I am preparing to do a CPL flight exam so often read the employment ads. Occasionally, I read the "Hire Me" ads to see where I might stand when completed CPL is in hand. The way I see it, either there is no pilot shortage or I am missing something or ads just don't get removed when hired...?
There are many qualified resumes there from what see. Has anyone been approached or hired as a result of a posting there? From reading about road trips, etc.,it appears that in aviation, to get a job, one must be knocking on all doors. Perhaps standing in the office? If I wanted to work, I would like to think I would. On the other hand, I sent out a few emails before tackling the CPL to ask about working and the practicality of me being hired at my age with a fresh CPL in hand but had little response. This was understandable, I guess, as I was just another guy asking questions, and unqualified at that time. But it makes me wonder why I hear there is such a shortage and apparently qualified applicants, willing to relocate, all at the same time. I did not look at dates too much. Maybe there is a big turnover in that forum?
Please don't get me wrong. I feel the onus is on the applicant to find the employer, not the other way around. But if operations are hurting due to a need, Hire Me appears to be a start....
Fresh CPL holders are a dime a dozen, as has often been the case in aviation - thus the hat in hand internet hire me postings don't often lead to any success in being hired, unless a company is desperate.
The "pilot shortage" which FTUs and some politicians have been harping on about for the last few years, and then every few years for decades is a joke. Sure, there's a "shortage" of 1,500 hour-ish pilots willing to move halfway across the country to live in a dorm style apartment with a bunch of other pilots of questionable hygiene to work at a regional for sub $40K/year wages, or hop to one of the "big boys" and get flat pay for four years. But, there's no shortage of pilots as a whole, which would really shake things up. When CAE/Jazz can make the unholy arrangement to charge $126,000+ to get a "shot" at flying for Jazz - oh, and you need a degree first - means there's no shortage of people dumb enough to enter the industry.
I don't get that "hire me" page either. I got a job at the first place I applied for both my flying jobs. The thing is, I researched each company and knew what they expected.
I feel like a "hire me" post is strange, like grasping at straws and probably will only attract work from a company that is also grasping at straws.
From our manager “Tried the hire me forum a few times. Bad choice every time. I now assume that if you’re in there instead of just applying, there is a reason you’re unemployed”
Having done both the rotary and fixed wing walk of shame/hangar knocking, I would make those observations:
- The road trip thing is kind of a shotgun spread approach, you might get lucky and walk in as they need someone (actually one time after a week long road trip, driving to Slave Lake, I missed out on a Astar entry level job by literally 5 min.). Also consider hiring cycles - little point doing a big road trip when most companies aren’t hiring, they’ll just tell you to come back again next spring or to stick around a maybe get lucky and someone will quit. In the rotary world it was even worst as some of the Northern Quebec companies would demand you find a job in town and live there (at least a full winter) for a while before they would even consider you. Good times.
- When I got my big break years ago, I took a decent amount of time to research companies I was applying for, where they were located, equipment and career paths, reputation, experience required for entry level job, etc. I then narrowed it from a big list of dozen and dozens of companies into 5 that would be a really good fit for me and my experience.
And then I learned about the type of work that they did, the corporate structure, the customers, the local communities - rent, etc. I then sent a resume to the right person with a very custom *short* well written cover letter explaining why as a low timer X, I would be a better candidate than Low timer Z for the job X. It never failed.
- There’s nothing more annoying than receiving half asses resumes that have been obviously spammed to every outfit on pilotcareercenter with gross errors. The worst ones didn’t even go to the trash - they were printed and passed around the office.
- I can’t overstate how important is it to properly research the company. Not only it makes the interview a breeze and might impress the HR enough that they might pick you over a more experienced pilot but it saves everyone time and money: if all you want is to get multi-ifr experience for a step towards a regional airline.. don’t take the 185 on float jobs unless it’s the only job you can get or if you absolutely need the PIC time, don’t take that 200hr/year corporate gig that offers zero movement to the left seat ...ever. Common sense you’d think but I’ve seen so many 200hr wonders move their shit up north and after their PPC they realize it’s not for them. I’ve also seen guys join a non commuting airline and quit a week after line Indoc because the company was not accommodating of their commuting lifestyle ... sad waste of time of money for everyone involved.
Finally, learn to sell yourself. It’s an acquired skill. Some people are naturally good at it, but most people needs to work on their preparation, attitude, personal image, etc. It will follow you as your career progresses. A lot of great pilots are mediocre at interviews and selling themselves and they get very bitter when mediocre pilots with good ‘optics’ get the offer.
Best of luck mate.
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In twenty years time when your kids ask how you got into flying you want to be able to say "work and determination" not "I just kept taking money from your grandparents for type ratings until someone was stupid enough to give me a job"
C-GGGQ wrote: ↑Thu Dec 26, 2019 3:32 pm
From our manager “Tried the hire me forum a few times. Bad choice every time. I now assume that if you’re in there instead of just applying, there is a reason you’re unemployed”
I’m not surprised, it’s the equivalent of trying to find a renter through craigslist ‘wanted’.
---------- ADS -----------
In twenty years time when your kids ask how you got into flying you want to be able to say "work and determination" not "I just kept taking money from your grandparents for type ratings until someone was stupid enough to give me a job"
For someone like me who has a summer gig locked in every year and is just looking for contract or part time work I feel it could be a bit more useful. However I can understand how many hiring managers would have a stigma against hiring people from there.
I did get an offer from a numbered email address for “very lucrative pay” to fly a Kingair for 2 weeks a year in South America!
