Runner

I'm going through the hiring process to become a handler at FDX, but I leave for OTS and UPT in January. Ideally, I would like to be able to come back eventually and apply as an internal to fly for FDX. I know I still have a while to get the mins, but a few questions:

- while on mil leave @ FDX, will my time credited (ie, the minimum 1 year to apply as an internal) still be building, or will I have to come off of orders to complete that time?

- in general, is this a good plan? I know I'm protected by USERRA, but no telling what a p.o.'ed manager can do to hurt my chances.

Dpilot

As far as I know, the 1 year time commitment is for actual time worked in the handler position, so no leave time would count. I tried this route too being a former handler. I asked if previous time worked would count towards the 1 year requirement, and was told no. So with the clock reset, I became a handler a 2nd time, but then left before the year when I got a full-time flying job elsewhere.

Going the internal route can work as others here on this board have done it. Good luck!

finedavefine

Other than a warm body, during our peak, why would FedEx want to hire you? Granted those jobs are not the most complicated, but by your taking one of them, with the motive of leaving in a month, you will certainly not ingratiate yourself with your manager, who will, after only a month, have to go out and re-interview for the job you're leaving. As well, if you take the job, without telling FedEx that you plan on leaving on military leave in January, they will certainly remember your little stunt.

A better course of action is to be up-front with them and if they really want you for the short duration that you can give them, they'll hire you. If not, they will at least recognize your honesty and remember that about you.

Regardless, best of luck and enjoy UPT.

gderek

............................+1

Dadof6

Concur with finedavefine, but will go a few steps further. Sorry for not sugar-coating it, but--as retired USAF--I gotta be blunt.

1. This is not a good plan. FedEx is a great destination company, but your particular time horizon is way, way down the road. Forget about starting a new job (right now) with FedEx. Unless you are prior enlisted, you are about to start a whole new way of life.

2. Your "real" new job is to prepare for OTS and UPT--physically, mentally, and emotionally.

3. Get in the best shape of your life. Time at the gym and running miles on the road will be the best investment you can make. Start waking up at 5:30 a.m. and going to bed at 10:00 p.m. Eat well, sleep well, and take care of your bod.

4. Talk to all the current or former military folks you can stand to listen to. Ask them about their basic training experiences or lessons learned. They usually will talk your ears off, but look for something you can learn from every conversation.

5. Read some good military fiction or non-fiction. You may be up on your USAF vocabulary and acronyms, or not. Read "Once an Eagle"--you will meet many Court Massengales and hopefully even more Sam Damons. And you gotta watch "Stripes" if you haven't already done so. Without ROTC or Academy experience, you would be well-advised to learn some ranks, titles, and basic uniform knowledge.

6. Take care of your personal affairs. Visit (and enjoy) the holidays with family and friends one last time--you never know when your next opportunity will come. Get "your mind right," so that when you step off that bus, you are totally focused and committed.

Basic training (OTS, ROTC Field Training, USAFA Basic Cadet Training) to a great extent consists of taking away all your basic human rights, and then giving them back to you, one at a time, as you earn them again, as "privileges." So having someone yell in your face for a few hours every day won't hurt either. [Have you ever been truly YELLED at in your whole life?]

Congratulations on your desire to serve your country, and good luck in your military career. And when you have enjoyed all that the next 10+ (or 20?) years will bring you, THEN you can bring all that judgement and wisdom and airmanship to FedEx. And we'll be happy to welcome you aboard.

golfandfly

I can make this even easier. You are several years from getting a pilot job at Fedex, I doubt to want to throw boxes for that amount of time.

Instead of taking a job at Fedex or concentrating on UPT, just enjoy yourself and the holidays with your friends and family. It's a fun year, but it's a fair amount of work. Chill out and enjoy your time off...

DLax85

Excellent advice from top to bottom!

dspilot

Will you be flying in a guard/reserve unit, or active duty. If you're not going AD, then I would say being a handler is not a bad idea. I worked in the hub for a few years, and I can assure you that if you have any work ethic about you, any manager will be glad to have you and work with you. The Memphis hub is a strange beast (or at least it was in my day). Most people that do that work there have other stuff going on outside of Fedex. Mostly college students, but I worked beside doctors, aircraft mechanics and other pilots just to name a few. If you can make it work, and not get bad marks for missing work and poor job performance (a very low standard in MEM) then I say go for it. FDX does look highly on hiring from within. If you are going AD however, disregard everything I just said. There is no way you'll have any longevity anywhere.

Runner

Reserve...actually just found the answer in the employee handbook of all places. Thanks for the input gents.

Vito

As an Air Force Pilot, your resume will be very competitive regardless of whether you worked at Fed-Ex or not.....