Figuring Out Your Future?

jarhead0863 Trusted Member Grand Forks, ND

I still have over a year until I am going to take the AT-SAT, but for those that have already, well more importantly, those that have picked their states, when did you pick the states that you selected? I am someone that if I had to pick the 2 states through CTI that I would want to work, I would not know which states to put. How have some of you guys decided what states to put? Was it based off of where you currently lived? When you wanted to end up living? Did you want to go somewhere warm or cold? A state with a lot of facilities? I know in the end it is up to me, but I like hearing other controllers opinions. Thanks.

I think if I had to pick states today, they would be NC and FL. Weird seeing as how I am from the Midwest.

rogersjf Trusted Contributor New Jersey

pick on the application, i just picked where i wanna move to and being i am young no wife kids etc it could be anywhere it is personal pref.

GolfJuliet F*** Terrorism

A lot of people used to pick states that needed people really really bad, but now everybody is backed up so there's not that "easy in" state. I'm picking Texas when I apply...and probably just Texas. I've lived here all my life and seen almost all of the rest of the U.S. and can't imagine living anywhere else. Texas has 22 facilities and two centers, and NC and FL for example only 25 facilities and one center between the two of them, so my chances are going to be about the same as picking two states unless you pick CA as one of them, and if it was go to CA or you can't be an ATCer then I'd start looking for another career.

arg3b Senior Member Murfreesboro, TN

There are two centers in Florida: Jacksonville Center and Miami Center.

TimShady Trusted Contributor Chicago, IL

My plan is picking the state I live in, which is where I would like to stay if at all possible, and then a state I would like to live in that also has a lot of facilities to up the odds. I'm deciding between FL and TX for my second state.

Captain_Corge Senior Member Austin, Texas

I was TOL'd for ZAN, I actually applied for TX and HI, but in a side note I wrote "Will accept any offer". So, I was actually originally selected for HI, in which I turned it down (I was just about to go CCT in the AF). However, I was injured and put my name back in the loop. Now i am just waiting on my FOL to Alaska......

GolfJuliet F*** Terrorism

I stand corrected.

jarhead0863 Trusted Member Grand Forks, ND

Bump

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Rosstafari Daaaang. /X

It's really a crapshoot when it comes to trying to game the state selection. It used to be that some areas were better staffed than others, and you probably recall that there was even two OTS announcements made for states in severe need (PUBAK and PUBHI). There was also a time when HR contacted people passed over for a panel to see if they'd accept an appointment in Louisiana.

Times have changed, though. With there no longer being any real "weak spots", it's not a matter of finding out what places are hurting for trainees. You can try figuring out staffing levels by getting in touch with management or NATCA reps, but that isn't as helpful as it was in the past.

My two cents... if you just want to get in anywhere, aim for either A. States with the most facilities (TX, CA, and FL are good choices) or B. States that will be less popular (WV, Dakotas, WY, AK). There are downsides to both. For the first, you'll obviously have more competition. For the latter, you're usually going to be working with fewer overall facilities. Pick your poison. I'd probably go with the former.

One last idea... if you're a CTI student and you're willing to let some time burn off while shooting for a place you really want to go, pick the place you actually want to end up at for the first few rounds. Your CTI recommendation is good for a while anyway, so as long as you're willing to do some other job for a little while to end up somewhere more ideal, why not run through a couple of panels to see what happens? No guarantees, of course, but you could fall back on "safer" options after a round or two if it's just not happening. Keep in mind that not every facility is going to be selecting at each panel... it may be as infrequently as once a year, maybe less. That's something you'd find out by picking management's brain... if you can convince them to tell you.

duranme Trusted Contributor San Diego (SCT)

dont they have a "no geographic preference" anymore?