So I'm a new commercial pilot and I have just recently started my job hunt.
I'm reading all the forums and trying to take in as much as possible, as to how to get the resume to the prospective employer and all I'm really seeing is e-mail. I'm taking it that this is mainly because people are all over the country and it's not possible for them to travel. I'm planning on doing a road trip in the coming weeks to actually go around and physically hand in my resume.
I was just wondering if I should send my resume via email prior to my arrival at these different locations? Or should I just hold off, give the companies a call to see if the CP or hiring manager is going to be around and only drop it off while I'm there?
I think you're over thinking it. Personally when I went looking for my first job I emailed and eventually did a road trip. This got me no where. Later on the "season" I emailed some more resumes around and finally got one. All of my jobs/ interview have been through emails and online job applications. I don't think there is a right or wrong way of doing it so long as you don't piss the potential employer off.
JC.. Shame on you! .Cant you be serious? The kid asked a question regarding his career and all you do is make light of it.....
The best way I have ever seen is to make sure your resume is professional looking, simple, and free of grammatical and spelling errors. Then take it personally to the company. Walk into the CP's office and put it right in his hand.....Say "Here Dad, when do I start?" I have heard with absolute certainity that it works every time.
This is not directed at Just Curious, I am asking to hear from some of the other Chief Pilots and Ops Managers here.
I am just curious, when I was an Ops Manager I got unsolicited resumes all the time. I DID NOT have time to give twenty minutes to someone every time they walked in the door with a resume. It did go into one of my piles. I kept a short list and I kept a pile. I did however not mind the occasional voice mail from a follow up on a monthly or bi monthly but not a weekly phone call. When you are a new up and coming pilot would you time and money not be better spent on a road trip, then I would make time for you by appointment if you were on a road trip, or out getting a float endorsement, or instructor rating.
Don't go off the handle with all of the smart remarks I am truly trying to help him get some mileage for his money ... not trying to discourage anyone, trying to help them find the best way with the least waste of time and money to get recognized and rememebered as ambitious and not a pain in the butt.
Over .... Any Ops Managers or Chief Pilots out there?
I'm interested too in what a CP or ops Mgr would prefere.
Do you think, unless it says not too, a phone call to the CP saying "hey I'm in the area, would you mind if I swing by to follow up?" is a positive thing?
and be sure to write a 1 and a half page long cover letter with "uncorrect" wording and "unproper" English. Make sure to tell the CP why flying is your passion and what it is like to be a pilot in case he doesn't know
Here is the thing about CPs and ops mangers.. There are hundreds of them out there. And they are all individuals . Big companies usually have HR departments, and the CP and OM are generally busy.
On the other hand there are some who have the time and dont mind to chat. I dont think you can generalize from a few posts as to what the best procedure is.
I suppose what I am trying to say, is there is no magic formula as to how to best do this. The only thing I can add is carpet bombing resumes is not really the best way. As to phoning or dropping in, you have to realize that there are a hundred others out there thinking the same way, and that, in itself causes work disruption. Maybe, once you have focused on a few companies to work for, post on AvCanada for PMs from some of their plots, and ask their opinions specifically about the company.
It is tough starting out, and there really is not easy or better way, despite the heart warming, and heart breaking stories.
The most creative one that I've seen so far was stencilled on to a cake. It was a happy day in the crew room. For the record it didn't work out for the guy.
chinglish wrote:The most creative one that I've seen so far was stencilled on to a cake. It was a happy day in the crew room. For the record it didn't work out for the guy.
Reminds me of this Chicken Wings comic, might explain why...
vectorvictor2020 wrote:So I'm a new commercial pilot and I have just recently started my job hunt.
I'm reading all the forums and trying to take in as much as possible, as to how to get the resume to the prospective employer and all I'm really seeing is e-mail. I'm taking it that this is mainly because people are all over the country and it's not possible for them to travel. I'm planning on doing a road trip in the coming weeks to actually go around and physically hand in my resume.
I was just wondering if I should send my resume via email prior to my arrival at these different locations? Or should I just hold off, give the companies a call to see if the CP or hiring manager is going to be around and only drop it off while I'm there?
Any opinions are welcomed!
Congratulations on your recent commercial! Without wanting to discourage you, IMHO you should've started your job hunt about 3-6 months ago. I'm not saying that it's too late, however most of the people that I know who've obtained jobs recently, myself included, started job hunting near the end of november and at the latest at the beginning of january. They were all job hunting without a commercial.The ones that did get replies got job confirmations or at least, a job offer sometime around the end of february and mid-march. It's all about timing and the attitude that you present to the employer. I sent nearly 400-500 resumes out there. Not a single call from all that carpet bombing, and personally if I were to do it all over again, I'd change my whole approach to job hunting. When I finally decided to make a phone call, go in person without even sending a resume... it worked like a charm. And that is how I got my very first job! I don't like saying this but it's all about being at the right place & at the right time. Good luck with your jobhunt and keep us posted on your route progress !
Pick a company.
Using the correct spelling of both the company name and the CP's name, send a resume via email with a cover letter tailored to that company, and your
Resume. See the sticky above regarding resume and cover letter advise.
Wait a week. Try and phone to confirm receipt. Send updates once a month or on significant change.
Email prior, but explain that you are doing a road trip, and would appreciate 5 minutes of somebody's valuable time.
Stop by, dressed like pilots dress in the company. Have a resume, licence copy
and all that good stuff ready.
Try hard to network so that someone in the company can walk you into the CP's office.
Try not to fart, burp or drool in the office.
And....I am being serious here....turn off your cell phone...Leave it off until you are all done and on your way home. Dont try to just take a quick peak at your messages as you walk to the crew room for coffee..leave it off....
In this day and age of instant gratification and high-speed technology, it's the 9 X 12 manila envelope with a hand written address, addressed to the owner/chief pilot with his/her name spelled correctly that's going to stand out in the pile.
Many moons ago, I targeted the two dozen float operators I was interested in applying with. I cold called each operation one by one and explained to whomever answered the phone that I was mailing off a resume and wanted to make sure I addressed it to the right person (owner/chief pilot/HR) and double checked the spelling of their names. I then put my one page cover letter (each cover letter personalized to the correct contact person and the actual company, not 'To Whom It May Concern' , and 'I'd like to work for your company') and my one page resume (triple checked for typos, proof read by a dozen friends/family) in said manila envelope, stuck a stamp on it and mailed it off. I then waited 10 days and followed up each resume with a phone call to the correct person to confirm that they received it, and also to say I was going to be driving through their neck of the woods on a road trip in 2 weeks time, and would it be OK to stop in and introduce myself in person. 2 weeks later, I started my road trip, and the day before I reached each base, I made a second phone call to let them know I would be passing through tomorrow and was there a time of day that was most convenient for them.
Needless to say, I made some great contacts across the country, got the inside scoop on most of the operators on my list from the horse's mouths, was offered multiple jobs, and finally accepted with the operator that I felt was best suited for me. (The one where I had a good vibe from the boss, a good vibe from the staff, had nice clean machines, decent pay, decent location, etc.)
Since then, I've been the Chief Pilot and I've been the Ops Manager, and knowing what I know now, and having learned from what I learned then, if I had to do it all over again, I would do it exactly the same way.
To answer your question, the best way to hand in your resume is in as personal and as unique a way as possible, without going over the top.
I've heard of the resume stapled to a pizza box delivered to the chief pilot at lunch. (It worked.)
I've heard of the low time guy who stuck a pack of gum in each envelope with his resume. (When he phoned to follow up with the Chief Pilot, there was no question which resume was his...very memorable.)
Once I had accumulated 1000 hours PIC on floats, I attached a Top-5 list of 'why you should hire me' to a bottle of single-malt and left it where the owner of my first-choice operation would find it after work one Friday. (It worked in getting my dream job, and I'm still there almost a decade later.)
