Interview without going to job fair
 

How important is it to go to a job fair for United in trying to get an interview?

I interviewed 2 yeas ago with no job fairs. Once they call you for an interview it doesn't matter. Not like they ask you about why you didn't go to one. The only reason they matter at all is for points on the app.

As a regional FO with no TPIC, I went to a ton of them since I didn't find my 5,000+ TT to be all that competitive. They're soul-crushing, but seem to help. I got called for the interview before I finished Captain upgrade at the regional.
Since Chief Pilot M&Gs seem to have been devalued, I would supplement with job fairs.

Sorry to burst your bubble and not to discredit your experience.....but.....you competition is guys that have 2000 hours in fighters with several combat tours and 4000 PIC turbine as RJ Captains.
5000 hours is a lot, but the competition is wicked right now. Welcome if you got hired, good luck if you are on the way to an interview

That depends on the person. You need to have enough points to get selected for an interview. I couldn't get enough without the job fairs and chief pilot meet and greet. I know people who were hired and didn't do a job fair, but it's very rare. They were either interns or extremely qualified military pilots.

The sad part is the 2000 hours of single pilot fighter pilot time means nothing in a 121 transport category airplane.... Oh this skrewed up industry

How exactly does that mean nothing?

ClearedDirect,

Go to the job fair. You'll be glad you did and most find them beneficial, in one way or the other.

Enjoy the fair and stop by our booth if you have any questions before you meet the recruiters.

Centerline

Obvious flamebait, please do start yet another mil vs civilian thread drift. There are great resumes from both sides getting hired and great resumes from both sides not getting called/hired. Both backgrounds are represented by good and bad major pilots. End of story.

The gentleman above makes it seem like 2000 fighter pilot hours means you are Christ reborn. Flight time is flight time is flight time. This isn't a jab at any military or civilian pilots at all.

Hence....the utter lack of comprehension regarding what it is that military guys actually do whilst engaging in the "act" of aviating. 5 airlines, 5 fighter squadrons, part-121 and 135 capt and FO time...simply my opinion.

All I'll add to this conversation is that "collecting" hours, 3-4 hours per segment, 80/month...whilst negotiating radio frequency changes, reading checklists, making the "coffee or coke" decision when the FA takes drink requests, and perusing the sports section of USA today...well, it really isn't all that difficult fellas. Yes, GA and commercial have their challenges...and both Civy and Mil guys can certainly be toads...but the thinking that "flight time is flight time" is simply laughable...haha

The folks I know who've been hired all attended job fairs. I have a couple international recommendations, and can't get a call. However, I've not been to a job fair. While I realize military is preferred most of my experience has been in heavy corporate aircraft. I have not flown 121 in years. Hard to say what gets their attention.

9,000 TT
7,000 JET
3,000 TURBINE PIC
5 types
Mid thirties

Thanks for the info.
When is the next job fair that United will be at?
I'm seeing one in vagas end of April.
Any others??

WIA Dallas in March
OBAP

Not sound ignorant, but can a male show up at a woman's conference?

Yes, but you score more points if you Bruce Jennerize a bit....

Military preferred ?! Yeah uh no.

They are filling classes with applicants that are all over the map. It is HR's version of a well-rounded pilot group.

What's an "international" rec ? :) Recommendations ARE weighted differently though. A UAL pilot rec that has personally flown with you is near the top for example.

Albie,

Almost spit my orange juice out when I read your post. Too funny!

No doubt flying fighters is more difficult and probably takes more skill, but what are you being hired to do? Not fly fighters, but operate in the 121 environment as safely as possible. While military guys are usually great sticks, put them on ORD ground in the middle of a blizzard and good luck keeping up. My point is, we all have different skills and to say one side is better than the other is stupid. The military guys in our class struggled more than everyone else, not because they were bad aviators, but because they hadn't been through a 121 training program. Who do you think has an easier transition, a 10 year RJ capt, or a 2000 hour military fighter pilot?

Enough on this, what does it freakin matter. In the end everyone comes out the same. 2000 Hrs in a single seat fighter equates to around 1800 sorties. How many hours would you have after 1800 flights in an RJ? Like I said it is a wash. Lets leave it alone.

Yeah, this issue is worth dropping! As a non-military pilot (but with military background), I know their training:flying ratio is far higher than the civilian side. I have no problem with it.

Either way, your opinion, and mine also, are irrelevant since the airlines seem to be happy accepting lower hours from the mil pilots.

But don't you dare Brian Williams.

Got me hired.

Exactly! And I'm pretty sure you didn't get lost at the airport this winter in a snow storm!:D

hey hey didn't you get the memo of the looming pilot shortage ?

;)

clearly you and everyone else don't get the point I'm making.

but thats fine.. good luck

My reading comprehension must be terrible. I have re-read your post about 5 times and I still have no clue what your point is.

I pity the cockpit you sit in.

lets just make it simple for everyone

mil time>civilian time. yay happy everyone, go us

After doing both, and 121 for the past 2 years, I couldn't agree more. While looking back I think that flying single seat fighters was immensely difficult and taxing vs 121, they are 2 different things. 121 was humbling the first 6 months. It was more difficult than I thought it would be.

This said I think I've adapted quite well. My single seat FAC-A experience helped a lot with giving me high situational awareness and quick decision making, but keeping up in ORD just on the taxi during IOE was a challenge.

To put a number on it, 15 years and 2500 hrs of single seat experience would be on par with 10,000 hrs of regional 121 in either seat, but the 10,000 hr 121 guy will be right at home at a major. The mil single seat guy will have a much bigger hill to climb. I can say cuz I climbed it.

I saw the same with a 180 of that situation. Regional 121 guys learning to fly fighters had a challenge. Neither is better. Just different.

Cheers,

HT

You are text book definition of that old saying "If everyone you meet is an a-hole, chances are you're the a-hole"!

Now that you have established we are all idiots and cant follow your intellect, you can get back in regulating the PSA forums.

The fighter guy has proved himself to be a fast learner and a master of dynamic situations. Not a lot of guess work involved in his or her ability to quickly catch on and excel in the 121 environment.

Getting back to the topic at hand, I am going to the WAI conference in Dallas in March. I have not heard back from WAI yet, but I expect to get a time slot for face to face time with the recruiters. For those that have done this, what should I expect in my 15 min window with the recruiter? What did they ask? What did they ask to see? What did you ask?

I know that showing up helps the app point system, I just don't want to be remembered as a complete tool!

and you are the reason I keep coming back to the forums.. getting riled up over an internet web page..

I think its closer to 5 minutes.

good luck

Good. Less time for me to make an ass out of my self:D

I assume handing them a resume and saying hello eats up most of the time allotted.

Any body have anything else?

Tango,

Each company does it differently, but expect to go over your resume, common interests between you and the recruiter, why xyz company, tell us about yourself, etc. It can be a full day and I think you'll get something out of it.

No matter what anyone tells you, wear a suit ;)

Centerline

I'm pretty certain attending usually helps (except for Delta), however I saw a few (very few) people at WAI last year not exactly presenting the "best" version of themselves. I suspect those few torpedoed their chances at the airlines they met.

Better to be overprepared, as that can also double as actual interview prep.

well, I think I want to attend the conference in dallas also. Do we need to bring anything other than the resume, such as flight records and all that good stuff?
To weigh in on the mil vs civ debate, I've got heavy time and single seat time still no call with close to 3000 hrs so I say it's a crap shoot.

I've only ever brought a resume. If you have questions about your application, these job fairs are a good time to get those answered as well, so bring a printed copy of that as well.

But most importantly, know what you're going to say when you get up there. Have a couple minute routine in your head of who you are, your resume accomplishments, and what you can bring to United. Then rehearse it so many times you can rattle it off in your sleep.

The worst thing that you can do is get to a recruiter with no idea what to say about yourself. They're not going to sell you; that's your job.

Thank you sweptback I appreciate the info and less than a month away from another step in the process. At least for those of us who haven't gotten anywhere yet.