📞 THE KEYS TO NAILING THE PHONE INTERVIEW The Reality: Many airlines conduct phone screenings before inviting you to in-person interviews. These 15-30 minute calls eliminate 30-40% of applicants. WHO DOES PHONE SCREENINGS: Always: - Regional airlines - Cargo carriers (FedEx, UPS) - Corporate flight departments - Some international carriers Sometimes: - Major airlines (for non-traditional candidates) - When application raises questions - High-volume hiring periods Never: - Strong flow candidates - Internal recommendations with clean records - When you're specifically recruited WHAT THEY'RE EVALUATING: ✅ Communication Skills (40%) - Clear, concise responses - Professional phone manner - Appropriate tone and pace - No filler words  ✅ Interest and Preparation (30%) - Knowledge of their company - Genuine enthusiasm - Thoughtful questions - Career clarity ✅ Red Flags (20%) - Unprofessional background noise  - Poor attitude or negativity - Badmouthing current or former employers - Inconsistencies with application ✅ Basic Qualifications (10%) - Verify hours claimed  - Confirm availability - Check citizenship/work authorization - Medical status THE PHONE SCREENING PROCESS: When They'll Call: - Sometimes with little or no advance notice - Business hours (9 AM - 5 PM their timezone) - Could be any day within 2 weeks of application - Sometimes from restricted/unknown number Who's Calling: - HR recruiter (most common) - Pilot recruiter - Chief pilot office - Staffing coordinator Duration: - 15-30 minutes typically - Longer if issues need clarification - Shorter if obvious rejection THE PREPARATION PROTOCOL: From the moment you submit your application: 📱 Phone Readiness: - Answer ALL unknown numbers professionally - Voicemail must be professional - Phone charged and working - Good signal strength at home/work - Check your email daily for additional information, don’t forget your spam folder

When an airline inquires about training failures, it’s reasonable to assume that they’re referring to checkride failures, as well as 141 stage checks. However, what about Part 61 school stage checks? These aren’t considered official stage checks from the FAA’s perspective; they’re simply the school’s internal procedures. Should I bring these up during the interview as well?

When an airline inquires about any incidents or accidents, do they specifically mean NTSB-reportable ones (and those that appear on the PRD) or are they also interested in including minor fender-bender incidents? For instance, if I accidentally scratched a wingtip on a post, I’m concerned that some job descriptions require no incidents within the past five years, which could potentially disqualify me.

Hello everyone, I'm Todd. I'm recently certified as a CFI and I'm looking for an instructing job in the Seattle area, as well as preparing to apply for the Horizon Air Pilot Development Program in January. I've joined the Masterclass Digital Course and I'm excited to join this community!