Originally Posted by Fox 1

During our last round of hiring, I was on the interview committee. We would take the candidates to a simple sim and check their basic flying skills, then back to HQ for the personal interview. After that we took the candidates to lunch to see how they interacted with others. This doesn't mean squat, except I was interviewing for a national 121 air carrier flying B-727's and DC-10's around the world. So with that perspective, here is some advice.

I was shot down at DHL, ATA and United before I landed my next gig (I'm glad that I did in hindsight). My problem was that I was too close to the edge. I wanted it SO badly, that I was a nervous wreck!

That was the symptom. The cause was that I was "faking it."

I was pretending to be the person that I wanted to be instead of being the person that I wanted to be. I didn't do my absolute best each time that I flew. I talked poorly about other people behind their back, I didn't make each gate agent and ramper feel important, and totally disregarded the fueler. I just did what it took to get by...until the interview. Then I was Mr. Wonderful! But I knew that I wasn't. I was faking it. Kind of like when the FAA route checks you, that same worry about what I'm forgetting (since I didn't follow SOPA routinely).

When I changed all of that I felt so much better about myself. I didn't do or say anything in real life that I wouldn't say in an interview. I was going to be the most respected pilot around. Not because I was faking it, but because I was genuinely interested in others and was determined to know my airplane better than anyone else (humbley, of course). I gave the fueler cookies, I was sweet as molasses to the ramper who screwed up the bags, and I made every flight a check ride; no matter how late it was.

My view of myself changed. I was the ideal candidate. I knew that I was. I wasn't the best pilot, but I knew that no one was trying harder, or had more commitment to doing it right. I was such a different person in the subsequent interview!

Don't act the like the person that you want to be, BE the person that you want to be!!! It will show!!! Everything else will fall into place.

PS Whenever you post something to this board, ask yourself if you would want it printed and brought to an interview. Be rest assured, if you ask another member for advice or a recommendation to their company, they will read every post that you've submitted to see how you talk.

I did.

Originally Posted by CL65driver

Good post, Fox 1. Maybe some more people will take that kind of professionalism to heart out there.