Air Services Australia Interviews

[alvindarkness]

I've just got through the psychometric testing phase of Air Services Australia's ATC recruitment. Just after some insight on what to expect in the next phase - the interview.

Do they ask any 'psychy' type stuff? Any freaky questions to put you on the spot or weird activities to do? Or is it a pretty plane jane interview?

Any tips on how to successfully get through the interviews?

[phew_they_missed!]

I've spoken to a couple of the interviewers here in Melbourne. What TAAATS said is pretty much it, they are not expecting you to have dealt with aviation specific issues, but you need to be able to relate your own experiences in your answers....even if you've only just left high school and worked part time at McDonalds.

Sound enthusiastic, sound like you've done a bit of research, and be prepared to talk your self up a little.

[No Further Requirements]

The above posts pretty much sum it up. If you do a search you will find another thread like this about 6 months ago and there was some good info on it.

A couple of quick points:

Know about the job. Know what enroute/area control is, what approach is and what tower is, and know they don't all live in the tower!

Be specific in your answers. When they ask a question don't answer with "This time once, I went to ......." Tell them "On a busy Friday afternoon last April I did......" They will want to know what your part in it was - don't say "we" - they want to know about your part even if you were part of a team. And they will want to know how it all turned out - good, bad or otherwise.

Good luck.

Cheers,

NFR.

[kooim]

And if they ask if you're decisive, don't say ... I think so ....

[slackie]

"I have trouble making decisions" is something you might NOT want to say!!! But if it's true then look for another job!!

[Tarq57]

While the above posts are correct, in terms of the panel being likely to want to know your part in a particular life-experience-type situation, don't hesitate to include acknowledgments for outcomes that came from good teamwork, as well as your own contributions. (God, it sounds a bit like a yuckspeak pc management HR training manual!)
Yuckspeak aside, team playing is usually a fairly big part of ATC, at least in non solo-watch environments.

[kooim]

I know I was a bit flippant before, but the most important thing is to think about your answers, and answer them truthfully. Show self confidence but not arrogance. If you don't know the answer to something, say "I don't know, but if I was faced with this situation I would do ...." Be confident and know whatever study material you can lay your hands on, as someone said, know what tower/tma/enroute and radar/procedural control are. See if you can get a visit to a centre or tower or tma unit, so you can see what sort of interaction we have and how the system works.

[Knackers]

There's about 100 interviews that have been taking place around the country, with a few weeks yet to go. AsA hope to get about 36 out of that, equivalent to 3 courses. But due to instructor shortages, some of the courses look like being delayed.

AsA is in a slow but steady downward spiral, unable to get enough staff to train enough staff. And with pressing needs for approach training and mooted towers at Avalon, Karratha and Broome, no one knows how we'll pull through.

[5miles]

Know about the job. Know what enroute/area control is, what approach is and what tower is, and know they don't all live in the tower!

Obviously not a requirement for many in the AWB.

If you do have fairly broad aviation experience; don't get too technical with your answers. Otherwise the interviewer from HR will nod off.

[SM4 Pirate]

AsA hope to get about 36 out of that, equivalent to 3 courses. But due to instructor shortages, some of the courses look like being delayed.

So why is the CEO spruking the extra trainee intakes? Surely he's been advised that the ACADEMY can't cope with the workload.

[Knackers]

Beats me. Some manager told him that the Academy could run a new course every six weeks. Completely out of touch with the staffing and logistics of running the sim.

[max1]

Mangers from the College were out spruiking to the TGOs about how fantastic they were. Be advised that the College no longer trains trainees , management speak from the ex NAB person is, that they now produce products.

[alvindarkness]

thanks peeps

I had the interview today, most of what was said here was very helpful so thanks heaps for that guys.

Not sure how I went, the main HR interviewer didnt seem impressed unfortunetly, but the trainer there was great. If all goes well hopefully I'll meet some of you as co-workers soon

[gazs]

Everyone feels the same

Try not to worry too much about how you are reading the response of any members of the interview panel as during the interview they are busy taking notes and interpreting your answers to see what sort of a person you are. Remember they are interviewing alot of people and do not want to give any false hopes to candidates earlier than decisions have been made.
After my interview I was far from confident but in the end it all turned out well. Anyone who sits a panel interview will always feel that they have alienated a member, must be a good cop, bad cop routine.
Best of luck

[Knackers]

The HR bod and panel have to be able to justify spending $300,000 on you. And then you might not pass. Some interviewees come across as having applied on a whim, have had numerous jobs recently, are running private businesses on the side, can't find the interview site, are late for interviews, can't be bothered finding much out about ATC, have never visited an ATC site, etc. Too many come across as half-hearted. The panel has to find the committed. Each course costs a lot of money.