Interview Questions from Hell
Join Date: Feb 2007
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Oh I see,
However I don't think the question will be phrased in that way to suggest that they will not hire you because of it. Instead I think it will be more like this; Can you tell us what bad qualities you have in your personality?
In that case always make sure whatever bad quality you want to highlight about your personality, the interviewers can relate to it and understand.
Also whats very important is to ALWAYS finish it with a POSITIVE note.
Example 1: I can sometimes talk too much when its a topic I really like, eg with my friends especially if its about flying.
Example 2: I am a perfectionist, which means that sometimes I take longer on tasks because I really want it to be done well. However I have learned that some situations arise where you have to prioritise finishing the task which may mean that quality is slightly reduced, but the objective is met.
"OK so give me an example when this happened" :- During initial flight training I used to take too long during walk rounds which meant that I left late which put pressure on completely the lesson objective. So when I had some spare time I went to the aircraft and practiced my walk rounds so that all aspects of the aircraft were checked throughly and I significantly improved the time it took.
The idea with this type of Q is to show the interview panel that you can identify areas of your personality which are bad (i.e be able to criticise yourself) BUT know about it and so can do things which will help reduce its negative impact both on you and others around you.
PS if possible where the question asks you to identify negative things about you or things you have done in the past (eg Tell us a time when you broke a rule or did something bad) try not to give examples where it involves flying instead try to give examples of when you were younger or in school. BUT remember to always end on a positive note, tell them how you learned from it.
Hope thats helped.
However I don't think the question will be phrased in that way to suggest that they will not hire you because of it. Instead I think it will be more like this; Can you tell us what bad qualities you have in your personality?
In that case always make sure whatever bad quality you want to highlight about your personality, the interviewers can relate to it and understand.
Also whats very important is to ALWAYS finish it with a POSITIVE note.
Example 1: I can sometimes talk too much when its a topic I really like, eg with my friends especially if its about flying.
Example 2: I am a perfectionist, which means that sometimes I take longer on tasks because I really want it to be done well. However I have learned that some situations arise where you have to prioritise finishing the task which may mean that quality is slightly reduced, but the objective is met.
"OK so give me an example when this happened" :- During initial flight training I used to take too long during walk rounds which meant that I left late which put pressure on completely the lesson objective. So when I had some spare time I went to the aircraft and practiced my walk rounds so that all aspects of the aircraft were checked throughly and I significantly improved the time it took.
The idea with this type of Q is to show the interview panel that you can identify areas of your personality which are bad (i.e be able to criticise yourself) BUT know about it and so can do things which will help reduce its negative impact both on you and others around you.
PS if possible where the question asks you to identify negative things about you or things you have done in the past (eg Tell us a time when you broke a rule or did something bad) try not to give examples where it involves flying instead try to give examples of when you were younger or in school. BUT remember to always end on a positive note, tell them how you learned from it.
Hope thats helped.
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If I worked in recruitment, one question I would like to ask for a bit of sport would be:
'I think you would agree with me that it we should only employ flight crew with sound judgement. Please explain how spending such a vast amount of money training to become qualified as a pilot - even agreeing to spend yet more money to pay for our type rating course - could be construed as an example of rational decision making within the current economic climate?'
'I think you would agree with me that it we should only employ flight crew with sound judgement. Please explain how spending such a vast amount of money training to become qualified as a pilot - even agreeing to spend yet more money to pay for our type rating course - could be construed as an example of rational decision making within the current economic climate?'
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Answer?
I don't see my career in aviation as a short term prospect. I intend to be doing this job for far longer than the current economic issues are likely to last. I would also hope that you understand that I have thought long and hard before parting with this sort of cash!
I don't see my career in aviation as a short term prospect. I intend to be doing this job for far longer than the current economic issues are likely to last. I would also hope that you understand that I have thought long and hard before parting with this sort of cash!
Join Date: Dec 2004
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I've head of a strange one doing the rounds at a well known lo-co carrier's assessment day:
You are in a twin engined a/c on take off and experience an EFATO. Would you prefer the wind to come from the dead side or the live side? Why?
Now, I've asked many pepole this Q to find out what they think. They have ranged to type rated FO's to ATPL lecturers to Wannabes. Pretty much everyone has a different take on this.
I also believe they try and change your mind once you have given your answer and it all starts to get a bit messy.
I think the answer is from the dead side as this will help you maintain R/W track (opposing the asymetric yaw).
However, some say that this will make you loose rudder authority as you had to use rudder on the TO roll to counter the X-wind. My counter to this is that once airbourne, you use neutral rudder anyway and counter the x-wind with a change of heading. So you are back to full rudder authority. Besides, by definition, you have rotated above Vmca so are guaranteed enough rudder authority no matter what.
I wouldn't put my house on my answer though! I can also see that it can get a bit messy with a rather confused looking candidate looking at the ceiling!
EK
You are in a twin engined a/c on take off and experience an EFATO. Would you prefer the wind to come from the dead side or the live side? Why?
Now, I've asked many pepole this Q to find out what they think. They have ranged to type rated FO's to ATPL lecturers to Wannabes. Pretty much everyone has a different take on this.
I also believe they try and change your mind once you have given your answer and it all starts to get a bit messy.
I think the answer is from the dead side as this will help you maintain R/W track (opposing the asymetric yaw).
However, some say that this will make you loose rudder authority as you had to use rudder on the TO roll to counter the X-wind. My counter to this is that once airbourne, you use neutral rudder anyway and counter the x-wind with a change of heading. So you are back to full rudder authority. Besides, by definition, you have rotated above Vmca so are guaranteed enough rudder authority no matter what.
I wouldn't put my house on my answer though! I can also see that it can get a bit messy with a rather confused looking candidate looking at the ceiling!
EK
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Pilotmike. Did you bother to read the whole of my post or just the line you quoted?
You said:
Thanks for that. But, did I not say;
You said:
Could you not read this part of my post?;
No implication of exclusivity there. Quite the opposite.
I am well aware that there are specific roles for Captain and FO. I thought that I made it quite clear. I'll put it in bold for you next time.
You also said;
An FO with your 'more modest' attitude towards his captain ended up on a 747 classic in TCI on a foggy day in March 1975. I assume you know the rest. There are literally countless other examples of modest FO's out there.
The whole point of CRM is that even if you have a huge cockipt gradient, the crew work as a team with equal input, even if there is unequal seniority.
Pilotmike, I don't know if you misunderstood my post or just fancied a rant.
The question that I was answering was;
I was simply saying that you can only give a complete answer if you know whether they are PF or PNF. Purely because that dictates most of their roles for that flight.
Of course, with all of your knowledge, you will give me the correct answer WITHOUT reference to PF/PM. It would save me thousands in re-training!
EK
You said:
the Captain is ultimately responsible for everything that happens onboard. That is why he is paid almost double, and is likely to be vastly more experienced.
Of course the captain is in charge of the ship, and there are certain responsibilites which belong to a captian only
the roles of PF and PNF can sit very happily within the roles of Captain and First Officer - there is no 'either / or' exclusivity as you imply
If you read an airlines SOPs or ops manuals, you will find that roles are defined as PF or PNF / PM the vast majority of the time.
I am well aware that there are specific roles for Captain and FO. I thought that I made it quite clear. I'll put it in bold for you next time.
You also said;
Any new rookie FO taking the attitude 'you an me mate, we're both equal in this together' is likely to have a very rude awakening on starting an airline career, and is unlikely to make it past line training without a serious change of attitude to something more modest.
The whole point of CRM is that even if you have a huge cockipt gradient, the crew work as a team with equal input, even if there is unequal seniority.
Pilotmike, I don't know if you misunderstood my post or just fancied a rant.
The question that I was answering was;
What is a good response when asked to describe the role of a first officer?
Of course, with all of your knowledge, you will give me the correct answer WITHOUT reference to PF/PM. It would save me thousands in re-training!
EK
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To the OP..Stupid questions in interviews are from people that don't know how to interview and don't know what they are doing...sorry, that's how I feel. When the chief pilot for a major airline and his HR lady asked me 'Why now?' which degenerated into a 'What would you do if we sold all of our planes?' 'What would you do if the company furloughed you?' What would you do if you were offered more money to leave?'I suspect some of us are cannon fodder for the interviewers...your there to fill the 20th slot of the 20 people they needed to call in. How about this one 'If you could fill up this room with BBs, how many BBs would you need?'Or 'The chief pilot wants to sleep with your wife, and your on probation, what would you do?' or 'Your stuck in Anchorage for three weeks, how would your wife and son feel about that?"I can with some certainty, that a CEO of a company when looking for a corporate pilot, gives you much tougher questions, but they aren't oblique. So while in an airline interview, you need to be politicaly correct, vague, wishy washy, non commital, ect...the corporate interview with the boss, is more straight forward...most of the time...I had one guy call me and ask...'so what do you do to relax?" or 'If you had a nav light out, taking off on a night flight, the captain says go, but you can get it fixed localy..what would you do?'Only in the airlines is the emphasis on getting along take precedent over competency.
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Bet PilotMike's a barrel of laughs to fly with. He obviously let his pride and over inflated ego cloud his objective reading of what someone has just written. Why do you F/Os log PF time as PIC/US? Because during their sector they are the 'acting Captain' under the Commander's supervision. The idea is to develop their command skills and make them a better Pilot. The good Captains are the ones that facilitate this because they have the confidence in their own abilities to do so (and leave the ego on the tarmac where is should be left).
We all know the 'Part A' responsibilities but on a normal line day it's a 2 crew effort.
We all know the 'Part A' responsibilities but on a normal line day it's a 2 crew effort.
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Hmm. A bit of a strange one this. Pilotmike, I'm not quite sure what your beef is my freind. If I have slept with your missus then I do apologise. No offence intended!
I quite simply tried to get accross the follwing points in answer to the question. I think that you will find them correct:
a) The captain is at all times resposible for the aircraft and its persons on board.
b) There are some roles which the captain has sole responibility for. Very few that the FO is soley responsible for.
c) in a multi crew operation, roles are predominatley allocated based on PF or PNF.
d) An FO should be able to question the captain if they either disagree or don't understand something.
e) Captains can be, and are, somtimes wrong.
I think that the above were quite clearly stated in my original post and I doubt that even you would disagree with them.
I think you seem to have a problem with my comment:
Now, I do apologise. If I were writing an airlines SOP or operations manual then, no, I would not use the above. But I'm not. In fact no-one here is. I was using loose terminology to get the point accross that when you are working together as a team, have a problem, or working somthing out, you don't have a 'correct order' from the skipper which the FO dutifully follows. You should have equal input.
Just like a good referee is one who doesn't blow his whistle all the time, a good captain will not be saying "I'm the captain just do as I say" all the time.
I wasn't writing any legally binding SOPs. Calm down, dear. I'm just saying that good CRM means equal input and consideration. Break down the barrier down the middle of the flight deck which you seem so fond of. It has cost thousands of lives. It can also be done without eroding any seniority of the captain.
You seem keen for me to name my airline and FTO. They are irralavant. I'm keen to know what your issues are.
I am even more keen for you to answer the question correctly after crucifying my attempt.
EK
I quite simply tried to get accross the follwing points in answer to the question. I think that you will find them correct:
a) The captain is at all times resposible for the aircraft and its persons on board.
b) There are some roles which the captain has sole responibility for. Very few that the FO is soley responsible for.
c) in a multi crew operation, roles are predominatley allocated based on PF or PNF.
d) An FO should be able to question the captain if they either disagree or don't understand something.
e) Captains can be, and are, somtimes wrong.
I think that the above were quite clearly stated in my original post and I doubt that even you would disagree with them.
I think you seem to have a problem with my comment:
my MCC course went to great lengths to hammer into me that there is no such thing as 'captain' and 'first officer'.
Just like a good referee is one who doesn't blow his whistle all the time, a good captain will not be saying "I'm the captain just do as I say" all the time.
I wasn't writing any legally binding SOPs. Calm down, dear. I'm just saying that good CRM means equal input and consideration. Break down the barrier down the middle of the flight deck which you seem so fond of. It has cost thousands of lives. It can also be done without eroding any seniority of the captain.
You seem keen for me to name my airline and FTO. They are irralavant. I'm keen to know what your issues are.
I am even more keen for you to answer the question correctly after crucifying my attempt.
What is a good response when asked to describe the role of a first officer?
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OK, to get back on track:
"Where do you see yourself in 5 years time"
A "Sitting in your seat, interviewing someone like me. You by that stage will of course been promoted within the company"
Still didn't get the job.
(best move I failed to make)
Now in a management role am planning a round of interviews for new turboprop Chief Pilots (no mods, I'm not advertising, we have an agency). You really don't want to know what I am planning (OK, probably some of you do, but lets just say "unorthodox").
RIX
"Where do you see yourself in 5 years time"
A "Sitting in your seat, interviewing someone like me. You by that stage will of course been promoted within the company"
Still didn't get the job.
(best move I failed to make)Now in a management role am planning a round of interviews for new turboprop Chief Pilots (no mods, I'm not advertising, we have an agency). You really don't want to know what I am planning (OK, probably some of you do, but lets just say "unorthodox").
RIX
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Toughest one i got from the 3 interviews I've attended:
"What is my name?"
There were 5 of them, we all shook hands at the start of the interview, and 15 mins later I of course couldn't remember her name.
Got the job though
"What is my name?"
There were 5 of them, we all shook hands at the start of the interview, and 15 mins later I of course couldn't remember her name.
Got the job though
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'well, that would depend on my payday, what country I was in at the time and their relative economical status, compared to that of the currency of choice for your fine air transport establishment' 