Dear friends and followers and especially all my flight students. Today's video is a very important topic about
how to approach an airline assessment. Now I have passed numerous
assessments in the past so I want to share my knowledge with you in this video; and by the way I'm sending out a free
captain Joe car sticker for the best comment about your personal experience with an airline assessment, as
everyone can profit from your knowledge. So please comment below. So let's get started!
Don't just take a flight and forget about it - capture your experience through a blog and share it on your own personal website.
So thanks to Squarespace for sponsoring today's video. The word I'll be using a lot in this video is preparation because
preparation is key when it comes to airline assessments. Now in today's age most of the airline assessments start with an online application
form which you need to fill out before you actually get invited to the assessment, and
very often the airline's ask you to send in your CV, a motivation letter
about why you want to join the airline, a college or a school diploma and copies of your medical,
licences, passport and other important documents.
Here comes assessment hack number one:
Do not take a picture with your phone of your documents and send them in.
Take the time to scan the documents properly, because very often the person sitting opposite of you during the interview
will have printed out your documents
and if he or she sees half of your desk on the printed out document, trust me that will not make a good impression.
Next step is to gather as much information as possible about the upcoming assessment.
If one of your colleagues has already been to the assessment call him or her and
question everything you want to know about the assessment.
Also take the advantage of forums on the Internet. The one I used for one of my assessments within Germany was
Piotenboard.de I'm sure there are similar forums in your country and trust me people will share their
experiences on these sites as they remain anonymous. I also wrote a very detailed field report on the day
after my assessment with airberlin eight years ago, and my report got over fifty thousand views and thousands of comments,
so imagine how many people I've helped with that report. So get in contact with these people and ask whatever you worry about
regarding the upcoming assessment, and you might not believe this
but many airlines actually hand out a lot of information on how to approach their assessment.
Very Often they give you a glimpse of what to expect or even provide you with a download to train some of the psychometric tests.
So assessment hack number two: Ask people who have been to the assessment, use internet forums
and checkout if the airline has any downloads on their website providing you with vital information for the assessment.
Inform yourself about the airline! I've been to numerous assessments and ever so often the question comes up:
"What do you think are the core values of our airline?"
"What is so special about our airline ?" and the classic "Why do you want to join our airline?"
But put yourself into the position if you will be the owner of the airline wouldn't you want to hire employees
who totally identify themselves with your airline?
So do as much research as you can about that airline you want to work for in the future.
Hit the Wikipedia page for starters, read everything you can find about the airline,
make key notes which you think are vital and are likely to be questioned by the examiner.
If you know someone who already works for the airline, get in contact with him, find out everything you know want to know
and ask him about the core values of his employer.
So assessment hack number three: Do all the necessary research about the airline you want to work for!
And here comes a special add-on to this hack: also make notes about criticism of the airline
because once in a while they'll spontaneously ask you: "By the way, what do you think are negative aspects of our airline?"
And if you start to stumble, [even] thought you were amazing they will know you haven't prepared well.
Next are the Psychometric tests! They sound terrible - I admit some of them are. But again, practice and preparation are key.
Now I'm not getting paid for saying this, but the developers of sky test did an amazing job
on getting you ready for those multitasking and concentration tests.
I'm going to do a whole video just about sky tests in the future
and please be so kind to comment below if you know other software regarding preparation for these kinds of tests.
I'm very keen to see what you guys in the US and in the UK use,
as I would like to make a video about other software.
But here comes assessment hack number 4: Do not underestimate these tests!
I know too many people who fail this test due to lack of preparation.
Give yourself at least one or two months of preparation.
The learning curve isn't that steep at the beginning, but once your brain gets the hang of it, It's pure fun, trust me.
And imagine approaching these tests with a smile on your face. You'll pass, I am very certain of that.
What books shall I get to prepare myself?
Now very often assessments involve a theory part with a multiple choice questionnaire to evaluate your ATPL knowledge,
covering mostly all topics: aerodynamics, human performance, flight planning, air law and all others which can be painful to restudy.
Please don't be mistaken. This is only for ready entry pilots, not for fresh pilot cadets.
So assessment hack number five: get your hands on former ATPL exams!
There are always questions, which are repeatedly asked and again use the internet forums
or get this book right here: ACE - the technical pilot interview book. This book has got me through many assessments and
please comment below if you know similar books. I would like to get my hands on that. Thank you very much!
Okay, your assessment date is coming closer, and you're questioning [yourself]: What shall I wear?
Now my personal opinion: Don't forget to fly, wear a suit and tie!
If you show up in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt don't even go to the assessment, please!
I'm not saying you should wear a $2,000 Armani suit; I'm saying wear a suit that fits you.
Maybe even rent a suit you feel comfortable with and get a decent tie, nothing silly or funny.
If you want to make the recruiter smile, maybe buy a tie in the company colors, I'm not saying you have to.
And the same goes with shoes.
If you're coming in with your Nike Air Jordans please capture the face of the recruitment team for me once you enter the room
Thank you :)
So assessment hack number six: Wear a suit and tie,
watch a YouTube video on how to tie a Windsor knot and make yourself feel comfortable in what you're wearing.
If you worry too much about what you're wearing that will be recognizable on your face, trust me.
The days before the assessment!
I know those days are the worst as the date is coming closer and closer, and in most cases you only get to do the assessment once in your life.
Now mentally prepare yourself for the assessment:
Let's say the assessment is on a Monday morning at 8 AM:
I would recommend to get up at 6 AM the entire week beforehand and rehearse every step over and over.
Use your psychometric test software at 8 AM and do a run through the assessment as if it would be the real deal.
You might even want to practice with your suit on!
I am telling you the more you imagine and practice those steps that easier it will be on d-day.
So assessment hack number seven: get enough sleep, adjust your circadian rhythm, get healthy nutrition
and practice the assessment scenario over and over again and imagine a positive outcome!
How to approach the group exercise?
Now nearly every assessment I've been to there was always a game or a scenario you had to play with the other applicants.
So imagine this (I've actually had the scenario twice):
Everyone gets a piece of paper with the same story written on and then you get ten minutes to read and understand the story.
Now the short version of it: We've crashed landed on a remote island. We've all survived, but one passenger is suffering from a broken leg.
Now you've got a bunch of tools which you can use and then you shall now work as a team to bring the injured passenger to a safe location and use all necessary measures to get help.
Ready, Set, Go!
Now immediately someone will become the team leader, mostly the person who takes the initiative to speak up first.
And the role play goes on and on until the recruitment team (in most cases a psychologist) thinks he's seen enough and then he ends the exercise.
Now from my experience, don't be the last guy to speak, give helpful advice [and] call for action!
Don't be too aggressive and don't be too shy - it's the sweet balance what the psychologist wants to see.
Now It's very difficult for me to give you the exact advice on what to do and what not to do - But assessment hack number eight:
Practice these imaginary scenarios with your friends and family or even better, if you have a pilot friend, ask him to jump in and get feedback from them
The finally interview with the chief pilot and the psychologist - the most fierce test of all, at least that's what everyone says!
Okay, here comes the immediate assessment hack number nine: Be honest, always tell the truth and be yourself
Fake it until you make it does not apply at this test at all! You will fail, I am most certain of that.
Okay imagine this scenario: You're sitting at the table opposite of psychologist and the chief pilot.
And the pilot will maybe ask you five questions similar to: "Joe describe yourself a little", "What are your strengths and weaknesses?".
Now, let's say I would lie and say something which doesn't match my character at all.
"Okay. Thank you Joe. Would you mind stepping outside for a moment? We'll call you in in a minute?"
Ten heart-beating minutes later... They'll ask you to come back in and throw random questions at you!
"Joe what would you do when this happens?", "What would you do here ?", and this and that - and then the psychologist already knows you've lied in the first place...
...and then he'll harass you with questions which will uncover your lie, until you break!
How do I know that?
I have tested this numerous times with a friend of mine who is a psychologist and trust me they will always find a way to see if you're honest or not.
So whatever you do: be honest to yourself!
I know sometimes the truth can be harsh, but lying in an assessment and then failing - that's on you and no one will pick you up from that!
I've personally attended more than eight assessments in my life and I've passed all of them because I told the truth although some of those questions were very personal.
And the final assessment hack number ten: Please do not give up on yourself once you fail an Airline assessment!
It is not the end of the world [and] you should always learn from the mistakes you've made because in the end, there is no failure except if you give up!
And I'd like to end this video by giving you my motivational quote:
Do your best and forget the rest!
I hope you enjoyed this video! Please comment below, I'm looking forward to your assessment experiences, because everyone can profit from that.
Make sure to perform a touch and go up to my Instagram account,
although come to a full-stop landing in case you're here for an assessment.
And don't forget to subscribe, [the] button [is] right here, plus the notification bell.
All the best, See you next week, Your captain Joe!
By the way you guys, Squarespace sponsored today's video and I know that many of you share your photos from recent flights you've took and put your experience into writing, but why not do it on your personal website?
So start sharing your flights with your own blog! You can make a website very easily, and you don't need to know code!
And it's all made possible with Squarespace - it looks great is simple to set up and the best of all: if you go to squarespace.com/captainjoe you'll get 10% off and a free trial .
Link your websites in the comment box below and I'll check them out. See ya!