Originally Posted by Catboatsailor

We must have conflicting sources. I'm former XJ and three of my XJ friends interviewed. 2 were hired (out of the 3 total hired for the day). Mesabah's previous comment is a generalization that does not apply. Delta has not yet looked at our employment records (above and beyond PRIA btw) before the interview. The reason why my friend was turned down was not on mesabahs list. I know some have failed the cog test. The avg age of pilots being interviewed is mid to late 40's. They aren't the xbox generation, flawless 121 safety records, not so flawless with tapping a pen against a computer screen. I have heard of military guys taking the compass and expressjet interviews, just to get the practice. IMHO utilize the interview preps like Aerocrew, etc. The hunters out there understand the concept of "buck fever". The first time you climb up in a tree stand, wait all weekend and finally see a buck..... Odds are you'll miss with the first shot. On the whole we are all safe competent pilots. We have been up in that proverbial deer stand for years. Don't let the first hunt be for that prized 24 point buck (ie Delta). Practice with some Does (ie interview prep, friends etc). The panel interview is unnatural for the majority of pilots. We are not salesmen who deal with that on a daily basis. We need to be prepared.
Trying to prove you are Delta material in a 3 hour time span (HR & exams) is daunting. Mistakes will be made on both sides of the table. Unfortunately many pilots that we have flown with for years, who we literally trust to fly our families, who already exclusively fly Delta paying passengers, don't make it thru the process. <- excuse the longest run in sentence ever. My 8th grade English teacher is shedding a tear somewhere. No human designed system is perfect, the HR process will make mistakes and lose quality pilots. Swamp I bet you and I agree. We know some of these pilots being turned down. We have a vetted interest in their success, we have seen, on a daily basis, their professionalism.

Originally Posted by Hueypilot

I'm going to Emerald Coast in December. Then all I'll need is an interview invite

Originally Posted by DAL73n

It never ceases to amaze me the number of people try to skimp on the preparation for an airline interview - this is a job you will have for anywhere from 20-40 years and people are willing to forgo a few hundred dollars investment in interview prep. There are plenty of people on here who will point you in the right direction for interview prep for each airline (some do well with multiple airlines). Find out the dress code, match it (no matter how much it costs and even if you will never wear it again) and do all the other little things necessary to get hired (organize your paper work, check, double check, triple check everything on you to make sure it is 100% accurate). Congrats to those who have already made it (it is still a better job than 99.9% of the jobs out there) and good luck to those still working on getting hired.

Originally Posted by DAL73n

It never ceases to amaze me the number of people try to skimp on the preparation for an airline interview - this is a job you will have for anywhere from 20-40 years and people are willing to forgo a few hundred dollars investment in interview prep. There are plenty of people on here who will point you in the right direction for interview prep for each airline (some do well with multiple airlines). Find out the dress code, match it (no matter how much it costs and even if you will never wear it again) and do all the other little things necessary to get hired (organize your paper work, check, double check, triple check everything on you to make sure it is 100% accurate). Congrats to those who have already made it (it is still a better job than 99.9% of the jobs out there) and good luck to those still working on getting hired.

Originally Posted by Columbia

But when they do, they bring in Carl to thrust her outta there. The only callouts required: "It's rotating. It's off the ground without incident."

Originally Posted by Scoop

This kind of makes one think about the fact that DAL is fine with these guys currently flying Delta passengers, Delta Crews, Delta Non-revs etc, but does not think that they would make good Delta Pilots.

Not to mention Bars point about the fact that they must be thrilled to go back to work at the commuter - especially since everyone there will know that they were rejected.

The whole preferential interview/flow-up deal seems kind of strange to me.

Scoop

Originally Posted by buzzpat

Totally agree! People who skimp on a life changing possibility truly do self eliminate. Think about it....interview prep, a nice suit, a good nights sleep in a decent hotel = two weeks pay as a new hire. Good Lord.

Originally Posted by BizPilot

Quote:
2) Some people flat out don't interview well. The people you have been quick to judge as poor pilots are just the opposite. I would put my family on their plane way before some of the Captains I have experienced in Delta jumpseats.


I heard Bernie Maddof interviewed quite well when the clients visited at the office. ALL CON MEN interview quite well. Airline interviewers should take note.