Glassdoor is your free inside look at Southwest Airlines interview questions and advice. All 103 interview reviews are posted anonymously by Southwest Airlines employees and interview candidates.
Southwest Airlines Interview Questions & Reviews
Getting the Interview 103 Interviews
Interview Experience 97 Ratings
Customer Relations Analyst at Southwest Airlines
Declined Offer – Reviewed Dec 19, 2012
Interview Details 1stpPhone interview (behavioral), 2nd phone interview (technical), then flew down to Dallas for an in person interview with recruiter and manager
Interview Question – None Answer Question
Reason for Declining – Low Pay & no travel/housing stipend
Helpful Interview?
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No
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Customer Service Supervisor at Southwest Airlines
Accepted Offer – Interviewed on Virginia Beach, VA (US) Sep 2009 – Reviewed Dec 23, 2012
Interview Details Promoted from within - 2 interviews / focused on direct interaction with people and solving problems to avoid complaints and how resolved. Process takes aprox 3 weeks, after which you will travel several times for various "training" reasons. First interview is general phone interview after which you will interview with Station manager. Much of the same questions asked at each.
Interview Question – Must provide specific details of events related to customer service solutions in a past situation - both positive and negative outcomes and be prepared to provide answers for "what would you do if" & "what could you have done to make this situation better". Answer Question
Negotiation Details – No negotiation, they make offer and you take it or leave it.
Helpful Interview?
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Ground Operations Supervisor at Southwest Airlines
Accepted Offer – Interviewed in May 2008 – Reviewed Dec 10, 2012
Interview Details Lengthy due to extensive background check. Recruiters will pick people that appear to be able to conform to the "Southwest Way" instead of someone with a great education and work history.
Interview Question – Give us one example of how you "colored outside the box" and the result of your decison and how it affected others. Answer Question
Negotiation Details – No negotiating pay.
Helpful Interview?
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Marketing Representative at Southwest Airlines
Accepted Offer – Reviewed Nov 12, 2012
Interview Details The interview process at Southwest Airlines was extremely friendly and fun, as expected from a company like this! It was a casual interview in the local headquarters with the Marketing Manager. She was very enthusiastic and sharp and was very focused on my ideas and local market knowledge. I also briefly met with the marketing director just to introduce myself.
Interview Question – If you had a potential marketing sponsorship opportunity with a major sports team, would you accept any perks or privileges that were offered to you (i.e.: tickets, parties, etc)? Answer Question
Negotiation Details – I pretty much knew what to expect salary wise going into the negotiation, and the salary was not my reason or desire to work for this company. The atmosphere, friendly work environment and truly fun people are what made me choose SWA.
Helpful Interview?
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Senior Software Engineer at Southwest Airlines
No Offer – Interviewed in Dallas, TX (US) Feb 2012 – Reviewed Oct 14, 2012
Interview Details HR recruiter reached me for an updated resume. After an HR screening, an onsite interview was arranged. 4 people including HR and hiring manger and future colleagues panel interview. No technical questions but most behaviour questions. Finally I found that they just wanted to hire AA layoffed people instead of me without any airling experience. Everybody was friendly. But HR was kind of unprefessional. Overall process was a good one.
Interview Question – What can you see urself in future 5 years? View Answer
Helpful Interview?
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Intern at Southwest Airlines
Accepted Offer – Interviewed on Dallas, TX (US) Jan 2012 – Reviewed Oct 13, 2012
Interview Details
Interviewers and managers were looking for the following,
1. Warrior Spirit
2. Servants Heart
3. Fun loving attitude
Negotiation Details – None
Helpful Interview?
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No
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Senior Analyst at Southwest Airlines
Accepted Offer – Interviewed on Dallas, TX (US) Sep 2010 – Reviewed Oct 07, 2012
Interview Details Initial phone interview to discuss background, experience, resume and why I want to become a part of Southwest Airlines. In person interview consisted of meeting with five managers in my future department and an HR representative, then a presentation to the group I would eventually be working with. This presentation is typically in front of 5-10 people, others have been in front of 25+. Second in-person interview was with the group lead and group manager to further discuss experience, interests, expectations and get a feel for personality. This was the most laid back interview and the candidate basically leads this interview and is the time to iron out questions and other issues. Salary is never discussed until the offer is mad.
Interview Question – What is the most difficult situation you have handled in the workplace and how did you overcome it. View Answer
Negotiation Details – Several back and forth conversations on salary. Offered a higher salary, grade and title than I originally applied for based on experience and education.
Helpful Interview?
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Systems Engineer at Southwest Airlines
Accepted Offer – Interviewed on Dallas, TX (US) Nov 2010 – Reviewed Oct 11, 2012
Interview Details Hiring was direct and simple. Interview with other members of the team, and the manager immediately following. Job offer was nearly instantaneous.
Interview Question – Why do you want to work here? Seriously, personality is everything. Answer Question
Negotiation Details – Negotiation was through contract company. Pre-negotiated salary was agreed to.
Helpful Interview?
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Provisioning Supervisor at Southwest Airlines
No Offer – Interviewed in Los Angeles, CA (US) Sep 2012 – Reviewed Sep 28, 2012
Interview Details Southwest is good at contacting candidates for their open positions, whether you are considered or not. Southwest will fly you out to the city and you will interview with a panel of three, a recruiter, the department manager, and asst. manager. Each will ask a series of questions.
Interview Question – The most difficult question was "Did you ever have to work with a difficult manager? If so, how did ease the tension and preform your task." Answer Question
Helpful Interview?
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No
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Purchasing Intern at Southwest Airlines
Accepted Offer – Interviewed on Dallas, TX (US) Nov 2011 – Reviewed Sep 14, 2012
Interview Details
Phone interview that lasts about 5-7 minutes, very simple straight forward, academic curriculum kind of questions.
If selected you go to corporate office for an interview with 3 people. Hr, director and manager from the department.
Lot of behavioral questions on weaknesses, group leadership, ask you for an essay.
Resume questions, why south west, why purchasing, why should we hire you, what would you be doing in the long term.
Interview Question – Nothing unusual. Answer Question
Negotiation Details –
No negotiation, please go after this internship since learning matters more than earning for interns. Great atmosphere, great culture and relaxed parties every week.
Southwest is the best place to work in my opinion, you do not see companies like SWA in today's picture. Out of 5000 applicants 50 get selected.
Helpful Interview?
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