Career in the RAF

[SamS]

Hi guys, on the 21st of August I have my selection interview to join the RAF at my local AFCO.

Really looking forward to (hopefully) joining, always had a strong passion in aviation, and always loved making and building things, really good opportunity for me to travel and meet new people, basically it's my ideal job, I'd love to do my family and country proud :)

Anyway, anyone on here had/has a career in the RAF, any tips for the selection interview ?


Thankyou

[ROCKET RONNIE]

Wish you all the luck mate, i take my hat off to you. Well done and good luck

[RcRotaryMadness]

I can't offer any advice on the interview but I echo Ronnies sentiment - Well done on getting the interview, Good luck with it and hats off to you!

[trexamanic]

very best of luck to you although your passion will drive the interview. I remember taking model cars i had made to my first real interview and at 16 it got me into an apprenticeship at rosyth dockyard. I wonder would they be interested in your heli hobby?
It is a real ice breaker when men see mens stuff...
Best of luck

[speedy jon]

hey Sam,
Good luck with your interview and I will be following you soon if I get my gcse result i need in English. What role are you interested in?The role I want to do is aircraft mechanical technician.
Have you been on the RAF careers website?[URL="http://www.raf.mod.uk/careers/"]RAF Careers home - jobs, recruitment and career opportunities in the RAF - RAF Careers[/URL]
there is loads of videos and text on there about the whole process.
I was speaking recently to an officer from Hull AFCO and he said you would need to show that you have a understanding of the RAF and have done your homework like where you will be doing your basic training, know about the history of the RAF, base locations, current operations and an understanding of the role you want to do. He said you don't need to list of every base there has been but enough to show you have done a good few hours research.

[SamS]

Thanks speedy Jon, yes, been toying with the idea of join for a good year and a half, always on the RAF careers site reading new stuff.

Got all the forms sent to me via PDF, just need to print them out and fill them out, I then also have to take that to the AFCO along with CV and other info.

When I go to the AFCO I will be interviewed by a sergeant and a RAF corporal, they interview me and some basic questions will be asked on 'your family' 'you education' 'your work' 'your leisure time' and 'why you want to join the RAF', I have made a lot of notes to answer these question, but I still need to read up on RAF UK Operations, need to read up more on training and lifestyle, but otherwise, I feel fairly confident :)

We'll see !

[speedy jon]

[QUOTE=SamS;880907].
, but otherwise, I feel fairly confident :)

We'll see ![/QUOTE]


you sound like you have a good idea on whats needed.
Best of luck mate

[Si Goodchild]

I'm just about to leave after 17 years as an Engineer Officer so can be of some use to Speedy Jon, although I'm still not sure what trade SamS wants to joins up as. If either of you want to pm me for the inside track then please feel free to do so, but until then I suggest you read every scrap of information you can find on the RAF website. You should also need to know (for the interview and your own peace of mind) what the training process is, where it takes place and what you can expect during your first few years.

Good Luck, and give me a shout if you want.

Si G

[Cagey]

Be up front, honest and respectful of the interviewing personell. They can suss out a good prospect in 5 minutes flat and are well familiar with all the flannel some candidates offer in the absence of facts. If you're intending to into aircraft maintenance then a sound knowledge of basic mechanics and physics will help enormously. Other than that it's up to you to sell yourself, armed with all your heli experience, even take one with you if possible, then Sam it's a done deal son.
I had a little time with the RAF back in 57 to 68, didn't amount to much as I was a lazy sod which I've always regretted, but they'll offer you unlimited opportunities to better yourself. So when you're in the blue suit with the shiney buttons, and you WILL be, go for it buddy, you'll have a great career to be proud of.

[Spanner]

I'm currently in the RAF have been for almost 17 years, avionics tech, mine and Si Goodchilds opinions may differ as he is in the officer branch and I'm non commissioned.
Either way we both have tons of experience and can answer any questions you have from both sides if the fence. One thing we both would probably agree on is the job is drastically different to what it was when I joined in'96!

If I was to join again,I would have listened to my dad and got as many A levels as I could, possibly a degree and aimed as high as I could, for me it was to be a pilot, but I thought I knew best and just screwed around at school and just left with GCSE's.

[Si Goodchild]

[QUOTE=Spanner;880978]...One thing we both would probably agree on is the job is drastically different to what it was when I joined in'96!...[/QUOTE]

Yeah, just a bit!

That said, for a bright young lad or lass who wants to do something a bit different, I reckon spannering fast jets is still pretty cool and also well paid. Sure, there was more time off for sport etc when we joined up, but back in '95 everyone told me that it wasn't what it used to be (and at that time RAF Germany was still open for business with cheap beer, subsidised petrol, cheap accommodation, tax-free cars you could make a profit selling on after 6 months AND extra allowances to compensate you for the inconvenience!) Sadly I missed out on all that but even then folks were moaning about the 55,000-strong air force which was 96,000-strong just a few years earlier. Heading for 33,000 now (and probably less by 2020).

Don't regret it though.

[keithspurs2000]

Don't do it mate, join the army instead.

[panosg]

[QUOTE=keithspurs2000;881042]Don't do it mate, join the army instead.[/QUOTE]

Hmmm what a strange post :hopelessness:

Good luck with the interview Sam.
I have few mates in the RAF. Both love it.

[speedy jon]

Good luck with your interview Sam

[SamS]

Thanks Jon, and I've got some news for you all.


I have never been so annoyed in my life, woke up at 5am and caught the 6:50am train to Exeter, got to Exeter, then caught a taxi to the AFCO, got in there and we're all sat down waiting to be called into the office for a quick chat before sitting the aptitude test.

I get called in and we start talking, all seems like its going well, then she said "have you got a brace"!? I said yes (it's only a tiny bit of wire to pull two teeth together) then she said "sorry, we can't continue with you application and you cannot sit the test" ........ :( !!!

I now have to wait until my treatment has finished with the dentist, then re-apply for the role when it opens again (which could be as long as a year) and even then, I might not even get excepted for an interview again.


Just so annoying that I took a day off work, so I've lost a days wage, travelled all the way to Exeter and two taxi trips to find out that something so small has ruined my chances (this time).


Oh well, once treatment is over, I will re-apply and hope that I get this chance again, on the good side, it gives me more time to revise for the aptitude test, so, in theory, I should ace it.


Thanks to everyone for there support.