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Southwest Airlines Pilot Interview Profiles

» Home » Pilot Interviews » Major Airlines » Southwest Airlines
Date Interviewed: January 2006
Summary of Qualifications: ATP 10,500 hours, current 737 F/O with major airline (displaced captain), Retired Military. Rated, Learjet,707/720, DC-10, 757/767, 737
Were you offered the job? No
Pilot Interview Profile:
Process was very relaxed and comfortable. Pretty much followed the gouge here as posted. I stayed at the Holiday Inn (SW pilots in training were here as well). I arrived around 7:45 and they immediately issued us new paper work to fill out which the FAA mandated (just updated versions of what they sent us). They apologized profusely about this as they only received this paperwork themselves late on friday before the interview. This took us about 10 minutes or less to fill out. They then split us into 2 groups (there were 22 total). Everyone pretty much looked like the typical FBI agent or accountant. All wore dark suits with different shirts (some white, some blues, some gray, etc) nothing outlandish. A few guys wore the red power tie but most everyone else wore a tie of their liking. I believe it doesnt matter what you wear as all the interviewers are wearing dockers and polo shirts. I was in the group that would undergo interviews in the am and the LOI in the afternoon. They first put us in a room where someone from the people dept congratulated us for being there and told us a little about SW and where it was heading, They then outlined what our day would be like and when the decision board would meet and when we might hear something. They then had us stack our paperwork into 2 seperate piles collecting the second pile and having us carry the logbook pile and our briefcase into another room where we could keep them there for the remainder of the day (retrieving the logbook pile when you had your logbook review interview)This first interview was with a retired captain. He was very warm and non threatning. He asked a little bit about what i was currently doing as a warm up and then we got into the questions. Pretty much the same as listed below. Why do you want to work for SW, what do you bring to SW, Why do want to leave your current job, tell me about your scariest flight. TMA the time you had to counsel a crewmember, TMA a pilot you didnt get along with and what did you do about it. Did you ever break any rules or SOPS?, TMA about a recent flight that didnt go as planned and the outcome. Very relaxed atmosphere and they are sincere when they tell you they just want to know who you are.
Date Interviewed: January 2006
Summary of Qualifications: ATP, CRJ Type, Dornier 328 Type, 4600 TT, 1050 Turbine PIC, 1700 total PIC, 4000 ME, 360 Inst.  Current 121 Captain.
Were you offered the job? Yes
Pilot Interview Profile:
Sorry to sound like a broken record, but yes, the previous gouge is right on. Nothing technical at all. Have lots of stories ready for them, both aviation and otherwise.

What makes you a good leader?
What kind of captain are you? Avg, good, excellent? (always say excellent)
Why excellent? (big picture, do whatever it takes to maintain the schedule safely)
Your best customer service story (do not say you wheeled the old lady down to her next gate. They want meaty, customer focused things that show you are making the passengers' experience on your airline better than average.)
Why do you want to leave your current job for AirTran? (You don't want to leave! You love what you do, but you need to ensure better job security and be a part of a company that is growing and profitable.)
Tell me about a time when you were part of any team, aviation, sports, etc, and your leadership contributed to the positive outcome of the group.
What is one decision you have made that has held you back in your career?

There will be 3 people from AirTran: we had Assitant Chief Pilot (Tom-retired, ex Eastern), Check Airman (Mark), and HR (Stephanie.) They sit us all down and feed us Kool-Aid for a little bit (yes I drank gallons!). Lots of growth, 60 more pilots this year, 300+ next year, 78 more 737s on firm order over the next 6 years or so. I think that was about 2 per month until the order is filled! Current upgrade is running about 3 years.

After the group setting is one on one with each of the 3 interviewers. If Tom, the Assistant Chief Pilot is there for you, don't get intimidated by him. He often interupted my answers, either to challenge them or move us on to the next question. He likes to back you into a corner and see how you behave. Don't be rude, but be assertive with your answer, even if he starts to question it. That's what he wants to see: you sticking your ground without being offended or rude in defending it.

Go to airtran.com and study the core values of the company. Work some of those words into your answers, especially "innovative." They like that one.

If you are not sure about AirTran, consider this: In the training center we met a guy in recurrent. He left USAirways as a 737 Captain after 20 years to go to AirTran becuase the growth was so much better! I think that is quite telling.

Good luck!
Date Interviewed: January 2006
Summary of Qualifications: ATP, 7700 total, 4500 Jet, 1800 Jet PIC, Part 91,121, and 135 experience
Were you offered the job? Yes
Pilot Interview Profile:

The entire process was a very relaxing one. Space available travel to ATL. The previous post was right on the money.

3 one on one(approx 30 minute each)interviews.

1) Stephanie (human Resources); Very pleasant woman. Makes you feel very comfortable.
a) why AirTran?
b) TMA a decision you have made that you are not proud of. (doesnt have to relate to flying)
c) TMAAT you made a decision that you were proud of. (doesn't have to relate to flying)
d) Tell me about yourself (Day 1 all the way up to what lead you to AirTran)
e) and .....when are you available?

2) BOB (retired pilot, now, in the training department); Extremely nice man.

a) Tell me about yourself
b) TMAAT you went out of the way for a crew member
C) Best Customer Service story
D) TMAAT, you were part of a team, where your leadership played a major role.

3) Rich ( Captain, Check Airman) Nice guy, Funny! Very comfortable experience

A) why do you want to leave your current job
b) best trait
He interrupted alot like the previous poster mentioned about Tom. Make your decision and stick with your answer.

All in all it was a great experience. 250-300 pilots next year. Everyone we met was great. I have been on a few interviews in my life and all of the interviewers at AirTran were extremely nice people, made us all feel very comfortable.

Hate to sound like a broken record, but just go in there, smile, be friendly. They know you are extemely nervous, so as best you can; Just be yourself. It was a very relaxing day.

Date Interviewed:
Summary of Qualifications: ATP. 121 Carrier employed,Captian, 5300TT 4000Multi 2500pic turbine/jet 7 years at current job, application 36mos on file
Were you offered the job? Yes
Pilot Interview Profile:
EVERYONE leaves feeling great. I feel really great because I actaully got the job. Logbook review: My guy didn't even look at them. Just had me go to the tabs, and give him the times for his paper. We all have our Stories lined up when we get there. We also have those stories that we aren't telling ANYONE, like safety issues maybe, or FAR violation issues, that were accidental, just the oops stories, that might not be as "cool" as some others. Well, I found myself compelled to really open up to these people. I couldn't believe that I told the skeleton stories. As I was sitting there, I thought: well, they want to know the real me...here it is.. I really think they know we are all human, all goof up, all learn, etc, so share that.
one question that hung me up. "give me 3 words that describe you as a pilot" uhhhh actually there were several that hung me up, and I asked them to ask me another, and they were happy to. They don't "dock" you for moving to another question apparently, 'cause I did it at least 4 times in 3 interviews.
LOI was really easy for me. I finished with 1 minute to go, and had a solid de-brief. Everyone in my group with the LOI diverted to different places, and I think we all got hired too! Doesn't matter where you go, just how you got there. Don't over-analyze it. Just do what you do every day! I didn't use the jumpseater enough. He/she plays dispatch, MX, F.A.'s etc, so you feel like you are using them, but careful you use them as a jumpseater too! but I caught that in the de-brief, and I saw them writing on the chart when I mentioned that. you may get the same credit if you catch it in the de-brief...?
Everyone looks calm, but it was funny we all talked about how racked our nerves were, and it helped. Try and forget what is at stake, and really relax, smile a lot, laugh, be polite, and be yourself. If those items above aren't actually you by nature, you probably won't get it anyway. The one thing they can read right thru, is B.S. I don't care how smooth you are. That's been proven by the guys I know that didn't get it. Update your stuff weekly!!!!!! Almost all of us had updated within 3 days of our call for the interview.
Good luck.
Date Interviewed: December 2005
Summary of Qualifications: TT 5600/turbine 4300/pic turbine 1600/NO 737 type
Were you offered the job? No
Pilot Interview Profile:
Interview consists of a Line Oriented Interview (LOI) and 3 thirty to forty-five minute interviews with pilots and people's department. The gouge out there is pretty good but you can rest assured they will be one step ahead of it.

Southwest doesnt ask questions like "has this ever happened or that ever happened"...they ask "tell me about a time when (for example) you were flying with someone you wanted to beat the crap out of?"...They are huge into interpersonal communication and conflict resolution (diplomacy).

They look to "hire the talent and train the skill." They are looking for a certain type of person, not a certain type of pilot.

They want to hear your stories...the tough part is that you may not have a story that matches the question. For example, they asked me about a time when someone questioned my integrity in the cockpit...hasn't happened so I told them about a time a teacher in high school questioned my integrity.

They buy lunch for you around noon. Be advised, do not let your guard down because the interview is still silently being conducted. Do not be rude to anyone...bar none. It will get back to them.

The LOI takes place in a 737 cockpit procedures trainer...a cardboard cutout basically. My scenario was MDW to BNA, hold over Terre Haute VOR because of emergency aircraft in Nashville, snow on runway...and by the way you have a passenger freaking out in back. fuel is a critical...what are you going to do?

You have a few minutes alone to figure out the questions you need to ask, then your FO and jumpseater come in and you have 7 minutes to make a decision. A laptop is put in front of you and has a fuel gauge and clock ticking down...no pressure.

when you are through, they leave again for 5 minutes or so, then return and have you brief them...basically what you think of your decision and would you change anything.

I thought the interview went well, not outstanding, but decent. Not sure what I may have said that hung myself in the interviews, but at least I'm still employed and didn't have to get the type to get the interview.
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