Pilot Job Guide

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Building Your Professional Network

80% of pilots hired at major airlines are recommended. Networking is an evolving strategy and should be part of your job search plans.

How to create a professional network:

1. Start with your personal network by making a list of people you know that may have knowledge about or a connection in the aviation industry.
2. Contact the career services department at your alma mater. They may be able to connect you with other alumni in aviation or may know of job opportunities.
3. Join alumni the alumni association for your alma mater and attend events.
4. If you are already employed in aviation be sure to get the names and contact information of coworkers.
5. Join aviation industry organizations or charities and volunteer your time and attend events. (find a few examples)
6. Attend aviation job fairs.

Tough Career Decisions

Receiving Multiple Job Offers

There may come a point where you get to decide between competing job offers. A few factors to consider when deciding between job offers:

• What type of retirement plan does the employer offer?
• How long will you be on reserve? How many days off will you average each month? Will the schedule make it feasible to commute?
• How long will an upgrade to captain take? Things to consider for upgrade time are upcoming mandatory retirements for pilots at that employer, the status of current and projected hiring, and planned airplane fleet growth. Consider if you are coming in at the front, middle, or end of a hiring wave.
• Where do you want to live? Living in base is best, however, commuting by air can be an option depending on the type of flying. When planning commuting consider the amount of flights available from your home to the base as well as the amount of flight legs you will have to take.
• Are you a good fit for the corporate culture?
• What is the current state of management/employee relations?

Learn How to Evaluate Pilot Seniority Lists

Career Displacement Due to Furlough, Bankruptcy, or Strike

Pilot furloughs can be a common reality during a pilot’s career. This is a result of temporary or permanent company downsizing or an employer going out of business. Pilot’s can sometimes go on strike as part of a union action, but this hasn’t been as common in recent years.

The key to facing career displacement is to get motivated and stay motivated. A furlough or job loss can produce feelings of anger or depression. But the most important thing when losing a job in this manner is to stay motivated on finding a new job. You should start your job search as soon as you have been notified that you are being furloughed.

Tending to your emotional state will be important during a job loss. Recognize and come to terms with the negative emotions you are feeling. Work on building a strong support system that can include your spouse, family, friends, and other furloughed pilots and their families. Meet with your support system regularly and share your feelings and experiences. Remember that your family is going through the emotional turmoil with you. Talk openly with your family about your feelings and encourage them to do so as well.

Job Search Paperwork

Pilot Resume

A professional and well written resume is the key to getting your foot in the door at most employers. It should be no more than one page long and should highlight your skills and qualifications. Keep in mind that the person receiving your resume will spend less than 20 seconds on their initial scan before making a decision.

Your pilot resume should include:

1. Personal Information to include your name, address, phone number, email address, date of birth.
2. Include an objective and write the title of the position you are applying to.
3. It is important on a flight resume to include your flight hours. Provide a summary of your flight experience, but also make sure to include hours relevant to the position and any stated minimum flight experience the employer mentions in the job posting.
4. In a qualifications section mention the highest pilot certificates and ratings you hold and your medical certificates. You must show that you meet the requirements of the position.
5. In your work history mention only past pilot positions. Mention past employer names, duration of employment, the aircraft you flew, and your title.
6. Write an education section and include your degree and the university you attended. Do not include your high school.
7. Only list skills and achievements if you have room. This section is optional. If you include it only list your skills and achievements relevant to the position.

Is Your Pilot Resume Sending The Right Message?

Pilot Cover Letter

A well crafted cover letter accompanying a resume is an important piece when applying to a pilot job. View your cover letter as an opportunity to present information not covered in your resume. Your cover letter should include who you are and why you want to work for that employer. Your cover letter is a good place to address any gaps in your pilot employment.

A few recommendations for writing a good cover letter:

1. Don’t use bullet points or summarize your resume. You want to give the employer reason to read both your resume and cover letter.
2. Keep the cover letter personal and speak to a person within the company.
3. Use short and simple paragraphs that are easy to scan.
4. Before starting your cover letter gather information about the company. Reference the companies values, achievements, and why you want to work for them.
5. Bring up why you address the companies need for a pilot, and not just that you can fly an airplane. Companies might be looking for a specific set of values. Or they may be looking for a person that can take on additional duties or be well-suited to advance to other positions in the future.
6. Think of your potential, both tapped and untapped, and express it.

Employment Applications

The pilot job application is the first test in the employment screening process. Employers use this to screen out applicants for either not meeting requirements or for not being able to follow instructions. Complete the application thoroughly, mark blank sections as ‘not applicable’ or ’N/A’ unless otherwise instructed. Make sure to proofread the application several times and consider having people close to you take a look before you submit the application.

Tips for completing a pilot job application:

1. In the unlikely event you are submitting a paper application, type out your answers.
2. Answers to essay-type questions should be well thought out and free of spelling and grammatical errors.
3. If you have questions or issues arise as you are filling out the application, seek clarification rather than putting in incomplete information.
4. When applying online, consider copying and pasting to and from a word processor to check for spelling and grammar.
5. Do not intentionally leave section blank unless instructed to do so. This can sometimes cause your application to be rejected.

Letters of Recommendation

Most pilot employers weigh recommendations heavily with many believing that having former coworkers willing to write good things about you is a testimony to the type of person you are. Your investment in time to obtain quality letters of recommendation is one of the more important things you can do to enhance your competitive standings for a position.

1. Most companies prefer recommendations from people you have known for longer periods of time, and ideally someone you have flown with.
2. Depending on the state of the pilot job market some employers may require a letter of recommendation to get an interview.
3. Employers weight letters of recommendation as higher when the letters come from people currently employed by them. Make sure letters you submit by people currently employed are in good standing with that employer.
4. Letters or recommendation should include how the person knows you, a comment about your moral character, if you flew together they should speak on your flying skill, and should make a comment as to why you would make a good employee.
5. It is not necessary for a letter of recommendation to come from a person working the same position as you.
6. Recruiters will ask how well you know the people writing recommendations for you.

Record Checks

Pilot employers will make several requests about your history and records. Most of these checks are required and will be done. You should be aware of any negative marks on these records and be prepared to speak with an employer on them.

Pilot Records Improvement Act

The Pilot Records Improvement Act (PRIA) requires all pilot employers operating under part 121, part 125, or part 135 to “request, receive, and evaluate certain information concerning pilot/applicant’s training, experience, qualification, and safety background, before allowing that individual to being service as a pilot with the company. The specific information they must check includes:

1. FAA records, including your pilot and medical certificates
2. Summaries of legal enforcement actions
3. Air carrier records in the previous five years. This will include your performance in training, qualifications, check rides, and disciplinary actions.
4. National Driver Register records

National Driver Register

The National Driver Register (NDR) is a computerized database containing information about drivers who have had revoked or suspended driver’s licenses. The NDR includes records of serious traffic violations.

If you are in the NDR you need to bring it an employer’s attention before their check is complete. Explain to them what you have learned from your experience and what you have done to rehabilitate your driving habits.

Putting it All Together

Before submitting your application and paperwork, run through a few checks:

• Proofread all documents and applications. Be meticulous about this.
• Include your name in the filename for your electronic resume and cover letter. Save it as ‘johnDoePilotResume.doc’ rather than ‘resume.doc’.
• Use a large envelop that will allow you to include documents without folding them.
• Do not send package via a method that requires special handling by the recipient, such as registered or return receipt required.
• Include all requested supporting documents and application fees.
• Before submitting your application make a copy of your file for your records.
• Keep your file active by updating your file or online application every 3 to 6 months or immediately if any significant changes occur to your qualifications, experience, or contact information, or according to company specific updating instructions.
• Be aware of the method you are using to send packages. Do not use express services unless there is a good reason for it. Also, do not send documents to UPS using Fedex or to Fedex using UPS.
• Companies with application windows usually only accept changes to your contact information when the window is closed.
• If a application window cycle is complete without any activity from the employer, submit a new application during the next window.

The Pilot Interview

You’ve earned your certificates and have spent countless hours in the air building experience. You’ve submitted your applications and now an employer wants to interview you. You have your foot in the door, but it is the pilot interview where you earn the job.

Pilot interviews are daunting. They include multiple phases with some of those phases involving panels of interviewers.

Interview Phases

Interview phases vary between employers. Pilot interviews include some combination of:

• Phone Interview
• Interview with Human Resources
• Flight Department Interview
• Oral Technical Evaluation
• Pilot Simulator Evaluation
• Written Exams

Telephone Interview

Pilot telephone interviews usually come unannounced and are used for pre-screening candidates. Telephone interviews are conducted by a recruiter and last around 15 minutes. The recruiter will run through the job description and requirements and verify information on your resume and application. There may be additional questions during this phase concerning your goals, background, why you are interested in that employer, and your employment availability.

Interview With Human Resources

This phase has two objectives:

1. The screening interview seeks to verify or clarify previously submitted information such as applications, resumes, copies of licenses and medical certificates, and transcripts. The goal of company personal here is to make sure you are who you say you are. Most applicants pass this part.
2. Human Resources personal will interview to determine an applicant’s corporate fit and if the pilot applicant is honest and credible. Interviewers will evaluate you based on appearance and temperament. Of candidates rejected during the interview phases, up to 70% will be rejected by human resources during this part of the interview.

Common Non-Technical Pilot Interview Questions

To be successful during the human resources phase of the interview an applicant will need to be prepared, enthusiastic, polite, and concise.

Flight Department Interview

The flight department interview is conducted by the chief pilot’s office, often times with the chief pilot present. This phase will focus on your flying qualifications. Be prepared to answer detailed questions about the airplane you currently fly.

This phase will focus on your ability to work as part of a team and other areas that relate to crew resource management (CRM). There will be at least one pilot present and they will be evaluating if they’d be willing to be with you for a multi-day trip.

Technical Evaluation

The technical evaluation is used to determine applicants technical skills in relation to their experience level. This phase can include a combination of various written exams as well as a verbal exam.

The verbal technical evaluation might be part of the flight department interview or conducted separately. This oral evaluation phase will test for technical knowledge and commonly cover subjects found in Airline Transport Pilot certification standards.

Some employers use an aptitude/intelligence test which includes testing for vocabulary, math, physics, regulations, aerodynamics, and weather. These tests have more questions than time to answer and are designed to not be completed.

Written personality exams can be part of the technical evaluation and are used to look for undesirable or desirable behavior patterns. The most commonly used test is the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory. The test has questions repeated in disguise throughout to test for consistency. Personality exams are long and don’t allow applicants to go back to change answers.

Pilot Simulator Evaluation

Simulator evaluations are used to assess an applicant’s basic instrument flying skills. Flight profiles used at an employer are consistent and don’t allow the use of autopilots or auto throttles. The level of flying skill of the applicant is expected to match their experience level.

The simulator evaluation often takes place on a different day from the other interview phases. However, this is part of the interview and applicants need to dress and act accordingly.

Get Tips and Tricks to Ace the Pilot Simulator Evaluation

Pilot Selection Process

The final selection is typically done by a board without the applicant present. The board has representatives from the flight department and human resources with all areas of applicant’s evaluation reviewed.

Pilot Interview Tips

Look Professional

Any job interview will judge a candidate on how they present themselves but this is especially so with pilot employers. Pilot employers look for candidates that will represent the company in a positive light and will put passengers as ease or relay instructions or updates to coworkers with authority.

The goal of a candidates appearance is to help recruiters and interviewers visualize them as a crew member with their company. Pilot job applicants need to be well dressed according to the common standards for pilot interviews and should be carefully groomed.

Speak Well

Applicants should use the interview to show interviewers that they can speak calmly and decisively and with strong English skills. Applicants should not use slang, idiomatic language, or bad language.

Research the Employer and Be Aware of Their Culture

Applicants need to be able to tailor answers to each employer. For example, if an employer is known for having a big personality an applicant would do well to emphasize outgoing aspects of their personality. If an employer is known for customer service then pilot applicants would want to make their answers customer-centric.

Think Global

Pilot employers are often wide spanning companies and are constantly influenced by external factors. Applicants should know about current affairs. Employers want someone with a passion for aviation, but they are also seeking a person who is well rounded and has an awareness of the world around them.

Research Common Interview Questions and Practice Answers for Them

Common interview questions can be found online. Applicants need to find the questions ahead of time and practice their answers. Most interview questions are open-ended and designed to have applicants answer in a narrative format. Yes or no answers are not appropriate.

Applicants need to be prepared to answer questions in an organized and controlled format with each answer being thought of as having an opening, middle, and close. Practice keeping answers concise and rarely longer than a minute or two.

Behavior

Applicants behavior is likely being monitored at all times while they are in contact with a potential employer. They should be on their best behavior when speaking with any person connected with the company. Applicants need to always speak honestly but should be guarded as to how much they share. Applicants must never assume they are safe from being observed or over heard.

Body Language

Body language sends a strong signal to interviewers. Good body language is important as it tells a lot about how an applicant feels about themselves. Body language needs to be consistent with words. Saying they are enthusiastic will not be communicated if an applicant says it meekly or while looking at their feet. Applicants should be aware of their posture and fidgeting and concentrate on making good eye contact, but without staring.

Get More Tips and Tricks on Mastering the Pilot Interview