Uhhh, honestly I think most SWA Chiefs would be more than will to take that call also.

I have no doubt about that. I have several family members who work at SWA, one who is an extremely senior FA. When I got furloughed after 9/11, she was takling with a SWA CP and mentioned me. He told her to have me call him directly if I wanted to go work at SWA, so I know it happens there but according to Shoelu that would be "odd" at SWA.

Actually that wouldn't be odd at all. If you receive a direct invitation from a CP to give me a call, that seems like an opportunity that anyone would jump on. There is a huge difference between receiving an invitation and finding out the number and cold calling. If cold calling chief pilots was a totally acceptable process, I can only assume that the thousands of applicants with a resume on file would inundate the chiefs and they would do nothing but answer the phone fielding calls from applicants morning noon and night.
I directly spoke with an assistant chief in my base that I have flown with many times a couple of years ago about getting an interview for a highly qualified check airman friend who was looking to get on with SWA. He told me he had absolutely no pull as to who gets an interview, but could certainly make some things happen if and when that individual makes it to the review board. I took him at his word and believed that he had little pull as to who is getting the call for an interview. I have heard this echoed from many check airman. I guess it's possible I simply don't have the right stuff when it comes to networking.

That is exactly right. I have been out of the SW rumor mill for awhile, but I believe it all changed when HR started using a point system for selecting applicants. I was told all the people you know will help when it comes to review board time, but getting the call for the interview is all up to the point system set up in Dallas!

I think you're one iteration behind. After the HR points system debacle, the system was tweaked again and the last round of hiring at SWA was a little more like the traditional.

It's been a while and the next hiring cycle may be completely different again.

Considering you needed at least an undergrad degree, a 737 type rating and lca/ designated examiner experience; how was the point system a debacle? Are you implying that non good old boy candidates slipped by hr? I will be an fo for at least a decade, so what does it really matter?

I don't think there were very many people who were happy with the HR points system. And it was subsequently changed.

Good Ol' Boy is totally dependent on your perspective.

I think after the first round of hiring, the Chiefs couldn't defend themselves on some of the guys they didn't hire, so they adjusted the criteria.

6yrs as an FO here with no end in sight.

As far as the minimums, there was no shortage of applicants with degrees, types, and examiner experience.