KC10 FATboy

Stop putting words into my mouth. I didn't say you wouldn't get hired. And I didn't say it was going to cause you problems. I said, it could cause problems. Reality is, it has caused problems for some folks. And I know some folks who weren't prepared to speak to it during the interview. We'll never know if their answers were the reason they got hired or were not hired. Only the HR teams know that.

When I was screened by the CAL HR team, (and I'm not picking on CAL just sharing my experience). Their HR team very explicitly asked me "if we put you on the 737 in Newark, and you get the type rating, are you going to jump ship to Southwest?" They were very serious about that. And why shouldn't they be? If they are losing pilots to Southwest, that becomes a significant loss for the company.

It's business.

Ogie Ogilthorpe

That's about as dumb as saying you'll have a hard time getting hired by anyone but Fed Ex or UPS because you wanted to fly the 10. These dudes go out on the job hunt with a shot gun not a sniper rifle. They're looking to better their odds with anyone and make themselves more marketable. For most of us it comes at a cost of $free w/ the post 9/11 GI Bill so why woudn't you load that round? Nobody cares if you have a type in a jet you never flew because they all know how upside the job market is right now and that ole "eggs and basket thing/food on the table, what have you." It's all about convincing them that you're right for them and they're right for you.

squaretail

I disagree. How many interviews have you done and had the LAST QUESTION come up about your rating? If none, then have you interviewed and been hired with a 73 type at a ...say... an Airbus carrier? If you did then, please (sincerely), share how you explained it. HR does ask that question.... "so, why the 73 type?" Now, for those that don't want a big fat rejection letter, I suggest a better answer than job searching with a shotgun or Flugleher's grilling them on bankruptcy and the elusive, semi-nonexistent defined benefit plan. I wish I knew the right answer... "I was young, stupid, needed [to waste] the money". It's still not a buyers market. That stinks, but que sera sera...

coryk

What if you had the Post 9/11 GI Bill? It's free.

ZapBrannigan

What if you flew the 737 as an FO at USAir? (they were typing FO's in the 90's)

squaretail

Did you fly for USAir in the 90's? If not, it doesn't work. I still flunked the last question. So did a lot of other people. If someone has an acceptable "hr" answer, please post it!!

ZapBrannigan

Yeah, I did.

squaretail

I guess you have a good answer. Lucky.

ExAF

In my experience honesty usually works best.

squaretail

We are not talking about anything nefarious or intentionally misleading -- this isn't the Delta "I got a speeding ticket when I was 16 but it doesn't show up on my driving record question." There are ways to focus your answers -- typical of how you focus the "greatest weakness" question to take the emphasis off of personal traits, while not giving the predictable canned answer. There are a number of people that did not have the GI bill and that did not work for USAir in the 90's. The original theme was an assertion that the type rating would not have an effect on a non-LUV interview. The reality is that it does affect your chances elsewhere.

When posed this type rating question at another airline, if you answer "well, the truth is that's the only way I could get an interview at Southwest" you will be rejected, that's the truth. I am not suggesting a lie, just asking if anyone has any better suggestions than shooting yourself in the foot.