Interview help

JetCrew

Well-Known Member
Good Afternoon all,

I have an interview with a 135 outfit in CLT tomorrow. They are a Mon-Fri operation and do a lot of flying for FedEx. They are currently work on becoming a 121 carrier as well.

I just read the previous post about HR questions and the last part left me wanting more. "Do you have any questions for us?"

So far I have "What is training like? And how long?". How many are you looking to hire?
I'm also tempted to ask about raises and other compensation based questions but is that a no no???

They seem very eager to hire someone ASAP as they're looking to have the new hire start at the beginning of the year.

I am as prepared as I can be but I still feel like there's something I'm missing. This is my first DX interview and I don't know what to expect.

Any suggestions ?
 
It's important to ask the questions that are important to you. "How does your compensation package work" or something to that effect is certainly a valid question. You don't work for charity, and they have to appreciate that you are making a decision based in part on how compensation works in the long run. By asking about what your check might look like a few years from now suggests that you're interested in sticking around that long.

My suggestion is just be yourself. Relax. This is an interview, not an interrogation. Smile. Look them in the eye. Think about what you want to say, then say it. Ask questions. Be engaged. Ask questions. Appreciate that this isn't a one-way interview.

EDIT: Oh, and don't assume that just because no one is presently talking to you that you are not being evaluated... Your interview starts as soon as you interact with anyone from the company.
 
You know, I was kind of hung up on yesterday's thread about interview questions, that was, until today. I had an interview for a 121 outfit this afternoon. By no means am I tenured in the field of interviewing but what I did do well and something that is important to remember is to answer honestly. Think of any and all work experience and assume you'll be asked about a difficult co-worker or a challenging experience. We've all had them, maybe not as a dispatcher, but as someone who has dealt with any type of interpersonal communication/work. Don't sweat the small stuff, be confident. You'll be fine.
 
Think of any and all work experience and assume you'll be asked about a difficult co-worker or a challenging experience. We've all had them, maybe not as a dispatcher, but as someone who has dealt with any type of interpersonal communication/work. Don't sweat the small stuff, be confident. You'll be fine.

See, that's the part I'm most concerned about. Even though I have over 10 years of work history since moving to the US, I only consider 3 of those years to be useful work experience. As strange as this May sound, I never encounter a difficult co-worker or much of a challenging experience except for the rare inflight medical emergency.

I interviewed for three different internal positions at B6 this year and I came away without the position. I attribute that to nerves and not enough "strategic problem solving experience". The only interview I was comfortable in was my interview for a load planning position. I did well in that interview; no nerves but again, strategic problem solving Deficiency and another candidate had "prior experience".

Thanks For the advice guys.
 
Good Afternoon all,

I have an interview with a 135 outfit in CLT tomorrow. They are a Mon-Fri operation and do a lot of flying for FedEx. They are currently work on becoming a 121 carrier as well.

I just read the previous post about HR questions and the last part left me wanting more. "Do you have any questions for us?"

So far I have "What is training like? And how long?". How many are you looking to hire?
I'm also tempted to ask about raises and other compensation based questions but is that a no no???

They seem very eager to hire someone ASAP as they're looking to have the new hire start at the beginning of the year.

I am as prepared as I can be but I still feel like there's something I'm missing. This is my first DX interview and I don't know what to expect.

Any suggestions ?

If you have time, brainstorm a list of things that you want to know about the job and the company. Just throw everything you want to know on it, regardless how trival it may seem. Then triage that list and identify/prioritize the ones most important to you. For example, do you really care how long training is? Make a checklist of these items, and keep it handy during the interview. Most likely the interview team will provide those answers during the course of the discussion. Take notes. When it comes to the "do you have any questions for us" phase, check your list and see if there are any unanswered questions. If there are, pick 2 or 3 of those, and ask them. If there aren't, tell them they addressed them all, and thank them for such an informative interview.

If you really feel the need to ask them a question, then ask them to provide an overview of their partnership with FedEx (i.e. how does the company make money). This will provide you with an insight as to how you fit in that role. Always remember; they're hiring you because they expect to make money with you.

Good luck
 
Best interview advice I ever got was to video myself in a mock interview. Download 20 or so behavioral interview type questions and have a friend ask you questions, and video your answers with your phone. What you see may shock you. It almost always does.

As for questions to ask: Why is this position open? What traits do your best dispatcher possess? (listen carefully to this answer) What will my first 90 days be like?
 
Best interview advice I ever got was to video myself in a mock interview. Download 20 or so behavioral interview type questions and have a friend ask you questions, and video your answers with your phone. What you see may shock you. It almost always does.

As for questions to ask: Why is this position open? What traits do your best dispatcher possess? (listen carefully to this answer) What will my first 90 days be like?

That is a very interesting approach. Thank you.
 
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