Actually, Dexter Tutor did the hiring for about a year or so
, back in the day. I believe he was fired from that job, so I believe FlyFdx was just saying that tongue-in-cheek. Dexter had this thing for advanced degrees, but thankfully he was replaced by someone who realized that flying ability and getting along with others were more important indicators of a FedEx pilots' long term success potential than having a PHD, DMD, DDS, MBA, LLD, or DMD, etc. As someone who barely made it through high school, I tend to agree.
JJ
There's really no approach that will make everyone happy. There isn't one Ivy League, ACC, Service Academy, or NESCAC school graduate that agrees there's an issue with the current hiring practices at SWA or FedEx. But there are a lot of guys that are pretty upset. It seems to me that the best way to handle hiring is require guys to have a sponsor that can vouch for someone as being socially adaptable and a good pilot. It provides another level of accountability, and it puts the responsibility for the candidate to do well as much on the sponsor as on their candidate. But, it seems like 98% of the dudes making it in the door over there are sponsored and have the competitive degrees. It makes for one tough nut to crack with all the guys trying to make it through the door at FedEx at SWA.
Am I master of the obvious? Ah, whatever. I felt the need for a post.