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United Airlines Interview Questions & Reviews in Chicago, IL Area

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Web: www.united.com | HQ: Chicago, IL

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Updated Feb 9, 2012 – Interview questions and reviews posted anonymously by interview candidates.
Ratings are reflective of location and job title.

Difficulty Rating [?] Based on 19 ratings

2.9

“Average” Interview

Interview Experience [?] Based on 19 ratings

Positive	47%
Neutral	32%
Negative	21%

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1–10 of 19 United Airlines Interviews

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2.0

Easy Interview

Overall Positive Experience

Received and Declined Offer

Interviewed Jan 2012 in Chicago, IL (took 2+ weeks)

I applied through the HR website and received a call from an HR rep in the first week of January. To give some context, I have a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, 4 years professional experience with 1.5 years analyst/reporting experience. The rep stated that someone would be calling in the next day to set up an interview. I then spoke with another rep the next day who set up a face to face interview at the Chicago headquarters (77 W Wacker Dr). She explained that the job would begin at the head quarters and move to the Willis tower in October 2012. She set up a flight for the following Tuesday (4 days later, all expenses would be paid including cab fare). I would fly out around 8am, interview in the early afternoon, then fly back home in the evening.

I then spent the next 3 days preparing for the interview, which was critical to my success later. I literally studied between 12-15 hours. I recommend that everyone study and research as much as possible about the industry and the position/department.(Do you want the job? Studying will give you the confidence and knowledge you HAVE to have) By using the job description, I was able to find detailed information about the sub-industry: Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul. Dissect the job description and Google everything until you feel like you have a strong handle on the role, the department and how both fit within the business model of United and the greater industry. I suggest Googleing for white papers, forums, industry articles and case studies. Read and understand the company’s annual report(Found on the company’s website) and mention that you read it in the interview. They will be impressed. I even pulled out my old strategic management text books because I remembered there were a couple of cases regarding airline companies. I can't stress how critical this studying was to my success and confidence in the interview. DO IT!!!

I arrived at O'Hare and took a cab to the headquarters building. One of the hiring managers greeted me in the lobby of the building and we went up to a conference room to conduct the interview with him and another manager. The interview went extremely well...we bantered for the first 45 min about my resume and experience as well as the industry and company itself. Most of the interview was quite informal until the last 15 min when they seemed to reluctantly pull out the standard HR behavioral questions: How did you deal with a conflict with a co-worker?, Describe an instance when you encountered a hurdle in a task or project and how you overcame it. As usual, they request that you answer in the STAR format (Situation, Task, Action, Result) after about 15-25 min of these questions one of the managers realized that I would likely have to catch a flight and we all shuffled to check the time. We briefly touched on questions I had, they introduced me to their boss(the VP) and rushed me out the door so I wouldn't miss the flight.

Do to my extensive studying and subsequent confidence, I felt that I had built great report with both interviewers and felt very confident that I would get a call back. I assumed it would be a matter of a day or two but did not hear anything. I followed up with a thank you email the next day to both hiring managers, the VP and CC’d the HR rep. I tailored each email to each manager, individually thanking them and re-capping how my qualifications matched the job. A week went by with no word from anyone, so I inquired with the hiring manager via email. He wrote back and said that the process with United can take 2-4 weeks internally. I rested a little easier but another whole week went by with no word. Since 2 weeks had gone by, I called the HR rep (At night so I knew I would get her voice mail) to ask if there was anymore information I could provide to aid in the process. I don’t know if this encouraged her to follow up with the hiring managers, but the next day she called to inform me that they wanted to make an offer. While the relocation package was extremely generous (break your lease, pay closing costs, move your stuff, ship your cars, pay for 2 months rent in Chicago, pay for storage, give you $10k for misc expenses if you are a home owner, and $6k for renters) the salary was a low-ball offer ($47,500). They actually offered less than I was currently making. I asked for the weekend to think it over with my wife and told her I would call on Monday. I called on Monday and informed her that I with the cost of living difference I would need at least $61,500. She stated that that was significantly above the pay cap and asked if that was the lowest I could go. I let her know that I really couldn’t go lower than 60k and she said she would have to call back after speaking with the hiring managers. The next day she called back and offered $55k. Read my reasoning for declining below:

Interview Questions

Describe a task or project where you encountered a difficult hurdle, and how you overcame it

Answer Question

Reason for Declining

While $55k as a junior analyst was sufficient for us to live, my wife and I decided we just couldn’t pick up and move for such a small increase in pay, if any at all with the cost of living difference. I turned down the offer and thanked her for her efforts.

In case you are wondering, I wrote such a detailed explanation because in all of my research, I had a hard time finding information about the interview process with United. Glassdoor was very helpful in my research, but I felt that there could have been more info to help me in my process. I tried to include every detail in this review and I hope it will be helpful in your process. Make sure you post your detailed interview process when you finally complete it.

Other Details

I Applied Online and the interview consisted of a 1:1 Interview and a Background Check.

Helpful Interview?

Yes | No

View Comments (1)

Inappropriate?

2.0

Easy Interview

Overall Negative Experience

Interviewed and No Offer

Interviewed Feb 2011 in Chicago, IL (took a day)

The accent of the interviewer was extremely hard to understand, which led some serious misunderstanding. The questions were simple math problems. Like a ball drops from 4 meters high, and every time it hits the ground, it bounces up 3/4 the height from which it falls. What is the total distance the ball goes till the end? A cell divides into 2 cells every 30 min, how many will we have after 24 hrs if we start with 1 cell?

Interview Questions

Tell me about your research

View Answers (1)

Other Details

The interview consisted of a Phone Interview.

Helpful Interview?

Yes | No

Inappropriate?

4.0

Difficult Interview

Overall Positive Experience

Received and Accepted Offer

Interviewed Jun 2011 in Chicago, IL (took a day)

First round was a telephone Interview by the manager. I was later called in for a personal interview. It was for almost an hour and I was interviewed by the manager and the MD.

Final offer was made after two weeks and I accepted it.

Interview Questions

Describe about how you can get information you need for any project?

Answer Question

Other Details

The interview consisted of a Phone Interview, a 1:1 Interview, a Drug Test and a Background Check.

Helpful Interview?

Yes | No

Inappropriate?

1.0

Very Easy Interview

Overall Positive Experience

Received and Accepted Offer

Interviewed Jan 2009 in Chicago, IL (took 2 days)

I walked into the company and asked for an interview. Received one on the spot.

Interview Questions

What are your weaknesses.

View Answers (1)

Negotiation Details

No negotiations.

Other Details

The interview consisted of a 1:1 Interview.

Helpful Interview?

Yes | No

Inappropriate?

3.0

Average Interview

Overall Neutral Experience

Interviewed and No Offer

Interviewed Jun 2011 in Chicago, IL (took 5 weeks)

I have been trying for so long to join the United, I applied online numerous times with no success.

I finally got a phone interview, which I really appreciated and enjoyed. Next day ,I was contacted to schedule an in person interview for the following week.

I met with the hiring manager; we spent more than 90 minutes exchanging all kind of conversations. I thought the interview was going very well. After the almost an hour an a half, another person walked into the meeting room without prior notice (at least from my side). He happened to be the hiring manager's boss, he sat down with us for about 20 minutes, at that point we were in the stage of me asking questions. He answered one or two of my questions and the interview ended right there.

The hiring manager was very respectful, professional, and knowledgeable. He escorted me all the way down to the building door.

I sent 2 different thank you letter for each of the interviewers next day, the hiring manager was too nice and responded to my email, his boss did not. After almost 3 weeks of not hearing any thing from them, I sent a follow up email to the hiring manager questioning if I was still in the running for the position or if the position had been filled already. I indicated I appreciated to know either way due to that opportunity was the most that I was interested in.

I waited for 10 days with no response ,I know I had to move on, but I was wondering why he never responded to my email knowing he was very responsive since the very beginning. I decided to give him a call when 2 weeks had already passed since I sent the follow up email.

I call and I get to his voice mail to know that he is no longer with the company. His last day 5 after my follow up email. So that explained why he never responded. I did not know what do afterwards.. there was no recruiter in the middle to follow up with. I did lots of research with no success.

I finally decided to email the BOSS inquiring about the position, I did, no response, I called, not available, I left voice mail, no call back. few days later, and I was not trying to be pushy, but some body had to notify me especially that it was manager's position, so at least those who were interviewed must be notified with at least "thank you for your time".

Long story short, I spoke with the Boss, he told me they decided to go with an internal candidate, which is totally understandable. However, there was another position that I applied to as well, it required less years of experience, so I asked him about it and he said "we are looking for someone who can do this and this and this etccc" as if he was reading my resume; all he said is on my resume. I tried to indicate to that but he said based on the interview he had with me he does not think that I can do the job.

I was very disappointed because he only spent 20 mnts with me answering some of my questions. So is that enough to make the judgement. I also tried to request a second interview with him but he was not interested.

After all that experience, I guess nothing had to do with me, they are simply merging with Continental and they are currently over staffed, they have 2 people for each position at least on the corporate level. in one week I heard of more than 2 Sr. staff leaving. So I think this just might not be the perfect time to get a corporate position with the company. may be after the merge..

My advice for applicants is, you need to really really follow up if you do not hear from them by the time you think you should have.

I am not sure if I will try again in the future. Plus reading the reviews got me so demotivated...

Interview Questions

Are you OK working in a "bureaucratic" firm?

Answer Question

Other Details

I Applied Online and the interview consisted of a Phone Interview, a 1:1 Interview and a Group/Panel Interview.

Helpful Interview?

Yes | No

Inappropriate?

3.0

Average Interview

Overall Neutral Experience

Interviewed and No Offer

Interviewed Feb 2011 in Chicago, IL (took a day)

I had a one on one with the hiring manager and an HR person. I did not feel particularly at ease as they had the "talent selection" questionnaire and followed it to the letter. I had other interviews where they had the script but did not act as though they were reading a teleprompter. There seemed to be little of the rapport building I have seen on other interviews.

I did not get the offer, I was called about 3-4 weeks later and told that while I was a strong candidate, they went with someone else. They promptly reposted the same position within a couple of days and I was locked out of reapplying for some reason. (This did not happen at another company I applied with when a position was reposted.)

Interview Questions

Name a time when you had to deliver a negative fact or news to a high end executive and what happened.

Answer Question

Other Details

I Applied Online and the interview consisted of a Group/Panel Interview.

Helpful Interview?

Yes | No

Inappropriate?

3.0

Average Interview

Overall Neutral Experience

Interviewed and No Offer

Interviewed Aug 2009 in North Chicago, IL (took 2 days)

I applied for the flight attendant position and United flew me out to meet with their staffing agency first. This is a 30 minute screening interview. Once I passed this I was scheduled to return about 2 weeks later for the interview at United. It consists of a group interview and a one on one session. I was not offered the job. But the interview process is similar to those of other airlines.

Interview Questions

You are given situations like what would you do if you had a sick passenger?

Answer Question

Other Details

I Applied Online and the interview consisted of a Phone Interview, a 1:1 Interview, a Group/Panel Interview and a Background Check.

More United Airlines Flight Attendant Interviews

Helpful Interview?

Yes | No

Inappropriate?

2.0

Easy Interview

Overall Neutral Experience

Interviewed and No Offer

Interviewed Jul 2010 in Chicago, IL (took a day)

Easy written portion and interview - Due to merger the position was not filled.

Interview Questions

How do you speak to different levels of employees and management?

Answer Question

Other Details

I Applied Online and the interview consisted of a Group/Panel Interview.

More United Airlines Human Resources Interviews

Helpful Interview?

Yes | No

Inappropriate?

5.0

Very Difficult Interview

Overall Positive Experience

Received and Declined Offer

Interviewed Nov 2008 in Chicago, IL (took 3 days)

Fill out an online application, A representative will call and conduct an on the phone intervew. They ask standard questions about why you want the job and a lot of questions about your customer service skills.

Interview Questions

There wasn't one.

Answer Question

Other Details

The interview consisted of a Phone Interview, a 1:1 Interview, a Group/Panel Interview, a Personality Test and a Background Check.

More United Airlines Flight Attendant Interviews

Helpful Interview?

Yes | No

Inappropriate?