Remember Why You Are Rushing
A couple days ago SIC posted a great story about getting beat in the Ask-A-Coach Pro Chat and how that can relate to the grind of rushing. In my poll that I posted a few weeks ago, you stated that you have interviewed, but haven't heard back or have not been selected yet for your dream job. SIC's two biggest pieces of advice: perseverance and professionalism.
Between the resume tweaks, interviews, cold-calling, rushing, money spent, and silent rejections or even "not as this time, apply again" emails, it is easy to feel like you're fighting a pretty strong headwind.
That's the point.
You aren't trying to slip into a generic corporate job or cockpit. You are trying to earn a spot in a guard, reserve, or active duty squadron of your dreams. You are trying to join a legacy of men and women who operate multi-million-dollar machines and join their squadron family. It's not intended to be easy...for a purpose.
When the rush fatigue sets in, remember what sits at the other side of this grind. Remember you're why. Why did you join BogiDope? Why are you rushing in the first place?
The no's don't define you. The persistence does. Clean up the resume, prep for the next interview, hit up another unit, and keep your eyes on the horizon. That's the professionalism SIC spoke about. Your Bros and Bro-ettes in your future squadron are out there waiting for you to walk through the door.
What is one small win or breakthrough you've had in your application journey or through BootCamp this week?
Keep Fencing In. I promise it's worth it.
Match
One of my biggest breakthroughs in my application journey many years ago was asking for, and receiving, a letter of recommendation from a pilot who sat on a fighter board which passed on me.
After a good interview with a fighter unit, I was unfortunately passed on again, but luckily given an alternate. It had been my fifth alternate in a year. The feedback that I was getting was obviously good given that I was receiving alternates but not good enough. A few days after the interview, while on the disappointing call that I would be receiving another alternate, I decided to ask a difficult but ultimately critical question that would shape my career; “Will you write me a letter of recommendation?”
I had not known this pilot at all prior to interviewing at his unit and meeting him as he sat on the board and in the social events surrounding the interview. It was a spontaneous question without a well thought out intent, or consequence. Perhaps I was subconsciously asking myself, “Why not? I am good enough for an alternate aren’t I!?.”
To my surprise the voice on the other end asked, “Where are you interviewing next?” I told him I am hoping to interview at X location next but haven’t gotten an invite yet. He responded, “Absolutely I will write you a letter of recommendation, in fact, I’ll call unit x, I know a few pilots down there”
This pilot then took the time to not only call my next unit but write me a full letter of recommendation to use in my application.
The next interview became the interview that would change my life forever.
For all of the effort required to get a slot in the Guard or Reserve; For all of the pain in experiencing the “No’s”; For all of the questioning of yourself and your strategy; It only takes one critical question, one critical decision to ask or not ask, one critical interview question that will make your dreams come true.
Be creative first. Think outside the container to identify an avenue that perhaps others don’t see.
Secondly, be bold enough to take your shot.
Life is about choices and balancing risk, but sometimes the biggest risk you will take is taking no risk at all.
Darkstar, Panther, Picture
-SIC
