Your Aviation Career Insider - 2nd Edition

Jan 8 (edited) • Newsletters

📞 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

Professional Voicemail: "You've reached John Smith. Please leave your name and number, and I'll return your call promptly. Thank you."

❌ Bad Voicemail: Music, jokes, casual tone, kids screaming, long messages

Environment Control: When you answer unknown numbers:

Find quiet space immediately
If at work: "May I call you back in 5 minutes?"
If driving: "I'm driving, may I call back when I'm parked?"
If noisy location: "Give me one moment to find a quiet space."

NEVER take the call in:

Noisy locations (airport, restaurant, bar)
Your car while driving
With distractions around
When you can't focus completely

THE CALL STRUCTURE:

Opening (2 minutes):

They say: "Hi, this is Sarah from SkyWest recruiting. Is this a good time to talk for about 20 minutes?"

✅ Good Response: "Yes, absolutely. Thank you for calling. Let me just close my office door." [or move to quiet space]

❌ Bad Response: "Uh, sure I guess..." [TV in background] "Yeah hold on..." [rustling, chaos]

Middle - Questions (15-20 minutes):

Common Phone Screen Questions:

"Walk me through your flying background."
"Why [Airline]?"
"What do you know about our company?"
"Are you interviewing with other airlines?"
"When could you start training?"
"Tell me about your current position."
"Have you ever failed a checkride?"
"Any gaps in your employment we should discuss?"
"Do you have any questions for me?"

Closing (2 minutes):

They say: "We'll be in touch about next steps. Any final questions?"

✅ Good Response: "Thank you so much for this opportunity. I'm very excited about [Airline] and look forward to hearing from you. What's the typical timeline for next steps?"

❌ Bad Response: "Cool, thanks." [hangs up] "So when do I get the interview?"

POST-CALL ACTIONS:

Within 1 Hour:

Write down every question asked
Note your answers
Identify what went well/poorly
Document the timeline they mentioned
Get interviewer's email if provided

Within 24 Hours:

Send thank-you email if you have contact info
Update your preparation based on questions
Research any topics you struggled with

PHONE SCREENING RED FLAGS:

❌ Instant Disqualification:

Unprofessional voicemail
Drunk or impaired
Rude or hostile tone
Can't find quiet space
Don't know basic company info
Badmouth current/previous employers
Lie or contradict application

❌ Major Concerns:

Excessive filler words ("um," "like," "you know")
Long, rambling answers
Can't articulate why interested
No questions for them
Negative attitude
Distracted or multitasking

❌ Minor Issues (Fixable):

Slightly too casual tone
Brief background noise at start
Minor nervousness
One weak answer

THE DO'S AND DON'TS:

DO: ✅ Answer professionally: "This is John." ✅ Find quiet space before beginning ✅ Have pen and paper ready ✅ Smile while talking (they can hear it) ✅ Match their energy level ✅ Be concise but complete ✅ Ask clarifying questions if needed ✅ Express genuine enthusiasm ✅ Have your application in front of you ✅ Stand up while talking (better voice projection)

DON'T: ❌ Answer "Yeah?" or "Hello?" ❌ Keep TV/radio on in background ❌ Eat, drink, or chew gum ❌ Let pets/kids interrupt ❌ Put them on hold multiple times ❌ Give one-word answers ❌ Ramble for 5 minutes per question ❌ Badmouth anyone or anything ❌ Ask about pay/schedule first ❌ Lie or exaggerate

THE QUIET SPACE SCRIPT:

If they call when you're not ready:

"Thank you so much for calling. I'm very interested in speaking with you, but I'm currently in [situation]. Could I call you back in [timeframe] when I can give you my undivided attention?"

They'll respect this. Better to delay 15 minutes than take a call in chaos.

PREPARATION CHECKLIST:

☑️ Phone Setup:

Professional voicemail recorded
Phone charged daily
Ringer volume appropriate
Quiet space identified at home/work

☑️ Research Completed:

Company basics (fleet, bases, culture)
Recent news (last 30 days)
Your "why this airline" answer prepared
3 intelligent questions ready

☑️ Materials Ready:

Your application printed
Logbook totals written down and available
Pen and paper for notes
Company website bookmarked

☑️ Answers Prepared:

~ 2 minute background summary
"Why this airline" (1-2 minutes)
Availability and timeline
Questions about employment gaps if applicable
Checkride failures explanation if applicable

SAMPLE PHONE SCREEN - COMPLETE FLOW:

RECRUITER: "Hi, this is Sarah from United recruiting. Is this John Smith?"

YOU: "Yes, this is John. Hi Sarah."

RECRUITER: "Great. Do you have about 20 minutes to talk about your application?"

YOU: "Absolutely. Let me just step into a quiet room." [Move to quiet space] "Okay, I'm ready."

RECRUITER: "Perfect. First, can you walk me through your flying background?"

YOU: "Sure. I started my aviation career in 2018 at the age of X at Y airport where I earned my private through CFI. I instructed for 2 years building about 1,500 hours and completed my ATP-CTP. In 2020, I was hired by Regional X where I've been flying the CRJ-900 for the past 4 years. I currently have 4,200 total hours, including 3,800 turbine and 2,100 PIC. I'm a check airman and mentor pilot for new first officers."

RECRUITER: "Excellent. What interests you about United specifically?"

YOU: "Three main things: First, United's global route network offers the most diverse flying opportunities, which aligns with my long-term career goals. Second, I appreciate United's emphasis on training and professional development—several mentors I respect speak highly of the culture. Finally, the Denver base is important to me personally as my family is in Colorado."

RECRUITER: "Good. Are you interviewing with other airlines?"

YOU: "I've applied to a few carriers, but United is my top choice because of the network and DEN base. The timing feels right in my career to make this move."

RECRUITER: "When could you start training if offered?"

YOU: "I'd need to provide two weeks notice to my current employer, so realistically within 3-4 weeks of an offer. I'm flexible beyond that."

RECRUITER: "Great. Do you have any questions for me?"

YOU: "Yes, thank you. What does United look for most in successful candidates during the interview process? And what's the typical timeline from phone screen to interview?"

RECRUITER: "Good questions. We look for professionalism, strong technical knowledge, and culture fit. Timeline is typically 4-6 weeks to interview. We'll be in touch about next steps. Any other questions?"

YOU: "Just one more—what's the best way to prepare for the in-person interview?"

RECRUITER: "We'll send you a pilot interview guide if you're invited. That will outline everything. We'll be in touch, John. Thanks for your time."

YOU: "Thank you so much, Sarah. I really appreciate the opportunity and look forward to hearing from you."

POST-CALL TIMELINE:

Good Sign:

Positive tone throughout
Recruiter engaged and asked follow-ups
Mentioned specific next steps
Gave you timeline
Invited your questions

Neutral Sign:

Professional but brief
Minimal engagement
Generic closing
"We'll be in touch"

Bad Sign:

Rushed or cut short
Seemed disengaged
No mention of next steps
No timeline provided
Ended very abruptly

FOLLOW-UP:

If you got their email: Send thank you within 24 hours:

"Dear Sarah,

Thank you for taking time today to discuss my application with United. I appreciated learning more about the hiring process and timeline.

Our conversation reinforced my strong interest in joining United's team. I'm excited about the possibility of contributing to United's operational excellence and culture.

Please let me know if you need any additional information from me.

Best regards, John Smith"

If you didn't get contact info: