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DL Hiring: New Process

Old 01-16-2022, 09:01 AM
  #1381  
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Originally Posted by Redtails4U View Post
So, I just finished my Delta interview at Atlanta and wanted to pass on what I experienced. I am a 40-50 year old African American Pilot with 25 plus years in the Service. BS with advance studies degree, 10,000+FW hours, 2200+Turb, 6000 +PIC, 7+ years Vol work, 1 Check ride downer 5 years pasted. No other issues.
The interview begins with the Basic, you're all great, relax and all we want to do is get to know you speech from Management. I did use Cage and an Application Prep/Review.
You will be taken to a small room (5x8) where you will wear a mask. The interviewers will introduce themselves (Two Captains and one HR) HR will tell you to, “Very, Very, Very briefly” tell us about yourself, this is where the fun begins. During my intro, I noticed one Captain looking at the floor the other looking at the wall and the HR person looking at me like I just boiled out of a test tube, all with dead pan faces During my intro I mentioned how when I was young, delivering Newspapers, I would pass an airport and watch airplanes. At the conclusion of my 2 min intro the only question came from HR as to why I did not list the Delivery of Newspapers on my Application under employment. I apologized and stated that it was over 38 years ago, and I did not realize the relevances. One of the Captains then showed me on the applications how it states “All employment”, and then asked if I understood the meaning of the word, “ALL”. Next came the questions on the log books which centered on training and flights from 25-30 years ago and a brief touch on my current position. (Why is this flight only 0.7, why did this flight take you 1.9 when the distance is only 100NM, at your current position why did you fly as PIC every other flight for these weeks and on this week you flew every other day. ect….) I explained as best I could remember, and many of my explanations were met with skepticism. This took about 30/40 mins. Then came the three TMAT questions. All were Negative based, When did you fail as a leader, When did you make a mistake and had to be corrected, How would you handle flying with someone who just does not like you.

In my opinion the interview was confrontational, leading to adversarial and ended with a general interrogation feel. In my opinion, Delta cared nothing about any positive elements and instead set a goal to find a chink in the armor, drill deep into the hole like a tick and hope to drag you in. I was unable to ask the other 15 or so non-minority applicants what they had experienced, as i was told within 30 mins that I did not meet the matrix and could reapply in 6 months.
This was my first interview with a Major and I write this because with all the prep and research the general tone of the interview/interrogation did catch me by surprise, and I believe contributed to the negative results.

Good luck to all and in the words of Mike Tyson, “ Everyone has a plan until you get punched in the mouth”

Stay strong,
Snowman

Sorry to hear about your experience man! Airline interviews can be beyond stupid sometimes.
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Old 01-16-2022, 09:14 AM
  #1382  
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Originally Posted by Redtails4U View Post
So, I just finished my Delta interview at Atlanta and wanted to pass on what I experienced. I am a 40-50 year old African American Pilot with 25 plus years in the Service. BS with advance studies degree, 10,000+FW hours, 2200+Turb, 6000 +PIC, 7+ years Vol work, 1 Check ride downer 5 years pasted. No other issues.
The interview begins with the Basic, you're all great, relax and all we want to do is get to know you speech from Management. I did use Cage and an Application Prep/Review.
You will be taken to a small room (5x8) where you will wear a mask. The interviewers will introduce themselves (Two Captains and one HR) HR will tell you to, “Very, Very, Very briefly” tell us about yourself, this is where the fun begins. During my intro, I noticed one Captain looking at the floor the other looking at the wall and the HR person looking at me like I just boiled out of a test tube, all with dead pan faces During my intro I mentioned how when I was young, delivering Newspapers, I would pass an airport and watch airplanes. At the conclusion of my 2 min intro the only question came from HR as to why I did not list the Delivery of Newspapers on my Application under employment. I apologized and stated that it was over 38 years ago, and I did not realize the relevances. One of the Captains then showed me on the applications how it states “All employment”, and then asked if I understood the meaning of the word, “ALL”. Next came the questions on the log books which centered on training and flights from 25-30 years ago and a brief touch on my current position. (Why is this flight only 0.7, why did this flight take you 1.9 when the distance is only 100NM, at your current position why did you fly as PIC every other flight for these weeks and on this week you flew every other day. ect….) I explained as best I could remember, and many of my explanations were met with skepticism. This took about 30/40 mins. Then came the three TMAT questions. All were Negative based, When did you fail as a leader, When did you make a mistake and had to be corrected, How would you handle flying with someone who just does not like you.

In my opinion the interview was confrontational, leading to adversarial and ended with a general interrogation feel. In my opinion, Delta cared nothing about any positive elements and instead set a goal to find a chink in the armor, drill deep into the hole like a tick and hope to drag you in. I was unable to ask the other 15 or so non-minority applicants what they had experienced, as i was told within 30 mins that I did not meet the matrix and could reapply in 6 months.
This was my first interview with a Major and I write this because with all the prep and research the general tone of the interview/interrogation did catch me by surprise, and I believe contributed to the negative results.

Good luck to all and in the words of Mike Tyson, “ Everyone has a plan until you get punched in the mouth”

Stay strong,
Snowman

No airline interview process is perfect. Ours has flaws. In my opinion we do a very good job of keeping out people that really shouldn’t be here. Most every person that I have flown with especially those hired in the last seven years has been a good person and a good pilot. However one of the byproducts of our process is that it does occasionally chop excellent candidates. I have at least three very good friends who are excellent pilots and even better people who have not been hired here to my astonishment. That is what I’m talking about. Whatever our process is it does a good job of keeping out the crazies but a bad job at making sure all the good ones get in.

While I don’t personally believe that Delta interviewers are taught to be confrontational, I do believe that you need to be able to “play the game“ and know that if they are antagonistic they are totally gauging your response.

I do not believe that you were rejected or given that situation due to the fact that you’re a minority. We have plenty of non-Caucasian males and the airline goes out of their way to encourage growth and opportunities for “non traditional” candidates. As a white male, I know I’m not the only one that cringes when I see pictures of our classes with one or two females and one or two minorities.

We support OBAP, WIA, NGPA, LPA and a host of other organizations that seek to promote the profession to minority candidates.

However once you walk through the doors here for your interview it’s all about your experience and your performance that day. Even if one person on your panel was a true racist, they’d have to do a lot of convincing to turn down a really good performance from an outstanding applicant.

I’m going to go with you probably just didn’t have the best day, chalk it up as a learning experience, and hopefully you come back in six months and show them that they were wrong this time. I cannot over emphasize the concept of “owning your mistakes”. Keep that in mind if you choose to come back. Even if the interviewers are out to get you at the end of the day it’s all on you.
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Old 01-16-2022, 12:26 PM
  #1383  
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Originally Posted by Casualinterest View Post
How long from cjo to clearing background and getting the class date has it been running for 121 guys? We had a couple from our group get the class date last week and the rest of us are still waiting.
3-5 weeks. But could be longer if previous airlines drag their feet to the PRIA deadline, or there's some other dead end in the background process.

I've also read a few pilots on here call/email the background check company, and find out they were lost in electron limbo. They were approved quickly after that.
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Old 01-16-2022, 12:34 PM
  #1384  
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Originally Posted by marcal View Post
I do not believe that you were rejected or given that situation due to the fact that you’re a minority. We have plenty of non-Caucasian males and the airline goes out of their way to encourage growth and opportunities for “non traditional” candidates. As a white male, I know I’m not the only one that cringes when I see pictures of our classes with one or two females and one or two minorities.
Considering who the pilot hiring manager is, and the people on his team, it would be hard to believe there's discrimination in the hiring process.

I felt the hiring process was very fair and equitable.

Women still make up only 5% of airline pilots, and people of color only about 6%. While it's unsettling to see these class pictures of mostly white males, I think airline hiring is currently on target with the aforementioned percentages. That doesn't mean they shouldn't improve, however.
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Old 01-16-2022, 01:07 PM
  #1385  
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Originally Posted by Tropical View Post
3-5 weeks. But could be longer if previous airlines drag their feet to the PRIA deadline, or there's some other dead end in the background process.

I've also read a few pilots on here call/email the background check company, and find out they were lost in electron limbo. They were approved quickly after that.
The PRIA is not a holdup for indoc. People with PRIA pending and the remainder of the background check complete have been confirmed to be eligible for class dates and starting indoc.
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Old 01-16-2022, 01:14 PM
  #1386  
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Originally Posted by myrkridia View Post
The PRIA is not a holdup for indoc. People with PRIA pending and the remainder of the background check complete have been confirmed to be eligible for class dates and starting indoc.
I got my PRIA passed 'you are now on your way to becoming a pilot at Delta' email a week after indoc and owners of both 135s contacted me within a few days of my interview to say they have returned my PRIA. This is strictly on the background check company being overwhelmed.
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Old 01-16-2022, 02:30 PM
  #1387  
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Hello Folks

I was only trying to pass on my interview experience nothing , and I repeat nothing more. I in no way believe Delta discriminates against anyone. I further believe we must own up to our errors, lick our wounds and get back up. This was my first Major airline interview, I learned a lot and shall be better prepared in the future.

Best of luck to all
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Old 01-16-2022, 02:50 PM
  #1388  
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Originally Posted by marcal View Post
We have plenty of non-Caucasian males and the airline goes out of their way to encourage growth and opportunities for “non traditional” candidates. As a white male, I know I’m not the only one that cringes when I see pictures of our classes with one or two females and one or two minorities.
plen·ty
/ˈplen(t)ē/

a large or sufficient amount or quantity; more than enough.


...I tend to disagree that we have plenty. And I don't trust our hiring boards to consistently make the right call. They tell you they want to hire you if you've made it that far, but I know of so many poor choices - particularly rejections - that I don't believe it. Anyone who thinks they can tease out problematic candidates in a 30 minute chat around a table after that persons' body of work has earned an interview (particularly at the rate at which they reject candidates) is a bit overconfident in their own abilities.
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Old 01-16-2022, 02:53 PM
  #1389  
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Originally Posted by Redtails4U View Post

This was my first Major airline interview, I learned a lot and shall be better prepared in the future.

Best of luck to all
This is a fundamental problem with our process. We hire folks who interview "well", despite the low correlation I suspect it must have with how one operates as a First Officer or Captain.
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Old 01-16-2022, 04:27 PM
  #1390  
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Hey, I know this is probably one of those beating the dead horse questions...but...My buddy just submitted his app with my recommendation and got a fix it email within a day or two..it was literally one item that he had to fix. Will this screw his chances or is that usually a good sign that they said fix this and re submit?
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