gama, and am heavily involved in the current recruitment campaign. My brain is telling me not to bother replying, but I can't really let these kind of comments go by without passing my comment (my view, not Gama).

Gwyn A valid point I agree, your initial impression of us might not have been the best from the phone call and I'd offer the following, not that it is an excuse. The response has been, unsurprisingly, immense for the positions that we've had to fill - the timescale for introducing the aircraft to service has been short and removed Christmas for most of us. In spite of the ad making it clear that we were only accepting e-mail and fax applications we've been receiving phone calls into our Ops Dept at the rate of about 1 every ten minutes since the ad went in in the middle of December (on the FI website) - these calls have continued H24. I'm sorry that the person you spoke couldn't help on the phone, but that was the decision we took. I suppose the way to find out salary and benefits (which are better than the corporate standard (and better than airline therefore)) would've been to have applied, but I can appreciate that your first impression would have put you off. All I can do is apologise, and hope that you can understand what it's been like (think of one of your busiest shifts to date accompanied by phone calls from Pilots, Hosties, Ops, Engineers asking about pay and conditions and you'd have a rough idea!). Like I say, not an excuse, but a scene setter I hope.

Viking9 I'm sad that you think we're odd just from replying to your application, however, fair enough, I respect your opinion.

Lifeguard2728 Thanks for your comments. We're unprofessional enough for you to have applied four times in two years. You work for Baseops (as your other current post on this forum shows), as you know we're a big client of Baseops and we've worked together for a long time; I'm surprised that after this time you believe that we're unprofessional. We're maxed out with applications, but not unprofessional. As you also know, we have two of your previous colleagues working for us and as you trained them that's an interesting view to have... However, point taken. As it's so obvious to me from your profile who you are and from your post your view of Gama, I'm surprised you have applied so many times. However, now I know your views, save yourself the stamp.

GWYN - again Your challenge was for anyone else who wanted to say something and I hope that this post has at least clarified the response you got on the phone. We're in our 20th year of operating and managing business jets, and we remain a focussed, small and successful company. We don't have a personnel department and we don't have a huge office staff to deal with applications. When I started work I was always p*ssed off when I didn't get a reply to an application I'd sent, but having seen it from the other side of the fence I can appreciate why all companies don't reply - time being the major factor. However, I can see why people are unhappy with the response, but hope that you can understand why you didn't get the answers you wanted on the phone.

Anyway, I had to explain the responses, and the lack of communication from us, otherwise I felt that this thread was just turning into an unfair attack.

[GWYN]

Onthedefensive:

Firstly, thanks for taking the time to pen such a response, even if you do live up to your name!

I was not really throwing out a challenge, more just requesting information. If the only responses show the company in a bad light, then one may draw conclusions. You have taken the trouble to ensure that my request did not result in just negative responses, and I thank you for that. I have also received private messages, so do not believe that what is posted in the public areas is the whole story.

I am not ‘just starting work.’ Far from it! I have also seen this ‘from both sides of the fence’ but have never done anything (I hope) to not deal in a friendly and helpful way with prospective applicants. One hopes and expects that employers want the best available applicant / employee for any given post; indeed the quality of staff is critical to the success of any business, and it follows that their recruitment is a vitally important exercise. If the job of selection is given to someone who is simply too busy to give it their undivided and uninterrupted attention, then it seems to indicate a certain attitude. Am I to believe that if there is not adequate time to talk to people, that a written application will get the attention it deserves? Somehow I doubt it. In any case, from your ‘side of the fence’ I would have thought that with CVs and interviews being notoriously bad at selecting the right candidate, an enlightened employer would grasp every opportunity to find out as much as possible about prospective employees. I do think it unreasonable though if enquiries continue H24, and sympathise with you on that.

Bear in mind also that while the company’s job is to maximise profit / shareholder value within their industry, mine is to ensure that I also get the best deal, with an employer whom I respect and on whose behalf I enjoy giving my utmost. The employer is not the only one in the relationship who has a choice: I also am able to choose for whom I work. However, I need information on which to base my choice, and it is not always possible to gain all the necessary information in the formal and semi-scripted atmosphere of an interview. Furthermore, a friendly chat with someone prior to submitting an application can save me the time and trouble of sending a formal application, as well as saving you the trouble of having to read my CV, if you advise me that my experience and ability would not be appropriate.

In summary, of course I understand the fact that we are all very busy, and appreciate your apology, but to me I am afraid it does not negate the above. I probably should have spent the time writing an application rather than posting on Pprune, but there you are!

[Lifeguard2728]

onthedefensive

Thanxs for that - I think I will save my stamp next time around.

As for training the two that u alreay have well that's not exactly true - trained one of them only the other came pre-trained.

Oh I dont work for BOE anymore, have got my own bizness up and running quite succesfully - thank you very much.

You know what I think ?? I probably have more experience than all of the ops staff @ Gama put together thats why everyone at Gama feels threatened especially your ops manager (ha ha)

Rgds

LF2728

[VIKING9]

onthedefensive I too will save my electronic stamp next time. From the way the ad was written, I'd say GAMA was looking for very experienced people to help it expand. The bottom line is this - very experienced people are in demand and should be snapped up when available. Good luck to GAMA anyway, I hope you find what you are looking for.;)

[srs what?]

Lifeguard if you have such a successful business then why are you applying for new jobs?

[Lifeguard2728]

srs

At the time of the application the bizness was being setup.

Now I wouldn't waste my time.

LF2728

[5711N0205W]

Would that ops manager be the same person, who when going out for dinner (on expenses), with a member of staff at an outstation (i.e. not EGTF), who was working their notice after being made redundant, then made that person pay their own share of the bill?

Astounding!