I can’t tell if that guy was being sarcastic or not….but probably the latter over the former, especially considering checkride failures are already (OR SHOULD ALREADY) be disclosed in the application process. They already know you failed…they’re looking to see if you Learned anything.

To succeed at an interview you have to be dishonest but come across like you are honest. Could be a bit of a difficult dance for anyone without Theatre training.

Everyone will say “No I won’t leave in training to go to Delta” but not every applicant will be able to convince the other people staring back at you across the table that you aren’t lying.

 

Or the fact he is more concerned with "chill" and making himself feel good during the interview, versus demonstrating why the company should hire him.

That is the big difference here; interviews at this level used to be to convince the airline you were the right choice for them. Now it's pilots showing up looking for the airline to convince them they are the right airline. The tail currently wags the dog at this moment in hiring.

I mean, they guy gets an interview with multiple failures, some at the 121 level, and he expects it to be a "chill" experience? Maybe the side eye he received was the the result of the answer he gave about his failures? Clearly he screwed the pooch somewhere if he didnt get the job here, I bet we are hiring most that walk through the door for the face to face.

 

The 121 world made their own bed, and this is the outcome

For me at least, I’m not a low time ERU kiddie who flipped gear for a year or two in RJ or at a cut rate 135, so yeah some of the dumb ass questions like when did I first solo, or any checkride failures when it’s been well over a decade since I did a GA ride, or playing some dumb online game to judge my piloting skills because they are too lazy to read about the flying I’ve been doing, to me these seem like dumb ass questions, and yeah you need to convince me why I want to work for you, I’m not exactly hurting at my current comfy flying gig.

Quit acting like these stock ticker companies with histories of treating their people like trash are giving you a god like chance when they invite you to interview, it’s for sure as much me interviewing them as the other way, yeah act the part and play the game, but don’t actually swallow the Kool-Aid

 

Nobody says you have to become indoctrinated. But don’t think legacy HR is at all impressed by whatever resume you’re sliding across the table. They have/will/continue to hire people based on gender/race/volunteerism/etc and not give two craps about the TT or experience. So sure, act like this is the place, take a shower when you’re done to wash it off, but don’t think they are creaming for whatever you think is impressive. Bottom line: they don’t hire based on experience or skills. Plan accordingly

 

Go to the spirit interview and give them the fake personality that they want to see. Be extroverted (because the pilots/HR women do spy on you all through the interview), socialize, and fake it all. Act like the biggest social butterfly with a smile on your face. Just don't mention anything about going to United, even though it is 100% true. Then get the job. Finish IOE. Then apply to United. Enjoy life. Spirit is nothing but a bridge to the legacies.

 

Your few months flying regional jets and applying to whichever major will get you out of flying regional jets has given you deep insight as to what a career at Spirit is worth. That advice and a token may just get you on the subway.

 

I think that he/she may be on to something though. Being a career FO at Spirit because you're a giant candy a$$ who will most likely never be able to hack it in the left seat is looking like a real possibility for some of the newer FOs I've flown with.

Those types will be much better off having their hand held and sweet nothings whispered into their ear at the legacies.

 

Speaking as a right seater, the standards must be low for upgrade based on recent experience.