mrivc211
Well-Known Member
Skywest\' newest First Officer!
Well folks, it's official! I got the letter in the mail today and I'm happy to say I was offered a position as first officer in the EMB-120 for Skywest. It's been a long and hard battle, but it isn't over. I was waiting on posting about this until I got the official letter. Here's how the interview went:
March 2nd- Arrive in Salt Lake and go straight to the hotel, unpack, go straight to bed.
March 3rd- Up at 7am-did some last minute studying and got some last minute SIM fresher. By the way, I got a total of 5 hours in the SIM which pretty much got me the job.
March 4th- the Big Day! Up at 6am left the hotel at 7am and showed up at the Hangar at 7:15am. The show time was 8am but I was taking no chances. I was the first one there, and at about 7:30 people started wandering in. You could kinda tell who was who because all the people going for the interview were in suits, and all the pilots there for upgrade training were giving us a hard time. (We had a HUGE amount of pilots upgrading- with 30 jets coming this year, and 29 the next, it's probably going to be like this for a while).
Once everyone was there we all kinda started talking with each other. Typical questions like where are you from, whats your time, where are you currently flying, etc.
Then in came a gentlemen that quickly passed out the 50 question ATP test. It was right down to business. We all took the test which took about 45 minutes. Then we took the 20 question mechanical aptitude test. After that, was the psychological test. The first two required studying, and the last didn't.
After the tests were complete we all took a break and the Skywest interviewers introduced themselves. There were a few CRJ Captains, and Camielle Ence who is in charge of many things at SKywest, one thing among them is hiring pilots. All of these people greeted us with the utmost respect and told us all that we were on an even playing field regardless of times and types of aircraft flown. They tried to put us all at ease with some funny jokes, but I think it was merely an ice breaker, because most of us were pretty nervous.
They thoroughly talked about the company, where it began, and where it is headed. Then the type of aircraft, the pay, and the bases. It was then that they said everyone is placed on seniority based on SSN's when they begin their ground school(with the except of me because I was an employee so I got placed at the top of the list automatically)
He explained how the day would consist of a Technical interview, a SIM evaluation, and an HR interview. Each interviewee would be pulled from the room of applicants at random and taken for that phase in no particular order. In other words one guy would go to the SIM the other the Tech etc. They would simply pull your file and come get you.
So at about 11am, I was called for the technical interview. I won't go into too much detail about it since they asked us not too, but let me say this, it was the hardest, most excriciating, pyschologically stressful event of my life. Things were being anylized over and over. Here's the thing about Skywest. They are looking for the best. You could show up to the interview and be awesome at what you do, but if your not a all around good person, they can see right through it. When I mean well rounded, I mean, knowledge, experience, PERSONALITY, etc. Not just how many hours you have or what type of airplane you fly.
The technical interview lasted about one hour, then we broke for lunch. After lunch we came back and went over some Approach plates, and enroute charts. Then came the HR interview. Since Camielle was busy with another applicant, I did both the tech and HR with the same Captain. He asked me questions like why skywest, where do you see yourself in 3-5 years(Captain in an RJ), how many times have you been late to work in the last year(0), how many times have you called in sick(0) etc etc. Gave me a scenario like your the captain and a passenger brings a cat on board and F/A is allergic to Cats what do you do. Skywest allows pets inside the cabin.
After the HR interview, I went back in the room and sat and waited and waited and waited. They had already sent home 2 people and let me tell you it was thee most uncomfortable situation you could ever imagine.
So finally, around 3 pm, they called me for the SIM. I told myself, relax, you can do this, show them what your made of! Knock'em dead. I tunneled out everyone and everything from my head and went in there VERY FOCUSED. We sat down, he gave me two approaches to look at, and said I will give you one of these in 5 minutes. When he came back, I was ready and we began. He started asking me questions like when do you have to file alternate for takeoff and destination. typical ATP type questions. Can you legally continue the approach at such and such point. Why or why not.
Then we started the actual SIM. I had to act as PIC so I pretty much did everything. It went something like this:
ATIS
Clearance
Brief the Approach(including the missed)
Brief emergencies and pilot duties & responsibilities.
(FO-you call out my V-speeds, monitor instruments etc)
Pretakeoff checklist
Takeoff
Get Vectored- cleared for the approach 1.5 miles away from NDB. We were too close so I ask to be revectored. He kept throwing things at me to see what I would do.
Then I got an updated ATIS before landing. Wx was below mins. Gave me holding instructions. Did the hold. Then wx went back above mins.
Came in for approach, again, throwing little things here and there like not giving landing clearance and waiting for you to ask for one. Came down to DA and he said Approach lights in sight,went 100 above TDZE, then he said nothing in sight go missed. Did the missed, then did the full hold off the missed.
After about 40 minutes I knew the ride was over when he gave me instructions to do a 90 degree bank to the right which spun me out. He laughed and said good job.
So that was it, there are other little details that aren't worth mentioning, but all in all, it was the most stressful month fo my life. I really wanted to work for this specific airline for a very very long time and was willing to do what ever it took and go where ever I had to go.
I remember going to sleep at night dreaming about taking off in the Brasilia being a skywest pilot less than two years ago, and here I am, awaiting a class.
The best advice I can give is work hard, don't let anyone stand in your way, sometimes the best adivce is your own, and as Doug Says, network, network, network!
If any of you have personal questions feel free to email me.
Well folks, it's official! I got the letter in the mail today and I'm happy to say I was offered a position as first officer in the EMB-120 for Skywest. It's been a long and hard battle, but it isn't over. I was waiting on posting about this until I got the official letter. Here's how the interview went:
March 2nd- Arrive in Salt Lake and go straight to the hotel, unpack, go straight to bed.
March 3rd- Up at 7am-did some last minute studying and got some last minute SIM fresher. By the way, I got a total of 5 hours in the SIM which pretty much got me the job.
March 4th- the Big Day! Up at 6am left the hotel at 7am and showed up at the Hangar at 7:15am. The show time was 8am but I was taking no chances. I was the first one there, and at about 7:30 people started wandering in. You could kinda tell who was who because all the people going for the interview were in suits, and all the pilots there for upgrade training were giving us a hard time. (We had a HUGE amount of pilots upgrading- with 30 jets coming this year, and 29 the next, it's probably going to be like this for a while).
Once everyone was there we all kinda started talking with each other. Typical questions like where are you from, whats your time, where are you currently flying, etc.
Then in came a gentlemen that quickly passed out the 50 question ATP test. It was right down to business. We all took the test which took about 45 minutes. Then we took the 20 question mechanical aptitude test. After that, was the psychological test. The first two required studying, and the last didn't.
After the tests were complete we all took a break and the Skywest interviewers introduced themselves. There were a few CRJ Captains, and Camielle Ence who is in charge of many things at SKywest, one thing among them is hiring pilots. All of these people greeted us with the utmost respect and told us all that we were on an even playing field regardless of times and types of aircraft flown. They tried to put us all at ease with some funny jokes, but I think it was merely an ice breaker, because most of us were pretty nervous.
They thoroughly talked about the company, where it began, and where it is headed. Then the type of aircraft, the pay, and the bases. It was then that they said everyone is placed on seniority based on SSN's when they begin their ground school(with the except of me because I was an employee so I got placed at the top of the list automatically)
He explained how the day would consist of a Technical interview, a SIM evaluation, and an HR interview. Each interviewee would be pulled from the room of applicants at random and taken for that phase in no particular order. In other words one guy would go to the SIM the other the Tech etc. They would simply pull your file and come get you.
So at about 11am, I was called for the technical interview. I won't go into too much detail about it since they asked us not too, but let me say this, it was the hardest, most excriciating, pyschologically stressful event of my life. Things were being anylized over and over. Here's the thing about Skywest. They are looking for the best. You could show up to the interview and be awesome at what you do, but if your not a all around good person, they can see right through it. When I mean well rounded, I mean, knowledge, experience, PERSONALITY, etc. Not just how many hours you have or what type of airplane you fly.
The technical interview lasted about one hour, then we broke for lunch. After lunch we came back and went over some Approach plates, and enroute charts. Then came the HR interview. Since Camielle was busy with another applicant, I did both the tech and HR with the same Captain. He asked me questions like why skywest, where do you see yourself in 3-5 years(Captain in an RJ), how many times have you been late to work in the last year(0), how many times have you called in sick(0) etc etc. Gave me a scenario like your the captain and a passenger brings a cat on board and F/A is allergic to Cats what do you do. Skywest allows pets inside the cabin.
After the HR interview, I went back in the room and sat and waited and waited and waited. They had already sent home 2 people and let me tell you it was thee most uncomfortable situation you could ever imagine.
So finally, around 3 pm, they called me for the SIM. I told myself, relax, you can do this, show them what your made of! Knock'em dead. I tunneled out everyone and everything from my head and went in there VERY FOCUSED. We sat down, he gave me two approaches to look at, and said I will give you one of these in 5 minutes. When he came back, I was ready and we began. He started asking me questions like when do you have to file alternate for takeoff and destination. typical ATP type questions. Can you legally continue the approach at such and such point. Why or why not.
Then we started the actual SIM. I had to act as PIC so I pretty much did everything. It went something like this:
ATIS
Clearance
Brief the Approach(including the missed)
Brief emergencies and pilot duties & responsibilities.
(FO-you call out my V-speeds, monitor instruments etc)
Pretakeoff checklist
Takeoff
Get Vectored- cleared for the approach 1.5 miles away from NDB. We were too close so I ask to be revectored. He kept throwing things at me to see what I would do.
Then I got an updated ATIS before landing. Wx was below mins. Gave me holding instructions. Did the hold. Then wx went back above mins.
Came in for approach, again, throwing little things here and there like not giving landing clearance and waiting for you to ask for one. Came down to DA and he said Approach lights in sight,went 100 above TDZE, then he said nothing in sight go missed. Did the missed, then did the full hold off the missed.
After about 40 minutes I knew the ride was over when he gave me instructions to do a 90 degree bank to the right which spun me out. He laughed and said good job.
So that was it, there are other little details that aren't worth mentioning, but all in all, it was the most stressful month fo my life. I really wanted to work for this specific airline for a very very long time and was willing to do what ever it took and go where ever I had to go.
I remember going to sleep at night dreaming about taking off in the Brasilia being a skywest pilot less than two years ago, and here I am, awaiting a class.
The best advice I can give is work hard, don't let anyone stand in your way, sometimes the best adivce is your own, and as Doug Says, network, network, network!
If any of you have personal questions feel free to email me.
