The Inside Scoop for Your Interview at LIFT Academy

Since the inception of LIFT Academy, we’ve received thousands of applications and interviewed thousands of applicants. Each week, recruiters chat with prospective students, looking for characteristics, skills and qualities that are necessary to become a successful pilot. We want to share some things to consider once you schedule your interview with LIFT.

After scheduling your Zoom interview with us, the first thing you should do is visit our website again. This is true for any job interview to help you learn a bit more about our programs, our culture and how we operate. We aren’t going to be the best fit for everyone for flight training, and we want you to enjoy your time with us. If you don’t do your research, you may find that LIFT isn’t the best fit for you.

Once you’ve spent some time learning about us, research the airline industry.  Spend some time identifying skills that make for a good pilot. Leadership, empathy, decision making, situational awareness and problem solving are some examples. Once you identify what traits you think make for a good pilot or that you would like to sharpen, start prepping for your interview.

It is always best to have a friend or relative help you with a mock interview. It can be awkward, but so are interviews if you haven’t prepared! Write down a list of potential questions. There are hundreds of websites out there that give sample questions for job interviews. Practicing out loud helps build your confidence and makes you more comfortable answering questions about you. Make sure to also time yourself so that you can see how long it takes you to respond to a question.  If your answer takes more than 3-4 minutes, you are likely taking too much time. Be informative, but also precise. Your goal in the interview is to make the best impression possible to get offered a spot at LIFT Academy.

Lastly, the night before you interview, make sure you clear your calendar and have an outfit prepared. Don’t wear a t-shirt, shorts and sandals. Professional attire is always recommended. Do some trial runs on Zoom before the interview and make sure you have your laptop and quiet room ready. Distractions during the interview take time away from you and the recruiter, and you want to limit that as much as possible.  While the interview is one small part of enrolling with us, it is the start to your career in aviation so prepare yourself to put your best foot forward!