03-29-2024I pulled this from another website. It shows great insight into the process at Gemini. If you are persistent, do your homework, then things sometimes work out.
Originally Posted by V70T5
Ok.. update on Gemini.
I got "the call" from the CP literally 29 days after my initial contact with him to express my interest and follow up on whether he got my resume. I also had fedexed him, the DO and the director of training a good quality Hard Copy.
He asked if I could make Tues or Wed the 19th/20th.. I said of course. I had to pay my own way out, but used some of my airline miles and stayed at the Merriott literally across the street from their GO.
I slept like crap the night before as I was very nervous, but after finally waking up at 4am (2am my time) I just sat in bed watching TV and tried not to think about the interview which was scheduled for 1PM.
I got there 1/2 hr early, and waited in the HR waiting area. The GO is under major remodeling and they are also doing a lot of corporate restructuring to lower the overhead costs on the management side of the house. This is reassuring as since they're recent BK reorganization, and more-or-less concessionary pilot contract, this shows that they're indeed serious about belt tightening and planing for their long terms growth.
Anyway, the CP came to get me 15min early, and the minute I saw him, and exchanged greetings, I came to feel a bit more at ease. This was a genuinely nice guy and really a "one of us" type. He took me to the main Conf. Room and waited only 2 min before he and the Flight Standards Manager (a former FE at the company) came in. They both just made small talk with me, and it was EXTREMELY cordial, easy going and you really got the feeling that this was your job to loose. Right about when the CP started to get into a description of the job, the DO walked in. This is a former Navy Academy, Navy O6 type who at first seems a bit intimidating and his presence quickly stopped the other two from talking, as he more or less took over the interview. I got a bit nervous at first, but again, his charm and nature came thru with in minutes as he seemed to be a real believer in the company, it's newly charter future, and the was proud of it's performance in it's short 10 year history, which took place he noted in a very difficult time. We discussed how cargo is slated to grow by 4x in the next 20 years, and he said that the company is making priority #1 the aquisition of additional aircraft.. be it MD-11, or a new fleet type to add to the 11's.. Namely, 744s, or 777F's and even 767F and A330's were on the table down the line.
A few questions of a personal nature (no technical) were asked, and my education, military, and other background was discussed in a very cordial manner, but the result was he got up and said.. "Ok, we'll let you know some time in Jan, thanks for coming by.. do you need a ride to the Airport?"
Not two minutes passed after he left the conf. room, and he returned to invite me to attend the company Christmas Party being held down the hall. I said sure, and he walked with me down to the party, and introduced me to everyone from SVP's to dispatchers and IT people. We talked a bit more, and I met their new SVP of Technical Opts (who came over from Atlas last month), and we discussed their agressive growth strategy (or atleast the non-classified stuff!).
I got a great feeling for the place when I left. as even the CP took me into his office and said that I'd love working for them, and that If I plan to make a career with them, it will likely be a bright future for them and I.
I flew home that day, and literally the next day, the DO himself called to tell me that I'm hired (Christmas Present!), and that they had a guy drop out of their Jan 6 (LGB) class, and that if I wanted it it was mine! or I could got to the feb 6 class in Helsinki. I looked over at my wife who was with me in the car and said.. well? She said go for it, as it's easier on her if I'm in LGB so she can drive out from PHoenix to see me and take the kids to Disney, etc..
Then the DO did something I'd never seen before and asked to talk to my wife, where they talked for some 5 minutes. After he hung up, my wife told me that in the 5 years I worked at my last flying job the DO never even knew her name, and yet this guy took it upon himself to introduce himself and welcome her personally to the company.
From what I've see, these guys are 100% class..
There is nothing but upside, and I think if/when they expand and revenues grow, their next contract should hopefully reflect in this growth.
Time will tell, but for now.. this 37 year old is signed on as a lifer!
BTW, all hiring now is into MD-11.
AIRLINEPILOT CENTRAL
