Originally Posted by
PetrolBurner
Hello all, I applied 7 weeks ago, had a meet and greet with a Seattle base Chief Pilot right away that went really well. But then radio silence. I've had a friend who's an Alaska Airlines pilot sponsor me with HR (there's an official process for that.) I still haven't gotten a call to interview and I'm wondering if there's anything left that I can do. Is my lack of 121 and jet time that much of a hurdle or do I just need to stay patient? I have 6500 TT, 4100 METPIC, college degree, instructor pilot at my current job and previous airline and companines and a bunch of other special mission qualifications. Alaska is my top choice but my timeline for the next few months makes me wonder if it's time to start pursuing number 2 and 3 on my personal list.
You need to be pursuing your top #1 - #x. Not right now...yesterday. If "not #1 hires you first" you go there *unless* you're at the cusp of a known requirement, like upgrade to the left seat/TPIC, getting 500/1000 hrs TPIC, etc. Is your current job your FINAL job is #1, in your case Alaskan, doesn't call you? In that case there's no need to apply to anyone else except #1. But for the VAST majority their #1-x (5? 8?) major 121 choices are better than their current job. Don't take you foot off the gas because airline xyz gave you an interview but an airline lower on your desired list gave you a CJO or class date. Grab it. Keep chasing the jobs higher on your personal list. Get a destination job and continue pursuing higher choices until it doesn't make sense for you to leave ABC for XYZ.
True story - guy I was mentoring. Had wanted to fly for AA since he was a kid. AA gave him a CJO. Delta called. He wasn't going to go there. Why bother, AA had given him a CJO and a class date would follow shortly? I said "go talk to Delta. AA's promise is like a girl at a bar saying she'll be back next week. Uh-uh, we're talking about tonight! Another girl walks over...you holding out for next week's promise or going to deal with today first???" He went to DL. AA started taking back a bunch of furloughs and AA didn't contact him for over a year. He said it was tough turning down AA because for maybe 30 yrs that had been his goal. "But it didn't make any sense to quit DL by then. Delta was too good to me to go to AA and start over." Bingo.