I've recently spent some time prepping and interviewing for first officer positions at other airlines, so I thought it might be a good time to share how I prepped so you can maximize your chances at success!
Questions, Questions, Questions
I'd say singlehandedly the most important bit of prep I did was looking ahead at the questions I would be asked. There is a great site called Aviation Interviews, and it is a gold mine of questions and general information that you can use for preparation. The paid subscription is worth it. Don't expect to get asked a bunch of questions that are all verbatim from the site though; these companies know that their questions are out in the wild and will change and add new questions all the time. The reason I still believe it was the most important prep I did is that it got me really thinking about all the different experiences I've had throughout my career so far. By the time I finished preparing, I had enough stories ready to go at the forefront of my memory which allowed me to effectively answer the questions I did end up getting asked.
Of all the questions I got though, the most important one was why I was choosing to interview with a particular company. I thought the longest about how I would answer this question and made sure to be as thorough as possible with my answer. I tried to incorporate stories I read about people's experiences with said company, and notes about growth of the company and financial position in order to convey a well-rounded response. Make sure you take some time to think about this question as well; with all the movement in the industry right now, companies want to make sure that if you come work for them, you're going to stay.
Resumes and Cover Letters
There's no reason not to have a perfect resume and cover letter crafted. The resume is most important because the interviewers will have it in front of them, so be prepared to talk about everything that is on yours. Try to make sure that everything on there is completely relevant to the job you are interviewing for, and make sure all flight times are up to date. The cover letter is important as well; make sure that it accurately addresses the company to which you are applying. If the company has a slogan or some values that are made public, try to incorporate them into the letter. This should go without saying, but make sure that there are exactly zero mistakes on these documents.
Attire and Conduct
It's no secret that the airlines are a pretty conservative bunch of companies. Make sure that your attire reflects this. I went about as conservative as you can go and chose a black suit with a white button down shirt. I wore a tie as well, but I chose something with some color and a pattern that I thought would stand out just enough to be different but not enough to cause anyone to have doubts.
I have yet to hear about a company that doesn't provide travel to where interviews are being conducted. Make sure to say hi and chat with the crew whenever applicable because you might be asked about your experiences on the company's aircraft. This should go without saying, but treat those crews with respect because you never know if someone is part of the hiring committee or is friends with someone that you're going to run into. This applies to the people working at provided hotels as well; it's best to assume that the airlines communicate with their chosen hotels about the conduct of company applicants. It might sound crazy, but it's not unheard of.
Closing Remarks
Remember to be yourself and try to enjoy the process! Make friends with the other applicants while you're there because you never know who you'll wind up in training with. Talk to people that already work for the company at which you are applying and get as much information as possible. Lastly, remember that even though the market is in our favor right now, there are still plenty of applicants. So don't assume that simply by way of applying, you'll get the job; companies are still turning people down. There's no reason not to maximize your preparation and give the process everything you've got. Good luck!
Notes
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