Interview Questions from Hell

[ppl_student]

Oh dear.. I'd just been making my lunch for tomorrow... ham rolls

Thanks for the reply scroggs... I'm hoping to be invited to the final stage of a Tfly scheme at FTE, so just trying to think what they might ask. Hopefully my vague idea of what goes on is good enough for the level I'm at just now.

[ppl_student]

"Why should we choose you over the other candidates?"

Can someone point me in the right direction with this one please? As I don't know the other candidates, I can't point out anything I have which they don't. Do I just go for "I'm dedicated, hard working, want to work for the company" etc?

[potkettleblack]

Don't get caught out and start putting others down. Instead say something diplomatic like...."Well I am sure that calibre of the other candidates is high. What I have to offer is etc etc".

[flyhigh2fly]

What about:

How do you adapt to cultural diversity?

Thx in advance

[308Win]

Ex Military Types

Anyone heard any belters from ex military FJ types, you know, "I'm bored of talking about me, you talk about me for a while" type thing.

Being a soon to be ex millitary FJ do the interviewers look to give you a hard time and uncover any ego driven, CRM is B%$llocks attitude? I haven't interviewed for a job for 15 years since I sat there as a spotty halfwit hoping to fly Eurofighter (ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha, oh you foolish boy).They must have thought I was a total dumbass! I thought they were giggling as I left the interview room.

[scroggs]

308Win you're in a forum for people who have mostly yet to be employed by anybody at anything at all, let alone in flying. Most of those currently reading have not yet attended an interview, and are in no position to give you advice. As this forum is what it is, there are few people who were recently in your position able to give you a worthwhile reply.

You are far better putting your question in Terms and Endearments. For what it's worth, in my airline (which is well known for taking ex-military people, though they are these days a very small proportion of applicants) you would not be so crudely tested. Attitudes to CRM and multi-crew working can be far more subtly assessed.

Scroggs

[hingey]

"Why should we choose you over the other candidates?"

"Why don't you tell me?"

I know a guy who got asked if he was gay.

h

[BusinessMan]

First Officer's Role

Hi,

In answer to a previous Qn re what is the 1st officer's role - I found the following very useful (and very informative re a huge amount more besides)...

www.itvv.com

They do a range of flightdeck videos, recommend getting one of the later 'platinum collection' ones though, eg 747-400 or Fokker 100 as the vid quality is much better.

BM

[Captain N]

inflight the captain does something you dont agree with and think its not safe (maybe even against SOP's) you tell him what u think, try to explain and he still ignores you, what do you do?



i'm just trying to think of ****ty questions they COULD ask!! anyone have any ideas???

P.S. before you say it, yes i know there are MCC and CRM courses that prevent this but JUST INCASE

[Groun-D]

Not sure I have the answer to that one, Captain.... but in the same genre.....

I'm not aircrew, but I work in the aviation industry and my missus is a pilot who went for a job interview with an airline last week.

During her interview preparation just prior, she asked me my opinion on how she should respond to a question like, "Have you ever been in the position where you felt like hitting someone on the flight-deck."

I told her to reply, "Yes, but I wouldn't because I hit like a girl."

Fortunately, she didn't get the question asked at the interview. Somehow I don't think my advice would have got an airing. (However she did get the job.)

[FliegerTiger]

I too would like to know exactly what it is they're after with this "Give an example of a time you dealt with cultural diversity" question... stumped me a bit at the BA interview as I couldn't think of one off the top of my head. I'm a pretty open-minded individual, and as such have never had to "deal with" cultural diversity as such.

Any ideas?

FT

[potkettleblack]

Say to him/her hey how come you leapt off to the duty free store airside without letting me know.

[potkettleblack]

Quite often the training captains/interviewers are trying to work out if you are:-

- the type of person that can think outside of the square
- or only see the obvious
- or jump to conclusions without taking into account all the available information

Bit like the old one about the captain comes down for drinks on a layover in a sparkly dress. The naive amongst us would go "oh jesus the captain is a raving cross dresser I had better stuff some tinfoil down the back of my trousers". The more mature would say that she scrubs up quite well and would pay a gentlemanly compliment.

Same goes for the vodka bottle. You could think of a host of completely innocent scenarios for having a bottle of vodka in your bag. Note that the information given NEVER said it was open or the captain stunk of booze and was half dazed slouched over the controls. I myself had a nice bottle of port in my bag a few weeks ago after I purchased a cheap bottle from the man with a van that drove airside.

[VeroFlyer]

"Explain what hoarfrost is!!!"

[galleypower]

wet runway

You an F/O. You are approaching the holding point for 07L. The runway length is performance limiting. Its starting to rain. You need to look up wet runway tables. Your ship is fully loaded. The Captain says:"Oh common, lets just go, we are find with the dry tables." What do you do if the Captain insists departing with dry tables?

[Craggenmore]

What do you do if the Captain insists departing with dry tables?

If you're on the Airbus, you could always reduce the Flex temperature.....

"What type of people do you like to work with", is always a good one.

[haughtney1]

The Captain says:"Oh common, lets just go, we are find with the dry tables." What do you do if the Captain insists departing with dry tables?

Briefly tell the Captain , that as you are an inexperienced F/O you don't feel confident departing without checking the numbers...tell him 30 seconds delay now will help you gain experience, and assure a safe departure.
Failing that..hit him with the fire axe....then scribble his name off the seniority list.............

[jtr]

Do you like cats?

[Deano777]

Originally Posted by VeroFlyer

"Explain what hoarfrost is!!!"

Mate no offence, but if that's your idea of an "interview question from hell" then you need to do alot of reading if you get an interview

[sgreeno]

Newbie question,

are the questions your compiling questions that future employers would be asking or flight training schools?

Thanks
Steve