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| STATUS CHECKS
Many pilots, as well as other employees, like to know their friend's competitive standing relative to other applications on file. While most other airlines will not provide this type of information, we felt it was something worthwhile. Unfortunately, the data is not very accurate because we receive over 1,500 new applications and/or Scantron updates every month! We've tried several methods over the past few years, and we continue to look for more efficient ways to provide you with information. In years past, the staff at DENEV tried to handle telephone inquiries, but this put a significant burden on the staff and became overwhelming. DENEV simply didn't have the staffing or budget to handle the volume of requests. Flight Operations felt it was important to maintain some method of conducting a status check, so we decided to implement the Unimatic E-note system. We have been using the E-note process for approximately 18 months, and we have received over 20,000 requests! The information we provide includes the approximate number of applicants on file with scores higher than your friend, and a notation if there are no letters of recommendation on file. We're sure many of you would like to nt have more specific information. Unfortunately, an applicant's status is a variable that can change daily and therefore the information is obsolete as soon as we send it. First you send a request, including the applicant's full name and SSN, via Unimatic E-note to "STATUS" and you receive a reply that there are "approximately 1200 ahead of him." Since we send 200-300 invitations per month, you might assume that your friend is less than six months from being called. But wait - there's a big part of the picture still missing. What about those 1,500 new applications and/or updates we receive every month? It's possible that some or all of those applicants will have scores higher than your friend, and his position might remain stagnant or even move farther down the list. This could easily happen if your friend is not actively flying, and most of the updates we receive are from pilots flying a full-time schedule. It's a variable that can't be predicted. As line pilots, it makes us feel good when we can provide some type of encouragement to our friends, but unfortunately, there are too many variables that preclude us from being able to provide you with a time estimate in the status check. Please think of the status check as a very general guide. If someone is in the top 500, then obviously they are very competitive and should be called in a reasonable amount of time, provided they are actively flying. On the other hand, if someone is 6,000 from the top, then obviously they have some work to do. Here are some other frequently asked questions... How do I know if my friend has a letter of recommendation on file? Since most of our applicants have letters of recommendation, we will only make a notation on the status check if there are NO letters in the file. In addition, the computer program we use does not provide us with the number of letters on file, or the names of the pilots who submitted them. It simply tells us there is "at least one letter" on file. We do not have the manpower to retrieve each hard file and physically check for your letter. We recommend that you always provide a copy of your letter to the applicant, so they can bring an additional copy to the interview. Remember, letters of recommendation expire when an application expires. They do not carry forward from a first interview to a second interview. How do I know when my friend sent her last update? Ask her! Applicants should always keep a copy of any correspondence they send to any airline. Our instruction sheet also advises applicants that they can include a stamped, self-addressed post card with their application or update, and we will mail it back to confirm receipt.
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