Let's share interview experiences

[FBOZH]

First I would like to mention that this is not a thread about BA, but a general one.
Having participated in a BA interview in February, and having failed it miserably, I would like to start a thread on the subject of interviews, what to say and what not to say, how to answer the dreadful questions. There is a very good book on the subject called “Great answers to tough interview questions”. I am citing it so nobody has to do it later on. It is very good however, it does not mention specific aviation related questions.

1- “Can you tell us about a time when you had to make a decision that everybody disagreed with but which was in the interest of the group?”.
2- “Have you ever had to oppose the decision of a captain?”

Whilst I am not sure nbre 1 has ever happened in my life, question nbre 2 has. In fact a captain once tried to depart with less than minimum fuel and of course I refused. I mentioned this during the interview and afterwards I wondered if it was a good idea. Because although it might show I can take initiative and stand against unsafe practices, it also gives a poor image of the company I am working for and the BA interviewers might have thought about me: ”if this man has been flying in such a company, he is probably full of bad habits and what not”. I don’t want to write too much about my interview right now although I could make a whole dossier out of it, I am hoping I will get some feedback from some of you and hopefully share some of your experiences as well. In the end, I am here to perfect myself and make sure I do all I can to crack the interview next time. Thanks to all of you who agree to comment and share some of your own experiences.

[Superpilot]

My experience:
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=222647

[Pilot Pete]

If you don't answer the questions you mentioned with personal experiences then you are going to dig yourself a big hole. How can you reply with someone else's response to the same questions? Remember, your credibility will be reduced if you spout some 'stock' answer that clearly doesn't come from your own experience.

PP

[FBOZH]

Pilote Pete, you are right, one should personalize one's answers. However I believe we've all had similar experiences and the things that should be said or shouldn't be can be discussed in an open forum. Another one I mentioned during my interview is a captain forgetting to lower the landing gear during a short approach(visual). I spotted it as we started the checklist turning final. Once again, I am not sure if it can make a positive impact on interviewers(I saved the day) or a negative one(I work for a bad company).

[Pilot Pete]

Originally Posted by FBOZH

Another one I mentioned during my interview is a captain forgetting to lower the landing gear during a short approach(visual). I spotted it as we started the checklist turning final. Once again, I am not sure if it can make a positive impact on interviewers(I saved the day) or a negative one(I work for a bad company).

You're right there, I would be careful bringing that up in an interview. You showed the 'right stuff' by catching the error, or at least by not forgetting the Landing Checklist which is there to catch these errors, BUT why was the gear not put down before? It is a whole CRM breakdown story that you are getting into there, in which you played your part.

If you are going to go into something like that ensure you analyze the reasons why you got into such a situation and tell them what you learnt from the experience. Don't just leave it at the 'I saved the day' stage! Non of us are perfect and errors occur all the time. A decent airline would appreciate your frank, honest telling of the story and admission that an error occured. They will appreciate even more hearing how you didn't just accept it, you went away, used the principles of CRM that you have been taught and found the error chain links and then DID SOMETHING ABOUT IT to minimise the chance of it occuring again when you are on the flight deck.

PP