Regional or Internal?

[Jetson]

Hey Everyone!

Have been a visitor here for some time and figured it’s time to make a post. I just finished up my oral and practical a little over a week ago and am waiting on my card in the mail. First, I’d like to say that I have learned so much from this forum throughout the whole process both from reading through the posts and from a few members directly via PM—so thank you!


Now it’s time to make some moves. I’m currently going on 3 years on the Ramp for Southwest. I would love to stay here and transition into Dispatch, which was my initial game plan, but I know that there are probably 100 others with the same goal and it’s probably a long line of people that are already positioned better than me. With my fresh new license in hand, it’s hard to sit on the sidelines hoping for a chance to play when I am so excited and eager to actually start dispatching! I don’t want to shoot myself in the foot by leaving pre-emptively, but I’ve also heard that the mega classes of 20 and 40 that I just missed the boat on are over for the foreseeable future—which makes my chances seem even grimmer.


I’ve started shooting my resume out to places that are maybe still a bit out of my league, but ones that I wouldn't have to think too hard about leaving Southwest to go pursue. I’m not expecting to hear much back but hey…it's a start. I haven't started applying to regionals yet because I'm nervous that if I were lucky enough to get an offer, that I would turn it down because I'm not yet ready to leave Southwest and I don't want to burn any bridges.



I know there is no right answer or sure-shot direction to take, I guess I’m just curious what you guys would do in my situation and am fielding for any advice in general. I would hate to see the trend return to internal hiring only, having given up my internal candidacy--but it’s also making me anxious watching all of the regional postings come and go, wondering when that’s going to start drying up also. I do have a great attendance record and strong relationships with my supervisors—maybe this could give me a leg up as an external candidate re-applying in the future with some real experience? I'm not sure what their philosophies are as far as re-hiring in this kind of situation.


Anyway, thanks everyone! Looking forward to any help and responses! (sorry for the wall of text)

 

[Flagship_dxer]

Ive written a lot on this here if you want to go back on look at my recent postings. You need to decide if you want to work for Southwest or be a dispatcher. As an internal, its like winning the lottery with the odds of getting in. Many people working in crew scheduling and other groups close to dispatch have a lot of people trying to get into dispatch. Outside of the NOC groups, a lot of the people hired from station ops and flight attendants have 2-3 decades of time in the company at time of hire into dispatch. You might get in with three years on the ramp but your odds arent very good. The current manager of dispatch for Southwest worked at United and Air Tran. He values external dispatch experience more than managers in the past may have. This leaves fewer spots for internals than there were previously.

If you want to be a dispatcher, go work for the regionals, supplementals and get experience. If you want to work for Southwest and dont care if you ever get into dispatch, stay where you are.

 

[manniax]

I know there is no right answer or sure-shot direction to take, I guess I’m just curious what you guys would do in my situation and am fielding for any advice in general. I would hate to see the trend return to internal hiring only, having given up my internal candidacy--but it’s also making me anxious watching all of the regional postings come and go, wondering when that’s going to start drying up also. I do have a great attendance record and strong relationships with my supervisors—maybe this could give me a leg up as an external candidate re-applying in the future with some real experience? I'm not sure what their philosophies are as far as re-hiring in this kind of situation.

You might look into transferring into a position in Southwest's SOCC in something like crew scheduling and try and move into dispatch from there. That way you will at least be working in the same room as the dispatchers and can make contacts for when they have dispatch openings posted, which might give you a leg up in being selected to take the test and interview. Alternatively you could try and get on with a local regional airline like Envoy, but stay on part time with Southwest so maintain your internal status there. However I don't think Envoy is actively hiring right now. I will defer to others who are working at Southwest (or Envoy) for more detailed advice.

 

[Sandydfw]

Last I heard Envoy was over staffed but they are not retiring as many planes as they had originally planned so that may changed.

 

[stunnershow]

Hey Everyone!

Have been a visitor here for some time and figured it’s time to make a post. I just finished up my oral and practical a little over a week ago and am waiting on my card in the mail. First, I’d like to say that I have learned so much from this forum throughout the whole process both from reading through the posts and from a few members directly via PM—so thank you!


Now it’s time to make some moves. I’m currently going on 3 years on the Ramp for Southwest. I would love to stay here and transition into Dispatch, which was my initial game plan, but I know that there are probably 100 others with the same goal and it’s probably a long line of people that are already positioned better than me. With my fresh new license in hand, it’s hard to sit on the sidelines hoping for a chance to play when I am so excited and eager to actually start dispatching! I don’t want to shoot myself in the foot by leaving pre-emptively, but I’ve also heard that the mega classes of 20 and 40 that I just missed the boat on are over for the foreseeable future—which makes my chances seem even grimmer.


I’ve started shooting my resume out to places that are maybe still a bit out of my league, but ones that I wouldn't have to think too hard about leaving Southwest to go pursue. I’m not expecting to hear much back but hey…it's a start. I haven't started applying to regionals yet because I'm nervous that if I were lucky enough to get an offer, that I would turn it down because I'm not yet ready to leave Southwest and I don't want to burn any bridges.



I know there is no right answer or sure-shot direction to take, I guess I’m just curious what you guys would do in my situation and am fielding for any advice in general. I would hate to see the trend return to internal hiring only, having given up my internal candidacy--but it’s also making me anxious watching all of the regional postings come and go, wondering when that’s going to start drying up also. I do have a great attendance record and strong relationships with my supervisors—maybe this could give me a leg up as an external candidate re-applying in the future with some real experience? I'm not sure what their philosophies are as far as re-hiring in this kind of situation.


Anyway, thanks everyone! Looking forward to any help and responses! (sorry for the wall of text)

I WAS literally in your shoes with swa about 3 months ago, I tested 2 rounds and unlucky me, did not make the cut. but i landed at a good regional in STL. Flagship_dxer is right. go back and check out some other members storys and decide for yourself. I would stay only to get more info or experience on the dispatch noc or take the dispatch entrance exam for practice. but get real dispatch experience as fast as you can. dont put all your eggs in one basket even if its a gold basket like swa. word on the street is DL/AA/UA will open the flood gates for dispatch coming soon. and everyone without some 121 time under their belt will be left high and dry.....(just a rumor)

 

[LX Sport]

Like Flagship, Ive come from a similar situation and have shared my story here a couple times, so I wont go into to much detail here....

soo...short answer, leave the ramp and get on with a regional. Put in your time, gain experience and try to get on with a major. Its a hard move to make, I know, but its the right move. You are so far behind the curve playing the internal game. It seems to me you want people to tell you to stick it out at SWA, but if you really want to dispatch, go dispatch. If you dont want to leave SWA and MAYBE someday...way down the line...get in dispatch with SWA, then stick it out, but get off the ramp and get into an operational role.

But keep in mind that SWA tests their dispatch candidates, on dispatch related topics....so consider if you get picked to test a couple years down the line (or more) are you still going to remember everything you learned from school? That test is not easy for someone without any actual experience.

 

[belgiumania]

The age old question. And the answer is: there is no answer.

Really it depends on the airline, the person, the connections, but above all else it depends on your timing which is - for better or worse - entirely out of your control. Maybe airline X is known throughout the industry for only hiring internals but they just brought on a new manager who only wants to hire those with experience. Maybe airline Y typically hires a mix of internal/externals but they find themselves with a glut of good people with good recommendations from inside the company this round and they don't pick up anyone from outside. Either way someone's plans are getting screwed with.

IMO the question in your situation becomes do you ONLY want to work for one specific airline, or are you open to others? Make that decision and you can plan from there.

 

[TaxiBack]

I know many along the same path as you. Some still ramping, hoping, others dispatching, doing.
With your exp at WN, if you apply later from some regional with 2-3 yrs exp dispatching, you are gonna be golden.
Yes, I know some who did just that. Say goodbye Mama Orange and jump ship.

Big picture, the passenger airline service, specifically, the regionals, are going to change along with their Major benefactors. The entire landscape will
be different in 3 years. Passenger airlines. Didn't say boxes. Be cool Purple. You're fine.
Think of the shrinking ice cap and those lonely polar bears. Are you gonna go in search of more ice and cooler climes, or will you adapt and shed some fur?

boom. (or boo)

 

[CRJInTheHeartOfTexas]

You might look into transferring into a position in Southwest's SOCC in something like crew scheduling and try and move into dispatch from there. That way you will at least be working in the same room as the dispatchers and can make contacts for when they have dispatch openings posted, which might give you a leg up in being selected to take the test and interview. Alternatively you could try and get on with a local regional airline like Envoy, but stay on part time with Southwest so maintain your internal status there. However I don't think Envoy is actively hiring right now. I will defer to others who are working at Southwest (or Envoy) for more detailed advice.

+1 . this is exactly my plan.

 

[stunnershow]

I know many along the same path as you. Some still ramping, hoping, others dispatching, doing.
With your exp at WN, if you apply later from some regional with 2-3 yrs exp dispatching, you are gonna be golden.
Yes, I know some who did just that. Say goodbye Mama Orange and jump ship.

Big picture, the passenger airline service, specifically, the regionals, are going to change along with their Major benefactors. The entire landscape will
be different in 3 years. Passenger airlines. Didn't say boxes. Be cool Purple. You're fine.
Think of the shrinking ice cap and those lonely polar bears. Are you gonna go in search of more ice and cooler climes, or will you adapt and shed some fur?

boom. (or boo)

Please elaborate......
I hear big changes are coming but I don't see them as doom and gloom as some others do, or maybe we have different views of the same coin. The pilot shortage will play a big part but so will the gazillions (est quote) of planes the majors and some royal regionals are ordering. I agree the bottom will fall out at some point. Happy days can't last forever.....I give it 4/5 yrs tops


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[R2D]

I went the internal route, but would have left if the right opportunity had presented itself earlier. I am glad I didn't, though. There is definitely stiff competition, especially coming off the ramp where you likely don't have many connections. I stuck it out and was rewarded, but everyone's case is different. If you get to an interview, it shouldn't matter what department you work in, but it isn't that way in reality. They do award people positions because of longevity with the company and 'paying your dues' in a lesser position.

Show them you're better than the competition if you get to an interview.

 

[Flying Saluki]

Hey Everyone!

Have been a visitor here for some time and figured it’s time to make a post. I just finished up my oral and practical a little over a week ago and am waiting on my card in the mail. First, I’d like to say that I have learned so much from this forum throughout the whole process both from reading through the posts and from a few members directly via PM—so thank you!


Now it’s time to make some moves. I’m currently going on 3 years on the Ramp for Southwest. I would love to stay here and transition into Dispatch, which was my initial game plan, but I know that there are probably 100 others with the same goal and it’s probably a long line of people that are already positioned better than me. With my fresh new license in hand, it’s hard to sit on the sidelines hoping for a chance to play when I am so excited and eager to actually start dispatching! I don’t want to shoot myself in the foot by leaving pre-emptively, but I’ve also heard that the mega classes of 20 and 40 that I just missed the boat on are over for the foreseeable future—which makes my chances seem even grimmer.


I’ve started shooting my resume out to places that are maybe still a bit out of my league, but ones that I wouldn't have to think too hard about leaving Southwest to go pursue. I’m not expecting to hear much back but hey…it's a start. I haven't started applying to regionals yet because I'm nervous that if I were lucky enough to get an offer, that I would turn it down because I'm not yet ready to leave Southwest and I don't want to burn any bridges.



I know there is no right answer or sure-shot direction to take, I guess I’m just curious what you guys would do in my situation and am fielding for any advice in general. I would hate to see the trend return to internal hiring only, having given up my internal candidacy--but it’s also making me anxious watching all of the regional postings come and go, wondering when that’s going to start drying up also. I do have a great attendance record and strong relationships with my supervisors—maybe this could give me a leg up as an external candidate re-applying in the future with some real experience? I'm not sure what their philosophies are as far as re-hiring in this kind of situation.


Anyway, thanks everyone! Looking forward to any help and responses! (sorry for the wall of text)

If I were in your situation, I would stay with Southwest. There are a lot of interesting career paths in an airline. Leverage your position as a Southwest employee to explore some of them. Maybe you'll find something you'd like better than dispatch. Maybe you won't. In any case, as others have said, it's better to be working for a company where the name on the paycheck matches the paint on the side of the plane.