Bit of advice with regards to interviews for those who haven’t had much exposure to them, be yourself, be honest and think about what the employer’s expectations are and give them an indication that you know what their expectations are. It’s not rocket science!

It’s not a 1 way street, any good employment relationship is always a 2 way street regardless of the job or industry.

Thanks for the clarification everyone, good to know it’s not a massive deal breaker.

Very solid advice that, no point getting a job at an operator (or anywhere) only to not fit the culture. Everyone loses.

Cheers!

Wear pants.
Pants are good.

Unless of course it's a Skype / Zoom / WhatsApp / MS Teams thingy blah blah portal meeting, in which case pants optional.
Pants Optional meetings are the best.

All the best.
BAz :ok:

If you are a chick and have the legs for it, wear a skirt, or better still a tidy dress. Nothing too 'tarty' or too gaudy. Avoid the 'power suit' look. Understated is good. Do NOT rock up in pilot kit (same advice for the blokes).
A little distraction could have the chief pilot forget to ask really difficult questions.

Assuming the Chief Pilot is male, or interested, or corrupt, I guess.

Problem with wearing pilot uniform is that anybody can buy the kit. Someone turning up in a pilot's shirt and trousers could be the best pilot in the World, or the worst - or even not a pilot at all. A person wearing pilot uniform while not actually on duty as a pilot always looks a bit suspect, I think.

Appearance at interviews needs to be smart and show that you respect the job, the company you are applying to, and the people interviewing you.

Would you turn up for work as a commercial airline pilot without a tie? It might be the norm where it is very hot, such as Australia, I don't know.

The best pilots I ever interviewed and hired, both small prop operators, and the big French stuff, did not wear a tie or jacket. Shirt, pants, slacks, however still looked executive like. You can look just as professional without a tie/jacket, if you know how to dress. Most don’t know how to dress.

I cannot stress the importance re shoes. Buy a new pair and only wear to interviews. You can polish and clean a used pair xx many times, generally a new pair is the first thing that stood out. I can see filth and uneven shoes without even looking at them.

This will only work at places that hire female pilots. There are still many out there that will not touch female pilots.

and for heavens sake, iron your shirt. The amount of people who I have interview over the years that look like they just rolled out of bed is ridiculous.

That’s sound advice!

Agreed clean/shiny boots are important, however someone who had made the effort to polish an old pair of boots would stand out to me more than someone who just took the easy option and bought a new pair on the way. But yes. Your shoes MUST be clean and a bit shiny.

Anyway, like everything, personality and genuineness stand out more than clothes. Be confidant and down to earth. Be someone that to whomever you are speaking, is going to want to hang out with on a daily basis.

Neat tidy and ironed. Look like you care about yourself and your appearance. Whether that be neat shorts/slacks/jeans and a good shirt in the tropics, or a suit and tie if going for a corporate job in a wanky city.

Also if it is 40 degrees and midday in the build up, wearing a cap or hat would show me that you actually have common sense and are prepared for what is essentially an outdoor job in the heat.

Really, a thread about what to wear to an interview! If you need to discuss this then please do not fly an aeroplane. FFS.

I’ve been thinking the same thing Rex. If you can’t work this part out, what hope do you have operating an aircraft in the ‘unsupervised’ world?

I’m with Rex and Deep Six above. But if you think this debate is a sad reflection, go to the one about pilot watches. Somehow it has morphed from finding a watch with ability to tell future time to the merits of cutting tabs off boots. There was a time when being a pilot required an IQ above room temperature.

....and probably just as many who reward them with preferential treatment/hiring practices to fill quotas.

Cover up the tattoos also. I’ve seen a few GA pilots recently in my travels not doing that, one even had a hand tattoo. Remove the hand tattoos, behind the ear tattoos before you even get near that Regional or Airline interview. HR would go into cardiac arrest at my outfit if they came across that.

Not at Bonza!!! :}

What about the prison teardrop tattoos?

Wife beater singlet or cunning stunts t-shirt?