Career Advice. Should I Stay Or Should I Go!

[kawaii_boner]

Hello There Fellow Dispatchers!

I’m at a crossroads and I could really use some advice from some people in the industry. I am a college graduate, I have a PPL with an instrument rating and 350+ hours and I just started a course at Sheffield for dispatching.

Currently I work at Delta TechOps as a Supply Attendant and while it’s nice to already be working for a Major Airline, I don’t think working here will give me much of an advantage to move into a dispatch position, unless I have dispatching experience (which I don’t currently)

I don’t want to leave the benefits of working at delta, but I don’t want to work in TechOps forever either!

Would it be better for me to:

A. Stay where I am and wait for a dispatcher position at delta to open up

Or

B. Find a dispatcher position with a regional and try to move to a major after I get some experience.

I’m all ears and I’d love to hear as many opinions that you can throw at me. Thank you!

 

[manniax]

I would say, unless you absolutely have your heart set on dispatching for Delta, it would be best to leave and get some practical dispatching experience, then move up to a major.

 

[PuddlePirate]

In the last two classes Delta has put through there have been four or five internal hires who already had their dispatch certificate and no dispatch experience. I know there are other dispatchers from years earlier who were hired with no prior dispatch experience. While getting dispatch experience with a regional wouldn’t hurt your chances, you’d be giving up some good benefits and company seniority. It might be while before the next opening, I doubt it if they post another opening again this year, but I’d suspect a steady flow coming in to the OCC in the coming years.

 

[LX Sport]

It's a tough call. I was in very similar situation. Worked in Techops, got my license and had the intention of trying to get into dispatch. I interviewed at a regional, told myself it was just for practice, ended up getting offered the job. After talking with an old friend/neighbor who is a sector manager at Delta, decided real-world experience was more important. Worked at a regional for just over two years and ended up at a different major.

This was before Delta really shifted towards internals. But regardless, I'm happy with the way things turned out. Could I've gotten to the OCC? Maybe. Would I possibly lose a lot of the knowledge gained in school, to be able to pass an interview, if I sat around for years waiting for the chance? Probably. Honestly that was my biggest fear in waiting.

But really, there's no guarantee either path will work out. You could stay and hopefully get in, keeping company seniority. Or leave, get real-world experience, and try to get into any of the big airlines.

 

[flynryan692]

In the last two classes Delta has put through there have been four or five internal hires who already had their dispatch certificate and no dispatch experience. I know there are other dispatchers from years earlier who were hired with no prior dispatch experience. While getting dispatch experience with a regional wouldn’t hurt your chances, you’d be giving up some good benefits and company seniority. It might be while before the next opening, I doubt it if they post another opening again this year, but I’d suspect a steady flow coming in to the OCC in the coming years.

Just to expand on this a bit, when I was down there to test recently the individual who informed me I wasn't currently worthy of the widget did seem to imply they prefer internal over external and that external hiring was a result of not having enough internal candidates.

 

[gopherdx]

To echo the previous posts, it really depends on whether you're willing to risk leaving or not. If you're already with a major, I'd personally recommend holding out for a little while longer and network network network. This is the route I took - started with my major on the ramp while networking, shadowing, and expressing my strong interest in dispatch. I even turned down an OO interview in the process. 5 years later I was offered a dispatch position internally. It's definitely a risk but if your company prefers internals, then it's worth a shot.

 

[kawaii_boner]

Hey y’all thanks for all the help, you’ve really given me a lot to think about. I feel like there’s almost no set path to the majors and that’s the part that’s hard to navigate.

 

[kawaii_boner]

Just to expand on this a bit, when I was down there to test recently the individual who informed me I wasn't currently worthy of the widget did seem to imply they prefer internal over external and that external hiring was a result of not having enough internal candidates.

It sounds like you’re a fellow delta employee, so maybe you can answer this question for me. If I were to get a dispatcher position at Endeavor, would that still be considered “internal”?

 

[derriko]

Delta is a very, very dangerous place to put all your beans in one basket. Theres a personality test during the application that a TON of people fail, and if you pass that, theres about ~300 people who get invited for in person testing where a HARDER test is taken. I can't speak for the whole (though i've heard my experience was similar to most) but out of the 30 people that tested with me, about 5 passed the in person test.

When I was at Republic, there was a handful of "only-Delta" people because they were from the area, etc. It didnt work out for one singler person the 3 years I was there.

I think having Delta on your resume, even if you don't work there anymore would be an advantage over someone without. Me personally, I'd get that experience and expand my horizons to eventually going to any major + SWA.

 

[flynryan692]

It sounds like you’re a fellow delta employee, so maybe you can answer this question for me. If I were to get a dispatcher position at Endeavor, would that still be considered “internal”?

I'm not a Delta employee, but I do know Endeavor is external. If you make it past the tests they give you, being from Endeavor might help, but it isn't the same as being an actual Delta internal applicant. It was mentioned before, but they will take an internal with no experience and they have taken internal with no experience over external with experience before.

 

[LX Sport]

Delta is a very, very dangerous place to put all your beans in one basket. Theres a personality test during the application that a TON of people fail, and if you pass that, theres about ~300 people who get invited for in person testing where a HARDER test is taken. I can't speak for the whole (though i've heard my experience was similar to most) but out of the 30 people that tested with me, about 5 passed the in person test....

I should add that I did test at Delta, it was the last external group before the big internal push. I didnt get past those tests. Not sure if it was the personality or one of the other tests. Only one person from my group passed. Assuming the internal's also take those tests, I might have been screwed if I didnt make the choice to leave.

 

[DispatcherSam]

It sounds like you’re a fellow delta employee, so maybe you can answer this question for me. If I were to get a dispatcher position at Endeavor, would that still be considered “internal”?

I’m former 9E and when I was there, some people at Delta made it very clear to us that we as a group were not up to their standards. It appears they have relaxed those standards a bit, but I would assume a spot at 9E won’t give you a leg up.

 

[RetiredATLATC]

Delta is a very, very dangerous place to put all your beans in one basket.

Good point.

This also holds true for stock picking, places you'd like to live, your "type" of spouse, etc. Don't be closed minded, or set on just one path, or you're going to miss out on a lot.

 

[derriko]

I should add that I did test at Delta, it was the last external group before the big internal push. I didnt get past those tests. Not sure if it was the personality or one of the other tests. Only one person from my group passed. Assuming the internal's also take those tests, I might have been screwed if I didnt make the choice to leave.

Everyone (external + internal) takes both tests. There were 3-4 internal people that tested with me, and only 1 passed. You get no special treatment outside of going to the top of the application list. And you're not alone in your experience. I heard sometimes as low as 1 person passed, and sometimes as high as 7-8 people did. Averaging out everything I heard is where I got the 5 out of 30 number.

 

[who'swho]

Everyone (external + internal) takes both tests. There were 3-4 internal people that tested with me, and only 1 passed. You get no special treatment outside of going to the top of the application list. And you're not alone in your experience. I heard sometimes as low as 1 person passed, and sometimes as high as 7-8 people did. Averaging out everything I heard is where I got the 5 out of 30 number.

5 out of 30 seems like a pretty typical passing rate from everything I've heard as well. The vast majority just aren't worthy to gaze upon the widget. That's just a fact.

I've worked with people that left delta and went the regional route and quickly ended up at another major. Sure they had to move but i'm pretty certain they've never looked back. It's a poor career choice to suffer along hoping for a chance to take a test that you'll probably fail simply because they seem your personality as being one they don't want. That's just my opinion.

 

[JCT413]

I’ve been monitoring the threads and I have to say that this one has enlightened me the most. I’m not a Delta employee, I want to be and most of all become a dispatcher there. I’ve held my license for almost 2 years now and haven’t done anything with it yet. Mostly due to personal situations I needed to solve first. Living in the Atlanta area my goal is to land an entry levers job at delta and growing from within into the OCC, I’ve really considered going with a regional and endeavor is definitely at the top of the list, but I’ve asked around a bunch and networked a bit and it just doesn’t feel like endeavor would make it easier of landing in delta flight ops over being a hire from within. I was lucky enough to know someone in my dispatch class that was hired as a dispatcher 4 months after completion with me but he had been with the company for 8 years and held a title of flight attendant manager. He had started on the ramp and worked up. I think the best bet would be stay in delta and network, can’t tell you how many dispatchers I’ve met with about 10 years of experience and they all say the same, you have to be able to pass the personality test and wonderlic to get in, it doesn’t matter how many decades of experience you may have. Personally I’m at crossroads myself and I’m 99% sure I want to get on with delta and even if it takes longer this way rather than getting experience and then trying to get in, from what I gather delta only started hiring externals due to the fact that they didn’t have enough internals, but I’m sure if those numbers change I don’t see them going externals over their own employees. My wife is a delta employee by the way has been there for 3 years and wants to try something else, she saw the opportunity for delta dispatch academy, have you thought about that? After successfully completing the course from within they guarantee you an interview, not a job but you’re guaranteed an interview. That to me sounds like a fantastic idea, if I ever am able to get in I wouldn’t mind doing the academy all over again just to be able to get a face to face. Let me know how it goes and good luck.

 

[Green12324]

Not at Delta, but my strategy of working through the internal path worked out well at a different major. The key for my airline is having operational experience (crew scheduling, routing, etc). I have friends who have been stuck at the regional level for longer than I've been dispatching at all. Like most careers there's no set path. A lot of it comes down to how you sell your skills and experience, and being in the right place at the right time.

 

[CF34-3B1]

I don't think Delta Dispatch is the kind of job you get by starting out with that as the goal.

It worked for at least 15 people I have worked with over the last 4 years.. all external hires into dispatch. Most straight from a regional. A couple were at the same regional then on to another airline, then Delta. It’s certainly difficult, and yeah a lot of people don’t make it there but having a goal of getting hired by Delta and sticking to it does work out for some. It’s just kind of an all or nothing gamble. But so is staying there in a capacity other than dispatch, hoping to get hired into dispatch. It may work, it may not.

Whatever you decide to do, I wish you the best of luck.

 

[kawaii_boner]

I’ve been monitoring the threads and I have to say that this one has enlightened me the most. I’m not a Delta employee, I want to be and most of all become a dispatcher there. I’ve held my license for almost 2 years now and haven’t done anything with it yet. Mostly due to personal situations I needed to solve first. Living in the Atlanta area my goal is to land an entry levers job at delta and growing from within into the OCC, I’ve really considered going with a regional and endeavor is definitely at the top of the list, but I’ve asked around a bunch and networked a bit and it just doesn’t feel like endeavor would make it easier of landing in delta flight ops over being a hire from within. I was lucky enough to know someone in my dispatch class that was hired as a dispatcher 4 months after completion with me but he had been with the company for 8 years and held a title of flight attendant manager. He had started on the ramp and worked up. I think the best bet would be stay in delta and network, can’t tell you how many dispatchers I’ve met with about 10 years of experience and they all say the same, you have to be able to pass the personality test and wonderlic to get in, it doesn’t matter how many decades of experience you may have. Personally I’m at crossroads myself and I’m 99% sure I want to get on with delta and even if it takes longer this way rather than getting experience and then trying to get in, from what I gather delta only started hiring externals due to the fact that they didn’t have enough internals, but I’m sure if those numbers change I don’t see them going externals over their own employees. My wife is a delta employee by the way has been there for 3 years and wants to try something else, she saw the opportunity for delta dispatch academy, have you thought about that? After successfully completing the course from within they guarantee you an interview, not a job but you’re guaranteed an interview. That to me sounds like a fantastic idea, if I ever am able to get in I wouldn’t mind doing the academy all over again just to be able to get a face to face. Let me know how it goes and good luck.

after reading through all the opinions on this thread, I think I totally agree with you on this. While I haven't seen anyone go from TechOps to flight dispatcher (I'm still pretty new) , I have seen several people get great promotions because on the internal hiring process. I think you would stand a much better chance of moving up if you are an internal employee. That being said having some flight operations experience wouldn't be a bad idea. So my next strategy would be to move into crew scheduling or routing and make some friends in the dispatch department until a dispatcher position opens up. Well I just wanted to give you some support on your path. if you're still looking for an entry level position, I would recommend looking into supply attendant at delta techops. It's not glamorous but it will look good on your resume and get you into the company quickly. look at sts aviation group for a contractor position and dm me if you have any other questions thoughts of concerns

 

[LX Sport]

I think the real question, for those who decide to stick with the internal route, is are you willing to end up in a non-dispatch career if you dont get past the tests. Being internal, you probably do have a better chance at getting to take the tests, but it doesnt give you better odds of passing those tests. And if you end up failing them, are you ok with working in another department? Or are you dead-set on dispatch. Waiting, possibly for years, for a chance to only fail, could put you in a poor situation if dispatch is your end game.

Just something to think about.