cs10281990

Hello,

I am a student at Westminster College, Aviation Flight Ops major. I have made it through to the third round of interviews with Delta as a ramp agent here at SLC. I have a few questions though that can best be answered here.

1) Is it normal for the Delta SLC HR office to be slow. I completed the 2nd interview by phone on September 5th, and was told someone would be in contact with me from SLC HR to schedule the face to face interview. It has been close to three weeks since then. I have called the main recruiting number, and they have assured me that it is normal for the face to face to take a good amount of time to schedule, and my application is in line for the schedule as soon as it opens. Has anyone else had this experience?

2) Eventually, I would like to fly for Delta. Is taking this job going to help me dramasticly, or could it hurt my chances. According to the recruiter, my application is extremely competitive, and I have a real good chance at the job.

Trufactor7

Hi, i really dont know much about Delta..but i wrok for Airtran as a CSR agent. It probably wont make you more comptetive than the next person who applies as pilot but at least you can get the opportunity to meet other pilots and get recommendation letters from them and possibly keep in contact with them. And you probably are more likely to start at a regional level before you move onto Delta mainline as a pilot. By that time you would probably have been away from Delta as a ramp agent for at least 4 years. But good luck with the training

buzzpat

I wouldn't sweat the interview delay. They'll call eventually.

As for whether or not the ramp agent job will help, I believe it will. I'm a DAL pilot and Delta does place a lot of weight on recommendations and job performance. If you're already a DAL employee, they'll consider that in your favor. 'Course, got to get all the tickets and being a safe/talented/experienced pilot goes without saying.

Good luck! I admire your strategic vision. Hope to see you on the ramp in SLC soon.

sailingfun

It will help if you do a good job at Delta. They normally grant a automatic interview if you meet the minimum flight hours. The first class this year had several ex delta employees in the class. Grab the job and work hard and you will have a leg up on most applicants.

cessna157

Ramp experience will help you get a flying job somewhere. I worked ramp, then many years in the ramp tower (ACC), and it did help ease the transition to the flying side. Obviously you won't be able to fly for DL unless you've got your hours in somewhere else. But ramp experience is airline experience, and will help eventually.

MoonShot

I can't comment on how the SLC HR department works, but as someone who has recently gone through the pilot interview process I'll say that the only way that taking this job could hurt you long term is if you perform poorly. Take the job and show up on time every time, work hard, be friendly, and get good reviews at every chance. Keep a positive attitude. Oh, and network. You'd be suprised how many people will go way out of their way to help you out, but you have to take the effort to engage them, they won't come to you.

As far as transitioning to a pilot, they are looking for solid flight experience and also a well rounded person. Like others have said, you'll have to do flight time elsewhere to get qualified, but make as many contacts at Delta as you can while you are working there. If you can have several pilots go to bat for you, you'll miles ahead of the competition. Plus, you'll have Delta related stories to pass on during the interview. I certainly wish that I'd have had some "inside" looks into the culture at Delta for the interview (fortunatly though they still hired me).

Good luck to you.

Lifeisgood

1. Don't be frustrated with the delay. Just like any other business they move at the speed dictated by the staffing situation. If they are very short on people things happen fast. If there is not much turn over - they will take their time.
2. Of course it'll help. Do a good job so your supervisors could give you good recommendations. When time comes don't be shy to ask for them.

It is a great company.
All the best.

Copasetic

I worked the ramp in SLC for Delta several years ago, and just got hired this past spring as a pilot. In my experience, having worked the ramp didn't really help me get the interview, but the HR group in the interview loved the fact that I had worked for Delta in the past. It wasn't very hard to convince them that Delta was the only Airline I wanted to work for.

If I get furloughed tomorrow, I'm glad I'm here today. Bold statement, I know.