SWA Hiring?
 

Seems this rumor is ramping hard, that SWA will open the application window for approx 200 positions soon, like withing a couple of weeks.

Not even intending to start a discussion on why or why not this is a valid rumor, or smart for the company, or a good career choice. Just saying that if you were intending to apply, now might be a good time to make sure you have all your stuff together.

EDIT: After further review of my rumor sources, 12 Sep was the date that was most heavily rumored about.

This Thursday. Sept.12......:eek:

I've heard the same from a different network..."Southwest is hiring 200 folks in 2014 due to planned international growth, retirements and the new FAR rules for crew rest. SWA plans on opening the application window this Thursday, Sep 12, and interviews will be conducted in Oct."

Just got the message myself from my SWA bro network...how long until the website crashes...

Good sign that the industry is strong, nice to see the second-tier majors starting to hire.

Are not they expecting a surplus of pilots due to the 717's going o Delta?

Of course I know it's not all at once, but still seems odd this fast.

Nevermind.

Southwest a second-tier major now that's funny!

^ I was thinking the same thing

Hiring memo
 

FROM: TERRY GLEASON—SENIOR CHIEF PILOT DATE: SEPTEMBER 10, 2013
RE: Pilot Hiring
We are preparing to resume Pilot interviews. We anticipate hiring an additional 200 Pilots with
interviews
beginning in October. These Pilots will be trained during the first quarter of 2014 to position us
for the impact of the FAR 117 duty and rest requirements to balance for future attrition and
increased vacation.

Candidates who meet our minimum qualification requirements (see details below) should visit
southwest.com/careers to apply. Qualified applicants will be sent a link to a secure third party
website, PilotCredentials, and asked to fill out a candidate profile that details their career and
flying history. Candidates who have already created a profile will receive an e-mail with specific
instructions on how to become an applicant for this hiring cycle. We will invite candidates to
interview based on competitive experience. Consideration will be given to total time, PIC time,
aircraft flown, type ratings held, currency, overall aviation experience, career progression,
positions held, and education. The B737 type rating will be required for employment but is not
required in order to interview.

We anticipate the application window to open on September 12 and remain open for approximately two
weeks. We encourage you to tell your friends and colleagues to apply if they meet our
qualifications and are interested in a career at Southwest Airlines. All qualified applicants will
be considered, so there is no need for an
applicant to be first.

Process
Candidates apply through southwest.com/careers, answer prescreening questions, and upload a simple
résumé.
Candidates who meet minimum qualifications for employment will be e-mailed a link to create a
detailed profile.
Candidates will be selected for interview based on competitive experience.
In-person interviews will be conducted in October, November, December, and possibly January.

Minimum Requirements for Consideration
USA DOT/FAA Airline Transport Pilot Certificate (ATP)
2,500 hours total flight time, or 1,500 hours total flight time in a turbine aircraft
A minimum of 1,000 hours in a turbine aircraft as the PIC. Only time in a fixed wing aircraft is
counted toward this minimum; this specifically excludes simulator, helicopter, WSO, RIO, FE, NAV,
EWO, and UAV.
Actively flying for two of the last five years preferred
High school diploma or equivalency required
Four year degree from an accredited school desired
B737 type rating is not necessary for interview, but will be required for employment.

Once selected for interview, candidates will be notified via email to complete an expanded
application. They must provide a minimum of three letters of recommendation from individuals who
can attest to the Pilot’s flying skills and character by having observed him/her over a sustained
period of time. Those letters may be hand carried to the interview or submitted via the Pilot
referral tab

This site, via airline profiles, gives a good snapshot of pay and bases.

The 200 hires looks to be for Part 117 and vacation accrual from a maturing pilot group. Doesn't appear to be any growth in the near term but hiring is hiring.

Junior bases out west, on reserve for a good while ( reserve rules stink here but we are trying to fix that), and probably most probably an 18-20 year upgrade.

Pay and bennies good, never missed a paycheck.

Good luck.

Sad to see that Southwest is still requiring the type rating. You'd think that SWAPA would fix that. Soon, when the legacies really ramp up the hiring and movement there is swift, Southwest will not be the most desirable place to work.Now that the legacies have similar payscales, do not require you to buy your type, and have way quicker movement, you will most likely see Southwest drop the mandatory type rating and 1000 pic. They will have to in order to compete for candidates.

I agree, I don't see the type and TPIC lasting long when the other airlines don't require it. But then again, they've always had those requirements from what I can tell, so who knows. Southwest is still very desirable by a lot of people and probably will remain that way for a long time.

They won't "have to" anytime soon...there's a good 12,000+ CAs with well over 1000TPIC wanting to move from regionals who are qualified without black marks of death (DUI, multiple failures/violations, etc...). Maybe in 8 years or more, but "have to"? No way.

As long as they get applicants, I don't see it changing much. No sense in lowering the bar if you don't need to. As you said, SWA is still a destination for lots of people.

Not to mention a large number of pilots from national carriers - most of which also have thousands of hours of PIC from their prior regional or corporate jobs. It's ridiculous how many crazy-qualified guys are out there looking to make the next and hopefully final step.

I did hear, during the last window, that the number of people with 737 types were dwindling a bit. So I think it would be beneficial/competitive to have one already. I think requirement will remain for quite a while, in addition to the 1000 PIC.

Why would someone go to WN anyways if they had any other options?

Pay is coming up at the other majors. WN's days of growth are over. You're looking at being a career FO flying 1960s technology into tomorrow with great overnights in places like Lubbock and Jackson.

My guess is hiring starts to pick up a lot there as a lot of junior WN pilots realize that they can do better elsewhere and start to jump ship.

I'd be pretty shocked to see people already at SWA jumping ship to be at the bottom of AA/UA/DL. Yes, there may not be 10,000 applications for 200 openings, but it will still be upwards of 5,000.

This is the sentiment right now. My friends tell me almost every week they fly with FO's who are planning to jump ship asap. They are tired of being on reserve for years on end, being displaced every other month and zero prospect of upgrading.

Speaking for myself, it's because although I feel pretty qualified, when it comes to all these job openings at various legacy carriers, I also feel like I'm in the lottery.

I'd like to work at Delta, but so would tens of thousands of other pilots, and I'd bet that half that number are at least as qualified on paper as I am. Would United be a bad place to go? American/US? SWA? FedEx? Of course not, so even though I want Delta, my app is in at the other places because who the hell knows if Delta will ever call me.

Besides, it's all mental masturbation until (if!) I get called to interview. I'll make the actual go/no go decision then.

Anyone have an updated list of junior bases for FOs by chance?

I know OAK will always be junior more than likely, but I'd love to get BWI if it'd be possible IF interviewed and IF offered the job.

Thanks and good luck to all!

Ditto!

Plus, wondering if anyone from the last hiring batch in 2011 is holding MDW?

Thanks!

Not right now... But if 200 new hires show up...Yes!

Giddy up! Thanks!

OAK is the most jr
PHX, LAS are next in the line up.

DAL, BWI, MCO, HOU are the most sr

Upgrades will be a long time coming, well over 10 years.

Just want people to know what to expect.

Where does MDW fit in there?

No job listed on the SWA site yet.

Is this a point system deal again? How many points for flying a STS mission? I'm sure as soon as it opens, the site will be super slow and we will get numerous questions concerning how to use the SWA pilot credentials website like before!

Prepare to be shocked......
I had a SWA classmate of mine resign in April this year after getting hired by United. He lives East coast and was commuting to Oakland. Took United and now drives to work at EWR. everyone's situation is different and with UA DL AA having significant numbers of retirements and thus movement I don't think he will be the last WN pilot to jump ship.

What is the process for letters of rec to be submitted? I have had someone tell me they are only needed at the interview? Or does the pilot submit somewhere internally (al la FedEx)? Thanks!

Spot on!!!

It's posted.

Does anyone know whether you are supposed to apply at the pilot credentials website or the actually southwest careers website? I see both are available, just curious which one they were using.

sorry for typos. I meant to say actual!

You were excited...I get it (me too btw). I used the SWA careers website FWIW. It was quick and painless, including the conversion to the 'text' resume.

I've applied previously and got this e-mail today:

Southwest Airlines will be opening our pilot hiring window September 12th and remain open for approximately two weeks. To express interest in Southwest Pilot positions, please go to Southwest Airlines Careers. Once there, click “View All Job Postings” and express interest in the open pilot requisition by uploading your resume and answering the prescreening questions. Please note, an applicant only needs to apply one time on the Southwest Airlines Careers website.

Having a profile on Pilot Credentials will NOT make you a Pilot candidate for consideration; you must also take the steps above to express interest through Southwest Airlines Careers. If you previously applied through southwest.com during our last hiring event, it is still necessary to complete this step to be considered.

After completing the steps above on Southwest Airlines Careers, please also review and update your existing profile at https://swa.pilotcredentials.com/ . Some areas on that website have changed and it is important that your profile information is current, complete and accurate.

Interviews will be granted on a qualifications review and competitiveness. Potential training class dates are tentatively scheduled beginning the first quarter of 2014.

Sincerely,
Southwest Airlines

"USA DOT/FAA Airline Transport Pilot Certificate. The certificate must display the following:

"Airplane Multiengine Land" Category and Class Ratings

B-737 Type Rating
("B-737 CIRC.APCH.-VMC ONLY" is the only permitted limitation for the "B-737" type rating requirement.)

"English Proficient" limitation.
Plastic certificate (plastic not required if the certificate is a valid temporary certificate.)"




Now they are outright requiring a 737 type just to interview. Before it used to be one could interview without it and if hired get it within 6 months.

I think what they are saying there is that it's the only limitation they are allowing as it relates to a 737 type rating, when you get it or if you have it already.

No I think what that says is your certificate MUST have the AMEL and B737 type on it, and the only type limitation is the VMC circle restriction. I don't have a type and looks like I'm SOL for this app window. I'm not sure why they don't do like VX and others and say the type is preferred but not required...but I guess they can be choosy now.

Huey-I disagree. Check out this part from the webpage:
"1 A Candidate may apply without a B-737 Type Rating. If a candidate interviews and successfully completes the entire selection process, he/she has six months from the date to obtain a B-737 Type Rating to be eligible for hire."
Link--http://www.southwest.com/html/about-southwest/careers/positions/pilots.html
I have no type rating either, but if I am lucky enough to get that far, you can dang sure bet I'm selling a few teeth to add it. good luck.