Virgin Australia Cadet program
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Perth
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well, I'd like to know what their "non-specified" criteria is!! Just got my rejection email. I applied for ab-initio. Have completed maths & physics at high school, I've completed a BSc, I have 15 hours TT, I have a Class 1 Med, and wrote what I thought was a pretty good application but still failed to even make the very first cut 
So, I must be too old or too male. Either way seems like discrimination to me.
...yes, I'm feeling a little sandy.
So, I must be too old or too male. Either way seems like discrimination to me.
...yes, I'm feeling a little sandy.
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Victoria
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I too applied for ab-intio. Ive only got my RPL and like 30 command hours, had a pretty solid application. Low hours but a licence that showed I was interested in the field, solid cover letter. Sent them my ASIC, a copy of my class 2, etc even though i didnt really have to. Sent my training notes, log book, all of it. Only one problem didnt have a passport yet. Sent them an email, they were happy for me to send it after the close of date. Sent the passport app off and get the passport like a week and a bit after the application closing. In the mean time when i applied, i noticed some things in the applcation that it didnt say on the requirements page. Things like a birth cert, and the last 3 pages of your log book. The page on their website just said log book. So i send an email with extra stuff to cover myself. Yeah sure no worries i added that to your aplication. Passport comes in. Send it to them on a monday. No response. Thats strange normally they reply within the day. Send it again on thursday morning. Response thursday afternoon. Rejection email. Seems very suss.
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: elsewhere
Posts: 185
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I understand getting the rejection letter may come to as a shock to a lot of you, I've had my fair share...but you have to remember you are up against a very high number of applicants. Ask yourself, how do you stand out against the other 1000 applicants, what's makes you special. If you want to be trained and given an airline job at the end, you're going to have to be a cut above the rest.
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: USA
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Disappointed
It is very disappointing, but im with everybody else here, there are too many people competing for these positions, statistics say hundreds are going to be really disappointed once we receive the "thanks but not this time" letter. I don't feel bad cause I have my own career and I success in other things, it wasn't my time this time but it has been my time before and it will be my time many more times to come. who knows maybe they are looking for certain ages, or maybe for females, someone posted there something about them hiring many women in the past, or maybe they are looking for looks after all many of us had to submit a simple video with very quick and basic answers not really much you can do in two minutes, maybe they just wanted to see how easy on the eye your are. Hang in there everyone, keep getting involve in this sort of things and one day we'll make it, that's how it works. 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: elsewhere
Posts: 185
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
With all due respect Flyboy,
You do not know what was contained in my application and how I attempted to stand out. I think conveying a very high level of academic achievement, and displaying a professional manner with strong work history, great references, and a strong desire to 'get a foot in the door' should be sufficient to progress to at least some online psychometric assessments.
This is not Big Brother and I should not have to submit a video of me prancing around in a tutu to get the attention of the recruiters for a position which does not require that level of extrovertedness.
You do not know what was contained in my application and how I attempted to stand out. I think conveying a very high level of academic achievement, and displaying a professional manner with strong work history, great references, and a strong desire to 'get a foot in the door' should be sufficient to progress to at least some online psychometric assessments.
This is not Big Brother and I should not have to submit a video of me prancing around in a tutu to get the attention of the recruiters for a position which does not require that level of extrovertedness.
It's great you've studied maths and physics, but so have most pilots.
Don't take it personally and spend weeks thinking about the application you submitted, it was probably overseen by a member of HR who have no idea what to look for in a pilot, move on, your time will come.
It's no coincidence that these opportunities normally go to the applicants whose father is a widebody captain within the company. You'll watch the video the successful applicants make about how they grew up with aviation in their blood as they used to visit dad in the cockpit.
Work hard and it will eventually happen for you.
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: elsewhere
Posts: 185
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You may run in to the guys and girls who are successful and you'll wonder how the hell they got in, that's life.
I went down the GA road and now looking at the majors after 3 years, my mates went cadetships and are upset they'll never get to do the flying I done, to each their own.
As for nepotism, this industry is full of it, and if my old man was in an airline or owned/worked in GA, of course I'd be using him for a foot in the door, unfortunately for me he's an electrician who's terrified of flying!
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Sydney
Age: 60
Posts: 1,542
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
5 out of the 8 cadets were females.
I would be willing to bet that less than 10% of the applicants were female.
Notice how these females are also very attractive as well. Maybe the same division of HR that takes care of cabin crew recruitment is also looking after the cadet pilot applicants.
Second of all, if any future applicants are reading this, don't for one second be arrogant enough to think that you "will make a better pilot than every one else they choose". Remember in Top Gun when Viper tells Maverick that he likes arrogance in a pilot? Well airlines absolutely hate overt arrogance in their pilots, and it's the easiest way to rejected from a cadet interview.
5 out of the 8 cadets were females.
I would be willing to bet that less than 10% of the applicants were female.
I would be willing to bet that less than 10% of the applicants were female.
Last edited by dr dre; 8th Jun 2017 at 09:55.
Hi Puff, I used a video as an example of how we must obviously be expected to display non-specified qualities in order to be successful. I didn't even make it that for - which you would have known if you had have read the thread properly instead of making a stupid ill-informed comment like a douche.
Friendly bit of advice from someone actually in the industry, don't act like a douche(as you delightfully bought back) and act like the industry owes you anything. It's a tiny industry on the grand scale of things, and a crap attitude will find you not just getting rejected from this, but everything you ever go for.
Aviation needs skills and attitude, you might think you have one, but you have displayed so far you don't have the other.
As for nepotism, the first 2 courses had no Captain's children (women or not) on it, and plenty applied!
Mike - I suggest you hang around the airport a bit more and observe some of the VA cabin crew these days, they are not ALL the 20 year old blondes from 15 years ago.(Those still there are now approaching 40) Quite a large number of 45+ are being hired now.
All that having gender quotas does, is denies the position for people more qualified and capable for the job.
Perhaps we should also have quotas to meet to ensure we have an appropriate number of Aboriginals, Muslims, Gays, Trangenders etc in cockpits.
But at the end of the day, the fact is the cadetship makes up a fraction of recruitment. 4 positions going to women when according to your standards it should have only been 1 or 2 or none is hardly anything to complain about. Males will still make up the majority of pilot recruits.
I know in myself I will make a better pilot that every one they finally choose will make my eventual success taste even sweeter
Last edited by dr dre; 8th Jun 2017 at 14:59.
The truth is you can be the best hands on pilot In the word but it won't get you past the HR BS in today's Airline interviews. I know some really good people who've missed out, and some others got in that leave you asking why!
