Questions for UPS HR? Post here
 

Let's hear the questions you have about the application process, specifically. Not hiring numbers for next year, or how long you can expect to sit in the pool, etc.

I will be contacting them next week with a bank of questions from you all, and hopefully will return here with some answers.

Freight Dog,
I heard a new class was told somewhere around 2000 people applied the last time the window was open, and of these 2000, 400 had a "perfect score." What constitutes a perfect score?

Hey FD,

Thanks for the opportunity.

The biggest question I have; was the flight crew application supplement supposed to have been included in the flight crew application, or just an uploaded resume? Mine just had basic application info, and an uploaded resume. Some have said they filled out a flight time supplement.

I did e-mail HR but have not had a response yet.

Thanks again for taking the time to do this,

Z

Awesome!
 

Great - I’ll repost my message form the other thread to get it going…

Guys/gals be as specific you can, we want detailed explanations not vague ideas, we got plenty of that already…

“Freight Dog - you always seem to have some real good info on hiring, etc. which we all truly appreciate. Is there any way you could try to give the HR some good info on what it's like on this side of the table and why all those people keep coming to pester them with the many questions? You could even print out some of the questions on the numerous APC threads regarding hiring and the frequent confusion the applicants face.

Take 10 applicants filling out the very same application and I bet you all 10 will get 10 different responses without any explanation or guidance whatsoever.

Some will find out their application is "on file," while others will find themselves "active." Some poor souls will be told “Thanks for applying but you do not meet our requirements” (even though based on the requirements listed on the UPS website - they do!). Did I mention the ones who are "told" their application is already on file and there's no further attention necessary? (even though it's been 1-2 years since they last updated and have gotten hundreds of additional flying hours and maybe even a type rating or two?).

Few days, few weeks, few months or maybe even few years later (or never?) some of the lucky ones will get an invitation to the "psych test." Once completed a few will be told "the position has been filled but thanks for applying," others might be told to contact UPS to schedule additional review and when they click on the invitation – the link doesn’t work. Oops, almost forgot – there are also the ones who get the invitation to do the psych test and cannot find a link, email or other contact info inside the invitation.

Obviously, you’ve been here for a while and I bet my entire “knowledge” of this company amounts to much less than what you’ve already forgotten! My point is, this forum is full of guys/gals who'd love to work here but are not sure how to get through the complicated process which seems to be changing every 6 months or so. It is also full of guys/gals like Mega, FO4ever,myself etc. who really like it here and would love to be able to help our friends but find the process so complicated and confusing that we aren’t even sure what to tell our friends.

So maybe if you make a copy of some 20/30 messages here and send them to the HR they'll see why people keep popping in? I'm sure it's not the HR itself but rather the IT folks who probably aren't communicating with the HR (and vice versa). So maybe if they see some of those frustrating and desperate messages they'll understand and will try to fix this embarrassing problem?

For example, when people click on the application link maybe they should find an explanation to all the steps they’ll have to complete AND what kind of messages to expect AND what the messages mean? In other words "active" – ‘you have all the quals and will be contacted shortly.’ "On File" – ‘we have your profile but at this time other applicants are more qualified,’ etc, etc. Folks – relax! I'm just guessing here, I, and I'm sure most of us, have NO idea what all those "code-words" mean.

Therefore, some kind of guidance would've been a great help to all those who're trying to apply, to their sponsors, and of course to the HR department because they’d actually be able to go to lunch without tripping over all the people living in tents right outside their office.

On another note, freightdog, do you know if there's usually someone there on Wednesday afternoons?

Sorry about the lengthy post. It took me so many years to get here and I’m just grateful for the help I got from my sponsors; I’d love to be able to help some of my friends who’ve been trying really hard to join Big Brown but can't even get through the application process.

So what do you think? Am I wishing for the impossible?”


Here are some FE Written related questions:

- Will an FE written that’s more than 2-years old but kept current through the “part 121 rule” work or does it have to be less than two years old? (in other words I was (and still am) at airline “X” when I took my FE written and now, three years later UPS calls me for an interview – is my FE written still good?)

- If the “121 carrier” exemption is acceptable does it mean you must still be working for the same airline you were at when the FE written was taken or just ANY part 121 airline? (let’s say I was at airline “X” when I took the test and 3 years later switched to airline “Y” when all of sudden UPS calls me for an interview – is my 3 year old FE written still good?)

- If you switched airlines, how long time-frame between the jobs will be accepted? (In other words if it took one week form resigning from one airline job to starting at another – is my FE written still current?)

- More importantly, if UPS does accept an FE written that is more than 2-years old, are the applicants “look down upon” because they didn’t want to spend the extra $100 or is it totally irrelevant.

- What about the rumor you must have at least 95% (I had 103%! :)) on the test or you might be turned down?

- Does the score really matter or is OK as long as it’s above the FAA 70%?

I know some of those seem like pretty silly questions but I’ve talked to several regional captains making 30-35K a year struggling to pay their bills who ended up retaking their FE written exam just to go from 95 to 98% because they were told it would improve their chances. I think it’s insane but people will do whatever takes to increase their chances.

Or how about people like me who ended up retaking the FE written every two years because we were told that UPS didn’t really want to see FE written tests that were more than 2 years old. I waited 8 years to get hired and yes I did take it 4 times! Maybe by knowing the real truth, some guys/gals behind me can save some money here?

I would like to hear the answers from the HR not other pilots...enough of blind leading blind already...

Thanks FD!

Keep 'em coming...

FD

Freight Dog,

Thanks for the invitation. Your offer is a perfect example of the effectiveness and practicality of this forum.

1. "Does the computerized selection process consider date of application?"

i.e. will someone who applied in the Jan 07 or Apr 07 (or earlier) window get selected for interview before someone who applied in Aug 07 or any future windows? Assuming the same or comparable quals, of course. There seem to be a few who applied during those windows and never heard anything (not even psych eval email) while others applied later and have already been hired, etc.

2. "Does HR want a cover letter?"

The website application does not request a cover letter, yet some pilots suggest attaching one. May we conclude that HR does NOT want a cover letter, because otherwise they would ask for one on the website?

3. "What is the difference between 'on file' and 'active'"

4. "Is there a practical advantage to soliciting 22 (multiple) internal recs rather than 1-2"

Again, thanks. Great forum.
Tripled

Has HR interviewed anyone this year who had an unsuccessfull interview in 2006?

I am also curious about the difference between "active" and "on file." I am currrently "on file" but I have swapped back snd fourth a few times.

Thanks

Freight Dog --

Thanks for your willingness to help. I had two that came to mind. First on the box where it says do you have family presently employed for UPS or have you ever had family that worked at UPS, does this count against you even if your in the second category (no family working there now). Secondly, after you finish the application it checks for an appointment but it says there are no open appointments, it seems like that might be a dead end message. Is that just for other jobs than the First Officer position?

Ben

Flight Times
 

Freight Dog,

I was one of the lucky applicants who actually got to put in his flight times. When I did so, I was able to add the first aircraft, no problem. However, subsequent adds were displayed as if the module had some sort of an issue with the graphical interface on the page. I think the numbers were in there, but I have no way of really knowing if they have my accurate flight times since I can no longer go back in and check my application. Is there a way to double check something as important as your flight times.

SJ