All I hear is what Rocky says the company wants from people that work there. Then I look at my own qualifications and say “ I have leadership job experience, Safety Manager , turbine PIC, a masters degree, 5 type ratings ... yet can’t get selected for an interview.

Have you had a bunch of folks check over your application? Maybe pay to have a pro look at it? I’m not sure anyone really knows what the magic formula is, but accuracy and attention to detail on the app certainly increase your chances.

As a former mil fighter guy, I can tell you there’s no magic line to Rocky’s desk or an interview invite. No one can recommend you one way or the other until you get the interview. Even then, any number of recs from folks you flew with won’t save you from a bad interview.

To a man, every pilot in my newhire class was an outstanding pilot and an outstanding person on paper and in person. It’s truly humbling the talent walking in that door from every background.

The whole civ-mil angst spewed on this board is getting pretty f-ing old. Ignore it, because there’s nothing you can do about it. Just keep applying, keep improving, keep trying to be that guy you say you are to an interview panel. All the rest is just luck and timing.

On that note...Good luck in your journey.

FYI, my class was made up of 1/3 military, 1/3 121 and 1/3 corporate. Very well balanced and not a single douche bag in the group.

Seems this is very consistent every class. Hoping to join one!!

Well, all I can say is keep your head up and don't abandon hope.

Military vet, but not a military aviator; BS degree, CFI and RJ pilot, now a low hour 747 ACMI dawg. 4000'ish hours, less than 1000 TPIC. Never a Check Airman or Chief Pilot. There is apparently a small window for 40 y/o civilians.

After failing to earn an invite to the SWA job fair, I kicked dirt and decided that my name and date of birth combo had driven the algorithm to permanently reject me. After 8 years of applying faithfully to every window, and frequently updating my application - this was near the final straw for me, as I got the reserve job fair notice.

On May 25th I received an interview invite from the April 8th window...an interview invite. I'll be headed to Dallas on June 12th, and options were available for June 12 to 14 both 8am and noon to choose from.

Advice: I am now scrambling to add up hours for every single different airplane I have ever flown, and making all of my individual numbers match my total numbers. This is something you can and should do now. Go get some professional application and resume reviews....and then wait.

Best of luck to those aspiring to go to SWA, I'm humbled by the opportunity and challenge that lies a few days ahead. It is just an interview, but at least its a foot in the door.

I’m sorry us mil guys can’t fly the mighty ILS as well as you! Watch out folks we have a badass here!

They actually removed the ILS from Navy flight training. Too many guys were washing out. Those things are the most challenging maneuver an aviator could ever aspire to master. I hope I can figure it out one day.

Most airlines understand that Military flight school is very selective, standardized, and structured. Unlike Jim Bob’s BBQ, tire, and flight school shop or whatever backwoods FBO you got your private.

Congrats! Was there anything you added recently that might have triggered your interview? Just trying to figure out strategy to get the call.

I can’t stress enough to update the credentials page often. Put something in every box, even if it’s an “N/A”. Make sure your medical is current. Update your available date, flight times, whatever.

For those who don’t know, there are two places you need to apply—the Pilot Credentials page AND the SWA careers page.

The recent job fair invitations selected the best qualified guys to fill the slots—it is definitely a way for them to weed out prospective candidates for an interview and thus be more successful in hiring those that interview. How many went out? Like 400?

For those with a hang up on military folks—at least you can rest assured that invites aren’t based on the “squadron buddy” method. That being said, once you interview, your internals can rally for you by walking in a resume or emailing directly to a chief, plus submitting the internal recs.

It seems that passing the computer is the hardest part. It’s an algorithm and a point system.

If you have not received the TBNT email, you aren’t out.