Originally Posted by
TripleSpool
The point behind my question was to simply shed light on what many perceive to be flawed hiring practices. The power to change ‘The Game’ and how it’s played lies within and can only be changed as such. Maybe integrity in hiring should be the new Golden Rule because what we have now is a big sham.
I’ve seen too many good and very qualified pilots not get their fair shot. And yes, I know, life isn’t fair either.
I’ve seen guys who’ve never attended a single job fair get an interview, and subsequently - a job offer. By the same token, pilots with good experience and education, who’ve attended several job fairs, have yet to hear something. Anyone can concede that this is all a ‘game’ but few have the courage to change it for the better once they make it in. In the meantime, we’ll resume our cog-like culture while HR brandishes their overreaching power in deciding the fate of several exceptional applicants.
It is easy for me to criticize this being on the inside now, but honestly those that don't get a call or hired usually from what I've seen something contributed to it. You may be the best candidate the world has ever seen but you have a trivial error on your application that is negatively effecting it. Perhaps those people who you think you know have skeletons in their closet that they have not been open about to you for one reason or another. Then there is the personality test, if accomplished poorly then simply you do not pass go. Again you could be the best dude/gal ever but if you trip up on any of the 100 steps up to that point then it can be a problem. Finally the interview. Again your the best thing since sliced bread, but the stress of the multiple years of work leading up to this singular point overwhelms and for whatever reason you perform poorly or fail to gel with your HR panel, make a glaring error on your technical assessment etc.
My long winded point is the system is designed for attempting to weed out of a mountain of applicants (there still are plenty no matter what pilot shortage you believe in) into what company A, B, or C is looking for and hopefully set those individuals up for success.
Having the most hours from what I've seen is not the ruler by which you need use. You need to look at yourself, and your situation and see if you have been pursuing greater responsibility and involvement in your own situation. So if your a left seat captain at regional x with 1 billion hours, but you've not upgraded Aircraft in a decade, or pursued Chief Pilot, Line Check Airmen etc then you may be harming yourself.
Regardless of your plan once you get hired at a major their goal is to hire their next crop which will define their culture for the next 20+ years.
So I am sorry but the system like any has its flaws but it is by no means rigged against good pilots or applicants. Good ones get through. Except perhaps in my case
