FedEx Hiring
12-18-2015, 07:26 AM
#1261
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,383
It is interesting to me when I speak to a room full of wannabes and ask "who has FedEx as their first choice?" how many hands I see. The answer the last couple years has been "none" or "not very many".
Our last contract plus the lack of a new contract at Delta has swayed a few folks back towards us, and there are always some folks who really want to work at our company for a host of reasons--location, family ties to the company, or an almost paralyzing fear of being furloughed at some point if they go to a pax carrier.
That said, I know what the IDEAL is with our hiring matrix, which is more or less what Delta is using. The thing is many of the guys who are most attracted to FedEx don't fit that template. What I have seen is we've hired some real rock stars, but there are also some guys here now HIRED RECENTLY that would never have gotten hired at Delta (or at least I perceive they would have had a major challenge getting the call...)
I like it here. I am not trying to run down my own company. But it is amazing to me how quickly this place went from being "the place" to go to "a an option for the right person..." The growth and pay raises at the legacies has gotten the attention of a lot of pilots, and many are mitigating the furlough risk by staying in the reserves, putting momma back to work, or other options. One military recently went to Delta, even though he was a long time FedEx wannabe. FedEx finally called him after 3-4 months on the property, but he declined the interview. He's very happy there, and saw no reason to leave. Another regional pilot I know has a mom who worked at the company for years (not flight ops) and lived in North Mississippi. His whole life was geared towards one day working at FedEx. Two years ago he went to Delta, and he loves it...and is not coming back. FedEx doesn't really care if they miss a good pilot here or there, as long as they get enough good pilots to fill the classes and do the job. They aren't going shut down because they cannot get pilots, and the guys they get will likely do a solid job. But for the first time in over a dozen years, a solid pilot out there has a few options, and its starting to impact hiring.
United is interesting to me. Its been a financial disaster for decades. But something is going on over there, and the kool-aid they are drinking has a lot of new folks pretty happy. They have energy and optimism, both which have been in short supply for a long time. Growth and getting the base you want have a way of doing that. I have seen quite a few guys pass on Delta to go to UAL, usually for domicile reasons, but again....that's a trend I don't remember seeing since I've been coaching.
FedEx isn't scraping the bottom of the barrel yet, and there are pilots leaving other companies to come here. Its a great gig and they will always be able (IMHO) to fill classes. But not every guy in the class will be that ideal that has been discussed. If you want to work here--apply. Sponsors seem to help, but aren't required. Being typed in a plane we fly seems to help--tremendously--and may offset weaknesses in other areas. Being willing to go to an FDA seems to at least move you to the top of the stack.
Our last contract plus the lack of a new contract at Delta has swayed a few folks back towards us, and there are always some folks who really want to work at our company for a host of reasons--location, family ties to the company, or an almost paralyzing fear of being furloughed at some point if they go to a pax carrier.
That said, I know what the IDEAL is with our hiring matrix, which is more or less what Delta is using. The thing is many of the guys who are most attracted to FedEx don't fit that template. What I have seen is we've hired some real rock stars, but there are also some guys here now HIRED RECENTLY that would never have gotten hired at Delta (or at least I perceive they would have had a major challenge getting the call...)
I like it here. I am not trying to run down my own company. But it is amazing to me how quickly this place went from being "the place" to go to "a an option for the right person..." The growth and pay raises at the legacies has gotten the attention of a lot of pilots, and many are mitigating the furlough risk by staying in the reserves, putting momma back to work, or other options. One military recently went to Delta, even though he was a long time FedEx wannabe. FedEx finally called him after 3-4 months on the property, but he declined the interview. He's very happy there, and saw no reason to leave. Another regional pilot I know has a mom who worked at the company for years (not flight ops) and lived in North Mississippi. His whole life was geared towards one day working at FedEx. Two years ago he went to Delta, and he loves it...and is not coming back. FedEx doesn't really care if they miss a good pilot here or there, as long as they get enough good pilots to fill the classes and do the job. They aren't going shut down because they cannot get pilots, and the guys they get will likely do a solid job. But for the first time in over a dozen years, a solid pilot out there has a few options, and its starting to impact hiring.
United is interesting to me. Its been a financial disaster for decades. But something is going on over there, and the kool-aid they are drinking has a lot of new folks pretty happy. They have energy and optimism, both which have been in short supply for a long time. Growth and getting the base you want have a way of doing that. I have seen quite a few guys pass on Delta to go to UAL, usually for domicile reasons, but again....that's a trend I don't remember seeing since I've been coaching.
FedEx isn't scraping the bottom of the barrel yet, and there are pilots leaving other companies to come here. Its a great gig and they will always be able (IMHO) to fill classes. But not every guy in the class will be that ideal that has been discussed. If you want to work here--apply. Sponsors seem to help, but aren't required. Being typed in a plane we fly seems to help--tremendously--and may offset weaknesses in other areas. Being willing to go to an FDA seems to at least move you to the top of the stack.
12-18-2015, 08:35 AM
#1262
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2006
Position: MD-11 Captain
Posts: 4,304
In tribute to the new Stars Wars opening ...
Has FedEx changed the prior flight time aircraft types to include the Millennium Falcon (freighter!)?
Last edited by MaydayMark; 12-18-2015 at 08:50 AM.
12-18-2015, 08:46 AM
#1263
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2013
Posts: 4,752
12-18-2015, 11:35 AM
#1264
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: May 2013
Posts: 360
Think it's good to have the whole quote. The steady pace for the foreseeable future is notable too.
"We're all glad to see the steady stream of new FedEx pilots. The current model has us hiring approximately 23-30 pilots per month in 2016, and to continue hiring at a steady pace for the foreseeable future. Over 450 pilot positions, not including normal attrition, still remain available from (a previous vacancy bid). We're operating the training facility around the clock and have started classes as recently as December 7th."
12-18-2015, 12:39 PM
#1265
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2011
Position: Bus driver
Posts: 322
12-18-2015, 01:31 PM
#1267
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2007
Position: Gear Monkey
Posts: 3,199
Think it's good to have the whole quote. The steady pace for the foreseeable future is notable too.
"We're all glad to see the steady stream of new FedEx pilots. The current model has us hiring approximately 23-30 pilots per month in 2016, and to continue hiring at a steady pace for the foreseeable future. Over 450 pilot positions, not including normal attrition, still remain available from (a previous vacancy bid). We're operating the training facility around the clock and have started classes as recently as December 7th."
"We're all glad to see the steady stream of new FedEx pilots. The current model has us hiring approximately 23-30 pilots per month in 2016, and to continue hiring at a steady pace for the foreseeable future. Over 450 pilot positions, not including normal attrition, still remain available from (a previous vacancy bid). We're operating the training facility around the clock and have started classes as recently as December 7th."
The max at one time (2007?) was over 4,600
Did they mention if the overall crew force would grow, stay constant or continue to "become more efficient"?
12-18-2015, 03:24 PM
#1268
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Aug 2012
Posts: 711
But, management did say we were undermanned, so our overall numbers should rise somewhat.
12-18-2015, 04:04 PM
#1269
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: May 2013
Posts: 360
To answer directly DLax, no, they didn't say. My GUESS is we'll stay flat or shrink a little in the next 5 years. Contract efficiencies, the huge increase and profitability of Ground, belly freight options; and other market trends are my reasoning. But the large rise in e-commerce/online shopping should keep us fairly steady. My 2 cents.
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