FDX- Recommendation vs. Sponsor
 

What is the practical difference between them? Can you get interviewed with one v. the other, all things being equal? Wondering if anyone can add to the mystery. How is one weighed against the other? Thanks....:confused:

A recommendation is purely that....." I recommend that this guy is a good sh*t based my experience flying with him". A sponsor is someone that is willing to be "responsible" for you during your first year with the company. In other words, I can recommend a guy because I think he might be a good fit, based on what I've experienced with him in the cockpit/on my wing. I may have never had any beers with you, but based on what I know, you're a good stick. A sponsor is someone that knows you a bit more personally, and is willing to go to bat for you, and show you the ropes on how to operate/perform during your probationary period. If you step on your wiener during your first year, you AND your sponsor will be standing tall in front of your chief pilot explaining your "deficiencies.

almost forgot.......either can get you in the door based on your sponsor/recommendation...but the sponsor will be more.....responsible for your actions. choose wisely Grasshopper......

flextodaline,

You must type faster than I, but you said it exactly as I see it. Good job.

It's 4 am, you're in the local jail and a friend is with you. You get one phone call. You call a friend. So the answer to your question is the recommendation is the dude you call and wake from a sound sleep. The guy sitting next to you yelling, "dude, that was awesome!!!" - that's your sponsor!
PC

Can a newhire sponsor someone? Is there any risk in sponsoring someone while on probation?

I would think that both answers to your question are: yes. Think of it as like co-signing for a loan. I do.
Cheers,
fbh

Good stuff!

Thanks...
 

I have one, and possibly two Rec's, unfortunately, they are Sponsoring other folks. Thanks for taking the time to post! I am sure everyone who reads it are as well!

According to Capt O at the hiring process meeting on Tuesday - neither a sponsor nor recommendations are required to get an interview, but they certainly help. He said he reviews all of them. He also said that more than five recommendations start to lessen the value of the submitted ones. Sounds like five is the magic number - if you can get five.
Enjoy!

I emailed O when he told us not to submit too many recs. I specifically asked where the line was. He told me 5. More, and it diluted your rec's weight for the applicant. I think the magic number is for the the guys writing them, not the guy having them written for. I wasn't at the meeting so I didn't hear the context of statement. Was he specifically talking about the applicant having too many recs?

Thanks for help clarifying this for me.

PC

God help you if you get six!:eek: This makes absolutely no sense.
fbh

Sounds like the number 5 is for guys writing recommendations, not for someone receiving them. If you're the guy writing, you should limit your number of recommendations to no more than 5. If you're the guy receiving recommendations, (sounds like) the more the merrier.

I see, makes sense now. Domo arigato gozimashta finedave-san!
fbh

p.s. the "spelling police" won't let me spell the last word correctly

IMHO, I believe your logic is correct. I can't see where a candidate having six letters would work against them, but I can certainly understand the lessened value of a letter by one FDX pilot who has written 20 recommendation letters. Especially if he says in every one of them that this candidate is the absolute best pilot he's ever flown with...
Thanks for the clarification.:)

Hey frozen, I heard the unthinkable the other day that you retired?????? say it is not so????

No, my friend, I'm still here, just on vacation.
Cheers,
fbh