Beep
Well-Known Member
You’re right, that was mean spirited of me. I apologize for confusing you with a bulletin board.
2026 Hiring Outlook
- Thread starter CoffeeIcePapers
- Start date
You’re right, that was mean spirited of me. I apologize for confusing you with a bulletin board.
🦈💜
Well-Known Member
Say nothing, take the fifth, and demand a lawyer.
🦈💜
Well-Known Member
What does that mean? What are the qualities that leads to
someone "deserving" a job?
CoffeeIcePapers
Well-Hung Member
2026 is a new year. Things are lining up for it to be a great year for hiring. The glut of highly qualified Spirit pilots jumping ship has dried up, as most of them who want to leave have already been hired.
It’s a great time to evaluate your current approach that doesn’t seem to be working and try a new approach. You’re definitely competitive on paper and as a person. You’re close to the finish line and it would be really sad to give up when you’re nearly there.
Cherokee_Cruiser
Bronteroc
We should not be supporting this.
jhugz
Well-Known Member
You say you have all these qualities, but you’re obviously not selling these qualities in the interview. You’re not going to get hired on your resume alone. Why? Because there are 10,000 people with your same resume competing for 1,000 jobs. You need to stand out. Put in the effort, change your mental, or resign to the fact that maybe the left seat of a RJ is as far as you go in this career. (And for the record, there’s nothing wrong with that)
Go sit in the corner and color, the adults are talking.
WacoFan
Bigly
Jhugz (of all people) is articulating my sentiments from above better than me.
I have watched and empathized with your frustration on career progression. I have no first-hand knowledge of pilot interviews/management. I have extensive knowledge of leading organizations and in sales, sales management/business development. What your situation is starting to resemble is not an industry issue so much as maybe a Sasha issue. I will explain - over the years I've had people that "on paper" checked all the boxes, had pleasant personality traits, didn't stink or dress weird, etc. yet no matter how much effort they couldn't close a deal. The interesting thing is that more times than not it wasn't one big thing but rather one (or very few) small things that consistently occured that screwed them up. Everyone has a reason for their lack of success - and usually it is wrong.
What we (and you) need is an independent third party. NOT someone who is biased by reading your content here for a long time, or at least someone not influenced by that. You need someone roughly in the position your interviewers are in - cold, no preconceived notion of you, etc. Invest in this because it is worth it financially - the math will math. I delved into a highly complex (technically - financial, tax and regulatory-wise) niche in my late 20's within a tightly wound, insular market that was "outsider hostile". Pushed ALL my chips into the middle of the table. A week prior to my first big meeting a friend arranged a get together with a friend of his I didn't know. The guy was a tax attorney, former investment banker, and was then head of an insurance company's private investment operations who my friend said "wanted to learn this niche..." I met the guy and he absolutely kicked the living $h*t out of me for an hour and a half. Amazingly detailed questions, clearly better versed on the topic, challenged EVERYTHING I said - to include "Good morning ". I left that meeting dejected, insecure, horrified I'd gone all-in on something I was so ill prepared for...and I HATED the guy I had met (Carey). So I stew the next three days and I get a card in the mail at my office. It was from Carey explaining how I knew the subject matter better than my competition who he had met with 6 months prior. Also noted that exactly none of the people I would be meeting with (and asking for $millions) would be as brutal or harsh as he was and to "relax". He was correct and we became good friends over the years which lasts to this day. Everyone - even me - needs a fresh perspective and a little push/help now and again.
“…supporting…”?
In what way do you think that pilots, in general, have any influence on the process?
Roger Roger
Bottom of the list
To be fair, his company has (or used to have) a base chief pilot heading every individual interview panel.
Cherokee_Cruiser
Bronteroc
Um, because the interview team typically consists of HR and pilots. Stop being so dense. So when HR rambles on about the great woke qualities of that candidate, the pilot ones can and should point out the flying deficiencies.
I_Money
Moderator
The hiring environment is a lot more complex than that. Currently there is no company where demand is to the point where if everyone on the panel doesn’t unanimously agree you should be part of their team that you’ll be hired.
It isn’t a great system and I know a lot of people are disenfranchised with it - but play the game, get the CJO and then complain or go boat shopping - in 2-3 years we might be a 3-5 year hiring drought.
It isn’t a great system and I know a lot of people are disenfranchised with it - but play the game, get the CJO and then complain or go boat shopping - in 2-3 years we might be a 3-5 year hiring drought.
HJB
Well-Known Member
I think what's most incredible is that he takes himself seriously
Cherokee_Cruiser
Bronteroc
Instead of a childish insult, did you have something to say? Let’s address the topic of ceding pilot power to HR power.
Accident history speaks for itself. Atlas, Colgan. I don’t know about you, but I’d like to prevent that from happening again.
jhugz
Well-Known Member
Once you stop acting like a child, I'll stop treating you as one. You're all over the place...complaining about the "woke" process and the Atlas/Colgan crash.
Ceding pilot power to HR? Tell me more how you know zero about the process and inner workings of pilot hiring. You really think that if a pilot interviewer has a serious safety/airmanship concern about a candidate that an HR Rep can override them?
It's a collaborative process between HR and Pilot Interviewers, you work together and make a recommend/non-recommend to the hiring board that then makes the final decision. I do understand how you would struggle with the collaborative part just based on your history on here.
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Maurus
The Great Gazoo
Same fear mongering they have been using for decades. The only shortages that occur are due to their actions.
Hilariously this document mentions that age 68 is just a temporary bandaid.
It also pushes for single pilot ops which I imagine this set of fear mongering will be used to push very loudly here soon.
Just as a side note, the document was created by Allegiant where some of the most anti-labor people in the industry exist.
Cherokee_Cruiser
Bronteroc
Again, I quoted this:
HR more than ever is influencing pilot recruiting - skills needed to get hired don’t reflect skills to fly a plane.
How else is one supposed to take the statement “skills needed to get hired DONT reflect skills to fly a plane.”
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jhugz
Well-Known Member
This is the process required to get hired at a legacy airline. It’s spelled out and there’s plenty of gouge out there for it. Prepare for it, execute it, and get the job… or do not and remain an RJ CA or 73 CA for the rest of your career. (Again, nothing wrong with that)
It’s really not that difficult. If freight trash like myself can get a United/Delta interview and be successful enough to get both CJO’s, anyone can.
Do some skills required for a successful interview not translate directly to flying an airplane? Sure. At this point in the game however, everyone can fly the airplane. Learn the skills required, it shows that you can step out of your comfort zone and better yourself. It shows that you’re teachable. It also shows dedication and work ethic. Do you need these skills to fly an airplane? No, but they’re skills I’d like in my FO’s when they come on the line.
CFIT99
because of the implication...
We've never met but you seem genuine and you are a great contributor to this site.
What you are asking for is a PURE meritocracy, which in this World, just doesn't exist and it's not just in the microcosm of aviation.
The Best Harvard Lawyers aren't all at Kirkland & Ellis
The Best Stanford Computer scientists aren't all at Google
The Best John Hopkins Doctors aren't all at the Mayo Clinic
Not because their resumes doesn't speak for themselves but there is a game to played and it's outside what the definitive job you are actually doing.
Some are just really good at playing that game, selling themselves in way that stands out. There are hundreds of job prep companies that help with all the above....but this is one is unique...an outlier. There aren't many companies that their sole purpose is to hire for a VERY specific segment of an industry. Aviation is one of those outliers.
I don't like it either but it's a game. If you are upset or frustrated with the game, well than you're losing that game already.
tlove482
Well-Known Member
You nailed it. There are many great singers that never get a record deal and basketball players that never make it to the NBA. Many of them are better than the people that did make it.
My way of dealing with the system is to take my talents elsewhere if they don't want me and do my best at the other place to prove to myself that they missed out on a great candidate.