Call to Decline an Interview ??

[Silverhawk]

Three or four months ago when I first began searching for a new job I blanketed the airlines here at Pgh with endless resumes for any Customer Service and Ramp jobs just to at least get out of my current job and go from there. I had intended to work there and head back to a local Community College which has a prof. pilot program through a local flight school for the rest of my ratings .. ( of which I start next week ).

Anyhow I also recently was offered a position at another local University as an Academic Advisors with the opportunity to teach a little bit even later on.. but the nice increase in salary and extra time I'll be able to take out less loans and really focus on flying moreso than I was able to at the job I'm leaving today ( LAST DAY AT PNC BANK !!!! )

Anyhow... just today all these airlines.. three in fact.. have started calling to schedule interviews for the ramper / customer service postions.

Should I call them back and regretfully decline the offer to interview or any advice on what I should do ? The new job is close to a 8k raise in salary with a lot of more free time for flying. The jobs with the airlines would be great for experience and to have an in but would be quite a cut in pay. I think being able to build a nest-egg and saving for those lean years to come would be the best route by sticking to my current path and pass on the interviews. I am just worried by saying no now a year or two from now when I'm ready to apply and start searching for that first full-time flying job this will come back an haunt me somehow.

Any thoughts .. opinions greatly appreaciated !!

[naunga]

To me it's a balance between experience, practicality, and financial freedom.

The Academic Advisor position gives you an $8K pay raise. If you pay $150 an hour to fly, that $8K is 53 more hours to fly (from a financial standpoint).

You'd also be working very flexible hours and probably not working on the weekends, which means you can fly on the weekends.

On the other hand you could take the paycut and get your foot in the door at an airline, but you'd probably be working long hours, at the beck and call of the airline, and since you'd lose the pay raise you'd probably not be able to afford to fly.

I hate my job. I could easily quit and get a job working in a pro kitchen, but my current job is paying for me to get educated as a chef and it pays for my flying. Once my wife is in a practice I'm golden and I will be outta here, but until then I can't.

Of course the experience in the kitchen would be invaluable, and I'll probably get a part time gig once I've started school, but I can't afford to pay for school and live on a minimum wage job.

So...

Two things. First you need to decide what's more valuable. Having time and money to continue flying, or experience working with the airline.

Second, if you decide not to take the airline jobs, you should call them and thank them for contacting you, but that you've taken another offer and are not currently looking for a new position.

They'll understand. Especially if you applied a while back. They snoozed and lost, but they'll appreciate your courtesy. Otherwise they'll probably make a couple more calls to track you down, which wastes their time.

That's my take.

Naunga