An Inside Look Into a Rated Hiring Board

Interviews suck.  There’s no other way to describe them.  Sitting in front of a panel of judgmental pilots and getting grilled for an hour while trying to convince them that you’re the right fit for the next decade can be an intimidating task.  It can be even more intimidating if it’s in a squadron with a different airframe or you don’t have any good “inside” connections.  

Often, however, we’re only intimidated by those things we don’t understand.  If knowledge is power, allow me to peel back the curtain a little and reveal an insider look at the construction and operation of a typical hiring board from my experience sitting on both sides of the table.  Hopefully it can help you form your interview strategy appropriately.

1.  Who will be on your interview board?

Squadrons vary, but in my experience, a typical board will consist of 4-6 pilots representing the cross-section of the squadron.  The Squadron Commander (O-5), Director of Operations (O-5), a Flight Commander (O-4), a Drill Status Guardsman (aka part-timer) (O-4 or O-5), and a “young” guy (O-3) are all common.  Certain members may be picked for some strategic purpose while others may have just been one of the few pilots available on the schedule that day.  

The one thing they all have in common is a mutual lack of HR experience!  In fact, this is more than likely the first time most of these pilots have conducted an interview, so they’re figuring it out as they go.

2.  Each board member represents a specific genre of questions.

A common example:

• Squadron Commander: overview of the squadron and the hiring process, broad questions to get things started (e.g. “tell us about yourself and why are you applying”)
• Director of Operations: flying record, qualifications, flight related skeletons or achievements, flying scenario questions
• Flight Commander: career goals, why would you be a good fit
• DSG: off the wall question to throw you off, digging into any skeletons or reasons why you wouldn’t be a good fit 
• Young guy: why would you be a fun person to deploy with or hang out outside of work

Every applicant will get asked roughly the same questions.  Once this preliminary round of questions are complete, “reattacks” are opened to the group to ask any follow up questions.

3.  There will be a hiring board point of contact (POC).

One pilot will be assigned as the hiring POC roughly six weeks before the actual interviews.  Although she will not make the final hiring decisions, it is important that you try to make a good first impression because she will be responsible for vetting each applicant.  

Not only is she influential in determining who actually gets offered an interview, but she will likely give a brief description of your background and perceived pros/cons uncovered during her research to the board before you walk into the interview room.

In other words, her description of you could become the board’s first impression of you before you even enter the room.  As with everything else, do what you can to ensure you make the desired first impression stick.

4.  Each vote is not created equal.

The hiring board is not a purely democratic process.  Each member of the board is more like an advisor to the commander.  They subjectively rank each applicant from best to worst, compare the results, and then attempt to defend their rankings.  

It’s not uncommon to leave the interview room with the final collective rankings unresolved.  Ultimately, it’s the Squadron Commander who will make the final recommendation to the Operations Group Commander on the selections.