Interview Prep
 

Have an old squadron mate who has an interview with United early March. Was trying to help steer him towards some interview prep and was looking for a solid program. I have heard about Cage Marshall and AscendAbove, and great things from both of them. For those with recent interview success, do you have any feedback on these companies that I can provide to him.

Depends on which consultant you get at Cage. Some have zero airline interview experience but have plenty of time in an airplane. Always puzzled me what made those people more qualified to conduct interview prep than any other line pilot (their interview experience consists of 1 interview as the applicant). Of course the line pilots who also conducted interviews or those that worked in “HR” conducting pilot interviews make sense too.

I'm using Emerald Coast and am happy with the product so far.

Spitfire Elite Consulting all the way! They’re approach to interviewing and overall preparation towards the process is amazing. They have an amazing app with content specific to specific majors, their coaching sessions, their instructors, I can’t say enough good things about them. And when you become a client, there is no expiration date to their services. You’re a client for life and you have access to all of the resources for life.

Lori Clark does a very good job, very thorough. It is a little expensive but you meet with her 3 times for several hours. Her website is fly the line. She will make you work hard, but if its peace of mind your seeking, shes probably the way to go.

Emerald coast was phenomenal and up to date. The guidance they gave me for my interviews was airline specific and spot on.

I can double BlueScholar's comments. Emerald Coast is fantastic!

Emerald Coast. Especially their airline specific tech prep.

Cage Marshall

Ascend Above. He’s a 737 SFO FO and very involved in the process.

I imagine there are many good prep companies out there. I was given Cage as a recommendation by multiple people and they were great. My background is unconventional and I have been out of the 121 world for 17 years so I did go with the prep company. Price was reasonable for the time and info they provided. I got a 2-hour interview prep, a 1-hour technical prep, and a 1-hour pseudo interview. They gave good feedback, which allowed me to hone my answers, specifically for the 3-5 minute "Tell us about yourself" question and the "Why UAL" question (among other good info and insight).

Interviewed 1/9, CJO 1/13.

Is Ascend Above Nate’s company?

Yes it is. Seems like he runs a good operation.

I used Cage Marshall, DeeDee was great to work with. Also spoke with Nate at Ascend and was planning to work with him, but unfortunately our schedules just didn’t line up.

12/6 interview
12/12 CJO
2/14 start

I can confirm that. He gives a very academic approach to interviews and gets you prepared to tell your stories in your voice. I went 3 for 3 on my legacy interviews, and Nate's prep had a lot to do with that. And compared to others, he's very fairly priced.

Used Cage Marshall. Was good stuff, I’d probably pay for it again only due to the fact of getting 1on1 interview scenarios. It got me a CJO so I’ll give it credit.

Anyone have experience with a good prep service coming from corporate?

Experience and logbooks look different and I’d like someone who has specific experience guiding corp candidates transitioning to 121.

Lori is great and she will make you work hard. The interview felt easy as pie though! Can’t recommend her enough.

I used Emerald Coast to prep for the United interview. I had ZERO Part 121 time. My background was ALL Part 135 and Part 91. They were great to work with. They have a connection with a logbook service if you need some help, but honestly, as long as your times makes sense and you have all of your logs including your endorsements for all of your ratings, you should be ok.

Thanks - the EC program looks like a great resource for me.

Historically people interviewing with United use Cage and those for Delta use Emerald Coast. I’ve used both. I much more enjoyed my experience with Cage and like the style and philosophy a lot more.

Has anyone used ReadySetTakeoff or Ascend Above? Better/worse/same as Cage?

I wish the pilot shortage would finally get here so we don’t have to constantly ask these questions.

just pick the cheapest one. Unless you like to spend money. From all the posts over all the years it is pretty obvious they are all the same. Except for the guy that swears his guy is the best.

my buddy ended up going with AscendAbove - he got the job, and was VERY pleased. you should contact Nate. I also called him as well and the guy its definitely tied in to the United system, he says he also works with Delta and American guys as well, but United is his business. I had him walk me through his system, and his level of HR knowledge and background in the recruiting and interview area at United in my opinion is unmatched. He responded back within a few minutes of me asking him some questions on his website (www.ascendabove.net). I don't know about ReadySetTakeoff, but have heard of good things concerning their products. You should contact them and have a conversations with all of these companies, but for my money - I was very impressed with AscendAbove. They have a Facebook page as well where clients have given detailed personal reviews. Pretty amazing to read.

Awesome, thanks. I'll reach out.

Does anyone ever go in with.. drumroll… no interview prep?? Just being yourself?? Or is that a disastrous approach?

as far as logbooks- most people who’ve been in 121 for awhile, long ago gave up logging anything other than total time. Night? Actual instrument?? Should you make up numbers? Are they going to not be impressed with a logbook that only has total time and total landings logged?!

Usually people who come in with no interview prep have already been prepped for a separate successful interview. Most of that prep is on the spot TMAAT HR prep, etc.

The good prep services will have you send your tabbed logbooks via images to confirm it’s satisfactory and won’t create issues at said interview.

Not having your night time logged and actual instrument makes you look a certain way, no offense. Also “just making stuff up” in a logbook and getting caught in the interview is suicide. No disrespect but if anyone needed interview prep it’s you…

Not having your night time logged and actual instrument makes you look a certain way, no offense. Also “just making stuff up” in a logbook and getting caught in the interview is suicide. No disrespect but if anyone needed interview prep it’s you…

LMAO ok…. Well I’ve had 3 interviews and was offered the job 3/3 times and never once did my logbooks even get cracked open- I guess UA is quite persnickety about it!!
why it matters after more than 8900 hours of time, who knows.. but ok.
thx for your insight.

Well it’s certainly proved a disastrous approach here.

at a major?

Where were these three interviews and subsequent offers at? Regional, ACMI, 135? Or were they places worth actually being at like a legacy or larger LCC/ULCC? I’ve never heard of any career destination airline not even cracking open a logbook. Heck, most airlines event want certain events in your logbook tabulated (yes, that includes UAL).

Logging of flight time is not mandatory except for what’s required to maintain currency. However, if you do choose to log it and claim it, the FARs define what must be included. Part of that is “conditions of flight” ie day/night/imc. So, whatever portion of your 8900 hours you didn’t properly log is technically invalid.

Airlines would love to interview someone with 8900 hours. However, they aren’t fans of people who believe that 8900 hours entitles them to a job which, with all due respect, is how you are coming across. Some interview prep might actually be a good investment.

Every airline “cracks open” your log book to verify endorsements to see if your checkride failures match your application.

I really don’t know how to bring this up so here it goes…

I have been recently terminated by my employer at Avelo for reasons I still don’t understand. The Chief Pilot said some inappropriate things to me which included racist comments. I gave my notice and was later told that I would be terminated instead.

Would I be turned down immediately by HR? I really don’t know how to explain my firing. My final letter stated they found information on my background but they didn’t clarify what it was.

Since my firing, the Chief Pilot has been removed from roster and an investigation under way. But it still can’t explain my situation. I did complain to HR when inappropriate comments were made.

Some people mentioned my situation on the Avelo thread on the last few pages.

https://www.airlinepilotforums.com/m...news-info.html

Thank you, any help appreciated.

Tell me you’ve never interviewed at a legacy, without telling me you’ve never interviewed at a legacy before 😂

There’s not a single 121 carrier that doesn’t review your logbook(s) for their own liability. (S)he is just full of it.

Ok big shot tough guy,
and how do YOU log instrument time at a major??
you might climb or descend through some IMC, so maybe, what ? .1 per flight? And especially on approach the autopilot will be engaged until breaking out 9/10 times. Probably 10/10 times.
you can say cruise at night over the ocean is instrument since you’ll likely have no horizon reference. But again, autopilot is doing the work while you eat or complain about the contract or lament the lack of hotness of the FAs

You seem to think you know it all… so I’ll await the answer with bated breath.

There’s no degree requirement, so you should be good there.

When I was at my regional I logged actual instrument when I was the pilot flying. Specifically when I flew an instrument approach when ceilings went below the FAF. I logged the instrument approach as well. After every trip I kept my logbook current. The electronic logbook I used logged the night for me.

That’s how this “big shot tough guy” logged instrument and night. I recommended you seek interview prep from the way your original post was written. You seem self centered and arrogant. United will definitely “crack your logbook open” FYI.

Maybe being arrogant is exactly what United is looking for and you’ll fit right in. Idk, clearly you don’t like taking criticism.

FWIW this is the first time I’ve heard of a 121 pilot logging actual instrument time during 121 ops. There’s no way to make that time accurate without constantly starting/stopping clocks at times when we should be paying attention to flying. The way modern airliners are flown under part 121 in our airspace system, logging actual instrument doesn’t make much sense anyway.

IAPs conducted in IMC, sure, many log those, but actual instrument is different.

When I started flying I was recommended to log instrument approaches for Delta with Airlines apps. Your instructor never started a timer when they put you under the hood while conducting instrument training. They made an educated guess. Same deal while flying the line. If you’re going to log an instrument approach, at least say you had X minutes of actual. Just log it to what you believe to be most accurate. You can’t log an instrument approach without logging instrument.