Preparing for your Cadet Pilot Interview

In this article our partners Symbiotics, aviation assessment provider, detail how to prepare for your cadet pilot interview. Read on to find out their tips and check out your exclusive 10% discount off testing here.

So, you have completed your pilot aptitude assessments and have been invited for interview. Congratulations! The online assessments are designed to assess your potential ability to meet the demands of training, so well done on getting to the next stage.

Interviews are typically one of the later stages of the process and are designed for the flight school to get to know a bit more about you and give you the opportunity to show them your motivation, knowledge and skills, so they can make sure you are a suitable candidate for their flight school and that you are ready to start your training. Interviews aren’t a one-way street, as they also present an opportunity for you to ask questions of your own and gain a further insight into the academy you are applying to.

The organisation you are applying to may have sent you information ahead of the interview so take some time to read through and understand anything you have been sent. You may experience questions around motivation, your general understanding of the role and training as well as competency questions around the key skills required to be a pilot, so take the time to prepare yourself thoroughly.

The process and structure can vary between different flight schools as to what areas are most important for the particular academy, however, you may find it beneficial to build on your understanding of the core competencies required to be a pilot. Our website provides an overview of the key ICAO competencies here and some useful information surrounding these - we recommend taking a look and understanding what they are.

Remote Interview?

In current times, interviews may not be taking place at the academy you are applying to, and you may have to complete this in another setting of your choice via video conferencing technology, known as a remote interview. These types of interviews have become more and more common, and it may well be that you have been invited to a remote interview. It is very important that these types of interviews are approached with the same care as an in-person interview, and there may even be some things it is important for you to consider that you wouldn’t have needed to with an in-person interview.

Technology

• Make sure the environment is suitable for completing the interview and is as free from distractions as possible.
• Check your technology beforehand – ensure that you have a good strong internet connection. If you are using a mobile phone or tablet, try and place the device in a stable location so you can focus on the interview itself.

General

• It is important to remember that interviews might not be exactly the same for each individual going through the process so don’t assume you’ll get the same questions as someone else if a friend has recently completed an interview.
• Preparation for the interview is really important – mock interview practice with feedback can help to hone your interview skills and improve your confidence with the interview process. This can also help to improve your familiarity with the interview process and build on your interview technique.
• There is only a finite amount of time, so try to focus on communicating concisely with a focus on key relevant details in order to support your potential to present yourself to the best of your ability.

Ahead of the interview

• Spend some time thinking about your past experiences and how these skills might be useful for the role of a pilot – think about how these might tie into the competency areas we mentioned earlier!
• The interviewer can only assess what they see at interview so, whilst you might be passionate and enthusiastic about aviation, if this is not articulated clearly then the interviewer won’t be able to see it, so be sure to take some time to practice putting your passion and enthusiasm into words.
• Be sure to understand what the role is and what you are getting into to show a realistic approach.

What are our 5 top cadet interview tips?

1. Preparation, Preparation, Preparation. Take the time ahead of the interview to make sure you are as prepared as possible and ensure you have a full understanding of the role you are applying for; if you have the opportunity, try to immerse yourself in the aviation industry to support your understanding.
2. Look back to look forward. Take some time to reflect on your past experiences and the skills you have developed. How will these skills and experiences help you in your training or ultimately in your role as a pilot?
3. Practice makes perfect. Practice your interview technique, whether this is with family, friends, practicing on your own or through structured mock interview sessions.
4. Put your best foot forward. Consider your self-presentation and how you can demonstrate a professional approach towards the process. Remember to treat a remote interview with the same level of professionalism as you would a face-to-face interview. Make sure the environment you choose to complete the interview in is suitable and as free from distraction as possible and if you are using a mobile phone try to position it in a stable location so you can focus on the interview itself.
5. Complete your last-minute checks. Double check what is required of you, and make sure you have everything you need ready beforehand – this could be documentation you need to bring to the interview or checking your technology is functioning correctly if the interview will be conducted remotely.