Preparing for CFI Interview

SpinAware

Member
I have a CFI-I and I will be going for a job interview soon.

However, I am only interested in teaching "Private" only. :confused:


The job interviewer will definitely ask, "Since you are a CFII, why do you want to teach Private?"


Can someone kindly give me some valid and convincing reasons to the interviewer?
 
Well, why don’t YOU want to teach instrument students? What are your reasons for only wanting to teach private. What about commercial? As much of a pain as getting CFI ratings can be, I can’t imagine sitting for a checkride to demonstrate that level of knowledge for a subject I have no desire to teach. I am the proverbial MEII but while I generally prefer teaching instrument students, I wouldn’t expect a place to hire me with the expectation that I would never teach private or commercial students unless the job posting specifically stated that the position is for instrument instruction only. Besides, teaching the same stuff becomes boring and repetitive and I liked teaching different subjects to break up the monotony.

If I was interviewing a CFI candidate and he told me he didn’t want to teach in an area for which he was qualified, it would raise an eyebrow for sure. Especially if it’s a guy with recently obtained certificates. Now, if you’ve been instructing for 5-10 years and have only had one or two instrument students and admitted you weren’t instrument proficient and would need time to become so, well, that’s different than saying that you refuse or don’t ever want to teach instrument students. But if you just recently got the CFI-I and don’t want to teach it, to me that implies either you got it as a gimme from an examiner and you know you’re no good, or much more likely, you just aren’t comfortable with your own instrument skills. In which case I’d give you nothing but instrument students to teach until you overcame your own insecurities and became much more proficient.
 
I have a CFI-I and I will be going for a job interview soon.

However, I am only interested in teaching "Private" only. :confused:


The job interviewer will definitely ask, "Since you are a CFII, why do you want to teach Private?"


Can someone kindly give me some valid and convincing reasons to the interviewer?

How can anyone here provide you answers to a question only you can answer?

What are your reasons for not wanting to teach instrument students? Those should be the answers you give. Anything less than an honest answer is an unacceptable answer in a job interview. But I think you know that.
 
How can anyone here provide you answers to a question only you can answer?
The members here in this forum are smarter than me!

What are your reasons for not wanting to teach instrument students?
If I knew how to answer, I won't start this thread. Make sense?

Anything less than an honest answer is an unacceptable answer in a job interview. But I think you know that.
I already expected such question will be asked. My honest answer is I don't like to teach Instrument. But, I knew that is unacceptable.
 
Well, why don’t YOU want to teach instrument students? What are your reasons for only wanting to teach private. What about commercial?
I can't think of a good reason. I just want to have a simple instructional job but that is not good enough for the interviewer. I am a simple person and I don't want to shoulder too much responsibilities.

As much of a pain as getting CFI ratings can be, I can’t imagine sitting for a checkride to demonstrate that level of knowledge for a subject I have no desire to teach.
Kindly let me gives you a sprinkle touch on this.
Did you know that there are many people who graduated with good college Degree but working in other strange field of career?
Having a MEI or CFI-I is the same too. It does not mean people who are qualified to teach, must be forced to teach in that area. As an interviewer, you should understand. Job interviewers failed to understand job interviewee is asking for a job that s/he is comfortable and willing to do.

I am the proverbial MEII but while I generally prefer teaching instrument students, I wouldn’t expect a place to hire me with the expectation that I would never teach private or commercial students unless the job posting specifically stated that the position is for instrument instruction only. Besides, teaching the same stuff becomes boring and repetitive and I liked teaching different subjects to break up the monotony.
See, that is your preference!
My preference is to teach "Private". Less hassle and worry! But, I hate to explain why it is less hassle & worry if interviewer ask me.
I have not good reason to convince interviewer.

If I was interviewing a CFI candidate and he told me he didn’t want to teach in an area for which he was qualified, it would raise an eyebrow for sure.
I knew such question will be asked and I have to give a valid and convincing reason.


Now, if you’ve been instructing for 5-10 years and have only had one or two instrument students and admitted you weren’t instrument proficient and would need time to become so, well, that’s different than saying that you refuse or don’t ever want to teach instrument students.
Honestly, I have been to a few schools for interview. I have given reason that I am not ready to teach instrument.
It is not a good thing to be too honest.

But if you just recently got the CFI-I and don’t want to teach it, to me that implies either you got it as a gimme from an examiner and you know you’re no good, or much more likely, you just aren’t comfortable with your own instrument skills. In which case I’d give you nothing but instrument students to teach until you overcame your own insecurities and became much more proficient.
I agree with what you said.
However, my CFI-I is not new.
 
I can't think of a good reason. I just want to have a simple instructional job but that is not good enough for the interviewer. I am a simple person and I don't want to shoulder too much responsibilities.

You’re the one who doesn’t want to teach instruments, you’re gonna have to come up with a more valid reason than “I don’t want to” and it’s going to have to be your reason, not someone else’s. Private has an arguably higher burden of responsibility because the person you are instructing is totally depended on you for instruction as they have zero base of knowledge or experience.

Kindly let me gives you a sprinkle touch on this.
Did you know that there are many people who graduated with good college Degree but working in other strange field of career?
Having a MEI or CFI-I is the same too. It does not mean people who are qualified to teach, must be forced to teach in that area. As an interviewer, you should understand. Job interviewers failed to understand job interviewee is asking for a job that s/he is comfortable and willing to do.

I have a degree in engineering that I’ve never used. But if I applied for an engineering job I would fully expect the person doing the interview to ask me why I haven’t worked in engineering for nearly 20 years and I would not expect them to accept the excuses of “I was fully trained and qualified but I didn’t want to” as a reason why I wouldn’t accept an engineering job. But, if I went back to work in engineering and was asked to work on something I’m qualified for (theoretically at least because of my education and training) but hadn't done in a while the excuse of “I don’t wanna” would probably, and rightfully, get me fired. If you have a double I, and truely don’t feel qualified, go down to your local FSDO and have them remove it from your CFI certificate. Then you'll no longer be qualified to teach instruments and you won’t have to justify why you don’t wanna do it. It will limit your job opportunities but at least it will provide you the solid reason why you can’t/won’t teach instrument students.

The person who needs to hire the CFI though is going to be the one deciding what type of instructing they are hiring for. Sure, you as an applicant can narrow your search to places that just hire CFIs to teach private, but most flight schools teach more than just private pilots and quite frankly they lose customers fast if people ask about training for instrument and other ratings and they have to say no because the CFI doesn’t want to because, while he’s supposedly fully qualified, he doesn’t want to teach it because he’s afraid. Quite frankly as an interviewee I don’t care what kind of job the applicant wants, I know what kind of job I need filled and I’m there to determine if the applicant meets the qualifications and would be a good fit for the company.

See, that is your preference!
My preference is to teach "Private". Less hassle and worry! But, I hate to explain why it is less hassle & worry if interviewer ask me.
I have not good reason to convince interviewer.

Depends on the what the person hiring is looking for. If the job posting says “for private pilot instruction” then it doesn’t matter if you have a CFI-I or MEI. But if the job posting is for flight instructor and they make it clear they want more than just a primary instructor then you’re probably out of luck.

I knew such question will be asked and I have to give a valid and convincing reason.

“I don’t wanna” isn’t a valid reason sadly and I can’t think of one other than that. It might work, but given most places are hard up for instructors who have double I and ME ratings, if they can only hire one guy it won’t be the guy who doesn’t wanna teach advanced ratings. Busier flight schools might eventually work your way into only teaching private, but it’s not gonna happen right away and quite frankly it may take proving your own inadequacy in teaching instruments before the school chooses to have you only teach private, but that’s not an enviable situation to be in.

Honestly, I have been to a few schools for interview. I have given reason that I am not ready to teach instrument. It is not a good thing to be too honest.

CFIs who can teach private are a dime a dozen. CFIs who can teach instrument and multi are rarer and sometimes much harder to find, plus they are in higher demand and so have more choices of where to work.

If you have a double I and are current you should be able, and it’s not unreasonable for schools to expect, to teach instrument students. Same with an ME. I’m not gonna force you to teach them, but I will make clear as part of the application and interview process that, at the very least, from time to time you will be given those kinds of students because those kinds of students make the flight school money. If you’re not prepared to say yes to teaching then, I simply won’t offer you the job.
 
If you don’t feel confident accepting the responsibilities for which you’ve been trained and are licensed, why would I want to hire you to meet the need of my business?

If you’re afraid to teach the things you’re licensed to teach, why would I want to hire you to meet the need of my business?

If you limit the services my business can offer to prospective students because you lack confidence in your abilities, despite training and licensing, and are afraid to teach the things you’re licensed to teach, why would I hire you?

“ ... it does not mean that people qualified to teach must be forced to teach in that area. As an interviewer you should understand ... “

Is this your first job? Serious question.

Companies hire those who can help them accomplish their mission and prosper. They don’t hire based on the comfort level of those who apply for the job.
 
If you have multiple instructor ratings than your future employer has every reasonable expectation that you are fully qualified, willing and able to teach in those areas you’re certified to teach. If not, you’re wasting their time and they need to know up front. Even if hired as a CFI, most want and expect you to get the CFII and even the MEI soon after employment. This makes their school more marketable then the next school.

I suspect the issue here is you don’t have much experience, and therefore, much depth of “book” and actual experience knowledge to draw from in order to be truly be proficient in teaching instrument students. You know how you become proficient? Get in the books, take every instrument student you can get, fly on cloudy days and teach in actual conditions. Get comfortable with it. That’s what a “professional pilot” does and you are a “professional pilot, aren’t you? Eventually it’ll be a non event for you.

Personally, I’d rather teach instrument procedures than basic maneuvers for the Private pilot license. Yea, it’s more challenging and therefore, ultimately more rewarding.
 
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