Basic job hunting advice
 

I can't believe it's still coming up - "my #1 choice hasn't hired me yet. Should I pursue others?"

You need to be pursuing your top #1 - #x. Not just #1. Not right now...yesterday.

If "your not #1 hires you first" you go there *unless* you're at the cusp of a known requirement, like upgrade to the left seat/TPIC, getting 500/1000 hrs TPIC, etc. Is your current job your FINAL job if #1, in your case Alaskan, doesn't call you? In that case there's no need to apply to anyone else except #1. But for the VAST majority their #1-x (5? 8?) major 121 choices are better than their current job. Don't take you foot off the gas because airline xyz gave you an interview but an airline lower on your desired list gave you a CJO or class date. Grab anything that's on your destination list or improves your resume. Keep chasing the jobs higher on your personal list. Get a destination job and continue pursuing higher choices until it doesn't make sense for you to leave ABC for XYZ.

True story - guy I was mentoring. Had wanted to fly for AA since he was a kid. AA gave him a CJO. Delta called. He wasn't going to go there. Why bother, AA had given him a CJO and a class date would follow shortly? I said "go talk to Delta. AA's promise is like a girl at a bar saying she'll be back next week. Uh-uh, we're talking about tonight! Another girl walks over...you holding out for next week's promise or going to deal with today first???" He went to DL. AA started taking back a bunch of furloughs and AA didn't contact him for over a year. He said it was tough turning down AA because for maybe 30 yrs that had been his goal. "But it didn't make any sense to quit DL by then. Delta was too good to me to go to AA and start over." Bingo.

Another guy had AA as his first choice. UA gave him an earlier class date. "Go. Don't wait." He said that was what every airline advisor was telling him. Had his type rating ride 2 weeks before his AA class date - "You'd better not bust it." Passed, walked down the hall to give his 2 weeks notice. He was told he wasn't the first.

Guys are cross-polinating as a better choice for them contacts them. Each airline is poaching from each other. Don't feel guilty.

Put your application in BEFORE you think you meet the minimums. Let them decide if they want to call you. Update at least every 3 months, I'd highly recommend monthly, and I'd recommend twice a month as they're often filling two classes a month. You never know when you reached the magic combination of experience where they decide to call you.

Good luck.

Yeah pursue all top tier jobs which you'd be willing to accept. Unless commuting is intolerable to you and you need to live in a specific domicile.


Give that some time (months? one year?) and then apply to all second-tier you'd be willing to accept. I suggest the delay because there's a good chance you'll get called immediately, which you might not want to do until you throw your hat in the top tier ring for at least a while. Although second-tier hiring might be slowing a bit.

Also, apply to all you are willing to work for. Even if it is a lower rung than you wished. You take the first offer, and if you get more than one offer you take the best option for you. You never know why one company may or may not call you personally. Lots of opportunities out there.

Wait—but what if they have “always wanted to work there?” Aww man!

In all seriousness...

The only time to ever consider something like that is if you have CJO's in hand for multiple legacies.

Commuting IS intolerable.

SpaceX is hiring! Ad that showed up this morning.

Wanted, retired NASA engineers, competitive pay and benefits, bring slide rule!

Their vehicle blew up. Maybe they should spring for the slide rule. And the vehicle that doesn't blow up. Stop buying discount stages at Rockets R Us. Then again, Elon did say they'd be lucky to make it to stage separation.

Downside: working for Elon.

I believe the launch was a resounding success. It acheived its primary goals and then some. Incremental advances, I think Falcon 9, Dragon and Heavy all speak to their ability to solve a problem.

See if you can catch a ride on the next one. I'm sure it will be just fine.