Elevation

People consistently leave interviews with excessive estimates of how many credit hours they'll make in a month or unrealistic optimism about how long their training footprint will be. Something is happening in recruiting and interviews. Most of this can probably be chalked up to routine errors. Also interviews are recruiting events as much as filtration events in today's labor market. Recruiters, especially recruiters in close proximity to big heads, tend to over-sell things. For example we circulated an official, company approved pamphlet that grossly overestimated compensation as part of a recruiting effort. That took more than one person to generate, approve and distribute.

Most of us know things that we really shouldn't know. If you think about what you know you can usually trace it to someone who's breaching official or implied expectations of confidentiality, and these people are in union positions, LCPs, training center personnel and HR folks. The interviewers I know haven't been bad about this, but they're human. Humans drift and humans fail. I agree that we do well enough churning up silly rumors, but that attitude often is used to ignore the role that people in trusted positions play.

Atlasvet

Well, thank you for sharing your limited experiences in the interview process and your antidotes. I happen to be one of the senior retired folks and have participated in a whole lot of interviews over 29 years. When the union joined us recently (thankfully) there was no need to change our practices or techniques. We work hard to build an understanding of the true picture of conditions at Atlas. It starts with a Corporate Presentation that presents the facts. There is nothing to gain by spinning falsehoods or overpromising the conditions of potential changes. There would be nothing to gain by onboarding a candidate by laying out false expectations. If you have a legitimate concern, I would suggest you contact one of the several IBT members that are participating and ask their informed opinion on such issues.

Elevation

On a separate note, are you enjoying retirement? Are you still involved with us or have you moved on and started working at an airplane museum or something? If you don't fly anymore do you miss it? When you look back at things do you think it all pretty much worked out? With your career at Atlas over, do you have perspective today that you wish you had when you were 45 or 35? I'm asking in public, so if you don't want to go into a "Here's my big observation..." thing I get it. Still, you have experience. A lot of us would probably like to hear about it.

Atlasvet

Fair questions,

I am very content with the way my career turned out. I enjoyed the majority of my years flying before, during and after Atlas. I flew a few years Part 135/91 after Atlas, but was happy to step away as it was fun but to hard and low pay.

When I look back in perspective I feel I made the best with the cards I was dealt. Atlas was a little short in the retirement regime, but through real estate, and other options I my family is just fine.

I am one of a couple dozen old guys that still receive pay from Atlas as a part timer, it. Is a good deal.

ZR29907

As well as the antidotes..

goinaround

Antidotes or anecdotes? There’s an important difference…..

Elevation

Anecdotes can become antidotes.

Elevation

So you did alright. That's good to hear. "Put your money someplace smart." seems to be a consistent message from retirees. Part time 135 is cool. Did/do you keep your hand in because it's enjoyable?

TransWorld

Like Archie Bunker on All in the Family, as he waves his hand, “Amnesia, Magnesia, what’s the differences.”

Meathead said, “Arch, Amnesia is when you can’t remember where you are going, With Magnesia, you KNOW where you are going.”

Atlasvet

I went 135 briefly as I like to fly. Several of my contemporaries still fly post 65. The niche I was in was pretty stressful and I ended up dropping out. I do continue to work about three days a week as I find it fulfilling and it is nice to have a purpose. I refer to the extra income as “Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse and European vacation money”.

It is nice not to have to pinch pennies, being able to continue to help the kids and grandkids, and not dip into the principal for a few years.

The time will come in the near future when I will say “enough is enough”, but for now I enjoy my days and have few regrets.