Preparation is key for job interviews and will increase your chances of getting the job. If you haven’t done any preparation, it will be immediately evident to the interviewer. If you want to convey that you have prepared, keep reading below.
Firstly, ask your recruitment consultant for the break-down of the interview. Depending on the airline or region, pilot assessments can be over a course of 1-3 days, so ensure you are provided with the time, date, and location of each interview or assessment. It will be important to know where you need to be and when.
📑 Top Tip: If someone is meeting you on arrival, it is good to have their phone number in case you are delayed.
The amount of research you do for the role will determine how well you do on the day, so it’s important that you don’t leave researching the company and role to the last minute. Not being able to answer a simple question like, “What do you know about our company?” will be an immediate indicator to any interviewer that you have not done any research for the role. As soon as you have received a confirmation email regarding the interview, you should get to work preparing.
With the resources such as the internet or a recruitment consultant, there is no excuse for not preparing fully for an interview. If you are using a recruitment agency, then ask your recruitment consultant to put you in touch with a candidate who has already been through the process. They can give you a first-hand account and usually some great advice on what to expect at various stages of the assessment.
Normally, your recruitment consultant should be able to provide you with study material for the assessments. Some airlines will not allow recruiters to give out screening material, but they can often give general screening preparation to help, such as sample interview questions, or information on the airline and their future expansion plans. They can also direct you to some useful sites that other candidates have found useful.
📑 Top Tips:
Resources: Internet, recruitment consultant, news articles, screening material or social media* (*make sure this is a reliable source)
What to Research: the history of the airline, fleet size and fleet type, number of employees, route network, code share agreements, expansion plans, etc.
Look at different pilot competencies and create answers with examples. Practice these out loud in front of a mirror so you can work on your body language and eye contact. Call your recruitment consultant to do a mock interview or record yourself and send it to them. They can ask you expected questions and listen to your examples. They can advise you on any changes that need to be made to your answers.
📑 Top tip: There are a lot of articles and video on core competency interview questions, so review these and list out your answers for each competency
Technical questions allow the interviewer to evaluate your skill and knowledge level and provide an insight into your problem solving and technical abilities. Prepare for the technical exam by doing technical tests online, or by going through the aircraft handbook. If you are rated on an aircraft, then most technical questions will be on that aircraft rating. However if this role is for another aircraft rating, then it would be beneficial to review some of the specifics for this aircraft also. You may not be required to know all the technical specifications of the new aircraft, but it is expected that you know some.
📑 Top tip: If you know someone in the airline or who has done the interview, reach out to them and ask them what questions came up. Your recruitment consultant should be able to help you also.
Prepare at least one question to ask at the end of the interview. We recommend not asking about salary or benefits. Any question you have regarding this you can ask your recruitment consultant. Ask about future plans, career progression, or life in the airline.
📑 Top tip: This question should portray your interest in the company and show the interviewer that you have researched the company.
Prepare your documents. Ensure your hours are up to date and are signed and stamped in your logbook. Make sure everything is in date and valid. Bring your originals of your. Licence, Medical, Passport, Logbook, and any certificates you may have such as wet drill, etc.
📑 Top tip: Bring two clear, coloured copies of each document with you to the interview.
It might seem trivial, but first impressions do count, so make sure that you look and feel the part. You should dress in the manner that you wish to portray to the interviewer, and as a professional pilot, you should dress appropriately for the work culture.
Clothing should be neat, clean and ironed, and you should avoid loud and flashy colours. If you are unsure on how to dress, ask your recruitment consultant or the person who has organised the interview.
📑 Top tip: Make sure that you feel comfortable and your clothes should fit well so that you look and feel your best during the interview.
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