A buddy told me it is unlikely or difficult to get hired even at an LCC if you don't have a type rating for United's fleets. Is that true or is it just a rumor?
I'm currently at OO and have a CJO with a major but will most likely not be equipped in a Boeing or Airbus so I am second guessing if jumping ship to here is a good decision and a closer step to the mainlines.

Pass the Hogan, get hired. Type rated or not.

The Hogan isn't even looked at until after interview at UAL these days.

Plenty of people get hired at all of the majors without a 737/A320 type rating.

Your friend says that it’s difficult to get hired at a LCC if you don’t have a type rating in an aircraft that United flies? Just ask yourself, from a perspective of common sense, does that even make any sense…

And no. It is completely unnecessary to have a type rating in a United fleet aircraft to get hired at United. But, every type rating you have adds points to your application. It sounds to me that your friend is just making excuses for why they haven’t been hired yet.

Find new friends.

To be serious though, ALL of the big three seem to have an affinity for hiring from the LCCs and ULCCs and competing airlines regional feed. It’s about squeezing the competition by taking their pilots - not the type rating you might hold. The worst regionals you could be at right now are Skywest, republic, or Mesa as they fly feed for all three of the big 3. None of the airlines want to chop off their own fingers and pillage from their own cheap regional feed. Want to fly for United? Work for PSA. Want to fly for American? Work for Commutair.

Jumping ship to one of the LCCs or ULCCs will not only likely make you more marketable, but also leave you in a much better place than a regional if/when the poop hits the fan and the music stops. I say jump if you have the opportunity.

Type rating in a UAL jet is completely unnecessary. Completely. I only had a CL-65 and SA227 type. Your friend is severely misinformed.

I would say jump from OO, and quickly. Get to a ULCC/LCC or competing major and keep applying for UAL if this is where you want to be!

And if I read correctly, you have a CJO from a major right now? If so, RUN to indoc! A major is where you want to be in the end, correct? If so, get to one ASAP. Keep applying to your dream carrier, but don't be in the regionals if/when the music stops. An almost universally good strategy is go to the first major that hires you, then figure out from there if musical chairs is worth it. And none of the majors require a type rating in their jets. It's not like they would put you in that jet anyway. It's all about what your seniority allows you to grab during indoc.

I am curious which major doesn’t have Airbus or Boeing?

Pretty sure UPS and FedEx aren’t hiring where you could maybe get in MD?

My guess is JetBlue on the 190 or 220 (which identifies as an Airbus).

Ah forgot about the old 190 haha

this thread feels like I’m reading something from 2003.