(Warning; Bourbon induced syntax)

I am fairly new @ World and already I have been hit up for giving LOR's. A friend had given me one and I would certainly like to pay it forward. However, I have found one should be selective as to whom they recommend. If one or two turns out to be bad then you reduce the efficacy of any future recs. Not to mention, I am sure my employer wouldn't put much stock in a probationary employee's recs.

Someone you know is a great pilot but has an attitude problem. Or, you know someone with a great attitude but haven't flown with them. (World wants you to have flown w/ the candidate) Sometimes I feel torn. I really do want to help but, I fell have to cover my own butt. I have even been "cold-called" for LOR's through these message boards. i.e. "Hey, would you be willing to get to know me via email and write me a rec?"

How selective are you when giving recs? As for negating your recs if you recommend one that didn't work out, how does your airline look at LOR's?

 

well a complete stranger who's writing you on APC would totally understand if you said "i dont know you so I would feel weird writing a recommendation." But for people you know or met personally, I think its always great to help out.

Plus, if the guy you got hired ends up doing something stupid 1 or 2 years later, theres no chance they'll link it you or even remember your name. If you get 10 people hired and all 10 get in trouble, then wow thats tough luck and you might then have some explaining to do.

 

After I got hired at FedEx I heard from "old friends" that I hadn't heard from in many years (not even a Christmas card?). Well, I didn't let that influence me.


... I told the truth (isn't that what FedEx wanted?), "haven't heard from this guy in years and didn't like him much when I did. And oh, by the way, the squadron would NEVER let this guy sign for an airplane by himself but he was an adequate co-pilot I guess?"

 

Be selective, it's a small company. I have helped 1 guy hired in the last 10 years. Some of my buds have asked, when they were furloughed from the legacies, but i have talked them out of it because I knew it would not suit them. How the rec works out could reflect on you.

Cheers,
WG

 

you chose to write that? ouch man, the right thing to do would have been not to write one at all. its one thing to say no to a letter, but to write a letter that hes just going to throw in the trash, or worse yet one that goes directly to the company that makes the guy look really bad is pretty messed up, especially if he spent 10-20+ years serving in the armed forces. there are a lot of guys i flew with in the air force i didnt like, but i wouldnt sabotage their career

 

I don't think MaydayMark was "sabatoging" anyone's career ... wouldn't it be his/hers previous actions that "makes the guy look really bad" ...

It would be more like not inviting the undesirable acquaintance to his party ...

Now if he wrote that letter and sent it off to EVERY possible employer ... now that would be sabatoge



But to answer the original poster ... I could only recomend someone that I have known and was comfortable sharing the cockpit with for a 10 day trip ... IMHO

Later, Brown CC

 

I am VERY selective with who I recommend for reasons previously stated.

I also WOULD NEVER ask someone I barely know to recommend me. I honetsly don't know how they could. I hate it when people sit at the FBO fishing for certain company pilots just so they can ask for a LOR. It is just wrong. You network and make connections and do a good job in what you do. Word gets out about your rep and the LORs will happen somehow.

My .02

 

A couple of years ago, the FedEx SCP sent out an email specifically asking for good and bad recommendations. I sponsored a couple of good friends for interviews. FedEx has a program where a sponsor brings an applicant in for a meet-and-greet (In the Navy, we called it a "Grip-and-grin" ). An ACP actually meets the applicant and pre-screens them. They make sure all the paperwork is in order. The ACPs asked me very specific and pointed questions about how well I knew the guys. They also mentioned that if the person that I sponsored became a problem I would be contacted about it. They would not be able to do anything to me but it would definitely have an affect on any of my future recommendations. So far, so good. I sponsored three, they all got hired, and are doing well.

 

What about setting up a pay for recommendation program. Where some stranger pays you a certain sum of money and in exchange, they get a recommendation.

 

PM me ... I might be able to help YOU.