Do job fairs actually work?
 

Apart from Spirit, do they actually work for the majors? Has anyone had any luck with UA, DL, AA, FedEx or UPS? How about Virgin and Jet Blue? I know it's good to get to sell yourself, but has anyone actually been called as a direct result of one of these affairs?

Do job fairs actually work?
 

I went to 5 job fairs from 2010-2012 including Women in Aviation and Fapa.Aero. United and US Airways were at both with many of the same recruiters. I got called to interview at both and offered a position at both. I would like to think the job fairs played a role in getting hired. Good luck!

In my opinion I don't think I'd be a newhire at Delta without the job fairs I attended.
Number one you get to get ask specific questions on how to better your resume' and which career moves to make. Often times what the airlines are looking for are different from what you've heard or what you think they want.
Number two you get a chance to put a face to the name on your application. Remember though if this can be a good or bad thing so be prepared and have a positive attitude when you show up.

Waste of money and a day off for Airways IMHO

I thought so too but just got called from the window after I saw them at a job fair. Coincidence? Maybe.

Viper, do you live in LA by chance?

Got your pm thanks. Thought you might be the guy who bought and restored a fighter/trainer jet and knows the owners of that restaurant near LAX w/ all the airplanes outside. Cheers H...

I am kind of starting to believe they do not as I am still waiting for a call. All the companies say to be patient though as there are thousands of people applying. I will say this though, I have been to 3 job fairs now and you do seem to get solid information directly from the companies. It might not be worth the money/effort to attend them personally, but if you know somebody who takes good notes that might work just as well...

Worked for me at FDX and AirTran, and probably could have at World but that was too much time away from base, so I did not pursue that one. The Fed Ex people were terrific, even opening the doors to a FedEx Corporate line of communication since FedEx was not actively hiring at the time (put you in a pool).

Got no where with SWA. Think I was over edumucated for their profile, or at least had been educated far beyond my intelligence and they knew it.

Went to 3 AIRINC job fairs 98-99. On my last one at the Sheraton in LAX, one of Plato's HR guys recognized me eating breakfast before the doors opened..

HR guy; "Are you still here?"
Me; "Yes sir, DL slowed down hiring from 100/mo to 10/mo, so I extended another year in the CG."
HR guy; "Great, here's my card..give me a call next week when I get back to ATL"

Waited 6 more months for the interview but I think the job fair definitely helped.

Job fairs seem like a lot of wasted time standing in line..but you never know what may happen as a result. JMHO

I think it's hit or miss. Had a buddy who went to Virgin America at a job fair and got a call. Had another one who went to JetBlue , got an email to fill out the questionnaire and that they would be calling him, just for then to later send him an email saying his experience isn't competitive enough, even though he has plenty.

Although they did both get looked at closer, though.

Clean record, 4 yr degree, 1000+ pic turbine, all civilian, almost $2000 going to job fairs in the last 7 years, I haven't heard a peep from anyone.

All my friends that have been hired have attended exactly zero job fairs.

I attended two job fairs for Spirit and WIA.
Received offers from Spirit and JetBlue, offers for interviews from US Airways and Southwest.
Talked to Virgin and Atlas at WIA, not a peep. Line was too long for United and Delta at WIA, and have not heard anything from them either.
Without internal recs, I think job fairs are your best shot. It's unfortunate, but a cost of doing business.

Does a master list of all the Job fairs exist? I know of WIA, OBAP, FAPA, AeroCrew. Are there any others I have missed that I should know about?

If they like you - it will help a lot. If they don't - it's not going to help nor hurt either.
Don't brag about your successes and don't complain about your challenges. You have to have good experience and be humble, tactful, driven, positive, uplifting, know the company and really want to work there. Be pleasant to be around in good times and in bad times. Be service oriented.
And if you fake any of this they will notice.

Ive attended 4 job fairs and targeted just about everyone. It's been interesting. I did as Life says, but didn't get anywhere with the fairs. No call backs and no TBNT emails. The OBAP this past March was definitely my last. I don't think it helped too much if at all. That's just my opinion though.

Speaking of OBAP, trying to find info on the convention in Atlanta (specifically who will be there) but can't seem to find it on their site. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

I attended one trying to get on with Spirit... SF even recognized my name from my numerous internal recs and we had a great conversation. No call, no email..... :confused:

I'm now in phase 2 with jB and all I did was apply online... no job fairs and only a couple internal recs.

Wow.. I don't feel so bad now... reading this.

Does anyone know if the OBAP convention got them a call? Specifically from AA, since there were only 200 people allowed to attend.

One of my friends told me I needed to attend at least two to show her I wanted the job... Well I guess I didn't want it bad enough. :rolleyes: I think I'll be happier at jB anyway.

Do job fairs actually work?
 

Need some help. Going to FAPA tomorrow and SWA will be there. This is the email FAPA sent out.

"Dress Policy
Business casual, save your suit for interviews. The recruiters are aware of the guidance we have given you regarding the dress policy.
Men: Trousers/khakis and a shirt with a collar (button down or polo).
Women: Trousers/knee-length skirt and a blouse or shirt with a collar."

So my question is, do I still go above and beyond and wear a suit? My thinking is show the chief pilot what I will look like when I am flying his planes and I would hate to be underdressed if others wear a suit too. Thoughts?

EVERYONE will be there. Imagine how bad it would look missing a "black" function. Same with WAI. Sounds bad, but it's true: no one would dare miss it.

Figured as much but didn't want to assume. Thanks Loon!

I've been to 3, no calls for interviews. I guess it's just your point of view. For every guy who never goes to a job fair and gets hired, there's a guy who went to multiple without a phone call. Then there's the folks who went to the job fair, hit it off and swear the job fair was the reason for the interview. If somebody figured out the formula they could open their own business that taught you how to get an interview and the owner would be a millionaire in a week.

I read post like this and others on this forum and it reminds me how ignorant some of you really are. Good luck with your career.

GHOST

Relax dude. Take a deep breath and reread what I wrote. Forget about all of the BS that you hear and see everyday. If anything, what I said was a compliment to these organizations. If you think I am ignorant, then that shows that it is the pot calling the kettle black. You seem to jump to conclusions. Is it not true that EVERYONE will be there? Calm down and think about what I said and think about it without prejudice.
Remember that the truth IS out there; you just have to look for it. And good luck to you too sir, in your career.

Exactly. Furthermore if the "Organization of White Male Hetero's in Aviation" ever has a job convention, please call me at home. You owe Loon an apology. Additionally, please stop smoking pot and drinking beer before you go to work Denzel!

Spirit does not attend either.

You have had your convention for decades, just sayin.

Just "sayin" what exactly? Please enlighten us on aviation history oh wise one.

Really, you really want to go into this.

For decades airlines would not interview a woman or person of color.

Let's take present day Alaska for example, the only way to get an interview is to have a silver bullet from a current employee. If those current employees got their jobs during the times of hiring only white male pilots, that skews the number of new interviewees in favor of white male pilots.

Other airlines, AA friends and family hiring in their previous hiring cycle, same philosophy. Old white captain's sons and grandsons.

In my last CQT (recurrent) the captain, who had a flip phone, could not stop bragging about how he got his son hired.

That's your perpetual white hetero convention at work.

I fly for US Airways/AA, who exactly do you fly for Herman?

Not true had a buddy of mine hired on at Alaska, no silver bullet. Ironically enough and keeping with the intended purpose of this thread he really hit it off with the LAX CP at a job fair.

My use of the words "only way" was on the extreme side, "primary way" would have been better.

If I said Al Sharpton...would you get mad?

Nope......

Oh son... oh son... o son!
 

You seem to be rather emotional about this issue. It was never my intent to offend you. If you feel that I have insulted you, please accept my most sincere apology. We were just teasing. I wish you well at Usair. In a sign of good faith...name the man who was quoted on our title here and I'll buy you a starbucks. Interesting thing we have in common...got my flying $$$ after College working the commercial fishing boats out of Bristol Bay and a few other spots in Alaska. Be well, and I hope your SLI goes as smoothly as Delta's did. Cheers H

Someone has figured it out...they are the ones setting up the job fairs and selling tickets to everyone that wants to fly for the majors.

Then, there are interview prep firms that help coach you on the interview process. They charge too.

There isn't a golden bullet. There is just networking, getting yourself noticed, and being yourself.

A racist rant. Plain and simple. Just remember, we are all one race: human. Choosing one over another because of color, is wrong. Should be BEST candidate period.

Isn't that what (s)he's saying?