I didn't start in aviation. I was working as a chemical engineer and applying to airlines, again and again. The call came after my 10th application. At that first interview I was asked about the Boeing 747, which I had no experience of. I said honestly that I wasn't sure, and I still got the job.
Years later, my command upgrade was due. Then my airline froze upgrades after events no one there could control. I could have waited. Instead I moved to a new airline in a new region, flying the Boeing 777 in the Middle East. That selection was the toughest of my career: the interview leaned heavily on technical aircraft systems. After it, training included an oral systems exam with the national aviation authority, which we had to pass before training could continue.
In 2018 I joined my current airline as a direct-entry captain.
Along the way I've flown the Fokker 50, the Boeing 737, the Boeing 777 (passenger and freighter) and the Airbus A320, and passed selection at three airlines across Asia and the Middle East.
What I can and can't tell you
I've never sat on an interview panel. What I share is what I learned as a candidate, three times, and as a pilot who changed airlines to reach the left seat. Know your systems, know your basics, stay humble, and say "I'm not sure" when you're not.
Why I stay behind the scenes
I don't name my employers or show my face, and I don't use airline branding. Heading Change is independent. It isn't connected to or endorsed by any airline or aviation authority, and it contains nothing from any company's manuals, exams or training material.