Interviews and offers...

[chrisreedrules]

Hey guys, I'm new to the whole regional thing. I've applied pretty much everywhere and Ive received offers to interview from a few different places. I have a question though about the interview and class date offer process... If I interview at a bunch of places and get some offers from airlines that aren't exactly at the top of my list, how long is it appropriate to wait to respond to an offer of a class date? I guess I just wouldn't want to wait on an offer from one of the more "desirable" carriers that may never come and in the process miss an opportunity to get into 121 by waiting too long to respond. Should I wait to respond to the offers to interview until I hear back from some more airlines or just go ahead and interview? Sorry if these are stupid questions, but I am just not sure about this... Thanks!

 

[poser765]

Go ahead an interview...even if the invitations aren't from your first pick companies.

Many people say that you should never have your first airline interview with the company you want to work for. I'll testify to this. My first airline interview was with a company I had zero desire to interview with, and I bombed it. I thought I was prepared, just didn't do very well. Hell, one of the questions was "what time was this metar issued in local time?" lol, the only answer I could give them was "sometime between 2 and 4."

I don't know what it was. Nerves, or something maybe? Either way, I was not offered the job. My next interview was with my top pick airline, and knowing a bit more about the process, I aced it.

Go interview, if they offer the job they offer the job, then you can decide. Interviewing is not a commitment to take a position with the company, and if something better comes along you are free to say thanks, but no thanks.

 

[chrisreedrules]

Go ahead an interview...even if the invitations aren't from your first pick companies.

Many people say that you should never have your first airline interview with the company you want to work for. I'll testify to this. My first airline interview was with a company I had zero desire to interview with, and I bombed it. I thought I was prepared, just didn't do very well. Hell, one of the questions was "what time was this metar issued in local time?" lol, the only answer I could give them was "sometime between 2 and 4."

I don't know what it was. Nerves, or something maybe? Either way, I was not offered the job. My next interview was with my top pick airline, and knowing a bit more about the process, I aced it.

Go interview, if they offer the job they offer the job, then you can decide. Interviewing is not a commitment to take a position with the company, and if something better comes along you are free to say thanks, but no thanks.

I agree with you about getting the experience and all... But let's say I get an offer of a class date from an airline that wasn't exactly my top choice. How long is an appropriate time to either accept or pass on their offer? A day or two? A week?

 

[poser765]

I agree with you about getting the experience and all... But let's say I get an offer of a class date from an airline that wasn't exactly my top choice. How long is an appropriate time to either accept or pass on their offer? A day or two? A week?

What is appropriate is however long they are willing to wait to put you into class. I know my company gave us a few options. After like the third attempt, they would just pass on you. I got offered the job, took the second class, and didn't start for about a month and a half from the date the offered me the position.

 

[chrisreedrules]

What is appropriate is however long they are willing to wait to put you into class. I know my company gave us a few options. After like the third attempt, they would just pass on you. I got offered the job, took the second class, and didn't start for about a month and a half from the date the offered me the position.

Ahh I see... So just because they offer me a class date doesn't mean that it will be next week and I can back out any time before class?

 

[poser765]

Ahh I see... So just because they offer me a class date doesn't mean that it will be next week and I can back out any time before class?

Exactly. This isn't the military. you aren't legally obligated to one company just because they offered you a class. Shoot, I've known a few people to leave a job while still in indoc because they got an offer at another carrier. Granted, that is pretty poor form, but it's not like they can stop you.

With that said, if it's someplace you don't want to work, I would think hard about accepting a class date, just out of respect to that company, if that is someplace you really don't want to work.

Sorry, I know that's not really a concrete answer.

 

[ClarkGriswold]

You can bypass for a later class at most places BUT if you are going to straight up turn them down give atleast a 2 week notice until class if you accept one so they can attempt to call someone to fill your spot. Of course that's not always possible but try to atleast.

 

[ian]

the way it was explained to me was that the company is interviewing you, and you are also interviewing the company. Like @ClarkGriswold and @poser765 said. That was my biggest hurdle to overcome coming out of the military. Some people apparently just don't show up to class because they took another offer. I like the idea of giving them time to fill your class spot if you aren't going to make it.

 

[T-Gates]

Some people apparently just don't show up to class because they took another offer.

Which is positively mind boggling.

I like the idea of giving them time to fill your class spot if you aren't going to make it.

Absolutely. There are almost always people who will show up on short notice to fill an empty class spot. There is absolutely nothing wrong with taking a better or different offer, but not having the common courtesy to call and withdraw from class and no-show? Completely unprofessional.

There is probably someone sitting at home, unemployed, waiting on a class, who would drive all through the night if necessary for a chance of getting a paycheck sooner and be 20-30 numbers up the seniority list.

 

[kellwolf]

I'll tell ya what I did, I asked ExpressJet if I could have a week to talk it over with my family just to make sure. I had interviewed at Pinnacle a few days earlier and I hadn't heard back yet. Pinnacle was one of those "out of the blue" interviews where I tossed in the application, and I got an e-mail in 10 minutes asking if I could be at an interview in three days. I was already prepping for the XJT interview at that point, so I figured "Why not? It'll be good practice." I seriously thought I bombed the interview at Pinnacle and everyone hated me. XJT loved me and gave me the offer on the same day as the interview. A lot of regionals were doing that back in the day (circa 2006). Pinnacle would be nice because I could move home and not have to commute. XJT was my #1 choice because they had a better contract, better pay, and the MEM-IAH commute wouldn't have been too horrible.

So, I asked for time just in case. Pinnacle called the next friggin day. So, I talked it over with my wife, my parents, my roommates, and some people I knew at both airlines. Finally decided on Pinnacle (at home,on reserve, on the couch with my wife and kid, which is trademarked by @jtrain609 since he kept reminding me of that when I was waffling over the decision). Called XJT back ASAP to let them know, and they said if I changed my mind, I could even re-apply in 6 months.