Not so great American Eagle interview...lack there of actually

bunk22

bunk22

Well-Known Member
So my American Eagle interview or lack thereof didn't go so well. I did all that paper work, prepared, got there this morning with 4 other other candidates. All were Part 91 guys, had hours between 1500-1800 total, very nice guys as well. I am a Navy pilot, 3000 hours, meet all their quals x 2. Anyway, we were to do the standard simulator and HR/tech interview. So we got there at 0745, had an in brief at 0800 or so, they collected our logbooks and the paper work we filled out concerning the breakdown of our flight time. I think I went and did the sim around 1115 or so. You take-off, fly level, do some turns, conduct two approaches and told to hold but if you get the entry points correct, you don't hold which I didn't. I will say the sim was a bit touchy but overall, it went average.

So we all ate lunch in the cafeteria and we go back and wait. At about 1400, an American Eagle rep came in and called out my name so I grabbed the rest of my paper work and headed for the door when he said, no, grab all your stuff. That could only mean one thing, I was going home early. He brought me into an office, sat down and said I hate to be the bearer of bad news but you didn't make it, here are directions to the bus stop down the road. He said he couldn't tell me why I was denied as the lawyers would be all over his and goodbye. I was treated a bit rudely to be honest but I shook his hand and left. My biggest issue is not making it, it's American Eagle after all but why I didn't. He acted like I had done something wrong and I should just go lol It could have been me but either something in the paper work or my sim ride which like I said, went fine, at least from my perspective. It was kind of funny me walking my ass to the bus stop in a full suit :D
 
Sometimes being not hired is a blessing in disguise. Trust (in yourself, and this machine called the universe) that things will work out.

Incidentally be glad that you weren't doing the walk of victory (and/or shame) in August like I did. ;) I had the presence of mind to put on my non rev clothes beforehand, but still sweated buckets.
 
Autothrust Blue said:
Sometimes being not hired is a blessing in disguise. Trust (in yourself, and this machine called the universe) that things will work out.

Incidentally be glad that you weren't doing the walk of victory (and/or shame) in August like I did. ;) I had the presence of mind to put on my non rev clothes beforehand, but still sweated buckets.
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Oh man, that had to suck lol I had my two bags as well but the weather was low 70's so not so bad. I just wish I knew why, not to go back but it certainly helps to know so you can improve. I don't see it being the simulator unless I'm missing something. So far, I have been turned down by two airlines, hired by one, and turned down by two other flight schools....APS was one and I forget the other. Well, 1 for 5 so far, batting about .200 which I think was my high school batting average :)
 
Airline interviews have got to be the only Sub 30k job interview that requires a suit.

I'm sure you'll get picked up soon!
 
bunk22 said:
Oh man, that had to suck lol I had my two bags as well but the weather was low 70's so not so bad. I just wish I knew why, not to go back but it certainly helps to know so you can improve. I don't see it being the simulator unless I'm missing something. So far, I have been turned down by two airlines, hired by one, and turned down by two other flight schools....APS was one and I forget the other. Well, 1 for 5 so far, batting about .200 which I think was my high school batting average :)
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I had the opposite result so I can't offer any insight, but a lot of the folks who got chopped figured it out right away.

No sweat. Next one. :)
 
You know what ATPs don't do? Depart holding with the boards out, dumps on, saying nothing more than "commencing (w/ state). They also don't accelerate to 4 bills to make the fix w/n 10 seconds. F those guys Bunk. There are many fish in the sea
 
///AMG said:
You know what ATPs don't do? Depart holding with the boards out, dumps on, saying nothing more than "commencing (w/ state). They also don't accelerate to 4 bills to make the fix w/n 10 seconds. F those guys Bunk. There are many fish in the sea
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Agreed but something spooked them and I highly doubt it was the sim. I know I'm an Arse but it takes at least 10 min of interview to find that out :) I could go into Delta or Fedex and get turned down by the big boys but being turned down by the bottom feeders like Eagle kind of sucks.
 
Don't fret it Bunk...in my interview at QX, we had an F-16 driver that didn't pass the sim. It wasn't because he wasn't a good pilot, it was more due to the fact that he hadn't flow anything that had manifold pressure/rpm gauges and a Garmin 430. I tried to give him a "quick and dirty" lesson on it since I did my sim first...but it was too much to comprehend in an afternoon.

Chin up, there are many other airline jobs out there.
 
Yeah who knows.....maybe perceived attitude or something, but I've never been in your shoes so no idea. But if you have that attitude you should keep it. Pretty sure you were flying airplanes off boats before I had graduated high school (class of '01), and probably before most of the guys you are interviewing against had logged PIC. I'm sure a better job that you are more excited about will come around. Maybe they sensed that, which is probably a good thing for both of you!
 
They're not allowed to tell you why for legal/HR reasons, but it's usually not too hard to read between the lines. If you fail something, they're not going to waste the time to have you do the next thing. So whatever it was you did last is most likely what you failed on. At least, that'd be common sense.

With your qualifications, you will find something better I am sure!
 
You are most likely overqualified and they know it. It's better for them to hire a 1500 hour ATP grad cause they know he's not going anywhere for a while and that's what they need/want. It's better for them. I'd say it's better for you, too, but that's hard to really say not knowing your personal situation. I'd encourage you to get a guard gig or use your quals to fly UAV's. Really. It will pay four times as much and you can stay current flying light aircraft and buy a type rating or something. I would keep networking and hold out for something better. If you're in a situation where you just gotta take anything, then keep on pursing the regionals. You just gotta understand that, ironically, your background and experience is working against you.
 
I have heard precisely the same thing as DE727UPS -- that based on your quals, they know you are going to punch at the first better opportunity that is undoubtedly coming down the road.

Unfortunately, I'll be in that same boat here in a couple years, too.
 
I third that. They know you are not the type to put in even three years. You will get your civi time and fly something with another digit in the paycheck.
 
I've been there, and yes, the not knowing why is frustrating. But like others have said, it's probably just a matter of you being over-qualified. I think this is probably a blessing in disguise. Good luck with your job hunt, I'm sure you'll find something great.

bunk22 said:
So my American Eagle interview or lack thereof didn't go so well. I did all that paper work, prepared, got there this morning with 4 other other candidates. All were Part 91 guys, had hours between 1500-1800 total, very nice guys as well. I am a Navy pilot, 3000 hours, meet all their quals x 2. Anyway, we were to do the standard simulator and HR/tech interview. So we got there at 0745, had an in brief at 0800 or so, they collected our logbooks and the paper work we filled out concerning the breakdown of our flight time. I think I went and did the sim around 1115 or so. You take-off, fly level, do some turns, conduct two approaches and told to hold but if you get the entry points correct, you don't hold which I didn't. I will say the sim was a bit touchy but overall, it went average.

So we all ate lunch in the cafeteria and we go back and wait. At about 1400, an American Eagle rep came in and called out my name so I grabbed the rest of my paper work and headed for the door when he said, no, grab all your stuff. That could only mean one thing, I was going home early. He brought me into an office, sat down and said I hate to be the bearer of bad news but you didn't make it, here are directions to the bus stop down the road. He said he couldn't tell me why I was denied as the lawyers would be all over his and goodbye. I was treated a bit rudely to be honest but I shook his hand and left. My biggest issue is not making it, it's American Eagle after all but why I didn't. He acted like I had done something wrong and I should just go lol It could have been me but either something in the paper work or my sim ride which like I said, went fine, at least from my perspective. It was kind of funny me walking my ass to the bus stop in a full suit :D
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Wouldn't they have caught the whole "overqualified" thing just by looking at his résumé? I mean he said the rest of the interview wasn't that hot, so it's not like they saw his skills and went "nope, get outta here. Too good."
 
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