Recruiting process for ATC

[davidv]

Thanks for the clarification Natej.

I'm also applying in YYZ so hopefully my phone rings sometime soon.

[sic_sic]

How long did you have to wait from passing your first interview to getting the call for the second interview?

[davidv]

Just got the call today, going next Tuesday. It was about a month and a half wait.

[SkyWolfe]

I got my green light from my interview... does that mean I passed??

Cheers,

Wolfie

[sic_sic]

Congrats davidv!!! Good Luck on your second interview!

SkyWolfe! I got the green light and I wasn't sure about whether that meant a pass too. I am also in the Vancouver area, if you get a call for your second interview can you please let me know? so I'd know whether I'm in or out......

THANKS!

[davidv]

Thanks

How I understood it was that a green light on the first interview means you passed it, but it doesn't guarantee a second.

[SkyWolfe]

sic sic check pm's

[jakey]

YYZ applicants: any updates on your progress?

Just did the written assessment on Friday. I was told they're waiting for the Winnipeg testing to be completed on Wednesday then they send all our tests in together.

There were 15 at my session (pm) and we were told 15 in the morning session. The administrator told us there were 6 no-shows! (Unknown if that was just the pm session or both.) Too bad for people who could have been offered those spots.

Anyway, I'm expecting a long wait for results. Good luck to anyone else who was at my session.

Personally I found the toughest part to be the audio section, but from others' reactions, it sounds like everyone thought they bombed that part. A lot of info to write down/remember and not a lot of time to answer the questions!

There were a few sections I finished with time to spare. Others I couldn't believe it when she called time. The first section (non-multiple choice), without giving too much away, for a couple of questions I was expecting 3D and I realized too late it was 2D and I had overthought the whole thing. DUH!

My advice: read and understand what they want. That first part goes by quickly!

[davidv]

Best of luck to you, but my advice is get ready to wait and be left in the dark for a good while at each stage, all the timelines they tell you are bs.

I wrote my test last november, was told they'd have the results in 2 weeks, took 6. Did the phone interview late January was told 2 weeks, took a month and a half for the results, did the in person interview in April - took a month and a half and the only notification I ever got that I didn't pass was a little red X on the website, not a phone call or even an email to let me know results were in. Seems my competition was mostly experienced pilots with airline experience so I'm not going to complain about them getting in and me not, but it's pretty damn frustrating having your life on hold for 6 months, so just prepare yourself for the process.

Oh and do realize if you do pass all the interviews you're just put in a pool with other successful candidates with a score that you're never told - when they start a class they pull the top 10 or whatever people based on their scores. You're never told your score or where you sit in the pool, if you're not pulled for training in a year and a half you're out of the pool and have to start over again. Though from those that I know that did get in they pretty much got the call for training within a month of the interview.

Don't quit your day job, but don't give up on it either if this is what you want to do - just be prepared for a wait and make sure you know what you want to do if you don't get in. I decided to fly one of those dots on the scope instead, must say I'm quite enjoying it so far.

Good luck!

[SkyWolfe]

Applied December, got a call for testing 2 weeks later for Feb. Got my test results 6 weeks later. Got my phone interview 2 weeks after that. Got my green light the next day. Got my call for my second interview 7 weeks later. Got my test results 6 weeks after that.

And now I sit... They are supposed to give 4-5 months notice on your course date if you are chosen. It is 3.5 months until the YVR IFR course... and so I sit. I am contimplating calling them Monday to see if I can find out anything about calling... Good to plan ahead...

So... as David said, prepare to wait, and wait, and wait. And yes, it will make you a little crazy. I checked my dashboard twice a day everyday!!

Good Luck!!!

Wolfie

[Braun]

I don't understand your question. You got refused and want to go directly to the test site?

[crazy horse]

Rogue.

Dude, your original post makes no sense at all.
And here is a hint; don't take that attitude to training if you get that far. Believe me, you won't get far.

[koberinski]

Call the NAVCANADA center. The number is on the takecharge.navcanada.ca website.

[YYZJuice]

A word to all of you hopefuls. You never know who is reading these forums. I'd caution you to conduct yourself here the same as if you were in the job interview cause as Crazy Horse says, you may not make it far. You might be insulting your OJI or maybe his best friend.

[Braun]

I don't understand your question. You got refused and want to go directly to the test site?

uhh Im not quite sure how you got that out of my 5 or 6 questions but ... maybe you should go back and re-read, did you succeed in your aptitude testing? I only ask as your ability to recognize details and sort through problems seems a touch lacking.
but for the grade one students here...

Question 1
If I see the following on the right hand side of my screen am I invited?

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA
Date: June 08, 2011
Session Language: English

Question 2
In the middle of the wait between my GREEN ONLINE TESTING RESULTS and present Upcoming ASSESSMENT SESSION ATTENDANCE I had to change my email address and phone number.
Do you think that would create a problem for communication?

Question 3
If there might be a problem created by the above situation how do I contact the appropriate people to sort it out and check it out?

Question 4
Again referring to Question 2
If there might be a problem created by the above situation who IS(ARE) the appropriate person (people) to sort it out and check it out?

Question 5
YET Again referring to Question 2
If there was a problem created by the above situation and the communication lines were severed, if I went to the testing facility with the $200 bux could I still be tested?

Question 6
STILL Again referring to Question 2
If the communication lines were severed where is the testing facility to see if I am on the list?

Question 7 NEW QUESTION for the bright replier....
Have you been able to under STAND the questions now... or do you need some more clarification?

I am sorry you have the impression I was being a jerk. Your post was very hard to understand and I only asked a question if you notice the use of a question mark at the end of my post. To answer your question yes I did pass the assessments, several years ago and I am now a qualified ATC. If you read my posts since i've joined here I have tried to help many a people through the apllication process so relax.

Now to answer your question which I still don't understand because I don't see how you could "sever" communication and if you have to chane e-mail or telephone number why not call NavCanada and ask them? Also the way the selection process works I highly doubt you could just show up to the a session with money and write the test.

Have a nice day and good luck.

[wingsonfire]

Wrote the very long assessment in Vancouver today...wonder if Rogue was in my session or the one in the morning or even showed up.

They've added the wSim now which is an extra hour added into the process. That's one part of the test in which it is actually possible to finish the entire test. Still have an audio portion that is really tough to get over 10 questions done and it's the only part that penalizes for wrong answers.

From the sounds of it I'm in for more waiting...2 weeks to see if I'll get a phone interview and I'm kind of looking forward to that part since it's supposedly conducted by retired ATCs. Should be a good time to bounce some questions around near the end. Apparently this interview is over an hour long though and I hope it's not questions about situations when this or that happened and how I reacted for the whole interview. That seems pretty scripted to have a former ATC conduct the interview when they've probably got a few better questions they could think of.

Anyone been through the interview process in the last few months and have updates on how the first interview plays out now?

[Parth]

The first interview is actually 100% scripted. The interviewer has a set of questions he has to ask. Everyone is asked the exact same questions. Then he grades your response. This is really the only fair way to do it.

And it is mostly situational/behavioral. A lot of what would you do in this situation.

[wingsonfire]

Thanks Parth!

Hopefully there is some time at the end to switch roles and we can ask questions as well.

Have to cross my fingers that the green light comes on for the interview now. The battery of tests sure makes you unsure of how well you did in comparison to the other candidates. Of course it won't hurt to prepare now for some situational questions.

[SYT_YYZ]

Hey all,
I just did the online cognative testing - and only finished 20 of the 30 questions. I know they say not finishing them all is normal, but I had hoped to get through more.... I Have a newborn and thought I would do the test (since it is only 8 mins) while she was fast asleep... and after I started, she woke up screaming... This never happens - terrible luck lol. I ran and got a soother in her mouth but definately lost a minute or so.....

I wouldn be curious to know how many questions everyone got through on the cognative to see how far off I was....

Thanks

SYT

[wingsonfire]

Well, just an update...the next green light went on but no call to set up the phone interview yet. Anyone else from the June 8 Vancouver testing heard anything back yet?

SYT, I had finished about 28 or 29 of the 30 online I believe, but I have no idea what they're looking for or how it's weighted. In the 4 hour marathon of tests that you write, you hardly finish any section completely and some sections, like the audio portion, you won't even finish a third of the questions and they're purposely designed this way.

[SYT_YYZ]

If I dont pass the online application, can I ever apply again? Or did I just pooche it by not being smart enough to get a babysitter for the online test :S

[Oak]

You can re-apply after 12 months if you are not successful - however, given the fact that you were interrupted, you should call the National Recruitment Centre and inform them. They are able to "reset" your profile in rare situations like this, if you are worried that your results may be inconclusive due to the interruption. This way, you can apply yourself to the task 100%.

Good luck!

[SYT_YYZ]

thank you oaks. Do you know how I might find this number?

[wingsonfire]

According to the NavCanada website contacts, the recruitment centre can be reached at 1-800-876-4693.

[SYT_YYZ]

Nm. I found it and called, they basically gave me the ole ' "tough, better luck next time."... Im the idiot who did it with my children home though :S