The Air Canada OTS thread

[altiplano]

I used to question decisions made by the hiring board at times... not so much going forward...

[Chinaflyer]

i also wonder why training captains got pfo'd too after few days. The same has happened to my colleagues last year.... i have no bad records, no failures, got my upgrade within a year...i do not want to sound egotist but i have passed qatar (which i am going to accept now) and cathay interviews....so i am totally aware that is not me (if that's what you mean) or my qualifications/experience.
again, 18/23 questions were yes/no answers....
i have also seen, pilots related with ac employees getting pfo'd, but magically got that pfo reversed within 3 months.

Dude, you have to get over the butt hurt. AC saw something they didn't like, and decided not to hire you. Many great people, and many awful people, have had and will continue to have the same experience. Many of them will try again and get the job. Many sons and daughters of AC pilots have been PFO'd multiple times and never been successful.

PROC_HDG

it's pointless to discuss about this with you. when you pass at least one interview with companies like emirates, qatar,cathay etc well known to be the most difficult interviews for pilots and you get pfo'd by a fricking video interview made by 18yes/no questions you will understand my point!

Beaver 1986

I feel your pain but don't let it get you down and feeling sorry for yourself. Qatar and Cathay are also great airlines. It may not be what you had planned but you can still have a very fulfilling career if you can adjust to living over there. Don't let yourself become like...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A66ierfTCUQ

Laugh a little. Seriously though. It's easy for these other guys to just write you off as having a bad attitude from where they sit. Maybe they're right and you could think about changing. If they're wrong then don't worry about it. Don't go for the bait. If you do go overseas try to enjoy it and not spend all your time bitter about not getting into AC. AC HR will do what they do. At least you now have some clarity about your options moving forward. So move forward and be happy.

[dbob]

so..... this is the OTS thread?

[mbav8r]

so..... this is the OTS thread?

Yes, an OTS candidate was PFO'd after the new video interview step, and a conversation related to this has taken place, conversations tend to stray, on here and in real life!

[dbob]

so..... this is the OTS thread?

Yes, an OTS candidate was PFO'd after the new video interview step, and a conversation related to this has taken place, conversations tend to stray, on here and in real life!

Are you referring to Beaver? I believe he said he has been AC express for 4 years not OTS. Anyway not trying to start a flame pit here but the last few pages of posts in this thread have discussed PML as much or more than OTS.

[mbav8r]

so..... this is the OTS thread?

Yes, an OTS candidate was PFO'd after the new video interview step, and a conversation related to this has taken place, conversations tend to stray, on here and in real life!

Are you referring to Beaver? I believe he said he has been AC express for 4 years not OTS. Anyway not trying to start a flame pit here but the last few pages of posts in this thread have discussed PML as much or more than OTS.

Fair enough and you are correct, my mistake, I think I just get annoyed with people complaining about conversations straying. I can't imagine you could fill ten pages strictly with OTS qualifications, how boring would that be.

[dannyjet]

dbob, I apologize if you were referring to my questions regarding seniority determination and equipment pick order. I believe that information is as important as the hiring process itself.

For the colleague that got turned down... aviation is like that, hardly all will go as planned. You reach a point where interviews are really not difficult but you just don't fit their profile. And yes, HR departments are able to see this even in a short video where you answer questions. And yes, it may seem unfair.

If you took the time to go for interviews at EK, QR, CY and passed, take of one those! I hope you are still in a position to say yes to one of them even though you mentioned that you just passed one of the three. EK, EY, QR are not difficult processes in my opinion. They certainly don't beat China!

But if you already turned down plan B when plan A was still on going, then that was a poor decision making process. I wish you the best.

[garfield]

So what's their ``profile``?

A funny person? A serious one? Somebody who always wear a tie?

Visible minorities?

Short and succinct answer?

I guess your best bet is to know somebody who work there and just act exactly like them!

[skypirate88]

Your best bet is to be yourself.
Interview questions don't change much company to company. Have some stories to tell that had a positive outcome. With those in hand, you can generally answer any HR style question. Just try and sound like it isn't too rehearsed.

[flyhighneverdie]

Anybody did the OTS hiring process recently?

So far it seems to be

1) Video interview. (recorded - no interviewer)
2) Then a in person interview.
3) A computer test following the in person interview ? What is the test about? psy profile?
4) Medical?
5) Job offer or you go in a pool?

[dbob]

dbob, I apologize if you were referring to my questions regarding seniority determination and equipment pick order. I believe that information is as important as the hiring process itself.

For the colleague that got turned down... aviation is like that, hardly all will go as planned. You reach a point where interviews are really not difficult but you just don't fit their profile. And yes, HR departments are able to see this even in a short video where you answer questions. And yes, it may seem unfair.

If you took the time to go for interviews at EK, QR, CY and passed, take of one those! I hope you are still in a position to say yes to one of them even though you mentioned that you just passed one of the three. EK, EY, QR are not difficult processes in my opinion. They certainly don't beat China!

But if you already turned down plan B when plan A was still on going, then that was a poor decision making process. I wish you the best.

hmmm I believe you have me mixed up with somebody else. Non of the above describes my current position. Thank you for the well wishes all the same. I am really just here to find out if anybody has insight on the development of OTS hiring and when the application process will be available again.

cheers

[pilotguy2017]

OTS is about to ramp up along with PML hiring. Heard it last week if that helps.

[schnitzel2k3]

Who's your source?

S.

[Ruddervator]

OTS is about to ramp up along with PML hiring. Heard it last week if that helps.

Any word on the OTS application window re-opening? Missed out last year.

[dbob]

OTS is about to ramp up along with PML hiring. Heard it last week if that helps.

Any word on the OTS application window re-opening? Missed out last year.

+1

[Black_Tusk]

OTS is about to ramp up along with PML hiring. Heard it last week if that helps.

If that's the case, I hope they open up the PML again at Jazz.

[Qdrivermann]

Well, getting anxious! 40 days to go until the 12 months are up. Curious to see if the telephone interview will materialize!
Fingers crossed!
Qmann

[thedarknight]

If they said they would contact you in a year, you can bet you will hear from them. They are serious about these things. No need to keep your fingers crossed, you will get your kick at the can! good luck!

[dannyjet]

dbob, my advice was to username beaver or something of that sort who got turned down. Regards.

[loopa]

Psych and cog evals at express carriers now for new hires?

Wonder if this means AC is gearing up towards an official flow through program barring applicants from express instead of coming into express and so-to-speak be stuck?

Can anyone else confirm or deny this info?

Thanks

[gtanorth]

Psych and cog evals at express carriers now for new hires?

Wonder if this means AC is gearing up towards an official flow through program barring applicants from express instead of coming into express and so-to-speak be stuck?

Can anyone else confirm or deny this info?

Thanks

The change at Express for psych.cog.med.drug is geared towards driving the success rate on the PML as high as possible. Both AC and Express want to flow as high of a ratio (interviewed vs. hired @ AC) as they can. This is because most people leave Express after the interview successful or not. The PML ratio is based on hired. If an Express sends 5 a GS with a 50% success rate that is 10 people out of their company with a 100% success rate that's 5 people out. You will definitely see all Express parallel AC hiring requirements as much as possible. They are all moving very quickly to ensure they can meet the PML requirements, the best way to do that is to hire people that AC wants to hire.

[Black_Tusk]

Psych and cog evals at express carriers now for new hires?

Wonder if this means AC is gearing up towards an official flow through program barring applicants from express instead of coming into express and so-to-speak be stuck?

Can anyone else confirm or deny this info?

Thanks

They have an MMPI test. I also did an aptitude/logic test back when I was hired. Not sure if they still do that, I'll have to ask. But the MMPI is still going on, a friend did one yesterday before his SIM.

[Blue Side Up]

For anyone interested, next course is April 17th and planned with 20 people.

Cheers

[dialdriver]

I'm just curious if anyone knows the interview success rate for current OTS candidates?

[Blue Side Up]

Just want to throw my $0.02 in here... if your end goal is to make a career at mainline, id highly recommend going through an express regional such as Jazz. With the original PML close to exhausted and still much highering to do at AC, your odds from express are much much higher than ots. There's guys at Jazz who have been there for just over a year, maybe a year and a half, who are on course at the end of this March. The key seems to be a degree or some sort of post secondary education - flying hours don't seem to play much of a role in determining who gets hired.

Hope this info helps.