So here's the deal....
I didn't get the job at XYZ regional because it was my first one and came unprepared with the logbook and had an faa violation. Waited until the violation got cleared to apply to another regional which I now work for. However, now that I've started flying and commuting to work, it is getting to me and affecting my QoL and I've realized I'd much rather have my days off spent at home and not flying 5-6 hours home. Do I wait it out and see if it gets better, reapply to the other regional now that I can (I wouldn't have to commute) and leave immediately, or apply and wait a year to leave so that it looks better for future airlines when I decide to move on? Thank you for any feedback.

 

Don’t leave before your probationary year is over unless you are going to the company you want to spend the rest of your working life at.

 

Why's that? Does it just look bad on an airline app to the majors?

 

nope. It looks bad to the computer algorithm screening the airline apps so your application doesn’t get seen by a human being at all. You’ve already got enough going against you with the FAA violation (which you will need to report even if you got it ‘cleared’). You do not want to make it even more difficult to get your app pulled, nor do you want to sit there and explain in an interview how you took a job, let them put you through training, and then reneged because you found yourself the junior man assigned to a base that was not your first choice, sitting reserve with a cr@ppy commute, cause guess what?

At any major that might hire you you will be the junior man, on reserve at some base that probably isn’t your first choice, with a cr@ppy commute.

at least if you wait out the year they won’t think you were resigning in lieu of being booted out your probationary year.

 

Fair to point out that at many regional carriers your probationary clock doesn't end until 12 months after you've completed IOE. Not sure how that may or may not factor into computer algorithms and/or reference phone calls. I know that case law says it's a bad idea to say anything other than applicant XYZ worked there, but the airline industry is small and insular, and if old company factually said you left during your probationary period and just left it at that, it might still burn you, even if it had been 13 months or something and you voluntarily resigned to chase better opportunities.

 

What about a move to your current domicile?

Think of it as an extended vacation.

You could get hired at your dream job in just another couple years. Waiting it out at your current job might be worth it.

 

Where do you live?