The UPT Hiring Process

             I had the opportunity to interview the hiring manager of a highly competitive squadron, to view the process from their perspective, and to gather more insight into what an ideal candidate might look like. I have intentionally left out any personally identifiable information for the privacy of the military member and the squadron. This is the perspective of one person and is not meant to be the only guideline for getting hired into a squadron but as a tool to help you gain a competitive advantage.

Please explain the hiring process from your point of view as the hiring manager, from the first contact with the squadron to getting invited to the squadron hiring board.

    “When people are interested in the squadron, we funnel them to a UPT hiring email address where I will begin the process of weeding out potential candidates. Typically, I will receive about 100 emails each month from people requesting information about the squadron and getting hired. I am usually only able to access this email account once a month, so right off the bat I will delete any emails that did not respond with a follow up email in the last 30 days. This is done to separate the shotgun applicants from the people who are genuinely interested in the squadron. The key is to be proactive without nagging. The qualities we are looking for in a pilot applicant can be determined in these early stages, so I appreciate a candidate that is clearly motivated and driven and demonstrates determination and tenacity early and often. The process from establishing email contact to getting invited to a squadron board can take up to one year. Keep in mind that this is for a competitive squadron with highly desirable aircraft and location, and there are many applicants to sift through. There are squadrons across the country who will hire a pilot applicant much sooner, however those positions tend to be the less desirable. In my experience, tanker units seem to have open positions they are looking to fill quickly. Also, in response to the pilot shortage in the Air Force, AFRC is now holding up to six pilot selection boards a year (one every other month), to get more pilots into the pipeline.

            My advice is to avoid “shot gunning” (also known as “spray and pray”) your application all over the country, because it tends to miss the mark in achieving the overall goal. If you just want to get a pilot slot and get the process going, then find a recruiter and join as an unsponsored candidate to save the headache of distributing your application all over the country. Since most people take the time to find a handful of units to apply to, the search will be more focused and direct. Sometime during the interview process, you will be asked about what other units you are applying to, and this is an instance where honesty is truly the best policy. There is nothing wrong with rushing multiple squadrons but be able to back up the reason(s) why. If you want to fly F-15’s and are applying to the Oregon Air National Guard (ORANG), there is nothing wrong with mentioning that you are also looking at the Fresno, California Guard unit too. You want to express your desire to be in ORANG and fly the World’s Greatest Air Superiority Fighter, whether that’s because you live in Oregon and want to stay close to home and family, it’s the opportunity to fly fighters, or it’s to stay geographically located on the west coast. There are a ton of reasons for specifically picking one unit over another but be honest about your intentions.

            After sifting through the initial emails and responding to applicants who showed the most interest in our squadron, I will reach out via email and begin establishing a relationship with each applicant. I will initially ask for your AFOQT, TBAS, PCSM and if you have a PPL, or where you are at in the process. The squadron will then invite applicants every couple of months to attend the UTA weekend, providing an opportunity to meet the members in the squadron as well as other applicants. We like to have applicants arrive on Friday and Saturday, since those days provide the best traffic through the squadron. We will give a tour of the squadron Friday morning and possibly go out to the flight line to see some aircraft. The big event is the lunch push, where everyone files out the door to meet up for lunch at a favorite local spot. This is where the interviewing really begins. You will ride in the car with a total stranger, sit next to people in military uniforms, and stick out like a sore thumb. This is where we get to see your personality, how you interact with people you don’t know and generally get a real sense of who you are what you have to offer. I always ask for feedback from my coworkers about the conversations they had, what they learned about each applicant and whether they would recommend them to join the squadron. Training events continue Saturday for the military members, but we like to see that you stuck around and showed up the next day, even just to say goodbye. The biggest thing I look for during the UTA weekend is that the applicant takes the initiative, begins conversations with different squadron members, and doesn’t need me to hold their hand all day. I am also busy with my own training and don’t have time to babysit. We can tell a lot about a person even in these early interactions, including the type of person they are and whether they will fit in or not.

            The process of contacting a squadron and getting an interview invitation can take up to a year from start to finish, and since we are also as a desirable unit, we’re able to be more selective in who we hire. We do not hold squadron boards for the sake of it, so we wait until we either have someone we want to hire or have gathered a group of quality candidates to interview at the same time. Don’t be discouraged with the process, if this is the squadron you truly wish to be in, then you will make the effort and do whatever it takes. Once you get the interview invitation, it’s basically your job to lose. If you have put in the work, traveled to multiply UTA’s, and finally received an interview, you have showed us enough to believe you are a good fit for the squadron. Finish strong by being prepared for the interview, dress appropriately, and even though you have formed a relationship with some of these people, be professional. That’s basically it, the board will convene to discuss the final results, and you should know whether you got the job sometime in the following week.”