Qantas; the thread.
 

Qantas Panel Interviews
 

I was offered the strikebreakers position in October last year which I declined.

Now Qantas are calling me to attend a panel interview for a shortlist 'for when opportunites arise'

Have the strikebreakers been made permanent, or did they get the flick?

New Shortlist
 

Hi ftpm!

I believe that some applicants who were employed for the three month contract have been offered London base with QF CC UK ( but whether this entitles them to return in two years to a permanent role, as current permanent employees and the 11 month fixed term contractors have, I do not know...ANYONE OUT THERE with this info?)

...and some have been placed with JetConnect/Adecco in AKL .

Some have also paid their own way over to London to be interviewed for positions ( and presumeably to be employed on the UK salary as opposed to the QF-relocating-crew salary.)

Hope this helps to answer your question. And good luck with your recruitment process.

604chic

flytheplanemay

Goodluck for your panel interview... Be yourself !! When were you told to go for you panel interview !! I know some friend that have been told to go in mid Feb and early March ! I flew with someone recently that works in trainin and she was told that they are going to be creating a new short list and will be offering new positions in the next 10 months if there is no big event that can change everthing !! Good luck and let us know on the progress !!

Thanks guys!

I will keep you updated.

I went for a job with Qantas about 4 years ago, and the interviewers seemed really friendly.

I'm actually looking forward to the interview.

Flytheplanemay,

good luck with the interviews.

People with sound judgement make good FA's.

Cheers Jettlager

I had a group assesment day for the strikebreakers job in September last year, and heard nothing back until mid december when I was asked to come to a panel interview, because they are starting a shortlist for Long Haul.

At the panel I was also asked if I was interested in working with MAM (for Short Haul).

I was told at the time that I would know if I was successful to the next stage by the end of January.

One of the interviewers is a CSM who is off to London to be a crew trainer for the LHR base, a really nice guy!

So interesting to see that this is happening about the rest of Australia as well. Good Luck to All!

JB

(PS: To the best of my (limited) knowlegde not many strikebreakers were trained from Perth, it all wound up before many were even offered a position)

I am in the same position as jb......however my panel interview is tomorrow.. so scared!
I have prepared answers to every possible question and think i'm about ready. Anyone got any pointers that might come in handy anyway?
Jb- have you heard anything yet? good luck....
jesski xxx

I am at the stage where I dont expect to hear anything... but I still do jump 12 feet each time my work mobile rings!

The biggest piece of advice I can give, and one that was relayed to me that helped me a lot, is to smile, lots! Have a good time, enjoy the interview! Someone kindly told me that in their interview they made the interviewer laugh, and they felt like they had a great time!

So relax, get there in plenty of time (dont be like me and fly by the seat of your pants in regards to timing of my last interview), take a deep breath, sit upright, be aware of your bearing and poise, and smile! Take your time with the questions, and ENJOY IT!

Walk out of there knowing that if you tried your best, put in 100%, then thats the best you could have done on the day. Save the AAR (After Action Review) for another day!

Good luck! :D

JB

Is the Qantas shortlist only going to be made up of people from the last recruitment (3 month contract)?

Does anyone know if Qantas plans to expand this recruitment to those on Staffcv and not contacted at all for the last few years?

Thanks :)

Jesski -
My advise to you is not to have prepared answers.
The best thing to do is to have some senarios for when they ask you questions such as "can you give us a time when you have given outstanding customer service?"
Remember they're looking for 3 point answer that incorporates the situation, your response to the situation and the outcome. Such as: (situation)There was a passenger that was extremely unhappy as he did not recieve his vegetarian meal. (your response to the situation) I apologised to him for it not being there and explained that unfortunately it was not on our list of specials. I then asked him whether he ate dairy products. He replied that he did, so I went and made him up some cheese/biscuits, bread rolls & salads from left over trays. (the outcome) He was extremely greatful that he didn't have to miss out on a meal for the flight.
Hopefully that makes sense to you. Try not to be over prepared as it can all backfire. Like I said, have a few senarios on hand that can be used for a variety of questions, remember to answer them using the 3 points, and you'll be right as rain!
Goodluck
CT
x

thanks guys!!!
Yeah CT thats what i've been doing. As i dont currently work in the airline industry i've just been thinking of as many scenarios as possible with upset, happy and difficult customers etc.
I feel quite calm about it now, the scariest bit being the 1hr+ drive there and finding my way around the city! I'm a pretty happy smiley talkative person so that shouldn't prove a problem, im more worried about rambling! Does anyone know if they ask many questions to see how much u know about qantas itself?
I'll let u all know tmoz nite how it was!

And JB, dont forget it took them 4 months to let me kno about my last interview...... i had completely forgotten about it!

Jesski xxx

Jesski!

Good luck with your interview tomorrow. I'am sure you'll be fine.

JB!

I am almost about to give up on all the hope I've got now.

Heard nothing yet either.

It has got to the stage where I'am having dreams where Qantas is recruiting people from outside and holding training sessions for themand I'am not invited (although I'am on the shorlist)! Kinda Scary!!!!

Rollz :ok:

Yeah Rolls and Jesski, Im pretty relaxed by it all. Cart_tart (font of knowlege that she is) has explained how to answer the questions perfectly, much better then my rambings to others trying to explain it has been.

I was not asked any questions at these interviews relating to general Qantas information, but I guess it wouldnt hurt to know a little about the company you want to go and work for. The only exception to this was for a (unrelated) MAM panel where I was asked if I understood what a casual was.

And yeah jesski, It took me about 4 months to hear from the last interview, so im not really thinking much about it at all! Im adopting the see what happens approach, Im sure it will happen when it is meant to, when QF are good and ready!

Hell, they may contact us soon and say we are on a Long Haul shortlist, then never get a job, just like all those it happened to before! And MAM may not need staff for a while... who knows? So MAM may not contact me for a job, QF might place me on a Long Haul shortlist for 18 months then say "thanks but no thanks". But you know what? Such is life... there is always another opening, Jet* may come to Perth, I may move to the eastern states, or Dubai, or anywhere! Life life as it comes, Semper Fi!!

JB

Have you thought of applying to NJS JB?
We have a PER base & we operate the QFlink contract for QF - although we're STILL waiting on the decision on who has the contract! Hopefully it will happen this week.
If we get it, there will be some pretty heavy recruitment going on soon so perhaps that would be an option for you!
I'd send in your application just in case. You can always say no if you're invited to an interview!
CT
x

I was successful in the panel interview. I guess the people that are having panel interviews over the next few months will be on the same short-list as us?? What does everyone else think? Does anyone know if this is because they need more people because they have a lot of jobs coming up this year or because after the last culling they didn't end up with that many people?????

NJS recruitment
 

Cart Tart,

I know just what you mean, I'm dying to find out if NJS has the contract.... fingers crossed!!!

I sent in my application just before Xmas... got the usual letter... I'm just having a leeeeeetle freak-out because I made a typo at the last second before I sent it away (nightmareish post-office experince on a Friday arvo.... arghhhh :mad: ) Just hoping they won't hold it against me.....!

How long after "the announcement" is made (if in NJS favour) do you think they will contact those who they want to interview? A week? A month????

Hmmm I'm not cut out for this waiting thing!:\

Sky

ahhh its over!!!
 

I just got home from my panel interview... and i'm still shaking!!!
I think i did pretty well.... i certainly wasn't sitting there in silence and was smiling and laughing etc, just being myself. And i had a scenario for every situation. Cept at one moment i realised just how fast i was talking hehehe. Thanks for all your help guys couldn't have done it without ya!
They said that everyone would find out before the second week of feb or so. Amd that i would be contacted by email.
They said its undecided whether they were interviewing for long haul or short haul or what yet. Really nice people they were!

Anyway... now i can relax...... :}
jesski xxx

Well done Jesski.....

I'm sure you weren't talking as fast as you think... anyway, i'm sure the interviewers have been in your position and know you are nervous so they would totally understand. :)

Were there many others being interviewed, or was it more a "come in at XX time to see us" type thing?

Good luck!!!

Sky

Hey jesski great news on the panel! Its easy now, you can anytime now!

Cart_tart yeah NJS is a very viable option for me, and if the announcement is made I will most definatley put the application in. There is a personal reason why I wont now, the only reason I am persisting with the QF one is becuae I have been waiting over 12 months now (I know- not long comparativley) but I dont want to throw it away none the less. But yes, you sound like a great set of crew and a great company!

SkySista, another pertie! Time will come, and when it does its almost a surprise!

Good luck to all! And thanks for all you guys/gals support!!

JB

I think a "Perth Wannabes" bash is in order...! :}

Sky

Sky-
i dunno how many others, they just told me be here at 4.30 etc etc and i didnt see anyone else except for the guy after me, but i finished early. I think they were actually conducting 2 interviews at a time, and overlapping them if u know what i mean.

Well i used to be in perth... but im a goldy girl now. Moved here from perth 2 yrs ago due to dads job when ansett went under... but i was still in school then and hadn't even thought of being cabin crew then!

QANTAS SUCKS
 

I can't believe that Qantas is now interviewing again for more shortlists!!
I was one of the strike breaker crew, I went to my panel interview and got a letter saying it was successful and I was now on a shortlist for another 6 months. More waiting around - is it just me or does Qantas seem to think they can just call you up and have you drop everything at the drop of hat for them then you end up sitting around for months not hearing anything.
What makes them think they are so important that they can just put everyone on a shelf and just pick them up when THEY are ready???? You almost have to put your life on hold for them on the hope you get a phone call!
I am so sick of Qantas and it is a company I will never have anything to do with ever again! I was happy at first with all the outcomes but now it's just more waiting and waiting and waiting and I'm fed up with the way they treat potential employees.
And, the pay in LHR is 10 grand less then what you get in Aus.
Only £11, 000 a year!!! And they expect you to survive in London on that joke of a wage!
PF

Paris Flyer!

When we interviewed two years ago, we went through the whole Qantas recruitment process, not the Adecco process like recently. We were on the shortlist for a year before we got a call and offered casual. Qantas do expect you to drop everything at the drop of a hat, some people given only a couple of days notice, this happens on more than one occassion. The way of thinking is that if you're not willing to drop everything then the next person on the list probably will. They will always have people willing to do the job no matter how long it takes or how little notice they give, so you're not the first to be kept waiting. You're actually lucky that you were offered ANYTHING, thousands of people would've loved the opportunity to have gone to London to work for QF pay or no pay, plenty of people that were on the shortlist for over a year and then sent the unsuccesfull email!

It's obviously your choice not to have anything more to do with QF, but waiting is the name of the game unfortunately (& trust me, i know about the whole waiting thing) and as said, if you're not willing to do it then there are thousands of people which are.

Good luck with whatever you choose to do!

Oz

I had an interview recently and saw at least 5 other people coming or going while I waited. I had friends interviewed early last week and know people with interviews in February as well as a friend with an interview date in April.
In other words, I think every man and his dog got a panel interview.
So who knows?
The A380 comes online next year so there is a logical possibility with movement within the Qantas cabin crew ranks, that there will be positions available through most areas.
It makes sense that transfer lists are attended to initially and then the company can review where F/A's are needed.
ie. Regional, longhaul or casual.
Then no doubt those on the short list will get calls after Qantas have worked out how many crew are actually needed, and where.
My guess is that most of what will be on offer will be casual. With the ability of Jetstar and Qantaslink being able to migrate to mainline I'm sure most slots within mainline will be filled.
However that is only my opinion. We have all seen how highly unpredictable our industry has been in recent years.
And I don't profess to being to being clairvoyant!

cabin secure

It doesnt quite work like that. In regard to Jet* and Qantaslink they are only guaranteed a certain number of positions within a 6 month period BUT QF have to recruit externally for permanent positions and this applies only to short haul.

You are right though, Im sure there will be positions available in the coming year, with the LHR base opening and crew leaving to join that base, new aircraft etc etc. However, the type of positions offered will be anyone's guess be it fixed term, casual or permanent.

Paris_flyer

Im surprised at how quickly your attitude changes, maybe you are not quite ready for QF just yet, if you cant handle a bit of a wait on the shortlist.

You should bear in mind though that people waited 18 months on a short list only to be given the thanks but no thanks letter and within weeks QF recruited again. It's a sad fact, but thats how QF does business, you either get use to it or move on.

Dear Paris_flyer.
while i am completely apposed to "strike breakers" ill not pass judgement on somebody i dont know. Maybe now however because Qantas have stuffed you around, and countless others for that matter, you might now realise one of the reasons we wanted to strike. It was to protect our current job conditions and give security to our future employment. Qantas has an arrogant management structure, they dont give a damn about potential or current employees because they know they will always have the applicants to fill the postions. Its in all our interestes to have our conditions kept as best they can be, believe me, its in your interest as well if you do ever get in. But if your desparate to fly for them then apply for London. That base is a shining example of just how they want all flight attendant to be paid. My friend just few to London yesterday all the way from sydney,and attended an interview and was told by the "panel" a postion for her looked promising, then today, they called to say she was rejected. while a " strike breaker' wearing fish nets and knee high white boots got through to the second interview stage next monday, I really dont understand their logic !! . The just screw people all the time without consideration.

They treat you badly before you start working with them and unfortunetly it doesnt get much better once you do start..I hate to say it but Qantas isnt such a great place to work.I was so excited when I started now I cant begin to tell you how dissapointed I am. Sorry!!

Just heard a rumour that the people that are having panel interviews at the moment are going to be on a different short-list to the people that did the training. Don't know if that is a bad thing for the people that did the training or bad for the people that didn't.

amongstheothers,

How did you hear this? I bet they are going to put the new shortlisters on before because nobody wants to work with an ex-strikebreaker.

Can't say, but I hope they don't get put on before us.

Perhaps they should go back to the ORIGINAL shortlist that they treated soooo well, before they chucked us all out so they could employ a bunch of strikebreakers?!
Maybe if the rumour is true, you will all know how we feel?!

why should either group get to 'go first' if they were all originally interviewed in the same recruitment lot?

Jesski,

I think Cart Tart is referring to those who were on a shortlist, left dangling for 12-18months (or more!) then told "sorry, we don't need you", only to see Qantas turning around before that shortlist was in the bin a couple of seconds (you know what i mean!) and hiring a new lot - who turned out to be 'strikebreakers'.

It's crap that they had all the criteria and waited around on a shortlist and then were dumped- and others who applied AFTER them were employed first. That's what CT means.... right???

Anyway if you search for it, the thread is quite long and you'll see what they're talking about.

Sky

indeed you are right skysista

Cart_tart, my feelings remain with you and all the other dumped shortlisters. It is with great pleasure I notice your discontent directed toward the company and not the individuals who are interviewing this time round, many who were not in the system at the time of your (phoney) recruitment drive!

My wish is that QF had not have wasted all that expense stringing you all along for so long, only to cast you out, then have another period of recruitment! I can only imagine the feelings you all feel.

Keep it up all! Keep smiling, the cabin crew job god will smile on us all I am sure!

JB

Had my panel interview 3 weeks ago, went quite well I thought, then got a call from QF HR saying that they were having trouble getting in contact with some of my referees (one was only in a meeting!) and seemed in a hurry to do so.

Then received an e-mail last weeks letting me know that my application had progressed and I would expect to find a result in around 4 weeks.

Hope this helps anyone waiting, I'm not in a hurry at all and what happens happens as far as I'm concerned.

Good luck to all!

YT

YT-
I just got the same email today. Does this mean we got through the panel interview?

CT
ooops sorry.. i was misunderstood. My bad. Of COURSE the shortlist people should get to go first, no doubt about that. I agree entirely.
However i was replying to the posts by amongthestars and cropdust... i realise now i was probably wrong but at the time i thought they were referring to the people who were hired at the end of last year as 'strikebreakers'. I see no reason why the people who were interviewed then an got through, accepted and then trained for those positions should go before the people who interviewed at the same time for the SAME positions yet didnt hear anything until recently should go first. get me? Im confusing myself..... sorry if i am wrong and totally misunderstood everything.

Just thought i'd share a story I heard from a friend today.

She received a call from QF today asking her why she was late for her panel interview, her response to the lady was "what are you talking about?? She explained to the lady that she had been for an assesment centre for a long haul position but didn't know anything about a panel interview. Obviously QF stuffed up suprise suprise.

Anyway she asked the lady why should she give up a days pay to go for an interview to be put on a list that will most likely lead to nothing after being kept hanging for the next 12 months. Her exact words " wake up to yourself lady, i'd rather wipe arse for the rest of my life (she is a nurse)then work for a company as screwed up as Qantas"

Pretty funny i thought.

cheers
wg

who knows jesski?

They seemed pretty keen to get things done tho! Where are you based?
YT