If you cannot find the answer to your question, please get in touch. We are always happy to help.
Pinstripe Pilot Interview Preparation are the ‘original’ global Pilot Interview Preparation organisation, having started in 2001 when Ansett Airlines went under and made 15,000 plus employees redundant! Pinstripe to the rescue.
Our Founder Kirsty Ferguson was immersed in aviation through her dad, a WWII fighter pilot and later in life via her husband who was in Aviation Management. She discovered, back in 2001 that Pilots are fantastic at a great many things, but airline interviews were not one most Pilots felt confident in. Her first client was headed to Cathay Pacific from GA and could not string a sentence together. Why? Because he had no SOP’s to follow and we all know Pilots thrive on SOP’s.
So, Kirsty took her years of Management, Advertising, Publishing and Business experience along with her love of aviation and created a program to help Pilots perform at their best in airline interviews.
In short, to conduct interviews as the same high standard that they do when flying an aircraft.
And yes, he got the job…
We’ve coached thousands of pilots since around the world, and continue to lead the industry as a trusted, independent resource for pilots.
We have expertise at all relevant levels of aviation recruitment. Our team’s experience covers:
Short answer, yes it does. Most airlines globally use the Behavioural Interview method. That means the training we provide will cover all the areas required in airline pilot assessment days. Some airlines have shorter processes, some longer, but overall, an airline pilot assessment will look like this:
And we have specific videos, downloads, courses and SIM partners to help you prepare for every stage.
We highly recommend you start with accessing our FREE RESOURCES HERE. You will find a detailed free video as well as a PDF download giving you the skinny on exactly how to prepare for Psychometric testing and which websites to use for practise.
As we have been preparing pilots for assessment days since 2001, the list is long, and not limited to… :
A great place to start is our Pilot Interview Feedback.
Pilot Interview Feedback consists of PDF feedback documents provided by Pilots who have undertaken the recruitment process for that specific airline.
These notes can cover (not all elements available for every airline – packs are priced accordingly):
Most do; we can only think of a couple of regionals who don’t.
Pilot recruitment is very evidence based, so the STAR or SAR (Behavioural Method) is preferred by most airlines. After all, if you just provide your thoughts, feelings and opinions, they mean nothing to the recruitment team, who don’t know you.
Evidence or behavioural based interviews actually suit the pilot persona and once you understand what is required, it makes the interview process easier to manage.
Airline Assessments test you on all your aptitudes and attitudes.
As we have been preparing pilots for over 25 years, we know that most pilots like a process to prepare for all stages of the assessment.
We have broken the ideal airline interview preparation down in 4 easy to follow steps.
It is your choice to do all 4 steps or only some.
Having said that – we see most pilots complete all 4 steps, especially if they have not done airline interview training before, as they want to leave nothing to chance. Especially if the interview is for an airline they have long wanted to work for.
So below please find each of the 4 steps explained in more detail.
Pilot Interview Feedback consists of PDF feedback documents provided by Pilots who have undertaken the recruitment process for a specific airline. We have feedback for over 40 airlines.
These notes can cover (not all elements available for every airline – packs are priced accordingly):
LINK TO FIND OUT MORE: https://pinstripesolutions.com/shop/pilot-interview-feedback-notes/
Once you have reviewed the questions and testing you will be required to do in the Pilot Interview Feedback, you know your answers must meet the airlines very specific benchmarks for behaviour and performance.
We offer on-demand video courses, so you can start your prep immediately.
Each course consists of bite sized videos as well as downloads training you in the SOPs for every element of your assessment day.
We cover all of the methods you will need, including negative questions as well the open questions that many pilots find difficult.
There is a lot to take in, so we recommend you allow a week to think about and write down your own examples and answers after you watch each video, but you can also smash the course in a weekend. The actual video time is 2 hours; the variable is the time you need to think of, consider and write down your own examples after you watch the videos.
You can use a laptop or complete the course via an App on your iPad/phone.
– Negative questions such as deviations from SOP’s
– Conflict with a colleague
– A time you received negative feedback
– Group exercises
– Scenario exercises
– Tell us about yourself
– Challenges you will have in transitioning
– Why do you want to work for us? (Hot tip – this is not about what you know about the airline!)
You have 21 days access plus another free 21 day extension upon request, prior to your interview date.
There are 4 different courses, pick the one that’s right for you:
1. Bundle Course for Commercial Pilots – Includes Interview Success Workbook as well as the full video course, all downloads and checklist. https://courses.interviewchix.com/courses/essential-interview-video-course-for-pilots-incl-workbook
2. Video Course Only for Commercial Pilots – Includes the full video course, downloads and checklist but not he workbook. Ideal for those in a time crunch or doing a refresher. https://courses.interviewchix.com/courses/Essential-Interview-Coaching-Video-Course-for-Pilots
3. Airline Cadetship Course Bundle – tailored to anyone who has not worked as a pilot before. Includes Cadet Interview Success Workbook as well as the full video course, all downloads and checklist. https://pinstripesolutions.com/shop/https-courses-interviewchix-com-courses-cadet-pilot-airline-interview-preparation-pinstripe-solutions/
4. Airline Cadetship Video Course Only – Includes the full video course, downloads and checklist.
https://pinstripesolutions.com/shop/cadet-pilot-airline-interview-preparation-video-course-only/
Once you have completed the on-demand course and the checklist, you have collated your own database of answers.
Most pilots prefer to run their answers past one of our expert coaches, to ensure you have selected the right examples and can score maximum points. Scoring points?! I hear you say. Yes, most airline interview panels will score you on many aspects of your personality and experiences, so not only the right examples matter, how you talk through your examples is crucial as well to ensure you cover each and all criteria set by the airline.
Each coaching session is completely tailored to you, your experience level as well as specific to the airline you are applying for.
FIND OUT MORE HERE: https://pinstripesolutions.com/shop/one-hour-intensive-interview-coaching/
Many airlines will send you straight to a SIM right after you passed the behavioural interview, while some airlines put pilots is the SIM first. Either way, we always recommend undertaking SIM practise because:
We can refer to our sim partners on request.
A referral from Pinstripe will help to you get priority in busy times and gain access to specific qualified trainers.
Once pilots have completed the video course and collated all their examples, most want to know for sure their example is suitable and it guarantees the maximum number of points at the interview.
In a coaching session we are not only your coach, we’re also your cheer squad and your double checker.
We check your decisions and help you make stronger ones if needed. We sift out the answers or language that will disadvantage you and help you find the best example. We’ve yet to be stumped. After all, we’ve been coaching pilots for 25 years so have heard it all!
We’ll help you with how to manage group exercises, scenario questions and formulate answers to career hiccups or things you might be concerned about.
We’ll always check your answers you have prepared for: ‘Why do you want to work for us?’ ‘Tell us about yourself or your career?” and for overseas candidates ‘how are you and your family going to live in this country’ (that’s your detailed relocation plan).
These are what we call the Big 3 questions – your answers to these 3 questions must be up to scratch.
Individual coaching gives you a real sense of what the actual interview will be like, but without the stress and the risk and you get instant feedback on what can be improved.
No, you don’t! You can email us direct via the ‘Contact Us’ form and request the latest update(s) prior to your interview date. We will email it to you free of charge if we have received any new updates if you purchased the feedback in the last 2 months.
Absolutely!
We have specialist coaches who know exactly what to expect for the OSB (Officer Selection Board.) We can help you with the following:
And anything else we know you need to have thought about.
Note: The OSB process has recently changed, and we will discuss all aspects of your preparation including the Psychologist interview.
We highly recommend you start with accessing our FREE RESOURCES HERE. You will find a Free Military Pilot Career Options and Entry Fact Sheet (ADF), and you can watch a video interview with a 19 year old who’s recently started his career as an officer in ADF (with his sights set on becoming a Chinook Pilot).
YES!
Cadetship are offered globally, and we prepare candidates for Qantas Group Pilot Academy, EasyJet, British Airways, Singapore Airlines, Air New Zealand and Rex among others.
Recruitment for cadetships usually opens for small windows of time, as there are always many applicants. Cadetships are extremely highly contested, so preparation for every stage of the recruitment process is absolute key to have a shot.
We can teach you all the aviation techniques you need for your airline cadetship assessment.
We can help you identify suitable examples to use at your Airline Interview and how to avoid sharing dealbreakers.
As we have airline specific cadetship knowledge; we know what the airlines require and how to meet their cadetship criteria. We offer cadetship specific help such as a resume template, interview preparation workbook, interview preparation video course and one-on-one coaching.
Our specialised coaching is tailored to your level of experience, for example if you apply straight out of high school or university, we will help you identify transferable skills and suitable examples you can use in your interview.
Or you may be a second career candidate and need help with linking your experience from your previous non-aviation career to a career as a pilot.
We highly recommend you start with accessing our FREE RESOURCES HERE. You will find a free video covering Things You Need To Know About Applying To Airline Cadetships Globally as well as a PDF fact sheet download.
Or, if you have a specific question about a Cadetship and you are not sure what preparation is right for you, you can email us, or fill out the contact form on the website, to request a FREE 10 minute chat with a coach.
You came to the right place!
We are passionate about helping second career candidates.
Make no mistake, you have a lot to offer an airline and can be an extremely attractive candidate. You just need to know what examples to use and how to talk about yourself and your experience to date.
Many second career candidates are unsure how to highlight their transferable skills and lack some confidence going into the interview. Why would an airline give me a chance at this age?
We know exactly what the airline will be looking for and help you stand out showcasing your trainability, ego maturity, empathy, team player attributes and leadership potential building on your experience from your non-aviation career to date.
A great place to start are our FREE RESOURCES.
You will find several free PDFs:
Our Pilot video coaching course teaches you the rules (or SOPs) for your airline interview.
It covers the big open ended questions like:
We also teach you exactly how to use the SAR (or STAR) technique and guide you to select example answers that meet the airlines criteria.
And we explain exactly how to answer negative questions such as:
And we cover how to manage Group exercises, Scenario questions and managing your nerves on the day.
It is 19 bite sized easy to digest videos plus downloads. We recommend you allow a week to work your way through it ahead of your coaching appointment. The actual material will only take you 2 hours to watch, but each video will trigger you to re-think your answer and examples.
The most efficient way to work your way through the video course is to download the checklist first and as you watch each video, think of your examples relating to that topic while the video is fresh in your mind.
Having said that – if you clear your roster, you can also smash the course and find all your examples in a weekend.
As some pilots like to start their preparation well before the interview date, upon purchase you get immediate access for 21 days. PLUS, we offer another 21 days extension for free, prior to your interview as we understand that some interview dates are pushed back.
You can access the course via any device – anywhere.
So, what are you waiting for?
We understand that sometimes interview dates change, no problem, we can give you a free extension!
Here’s how it works: Upon purchase you get immediate access for 21 days to all videos and downloads.
If you have purchased the video course and you need more time to finish it, please email us via the contact form. We’ll give you a second 21 day access period, for free, prior to your interview so you can walk into that interview feeling confident.
No, you don’t, be we highly recommend it.
The video course ensures you are fully prepared for individual coaching. You come to coaching knowing the rules and SOP’s and have found examples and data you want to use. Meaning we can spend our time together checking and practising all your ideas and examples. As well as finding any answers you are struggling with.
You will get much more out of individual coaching if you have completed the video course training.
But, if time is short, you can head straight into Intensive Individual Coaching, and we will do our upmost to cover as much as we can – we want you to succeed!
Every pilot has had an incident or two. They may be reportable or not, but most pilots have experienced some incidents.
So no, they are not usually deal breakers.
Accidents are of course a little different but again don’t have to be deal breakers. Many airlines request your ATSB, NTSB, AAIB and/or AAIS reports as well, so they are not things you can avoid.
You will be asked to disclose reportable incidents or accidents.
If time permits, we highly recommend you book a 30 minute mentor session ahead of one-on-one coaching, so we can focus on helping you word your answer and explanation of the incident effectively and safely.
You can lodge your application, but often the airline will just hold your application or inform you that you can re-apply when you meet the minimums.
If you know you will have the right number of hours or have completed your ATPL’s or ATP and/or MCC by the time the interview rolls around, then make sure your application reflects that.
Yes. And we repeat: YES! YES!
Whether you are type rated, just completed a cyclic or working in a SIM centre, airline SIM tests have their own marking gradient and benchmarks.
We also recommend SIM preparation with a trusted sim instructor who is type rated and airline experienced.
And does the SIM need to be the exact same type as the airline uses for their assessments?
No. As one 20,000 hours Check and Training Captain said to us: ‘It’s more about who the instructor is sitting beside you and how they understand the airlines expectations, than being in the right fleet type’.
You’ve nailed the entire recruitment process to get to the SIM, why risk failing at this stage?
Sometimes, these things just happen to us.
For example – all pilots were impacted during the pandemic in one way or another, so if airlines discounted pilot job applications based on redundancy, termination or a period of reduced or no flying time, airlines would be in an even greater world of hurt in this pilot shortage era.
These are things we need to discuss during your preparation, and we can help you in individual coaching how to you word your answer and explanation.
But in short: more often than not, they are not a reason to discount a pilot’s application.
All of us have failed at something or many things, that is life.
Failing with one particular airline does not discount you from applying to another.
That said, some airline groups, will have a ‘stand-down period’ if a candidate has failed to secure a role. These stand-down periods range from 3 months to 6 or 12 months.
That period can apply to all subsidiary airlines within that airline group.
Take heart – sometimes you will get a response that says ‘unsuccessful for this round but re-apply in 12 months.
This type of rejection from an airline, means and they so want you to re-apply. You will never get the full story of why you missed out, but you may get some interview feedback, so always ask.
There are lots of things that impact the airlines decision to hire or not to hire, from:
One very inspirational story we want to share on this:
We coached a very bright candidate, straight out of High School for an Airline Cadetship. He prepared extremely well, did everything right in coaching, and on the assessment day, but got a rejection with the note to re-apply in 12 months. He had no work experience or life experience outside his schooling, and we prepared him that this might be a sticking point.
He knew this was true and so made a new plan:
He re-applied once the cadetship recruitment opened a year later and was able to share examples about working as part of a team, adherence to safety and SOP’s, taking responsibility for mistakes, managing fatigue and dealing with other trades as well as management and owners.
And guess what – got through second time.
We get this question all the time.
A one page pilot resume is suitable and required for General Aviation roles (charter, instructing etc). Or if SPECIFICALLY requested by an employer to upload a one page resume only.
Airlines require a much more fleshed out document, so 2-4 pages is absolutely acceptable.
But make sure the key data the airline needs to know is on page 1.
Don’t hide those flying hours or licences way back on page 3.
A great place to start are our FREE RESOURCES. You will find a free download booklet:
‘Why Most Resumes Are Rubbish (…. PLUS, Top 10 Tips To Create An Amazing One!)’
This happens often and we’re here to help you. We try to keep at least 2 emergency coaching appointments each week.
We know pilots can get short notice interviews and roster changes, so we do our very best to accommodate that.
If you cannot find an open appointment on the website calendars, drop us an email via the ‘Contact Us’ form and we’ll get right back to you to work out a suitable time.