Southwest Airlines receives a job application every two seconds. Given the talent shortage facing our industry, you’d think we’d be tempted to snap up many of those candidates, particularly ones with backgrounds in engineering and technology. But, since the company was founded, even before our first flight on June 18, 1971, we’ve been extremely selective in our hiring. So far this year, for example, we’ve reviewed 287,422 resumes, chosen 102,112 candidates to interview, and hired only 6,582 people, or less than 2% of all applicants.
How Southwest Airlines Hires Such Dedicated People
It invests time in finding them.
December 02, 2015
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New!
HBR Learning
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Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Performance Appraisal. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.
Take the pain out of employee reviews.