Originally Posted by cadetdrivr

This.

It's the law of large numbers. At the risk of doing math in public, if UAL has 5000 aps on file (wild guess) and needs to call 120-180 a month for interviews (with 1/3 to 1/2 getting hired) that's only 2% to 3% of applicants called per month and 1% hired.

Those called first in that small percentile are gonna have some combination of PIC time, instructor/check airman experience, education, respectable work history, and strong references. And most called at this point will have all of those---although there will be a small number that don't just to keep things fresh. At the beginning of a hiring wave UAL can be very selective. That will gradually change when every other airline is also in a strong hiring mode.


Yup. I've worked at three major airlines and every single job was the result of who I knew (and who they knew) and not what was on my application.