Looking for advice

[pilot1]

Hi Everyone! Long time reader, first time posting... A little bit of background on me, my name is Jesse, I am a CFI, CFII, MEI looking for my first job instructing. Instructing will be part time for me as I have a full time job, so I will probably be flying mostly only on weekends.

Well, I have my first interview at an FBO this weekend and I just don't know what to expect. I'm thinking of approaching it like any other interview that I had at the corporate world so I'm wearing a suit and bringing a few copies of my resume with me, along with my logbook, licenses and medical of course. I guess I'm just looking to hear from people's experiences interviewing at FBOs for that first CFI job. What kind of questions did they ask you? Did you have to fly or do a sim evaluation as part of the interview? I'm just trying to get an idea of what to expect.

Any info would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

[jrh]

Honestly, I've never gone through a true, "walk in off the street" kind of interview for an instructing job. All my job offers have come as a result of knowing the right people at the right time.

For your situation, I'd say there's only one main question you have to think about. The FBO/flight school manager is going to be thinking, "Do I want this guy representing my business?" That's what it all boils down to.

Do you dress sharp? Are you friendly? Do you have a good attitude toward safety? Do you communicate well? Do you have a good understanding of technical subjects? Are you organized? Do you work well with others? Those all play in to how good of an instructor you'll be.

Maybe they'll ask you to teach them some manuevers, maybe they'll ask you why you want to work there, maybe they'll ask you to tell them a flying story...they could ask you anything, I don't know. Every flight school is different. Whatever the case, go in with an attitude of showing why you'll make a good instructor for them and you'll be fine.

[dc3flyer]

What kind of FBO is it? Fancy or casual?

When I interviewed for my CFI job at an FBO, I wore khaki pants and a nice shirt. It wasn't the kind of place where you would show up wearing a suit and tie. You're not going to be instructing in a suit, so why interview in one? Just try to look proffesional in the part of a CFI.
Chances are that they will want to know what you expect out of the job and how available you will be. When I got my CFI job, he hired me on the spot without really talking anything technical (I guess to him just having my certs was sufficient). We did talk a lot about what I wanted to do with aviation. The weather was LOW IFR that day, so we just looked at the planes.
I asked as many questions as he did. Stuff like student load, aircraft condition, pay, ground school, pay, maintanence, the area (I was unfamiliar), etc... I started about a week later and the boss and I went up for like an hour in both planes for an insurance checkout. I flew a 172 from the left seat and a 152 from the right. It seemed like more of a checkout than a job interview, but I am sure he was watching closely!!

[moxiepilot]

where do you plan to interview? chances are someone here can give you the heads up in reference to that specific FBO

[pilot1]

Originally Posted by dc3flyer

What kind of FBO is it? Fancy or casual?

It's a small FBO, nothing fancy, so I would say it's casual

Originally Posted by dc3flyer

When I interviewed for my CFI job at an FBO, I wore khaki pants and a nice shirt. It wasn't the kind of place where you would show up wearing a suit and tie. You're not going to be instructing in a suit, so why interview in one? Just try to look proffesional in the part of a CFI.

I was really debating the whole suit thing for that same reason. I'm just so used to wearing suits at interviews in the "corporate world" that I was thinking it would be inappropriate not to wear one. I'll probably take your advice and just wear khakis and a nice shirt though. Thanks!

[pilot1]

Originally Posted by moxiepilot

where do you plan to interview? chances are someone here can give you the heads up in reference to that specific FBO

My interview is at Princeton airport in NJ

[Timbuff10]

Yeah, I would go with a nice pair of pants, something like Dockers work fine, some brown or black shoes that you could fly in, a button down shirt with a collar, a tie can't hurt but if they don't require their CFIs to wear one, I wouldn't bother. I always thought a tie in a cessna was stupid anyway.

As for the interview, I would guess they will ask questions like that above. Obviously they know you know the stuff as you do have your ratings. I had to work for mine as I am sure everyone did.

Be yourself, show them why they want you to be the face of their business. Can they make money off of you as a CFI? Are you afraid to talk to people? Probably the last step is to take you on the flying interview to make sure you can land the plane and fly with confidence. If this is a good school they are probably insuring you and they don't want to insure someone who can't land the plane with confidence.

A quick tip for the flight. If you bust a maneuver or something, talk through it and explain how to fix it. Afterall, you are now a teacher, not a perfect pilot.

Relax and have fun with it, and good luck!

[MidlifeFlyer]

Originally Posted by Timbuff10

Yeah, I would go with a nice pair of pants, something like Dockers work fine, some brown or black shoes that you could fly in, a button down shirt with a collar, a tie can't hurt but if they don't require their CFIs to wear one, I wouldn't bother. I always thought a tie in a cessna was stupid anyway.

But be relatively sure about dress if you go more casual. pilot1, I have a feeling from your post that you already know this, but for interview purposes, business overdressing (we're talking suit and tie, not tuxedo) is almost never an issue while underdressing often is.

[Swen]

I've long been a believer in dressing one notch above what you would on the job.

[pilot1]

Well I guess nice pants and a button down shirt were enough! I got the job and i start in 2 weeks! Thanks to everyone for all the advice. I'm really excited and nervous at the same time as I have 0 hours of dual given... Any hints about how to deal with those first few instructing hours ?

[flyguy]

Well, if its an option for you, try to get your feet wet by doing some checkouts, flight reviews, or cover for another instructor who needs a day off etc. to get your feet wet with a student who has some flying experience. That will build your confidence enought that when you go with your own students you'll know what to expect.

[Timbuff10]

Originally Posted by pilot1

Well I guess nice pants and a button down shirt were enough! I got the job and i start in 2 weeks! Thanks to everyone for all the advice. I'm really excited and nervous at the same time as I have 0 hours of dual given... Any hints about how to deal with those first few instructing hours ?

Just do what your instructors did for you when you started out... It worked for you, why not your students?

Have fun, and congrats!

[jrh]

Originally Posted by pilot1

Well I guess nice pants and a button down shirt were enough! I got the job and i start in 2 weeks! Thanks to everyone for all the advice. I'm really excited and nervous at the same time as I have 0 hours of dual given... Any hints about how to deal with those first few instructing hours ?

Congrats!

So what was the interview like?

As for the first few hours...follow a syllabus, spend time preparing for lessons in advance, and try not to act nervous. You'll catch on pretty quick.

[nosehair]

Remenber in your FOI training, under *Barriers to effective communication*, the *Lack of Common Experience* line:
"Lack of common experience is the greatest single barrier to effective communication between student and instructor."

You have to get on a channel of "common experience" with your students. This is probably the biggest *problem* with new instructors, and old ones, too. They just jump right in talking aviation ligo and the new student is lost before he starts.

Find something you can talk about with your student that is not aviation.
Where are you from? What did you do before you got into flying? What got you interested in flying? What kind of flying do you want to do? Why?

These kind of "get aquainted" questions will lead to conversations outside of "technical instruction" that you may find a "common experience" to talk about and begin to form a bond of trust and understanding that must be a foundation of effective instruction.

[pilot1]

The interview was actually a lot easier than I thought. They didn't really ask me any technical questions or anything like that. They pretty much just asked me about where I got my ratings, professional goals, etc. Then I went up and did a couple of steep turns and a stall with one of the senior instructors. That was it!

Thanks for all the tips everyone! I am already reviewing a bunch of stuff as I don't want to look unprepared. I guess I'm just uneasy about letting other people fly the plane. Well, I guess I'll eventually get used to instructing. Hopefully it doesn't take to long to feel comfortable...

[clumpinglitter]

Originally Posted by pilot1

The interview was actually a lot easier than I thought. They didn't really ask me any technical questions or anything like that. They pretty much just asked me about where I got my ratings, professional goals, etc. Then I went up and did a couple of steep turns and a stall with one of the senior instructors. That was it!

Thanks for all the tips everyone! I am already reviewing a bunch of stuff as I don't want to look unprepared. I guess I'm just uneasy about letting other people fly the plane. Well, I guess I'll eventually get used to instructing. Hopefully it doesn't take to long to feel comfortable...

Congrats on your first job. I just started instructing, too. It didn't take long at all until I felt comfortable with a student pilot handling the airplane. Power-on stalls were the most unnerving, but think about it -- even if the airplane were to spin, we know how to get out of it. And such a thing can be avoided by paying close attention. Landings can be interesting, of course. I sometimes wonder what would happen if the student were to freeze on the controls.

Enjoy your new challenges, and have fun.

-C.

[Snickersnwa]

Originally Posted by clumpinglitter

Congrats on your first job. I just started instructing, too. It didn't take long at all until I felt comfortable with a student pilot handling the airplane. Power-on stalls were the most unnerving, but think about it -- even if the airplane were to spin, we know how to get out of it. And such a thing can be avoided by paying close attention. Landings can be interesting, of course. I sometimes wonder what would happen if the student were to freeze on the controls.

Enjoy your new challenges, and have fun.

-C.

I had a student pilot freeze on the controls. That day we were practicing crosswind landings, and the student froze with right rudder and right aileron inputs on short final. Fun times! We had to go around, and even after me saying “my airplane” a few times the student still wouldn’t let go of the rudder input! Even after demonstrating crosswind landings with the student on the controls, and thoroughly briefing on the ground beforehand… it happens!

Congrats on the CFI job! It’s really a blast, very rewarding, and you’ll learn a ton!

[dc3flyer]

CONGRATS!!!

It is a scary feeling, still being responsible yet having the controls in someone else's hands. As the above posts said, it will be an easier transistion with more advanced students, especially those that can (almost) land. You will get the hang of it quick and then wonder why you worried so much. Just remember, they put two sets of controls is a 152 for a reason!!

[MSNFlyer]

Congrats on the job--just be ready for the unexpected.

400' AGL, 45 kts of airspeed and my student puts us into a 45 degree banked turn . . . . make sure your students know how to let go of the airplane and give it back to you

[pilot1]

Thanks! I'm definitely going to stress the importance of positive exchange of the flight controls to all of my students. Fighting a student for the controls is the last thing I want to be doing during critical phases of a flight.

[FlyEDouglas]

Worst case, if it's THAT critical of a situation and the student is frozen solid on the controls, a good swift chop to the neck will do the trick. It might be painful for the student for a minute but the idea is it saves both of your lives and the natural reaction will be for them to grab their neck with both hands, hence releasing the yoke. I'm not saying beat the #### out of your students but, like I said, if it saves both of your lives I think an apology and explanation when you're on the ground safely will do just fine.

[Reigleite]

Originally Posted by pilot1

The interview was actually a lot easier than I thought. They didn't really ask me any technical questions or anything like that. They pretty much just asked me about where I got my ratings, professional goals, etc. Then I went up and did a couple of steep turns and a stall with one of the senior instructors. That was it!

Thanks for all the tips everyone! I am already reviewing a bunch of stuff as I don't want to look unprepared. I guess I'm just uneasy about letting other people fly the plane. Well, I guess I'll eventually get used to instructing. Hopefully it doesn't take to long to feel comfortable...

I think you find that interviewing for a CFI job isn't really as big of a deal as people make it. Trust me I've been there seeing as how I'm kinda the ##### of Central Pennsylavania flight schools. Let's face it, as an instructor you are in customer service first and instructing second. I'd like to see anyone on this board challange that. Teaching people to fly is secondary outside of the airplane. Therein lies the reason that most CFI's sit around wondering why they don't have students... They can't hold a simple conversation. You may be the next Chuck Yeager, but if you can't find common ground with the student as a 'customer' you won't do very well. See if you might be able to get a job working at the desk of an FBO on the field. It'll really help hone your customer service skills. Also, Savvy Instructor (I forget the exact title) is a GREAT read!

[mrivc211]

Originally Posted by pilot1

Hi Everyone! Long time reader, first time posting... A little bit of background on me, my name is Jesse, I am a CFI, CFII, MEI looking for my first job instructing. Instructing will be part time for me as I have a full time job, so I will probably be flying mostly only on weekends.

Well, I have my first interview at an FBO this weekend and I just don't know what to expect. I'm thinking of approaching it like any other interview that I had at the corporate world so I'm wearing a suit and bringing a few copies of my resume with me, along with my logbook, licenses and medical of course. I guess I'm just looking to hear from people's experiences interviewing at FBOs for that first CFI job. What kind of questions did they ask you? Did you have to fly or do a sim evaluation as part of the interview? I'm just trying to get an idea of what to expect.

Any info would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Show up and give them 110%. Suit, tie, and prepare to answer questions on the aircraft you fly. Be knowledgable on rules and regs that pertain to their operation. And if you have a little time, smile. Good Luck!