Originally Posted by
RyanP
If that really was the case, and the Legacy carriers were 100% blind to the applications and couldn't see gender or race when looking over apps. I would be interviewed over the majority of them getting hired lately 10 times out 10. (IF it really was blind to that). All the Captains around me busting their butt to get an interview would be called over them too. I have twice their time, way more experience, plus outside aviation experience, 4 type ratings, years of TPIC, perfect training record, no failures ever, 2 degrees, 3.9 GPA, been to multiple job fairs, have tons of internal recs, even have an internal Legacy CP rec, years of volunteer time. Yet not even a phone call for an interview at a big 3 carrier. Lots of people around my seniority are in exactly the same boat.
As much as I hate to say it, I agree. Qualified pilots are a dime a dozen at the major level, they're everywhere. They all have the same quals, good records, good PIC, and the vast majority are good people. They'd fit in just fine and be terrific legacy carrier pilots.
Look at it this way; all things being equal, the computer just can't choose. They're going to have to program it to look for other qualities. Chief pilot? Check airman? IOE instructor? These are worthwhile qualities to have on a resume. Military? A shoo-in.
Then you check the boxes for the things I really dislike. Those scams they call job fairs, taking your money because they know you're desperate to claw your way to the top. Volunteering. Great if you're at an airline with schedule allowing you the time to do so and you don't have family obligations.
So with thousands of pilots checking off the same boxes, who gets a couple extra "points" that can push them over the top relative to everyone else?
All that said, it's just the way the system is set up. Nothing to do except keep plugging away and do the work. It does benefit to do so, the problem is that everyone else is doing the same thing and more competitors are added to the field every month.