Common Pilot Interview Mistake #5

Philosophizing!

It is your responsibility to help the interviewer to get to know you. It is not necessarily the interviewer's responsibility to drag information out of you.

How do you become a good information giver?

It is quite straightforward. You must provide specific examples which clearly show how you handle yourself in various situations. The mistake many applicants make is they tend to philosophize their answers instead of being specific.

For example, a pilot interviewee was asked:

"Tell me about a work problem you had and explain how you handled it."

The philosophical answer:"Well, I feel the best way to work a problem is to approach it with a sense of humor and a sense of urgency. Then I like to make sure everyone is on the same page about how to proceed. But I work with a great group of pilots and we really have never had any problems."

Versus the "information giver" answer:

"I remember a trip I flew when I was a corporate pilot. I was responsible for flying two businessmen around the country to a series of business meetings. Unfortunately, on our next to the last leg home, we had to make an unscheduled stop at a small FBO in Iowa due to a mechanical problem. I immediately told the first officer to speak to the passengers regarding the unexpected stop and then had him call the company....." You would then go on to describe how you got the airplane fixed, or how you arranged to get those businessmen home in time for their next meeting. Remember to provide your communication and problem solving skills.

By describing a specific, personal situation, something that happened to you, you will help the interviewer gain insight into how you approach problems and handle conflicts. This is how interviewers get to know the real you.

Information from "Checklist by Success-A Pilots Guide to a Successful Airline Interview" by Cheryl Cage