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Common Psychological Mistakes in Pilot Interviews

  • 28 January 2026
  • Clinical Psychologist Ekin ÖRMECİ

Common Psychological Mistakes in Pilot Interviews

Pilot interviews are a critical stage for individuals targeting the aviation sector. These interviews are conducted to evaluate not only the candidates' technical knowledge and skills but also their psychological resilience and teamwork abilities. However, many candidates may make psychological mistakes during this process. In this article, we will examine the most common psychological mistakes encountered in pilot interviews and ways to avoid them.

1. Excessive Anxiety and Stress Management

Many candidates may experience a loss of performance due to the excitement and anxiety they feel before the interview. Excessive anxiety can lead to distraction of thoughts, communication breakdowns, and a general drop in performance. Experts suggest 5 fundamental ways to manage stress:

  • Practice deep breathing techniques
  • Use body movements to relax
  • Perform positive thinking exercises
  • Practice with simulation interviews
  • Work with a mentor or guide

2. Overlooking Their Own Abilities

Candidates may lose confidence in themselves during the interview process and may not adequately highlight their abilities. Overlooking their own abilities can prevent candidates from reaching their potential. It is recommended that candidates make a positive self-assessment before the interview. This will help individuals identify their strengths and emphasize these at the interview.

3. Social Anxiety and Communication Problems

Some candidates may struggle to communicate effectively due to social anxiety. This situation can negatively affect the candidate's ability to express themselves during the interview. The following methods can be employed to improve communication skills:

  1. Develop active listening skills in interviews
  2. Participate in confidence-building community activities
  3. Share their own stories to establish empathy
  4. Use body language positively and maintain eye contact

4. Waves of Thoughts During the Interview

Candidates may struggle with many factors that cause their thoughts to become scattered during the interview. Factors such as stress, anxiety, and inadequate preparation can negatively affect candidates' reasoning abilities. The following strategies can be applied to prevent distraction:

  • Take short breaks
  • Apply time management to create a balance
  • Repeat and reinforce the learned information

5. Negative Thoughts and Self-Doubt

Negative thoughts can weaken a candidate's self-confidence. Constantly doubting their own qualifications is an important factor that negatively affects interview performance. Overcoming this can be beneficial through positive thinking techniques, keeping a journal, or working with a therapist. Analyzing success stories and adopting a positive approach can also be motivating for candidates.

Conclusion

Pilot interviews require a very intense preparation and self-assessment process. Understanding the psychological mistakes candidates might make during this process will help them feel more effective and prepared. With some pre-planning, stress management, and positive thinking techniques, candidates can better evaluate the opportunity to present themselves. It should be remembered that the success of this process is directly related not only to technical knowledge but also to psychological preparedness.