Positive employee reviews, multiple benefits, and outstanding CEO approval rate make Southwest Airlines one of the best workplaces in the United States. Use our overview of Southwest Airlines history, background, application and interview process to get your dream job.
What Does Southwest Airlines Do?
The Southwest Airlines history started with flights between Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio.
Founded back in 1967, Southwest Airlines now owns the largest Boeing fleet in the world and provides comfortable travel across 100+ destinations in 11 countries. With over 58,000 employees and annual revenue exceeding $10 billion, it is one of the largest low-cost airlines in the USA and one of the best places to work.
According to the Southwest Airlines official website, the company’s vision is to become the “world’s most loved, most flown, and most profitable airline” through reliable, friendly and low-cost travel that connects customers to what is important in their lives. The company is dedicated to delivering the highest quality customer service to ensure each flyer is happy and comfortable in transit.
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Working for Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines hiring campaign claims the company has a heart. Considering the number of awards and accolades to its name, it is easy to believe this claim. In recent years, Southwest Airlines was a part of:
- America’s 2019 Best Employers list (Forbes)
- World’s Most Admired Companies of 2019 (Fortune)
- Top-Rated Workplaces: Best of the Best (#2) in 2018 (Indeed)
- Best Places To Work (#10) in 2018 (Glassdoor)
- Candidate Experience Award in 2018 (The Talent Board)
- Best Places to Work in 2017 (Indeed)
- Best Places to Work in 2017 (Disability Equality Index)
- The 250 Most Effectively Managed U.S. Companies in 2017 (The Wall Street Journal)
The list goes on. Southwest American Airlines is committed to helping military veterans find work and uphold an inclusive and diverse workforce. Employees enjoy a career advancement program that helps them shift to higher-paying positions.
According to the Glassdoor reviews and the company website, Southwest Airlines employee benefits include:
- Medical, dental, and vision coverage along with life insurance;
- 401(k), profit-sharing, and stock purchase plans (retirement savings and extra income);
- Travel privileges for employees and their families (free or cheap flights, Southwest Airlines);
- Counseling resources, wellness rewards, and paid time off.
Despite numerous Southwest Airlines employee benefits, some Glassdoor reviewers complain about mandatory overtime that sometimes keeps them at work for 16 hours straight. This ruins employees’ work/life balance and causes family troubles. Another downside is a set of strict company guidelines. It ensures superb customer experience, but it is difficult to uphold for employees. Sometimes even lunch and bathroom breaks are scheduled and timed to a minute. Low pay is another common complaint among new Southwest Airlines employees, but it gets better after a few years.
How to Get a Job at Southwest Airlines?
If the benefits and pitfalls of the company suit your needs, you can find available jobs at Southwest Airlines on their official website. They are divided into categories, such as airport operations, technology, corporate, customer support, engineering, and more. If you don’t find the right position for you, you can leave your email to receive a talent newsletter with the latest opening.
Once you find an exciting opportunity, apply online. You must provide your contact information and fill in a lengthy form on your education and prior work experience and upload a resume. It will take time and patience.
In a week or two, if your resume suits the company’s requirements, the recruiter will contact you for a short phone interview. Expect common questions about your education and experience, provide examples for past achievements and projects. If you pass this stage, you will get an invitation for a face-to-face interview. The company may even fly you to their headquarters in Dallas.
Most on-site interviews involve a recruiter and a potential manager or supervisor. Sometimes, you will face a group interview with three or more people asking technical and personal questions. You can also expect questions like why you’ve applied to Southwest Airlines and what can you bring to the table.
Most applicants are happy with a well-organized and structured recruitment process and a relaxed interview atmosphere, even if they don’t get the offer. However, the application process may draw out across several months, so you should not expect fast decisions and offers from Southwest Airlines.
As always, the first step to your dream job is an excellent resume. If you aren’t sure your papers will let you stand out and land a job, you can pay for resume services and have our writers translate your experience and skills into HR-speak. Your career success is one resume away, get it today!Suggested Reading: