WestJet Mainline/Encore Hiring pool

[POPANDCHIPS]

loopa
I don't want to rain on your parade as you seem like you have signed up as a hardcore west jetter who greatly agrees with the decisions from management, but perhaps you might want to excercise some discretion. Westjet is not all rainbows and sunshine. Being in the pool is far from being an employee, as numerous people have discovered. You may think you are helping Westjets image, ( and possibly are) but keep in mind that even fools are thought wise if they keep silent and discerning if they hold their tongues.
Just my fools observation;)

[loopa]

Just trying to help out another fellow poolie during what is a very tricky time, because no real line is ever defined when you're in it, so help/advice from others in the pool goes a long way. People were there for me, so I'm just paying it forward.

Similarly, I intend to continue paying it forward if I am convinced the info will assist people. As for discretion; I am not passing on any type of information that hasn't already been a) mentioned before by the powers-of-be, b) spoken of on a regular basis, or c) would hurt anyone. Just saving the reader from having to research the info already scattered around our industry. After all, this is an aviation forum intended for aviators helping each other out.

The pm's I get seem to all suggest very thankful individuals who are no-doubt going through an interesting ride whether it is prepping for their interview, waiting to find out if they are pooled/pfod, waiting for a job offer, or having to retry next year. If my intent to help is making me out to be a fool, then I guess I will join the sidelines when I expire out of the pool and will owe you a beer for telling me I-told-you-so

but keep in mind that even fools are thought wise if they keep silent and discerning if they hold their tongues.

I rather speak up and find out I'm wrong; thereby allowing me to improve, rather than keeping silent and remaining a clueless fool for life. I just don't share your opinion in thinking that paying it forward and helping others is any sort of foolish wrong-doing.

Thanks for your words of wisdom though popandchips

[altiplano]

My grandma used to tell me every morning as I went out the door to school:

'Boy! Keep your eyes open and your mouth shut'

Don't know how many times I've looked back and been thankful for that advice... and the times realising I hadn't followed it and kicked myself...

[V1]

Thanks for the information loopa. Lots of trolls on this thread so glad to see a serious response.

[winston]

I was pooled once.
For the most part communication seemed great, updates from super Dave, emails from HR all good, "just waiting for numbers from marketing" then something happened, to this day still don't know what. Suddenly, no replies to VM or emails from ANYONE. Quit my job etc after discussions with the powers that be as I thought I was in, even told "welcome to WJ" by one of them.
Re applied, nothing, so moved on.
Sour grapes, at the time, more than sour, turned my life upside down for about a year.
All worked out in the end, actually better.
I know lots of guys there that love it and I understand why, but Just saying what you see isn't always what you get.
Best of luck.
W.

[TheStig]

I was pooled once.
For the most part communication seemed great, updates from super Dave, emails from HR all good, "just waiting for numbers from marketing" then something happened, to this day still don't know what. Suddenly, no replies to VM or emails from ANYONE. Quit my job etc after discussions with the powers that be as I thought I was in, even told "welcome to WJ" by one of them.
Re applied, nothing, so moved on.
Sour grapes, at the time, more than sour, turned my life upside down for about a year.
All worked out in the end, actually better.
I know lots of guys there that love it and I understand why, but Just saying what you see isn't always what you get.
Best of luck.
W.

Loopa, I believe this is what others are warning you about. I'm sure you have the best intentions, but just a few things to consider? First, it does sound like you're whining about how long you've been in the pool, 4 months isn't really that long, so be patient. Secondly, despite WJ's HR contribution to this forum you've adopted the role of 'poolie advisor', however, by spinning different theories about how WJ may select candidates from the pool you've made the process seem disorganized and unfair. You're not even on the team and you're complaining about your ice time, that might rub some people the wrong way. It's not difficult to figure out the true identity of anyone with 1300+ posts and all anyone here has mentioned to you is maybe until you're on the property is to just keep your head down a bit? Food for thought.

[loopa]

Great advice everyone.

Now my side of the story:

1. WJ management knows who I am on avcanada. As does anyone else that I have worked for in the past, and probably many more that I'm not aware of. Whether they choose to employ me or not for simply passing on info is completely up to them. Somebody once told me to pay-it-forward, so I'm just doing exactly that

2. This is an aviation forum. I will pass on knowledge as I have it. To withhold info is as good as lying. Kind of like that leak the realtor didn't tell you about when you bought your first house.

3. Pilot's are often way too afraid to speak about anything really. Why? If someone doesn't hire you based on your personal quota, you are better off not working at such enterprise anyway. Chances are you won't fit in. Speak up if something is on your mind, especially if it will help someone. (sorry if this advice seems paternal, it's not meant to be).

4. 4 months is a super small wait time in the pool. I have personally even prepped for the day I expire. So if I'm sounding like a complainer, sorry, that's not at all what I'm doing. I like everyone else in the pool am extremely excited for the day I get that phone call to arrive at my final destination, at least so I think today. Who knows, maybe I'll be here in a years time expired out of the pool still cheering on people for getting into WJ. To the ones that know me, they know I'll be there for them regardless of my own success or lack-there-of. The number of people I have paid-it-forward to doesn't even deserve to earn a quantative measure on such judgemental boards as avcanada. So insinuating that I'm just here to toot my own horn just confirms how little you must know about my character when it comes to helping out.

5. My personality/mistakes/learning points were all clearly portrayed at my interview. So I'm not spewing a different story on here than I did in there. If I get a job at WJ, I'll be extremely honoured to do it as best as I can. And if I don't, well then that's that. I'll start a self-initiated thread called "OWNED" and everyone with an agenda against "loopa" can join in and toss tomatoes.

Thanks the stig. I am aware that people like you are just looking out for me. I just happen to disagree with your opinion that I'm here and being unfair by confusing facts. If I have hard facts I make it known that I do. Otherwise I always let you know that what I'm adding is second hand info.

V1 I'm glad you are getting what I'm spewing. Fingers crossed for you to get a call soon!


Alti- I respect your experience. But I would never want to have the keep-your-mouth-shut mentality beside me, ever. I thought this train of thought was finally identified as dangerous? Just saying... Again nothing against your wealth of exp.

[altiplano]

Loopa you are right to an extent.

My grandma was a tough Irish woman who called it like it was... but also knew when discretion was a benefit... Looking back I am sure that was what she meant when she told me that. Just pick your moments, and pick well...

Giving guys a scoop on a hiring rumour should take a back seat to your need for discretion in a pivotal time in your career.

I might be wrong... But you don't want the bottom to fall out because some HR type figures who you are and took exception to a comment...

Paranoia? Perhaps... but employers are all over this shit...

Anyway, want to see you succeed in something you are obviously pretty amped up about...

[loopa]

Thanks Alti

[biatch]

Take the lay low advice Loopa for once in your life...I guarantee a large segment of the population find your kind annoying.

[atphat]

Loopa will refuse because he knows better.
Be en garde for the 14 paragraph response...

[loopa]

Thanks for the feedback gentlemen.

atphat, I'm sorry to see that you draw on my opinions/sharing of info as some form of personality trait of a know it all. But nevertheless respect what you have to say and will consider changing a few things about my writing style on here to enhance your experience on a public forum. On a side note, if you're interested to confirm (or discern) your opinion of me on a public forum, dinner's on me if you're in YYC. Shoot me a pm. The least I could do is somehow undo offending you - assuming that's why you called me a know it all and something else on a different thread. Coming to think of it, biatch is invited too.

Be en garde for the 14 paragraph response...

I wouldn't want to entertain you too much now would I?

Have a good day guys.

[cloudgate]

This is for those of you on this forum checking for updates on the next ground school and looking for others' timelines (as I have been.)

January - Applied
Late February - Interview
Mid March - In the pool
April 29 - Offered June 1st ground school

A friend interviewed well after me, got the call for the pool at the same time but got in the May ground school. . . not sure what the method is, haven't tried too hard to figure it out.

Good luck to those waiting!

[Mooseontheloose]

.

[cloudgate]

3500 TT
1500 PIC
1000 MPIC

Friend has similar time. I got YYZ but don't know of anyone else in the June ground school.

[auroraair]

Just wondering how long one can expect to be in the hiring pool? Ive been in the pool for 2 month now.

When are the next ground schools on the Q400? Thanks

[CYCG]

Ive heard August next class that hasnt been filled.

Apparently over 40-60 in the pool. And growing.

Who knows on YYC.

All that is rumour ish with some decent sources.

2600TT
1400 MPIC
Dash classic time
Applied december, called Jan, interview March, pool March.

[DaveP]

Hi Guys,
The next set of courses for WJE are as follows:
June 01st (full - class of 10 tt average of 3300hrs)
August 17th YYC
September 14th YYC
October 5th YYC
November 2nd YYC

The Aug 17th course won't be called until approximatey 30 days out.

As for WJ we have three courses left as mentioned in earlier threads (Aug class of 8/Oct - 2 classes of 8 )All have 50% flow from WJE. The TT class averages for WS are still north of 5000 hours and WJE ytd class averages are 3900hrs.

Respective pool sizes are 21 for WestJet and 61 for WestJet Encore with 51 pilots in the cue for interviewing.

Take care,
Dave

[Mach .28]

Hi Guys,
The next set of courses for WJE are as follows:
June 01st (full - class of 10 tt average of 3300hrs)
August 17th YYC
September 14th YYC
October 5th YYC
November 2nd YYC

The Aug 17th course won't be called until approximatey 30 days out.

As for WJ we have three courses left as mentioned in earlier threads (Aug class of 8/Oct - 2 classes of (happy face) All have 50% flow from WJE. The TT class averages for WS are still north of 5000 hours and WJE ytd class averages are 3900hrs.

Respective pool sizes are 21 for WestJet and 61 for WestJet Encore with 51 pilots in the cue for interviewing.

Take care,
Dave

Hi Dave,

As always Thanks for keeping everyone updated with the pool information. Just for some clarification, does the WS pool include the flow through pilots or is that just the pilots off the street? Are you expecting to use every one from the pool by October?

Cheers

[DaveP]

Hi there
As it stands now - I'll be utilizing 12 from the current pool.
Cheers!

[flaps1]

Hi Dave,
Thanks for the info. For a while all the new hires were going to YYZ. Are the future courses being planned for YYC because of expansion or because existing YYC based pilots are migrating back out east?

[ifly1990]

Hello,

Question for those that have interviewed for encore. Does answering the situational/crm questions correctly completely make or break your chances of getting hired or do internal references come into play somewhat. Say you have a interview that doesn't go as smooth as you'd like could you still have a chance with good references? Any idea how the interviews are scored? Hoping I get a chance to interview!

Kindest regards.

[watermeth]

I can answer the internal reference part of your question.
Before interviewing HR told me it was not a problem at all if I didn't have any internal reference.
When I sat at the interview table the HR lady was really concerned I had no internal reference.
Internal ref will weight in the balance either way.

[loopa]

Hey,

It would be my guess that they choose who to hire based on the best overall fit. You may answer great about CRM, but score poorly on fitting in with WJ's culture. Or maybe you will answer poorly about CRM, but have an overall good understanding of the culture. I would think CRM is something that good training captain's can iron out, but a piss poor attitude is something one cannot. So maybe your CRM question didn't go so well, but you have a good attitude and and end up getting hired anyway.

If you have a great attitude, almost all other "issues" with your flight ops skills are fixable with a mature training program designed to put out leaders. If I could venture to guess, WJ would much rather have a guy that has a good attitude about things, rather than skilled and problematic. If they can get both good attitude and skills, then it's a bonus.

Best of luck! I hope you do great on your interview man!

[metalpedal]

Good luck to everyone for the August GS! I'm sure calls will start going out soon!