An Austin, Texas, software firm says it has taken a lot of the work out of hiring pilots with an algorithm that sorts through the resumes of thousands of pilots to find those suited to specific jobs being offered. Pilot Credentials is now handling FedEx’s and Southwest’s candidate screening through a database of potential pilots that allows hiring managers get the information they need quickly. “It has saved our recruiters countless hours on the phone,” Rocky Calkins, Southwest’s hiring manager, told the Austin American-Statesman. “Being able to streamline the process has shaved a lot of time off a very time-consuming process.” The company says it will now start marketing the system to other airlines.
Co-founder Richard Trocino said he started the company after doing a contract pilot hiring project for FedEx. He said he quickly came to appreciate the complexities of the process and huge amount of time spent by recruiters to find the right candidates. “Aircraft pilots are among the most difficult professions to hire for,” Trocino said. “There is so much at stake and such strict oversight. The Pilot Records Improvement Act sets record-keeping guidelines that result in tons of time-consuming paperwork.” In his system, the 10,000 registered pilots keep their profiles updated and the software does the rest for recruiters.
