I generally followed the path of least resistance when I was breaking into Dispatch. Moving isn't fun but getting some valuable experience at a regional is hard to replace. I remember those old regional days quite fondly with the exception of the pay of course.
If the test scores are good but the interview went poorly, maybe practice interviews some more. That's always been my issue, I can crush the tests these airlines give but when it comes to talking and answering HR questions I get self conscious and give awkward answers (in my opinion) that don't go according to what I panned. It doesn't paint an accurate picture of who I am as a person or a dispatcher, but that's the game we have to play. There are books and youtube channels that do a good job of explaining how to practice, how to answer certain questions etc. If you go to a regional you will gain valuable dispatch experience which may help boost you up a little, but the HR interview will still be a hurdle to clear. Best of luck!
And I’m thinking that’s the biggest pro. Is being able to apply anywhere with the experience that I’ll gain instead of being tied to one company.
I think it’s the same with me. Just awkward when it comes to taking about myself
Can you help me understand the seniority part. From my understanding it’s a different contract from my department now. So as far as bidding and pay scale I’ll be starting from the beginning. At least that was my understanding of it.
Dude, you're at a Major. Be a Major Dude. Stick. Any Major Dude will tell you. If you were asking, should I go be a poet instead of being a carbon dispatcher, my answer would be very different. However, in this economic model, forward is forward. Anything else is backward. Ask any dude who works 10 days a month and gets a ~$15k paycheck every two weeks... with benes! (And for what? As one recent poster stated, to "hold the stick like it was another guy's junk.") [Prophylactic caveat: He may have been joking. It was not entirely clear.]
I believe you read it that the OP is a pilot.
See: "carbon dispatcher". That'll clarify it for you.
At my major, and most airlines, company seniority and dispatch senior can be 2 separate dates for internal hires. The first will determine how much vacation you get per year, standby priority when traveling and other longevity benefits, while your dispatch seniority determines bid order for scheduling etc. In your example, your company seniority will be 2021, while your dispatch seniority will be 2023 meaning you get year 3 vacation time while getting year 1 pay
At my company you go to the bottom for shift bidding purposes. You'd be behind other internals with more seniority, and ahead of other internals with less seniority and/or those hired off the street (they'd have the start date as their hire date). You get to keep your original hire date for bidding vacation which is a difference maker if you were hired pre-COVID. You get to keep that date for pass travel, and amount of vacation annually per your hire date. If you go to a regional you'd be starting completely from scratch.
Okay that makes more sense. Thank you
Thank you for the insight. I know ultimately it’s up to me. It seems more common than I thought. I just didn’t know if it was a bad decision. But from what I’m gathering either way it’s no real bad decision.
