How to improve JL's meet and greet program
11-04-2006 | 11:07 AM
#42
Proponent of Hysteria
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,052
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From: 3B
One thing I should add to my comments about the meet and greet. If we are going to continue it I think we need to formalize the process for getting an appointment a little better to avoid the perception (or reality) that there is an advantage for the guys who live in Memphis. Other than being closer to the office and being able to go in on an off day without traveling across the country there should be no advantage to living here. And there is nothing you can do about that.
I heard consistent rumors over the past several months though that there were still meet and greets going on even though they were officially suspended for a time. If guys who are close to the ACPs are able to back door the process (whether they live in Memphis or on the moon) then the rest of the crewforce has reason to complain that the system is unfair. I would agree.
I am not naive to think that if you get to the position of ACP that you won't help your buddies, but the formal system has to be improved so that the rest of us have equal access to the ACPs when they are accepting appointments.
My suggestion would be to use the online recs, let a guy be the primary sponsor for only one guy at a time, and do away with the meet and greet requirement. That gives everybody a chance at an interview, and folks could still walk in a resume if they were so inclined. Perhaps that would free up the ACPs to do the other stuff that they do.
I heard consistent rumors over the past several months though that there were still meet and greets going on even though they were officially suspended for a time. If guys who are close to the ACPs are able to back door the process (whether they live in Memphis or on the moon) then the rest of the crewforce has reason to complain that the system is unfair. I would agree.
I am not naive to think that if you get to the position of ACP that you won't help your buddies, but the formal system has to be improved so that the rest of us have equal access to the ACPs when they are accepting appointments.
My suggestion would be to use the online recs, let a guy be the primary sponsor for only one guy at a time, and do away with the meet and greet requirement. That gives everybody a chance at an interview, and folks could still walk in a resume if they were so inclined. Perhaps that would free up the ACPs to do the other stuff that they do.
11-04-2006 | 02:00 PM
#43
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 267
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From: Michael Vick's favorite animal
I agree with you but can I throw in my 2 cents on item 3 above. A lot of these guys at the majors deserve a second chance. It wasn't their fault that the airline industry is in it's current state of affairs. I have an example. I have a friend that is an 11 year F/O at United. It's not his fault that he's still an F/O, it's his company imploding around him. He wanted to come to FedEx over two years ago. He saw what was happening at United and wanted to make a move that would salvage his career and provide for his family. In my opinion he is a forward thinking highly intelligent individual. Most groups of large people have a "herd" mentality. They follow the herd. It's a documented psych thing. It happens with any large group including pilots. It happens with people chasing winning stocks in the market or bailing out of losers. When you have an individual who recognizes early, sees the writing on the wall and wants to break from the herd, you have a forward thinking leader. These types of individuals are opportunities lost for FedEx to gain some really talented people. Having a blanket policy of not hiring pilots who are active on a seniority list at a major is a discredit to us and our peers at other airlines.
I also know of at least one individual who recently took mil leave from a major airline and then interviewed here and got hired. I am very happy he was hired at FedEx because he is a definite asset to FedEx. However mil leave is technically not removal from a seniority list. When the mil leave ended he would have went back to work. My United friend above is no longer in the military so he can't use that loophole. But he is talented, an outstanding pilot and if I had half his intelligence I would be a smarter person. His only chance for employment here at FedEx under current policy is to resign from United and then pray for an interview. How can anyone in their right mind be expected to do that?
We need a level playing field with opportunities for all talented pilots to be given a fair crack at a career with FedEx. This is an opportunity for FedEx to hire the "cream of the crop" so to speak. It's simply an issue of supply and demand. We are hiring and nobody (majors) else is. We can afford to pick and choose the best. Is that wrong?
I also know of at least one individual who recently took mil leave from a major airline and then interviewed here and got hired. I am very happy he was hired at FedEx because he is a definite asset to FedEx. However mil leave is technically not removal from a seniority list. When the mil leave ended he would have went back to work. My United friend above is no longer in the military so he can't use that loophole. But he is talented, an outstanding pilot and if I had half his intelligence I would be a smarter person. His only chance for employment here at FedEx under current policy is to resign from United and then pray for an interview. How can anyone in their right mind be expected to do that?
We need a level playing field with opportunities for all talented pilots to be given a fair crack at a career with FedEx. This is an opportunity for FedEx to hire the "cream of the crop" so to speak. It's simply an issue of supply and demand. We are hiring and nobody (majors) else is. We can afford to pick and choose the best. Is that wrong?
The reality is, we are hiring the "best" pilots that we choose to allow to interview.
11-04-2006 | 08:11 PM
#44
Thread Starter
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 675
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One thing I should add to my comments about the meet and greet. If we are going to continue it I think we need to formalize the process for getting an appointment a little better to avoid the perception (or reality) that there is an advantage for the guys who live in Memphis. Other than being closer to the office and being able to go in on an off day without traveling across the country there should be no advantage to living here. And there is nothing you can do about that.
I heard consistent rumors over the past several months though that there were still meet and greets going on even though they were officially suspended for a time. If guys who are close to the ACPs are able to back door the process (whether they live in Memphis or on the moon) then the rest of the crewforce has reason to complain that the system is unfair. I would agree.
I am not naive to think that if you get to the position of ACP that you won't help your buddies, but the formal system has to be improved so that the rest of us have equal access to the ACPs when they are accepting appointments.
My suggestion would be to use the online recs, let a guy be the primary sponsor for only one guy at a time, and do away with the meet and greet requirement. That gives everybody a chance at an interview, and folks could still walk in a resume if they were so inclined. Perhaps that would free up the ACPs to do the other stuff that they do.
I heard consistent rumors over the past several months though that there were still meet and greets going on even though they were officially suspended for a time. If guys who are close to the ACPs are able to back door the process (whether they live in Memphis or on the moon) then the rest of the crewforce has reason to complain that the system is unfair. I would agree.
I am not naive to think that if you get to the position of ACP that you won't help your buddies, but the formal system has to be improved so that the rest of us have equal access to the ACPs when they are accepting appointments.
My suggestion would be to use the online recs, let a guy be the primary sponsor for only one guy at a time, and do away with the meet and greet requirement. That gives everybody a chance at an interview, and folks could still walk in a resume if they were so inclined. Perhaps that would free up the ACPs to do the other stuff that they do.
11-05-2006 | 06:56 AM
#45
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Mar 2006
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I know there seems to be a percieved bias towards the Mem guys, but I've had guys jumpseat in from Paris to get a buddy into a meet and greet. So if he can do it, why can't a guy who lives in ATL, of any whare else for that same. If you feel so strongly about getting a guy a job at FedEx, make the sacrifice that is required. Is the system perfect, no. But just using the onlne system and hoping your guy gets an interview is even longer odds than the current system. Over 10000 apps have online recs. With those odds, I'd rather take my chances on the meet and greet and make a trip to Mem. Does a rtrip tp Mem guarantee you an interview? No. Again, the system needs to be tweeked, that's why I started the thread. I just don't think we need to go back to a system where we have the opportunity to do the picking for the first time in a long time, and I think leaving it to a computer and an HR guy is not the right way.
Last edited by FR8Hauler; 11-05-2006 at 07:39 AM.
11-05-2006 | 08:42 AM
#46
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 241
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From: Bench Warmer
my turn...
First…the bean counters need to let the flight department hire what they need. When management needs 300 pilots and the bean counters say you can only hire 175…then you are always playing catch up. You end up having to reinvent the wheel, changing the process because we are hiring to fill right seat wide-body international flying…rather than the process that has been working…natural progression. No hiring for 2 year and then catch up to try and save a few bucks cost more in the long run, and fewer options.
Meet-n-greets…yea they suck for everyone involved, but there are enough guys out there that want a job at FedEx that will do anything. Having the candidate come in I think could be EMLIMINATED. If the sponsor came in and had a meet-n-greet that could speed things up. Make it more “user friendly” for everyone. The ACP’s could look at…who is doing the recommendation and why they want this pilot, look over the resume and make sure they are qualified for an interview. This, I think would solve a few things…it would still require the sponsor to go out of their way to recommend someone, they would have to discuss how they know the applicant and why (did you fly a 4 ship together or did you do 12 legs in one day with them at the regional)…that should be enough. If you have a solid employee making an honest recommendation, face-to-face that would make things move smother. Let the applicants prove themselves in the INTERVIEW.
If JL and the ACP looked at ALL of the meet-n-greets they have had…how many did they put in the “no chance in hell” pile because of what the applicant said or did in the meet-n-greet as opposed to looking at his resume and the knucklehead making the recommendation? Does it really weed people out…or could this have been done with the sponsor and the resume alone?
If this is done you could make specific time to meet with your ACP or you might catch them during a hub turn, coffee break, or their to have a piece of retirement cake in AOC.
That is about it…but for the APC back-door issue, it is there. When you are on the crew bus and you stop buy the training building to pick up a guy in a suit fresh out of an interview and you ask…”how long did it take from your meet-n-greet to your interview” and they say…”what’s a meet-n-greet” my buddy has a cousin that was a WSO with an ACP and he called me last week and said “what are you doing??? Would you be interested in a job at FedEx???”
Meet-n-greets…yea they suck for everyone involved, but there are enough guys out there that want a job at FedEx that will do anything. Having the candidate come in I think could be EMLIMINATED. If the sponsor came in and had a meet-n-greet that could speed things up. Make it more “user friendly” for everyone. The ACP’s could look at…who is doing the recommendation and why they want this pilot, look over the resume and make sure they are qualified for an interview. This, I think would solve a few things…it would still require the sponsor to go out of their way to recommend someone, they would have to discuss how they know the applicant and why (did you fly a 4 ship together or did you do 12 legs in one day with them at the regional)…that should be enough. If you have a solid employee making an honest recommendation, face-to-face that would make things move smother. Let the applicants prove themselves in the INTERVIEW.
If JL and the ACP looked at ALL of the meet-n-greets they have had…how many did they put in the “no chance in hell” pile because of what the applicant said or did in the meet-n-greet as opposed to looking at his resume and the knucklehead making the recommendation? Does it really weed people out…or could this have been done with the sponsor and the resume alone?
If this is done you could make specific time to meet with your ACP or you might catch them during a hub turn, coffee break, or their to have a piece of retirement cake in AOC.
That is about it…but for the APC back-door issue, it is there. When you are on the crew bus and you stop buy the training building to pick up a guy in a suit fresh out of an interview and you ask…”how long did it take from your meet-n-greet to your interview” and they say…”what’s a meet-n-greet” my buddy has a cousin that was a WSO with an ACP and he called me last week and said “what are you doing??? Would you be interested in a job at FedEx???”
11-05-2006 | 10:20 AM
#47
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 267
Likes: 0
From: Michael Vick's favorite animal
First…the bean counters need to let the flight department hire what they need. When management needs 300 pilots and the bean counters say you can only hire 175…then you are always playing catch up. You end up having to reinvent the wheel, changing the process because we are hiring to fill right seat wide-body international flying…rather than the process that has been working…natural progression. No hiring for 2 year and then catch up to try and save a few bucks cost more in the long run, and fewer options.
Meet-n-greets…yea they suck for everyone involved, but there are enough guys out there that want a job at FedEx that will do anything. Having the candidate come in I think could be EMLIMINATED. If the sponsor came in and had a meet-n-greet that could speed things up. Make it more “user friendly” for everyone. The ACP’s could look at…who is doing the recommendation and why they want this pilot, look over the resume and make sure they are qualified for an interview. This, I think would solve a few things…it would still require the sponsor to go out of their way to recommend someone, they would have to discuss how they know the applicant and why (did you fly a 4 ship together or did you do 12 legs in one day with them at the regional)…that should be enough. If you have a solid employee making an honest recommendation, face-to-face that would make things move smother. Let the applicants prove themselves in the INTERVIEW.
If JL and the ACP looked at ALL of the meet-n-greets they have had…how many did they put in the “no chance in hell” pile because of what the applicant said or did in the meet-n-greet as opposed to looking at his resume and the knucklehead making the recommendation? Does it really weed people out…or could this have been done with the sponsor and the resume alone?
If this is done you could make specific time to meet with your ACP or you might catch them during a hub turn, coffee break, or their to have a piece of retirement cake in AOC.
That is about it…but for the APC back-door issue, it is there. When you are on the crew bus and you stop buy the training building to pick up a guy in a suit fresh out of an interview and you ask…”how long did it take from your meet-n-greet to your interview” and they say…”what’s a meet-n-greet” my buddy has a cousin that was a WSO with an ACP and he called me last week and said “what are you doing??? Would you be interested in a job at FedEx???”
Meet-n-greets…yea they suck for everyone involved, but there are enough guys out there that want a job at FedEx that will do anything. Having the candidate come in I think could be EMLIMINATED. If the sponsor came in and had a meet-n-greet that could speed things up. Make it more “user friendly” for everyone. The ACP’s could look at…who is doing the recommendation and why they want this pilot, look over the resume and make sure they are qualified for an interview. This, I think would solve a few things…it would still require the sponsor to go out of their way to recommend someone, they would have to discuss how they know the applicant and why (did you fly a 4 ship together or did you do 12 legs in one day with them at the regional)…that should be enough. If you have a solid employee making an honest recommendation, face-to-face that would make things move smother. Let the applicants prove themselves in the INTERVIEW.
If JL and the ACP looked at ALL of the meet-n-greets they have had…how many did they put in the “no chance in hell” pile because of what the applicant said or did in the meet-n-greet as opposed to looking at his resume and the knucklehead making the recommendation? Does it really weed people out…or could this have been done with the sponsor and the resume alone?
If this is done you could make specific time to meet with your ACP or you might catch them during a hub turn, coffee break, or their to have a piece of retirement cake in AOC.
That is about it…but for the APC back-door issue, it is there. When you are on the crew bus and you stop buy the training building to pick up a guy in a suit fresh out of an interview and you ask…”how long did it take from your meet-n-greet to your interview” and they say…”what’s a meet-n-greet” my buddy has a cousin that was a WSO with an ACP and he called me last week and said “what are you doing??? Would you be interested in a job at FedEx???”
11-05-2006 | 12:19 PM
#48
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 494
Likes: 0
From: 777 CAP
I know there seems to be a percieved bias towards the Mem guys, but I've had guys jumpseat in from Paris to get a buddy into a meet and greet. So if he can do it, why can't a guy who lives in ATL, of any whare else for that same. If you feel so strongly about getting a guy a job at FedEx, make the sacrifice that is required. Is the system perfect, no. But just using the onlne system and hoping your guy gets an interview is even longer odds than the current system. Over 10000 apps have online recs. With those odds, I'd rather take my chances on the meet and greet and make a trip to Mem. Does a rtrip tp Mem guarantee you an interview? No. Again, the system needs to be tweeked, that's why I started the thread. I just don't think we need to go back to a system where we have the opportunity to do the picking for the first time in a long time, and I think leaving it to a computer and an HR guy is not the right way.
11-05-2006 | 01:43 PM
#49
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 241
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From: Bench Warmer
One more...
Along the lines of pecking order for sponsors...Not to come across being exclusive, but how about new hires not being able to sponsor anyone until they are off of 1st year probation???
11-06-2006 | 06:13 AM
#50
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Mar 2006
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It's not just my traveling to Memphis on a day off (two legs each way) but the entire coordination of the event. My candidate is in the military and is frequently "gone" so to speak and then you have the whole dilema of getting all the planets to align.........1) I'm not working and can get to Memphis and back 2) My candiate is available and can get to Memphis and back and 3) The window the ACP's will let us through the door to see them.
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