Here are some suggestions that may be helpful to you when sending out your resume. This post is a reaction to all the terrible resumes that I have been receiving recently and this might actually help some of you to be seriously considered for employment.

The following hints are applicable to any job application:

Take the time to research the company: Address your cover letter to the chief pilot by name and not simply "Dear Sir".

Spell the chief pilot and the company name properly: In fact, proof read your entire cover letter and resume and use spellcheck to help you out. Typos are one thing when sending an email message but it is evident when someone has no idea how to spell. You should have taken the time when writing your cover letter and resume to correct all spelling errors. If the language you are using is not your first language, get some help before sending out something that is full of errors.

Stick to plain fonts and black ink/lettering. I have received resumes in all the colours of the rainbow and in all fancy lettering and it only makes reading them (and printing them out when needed) more difficult .

Try to stick to a common resume format. Seek help on the internet and find out what a proper format entails.

If, in your cover letter, you need to specify a time to be reached, try to word it in such a way that you are not being rude. I would seriously avoid putting in such a restriction if at all possible. If you are are not home from 0900 to 1700 because you are at work, simply state that the "best" time to be reached would be between such and such a time. To state that you can be reached between 0900 and 1700, seems odd considering you are the one in need of employment not the employer. Some chief pilots for smaller companies will be getting back to you after 1700 because that may be the time they have dedicated to make call backs.

Do not use a standard cover letter and send it off to all different companies in one email especially when each recipient can see all the other company names. Take the time to personalize your cover letter to each and every company individually.

When sending your resume by email, try to use common programs such as Word.

Now when sending out a resume for a pilot position:


Round off your hours to the nearest round number: If you have 100.3 hours PIC, just write 100 hrs. That extra .3 will not be a determining factor.

A graphical breakdown of every logbook column is definitely not necessary and neither is the display of colours. I believe most companies are content to see at most, your total time, multi, turbine and PIC. Include any current PPC's if applicable as well.

If you have a commercial license do you really have to state that you have a valid cat. 1 medical.

For the most part, you do not need to mention every single engine airplane you have flown. "Various single-engine aircraft such as, C150 and C172" will suffice. If you are applying for a single engine position, then include the single that is most applicable to the job.

I can't help but chuckle when I see a resume with a self portrait of a uniformed "pilot" in front of a 150. Do you really need to present a ridiculous picture of yourself?

You are applying for a pilot position, so why must you tell us about past employment that is completely irrelevant to the position. We do not need to know about you having worked as a cashier in a grocery store or about every past waitering or bartending job that you have held. Furthermore, we do not need to know about all the duties you carried out at the aforementioned jobs. I think we can figure out what duties you had as a bartender. Try to keep your past history relevant to being hired as a pilot.

Now I can't speak for all employers but I do not get a good first impression from a candidate that divulges that he/she is willing to pay whatever the cost for a PPC/training, etc. I don't want someone that sounds that desperate working for me. Have some pride and some faith in yourself such that you do not need to try and beat others by offering monetary rewards to the employer.

Most importantly keep your resume short and sweet and easy to read.

A few more words of caution:

Try to send faxes during "regular business hours" especially for the smaller operators. Many times the fax machine is located at the same place people may be sleeping. Take into consideration the time difference and fax accordingly.

If you will be dropping off a resume, try to dress appropriately. Showing up in jean cut-offs and a backwards baseball cap just doesn't give a good impression. Also, try not to just show up at inopportune moments and pester. Try and make a phone call first and find out when would be an opportune moment to meet instead of, for example, just tracking the person down at an FBO during a quick turn around.

Unfortunately, many first impressions are formed by a resume sent by email. These are only suggestions, but I believe these tips could help many of you out and avoid your resume from being sent directly to the deleted folder.

Well said FYI. Something every newbie (and some not so newbie) should take heed to. I always got a kick out of low time guys saying 'I don't want to instruct or work the ramp; I want to get right into a plane and fly'.
No kidding bub - if anyone low time wants to make it in this industry they had better be willing to put their time in fueling and various other unpleasant things.

Thanks a lot for taking the time! And these are good advices.

As a job hunter I would like to mention certain things that I would like to see from employers:

- Put what are you requirements in term of hours and PPC etc...
there is a trend lately to see ads a bit vague.

- Even if it is a standard email, I am sure people would like to know when hiring is complete. And you will avoid undesirable follow-up calls.

- If a candidate is not successful during an interview, let him know even with a standard email. It kind of hurt to be advised just by the fact there is no more contact that you don't have the job when you just have spent 3 days and 1000 dollars on a interview.

- In the ad, mention whether or not you accept follow-up calls as some companies love it some just hate it, and there is no way to know...

Just a few thoughts!

Hi FYI.

That is some good advice and I believe it is highly applicable as people seem to continue to break the simplest of rules.

One quick question though...

I DID ALL OF THAT, SO WHY WON'T YOU HIRE ME!!!???

I got one once it said: As you are aware many airlines are cancelling of flights becuase of the unavailability of crew, as you are up north, I am sure I can help you with your crew shortage problem.

Also, don't have a email address of hotbushpilot69@hotmail.com

Unless of course you are a hot female bush pilot who likes 69.

Then it's perfectly ok.

Just one other point.
If you are using one of our employees as a reference try to spell their name right.

bobcat18 wrote: If you are using one of our employees as a reference try to spell their name right.

Maybe you've had it wrong all this time and they were to modest to mention it?

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Secondly, if the biz states "email only" and you get it bounced back, does that count as to bad so sad all other options now available?

shouldn't this be in "employment & interview tips"...

I know I mentioned how important it is to spellcheck your resume but you DO need to proofread as well...Be very careful when sending out resumes late at night by email....Make sure you have personalized your cover letter so that the company to which you are applying has THEIR company name mentioned and THEIR chief pilots name as well and not those of their competitor. Makes for a good laugh but not good if you were hoping for a call back!

When sending a resume by email, should my email be considered the cover letter, or should the cover letter be sent as an attatchement? If it should be sent as an attatchement, then what kind of information should be typed in my email?

Thanks,

I will usually attach the cover letter as an attachment, either word or PDF.

In the email a simple

Dear Mr. CP:

I would like to apply for as a captain/FO on your fleet of (insert aircraft here) Please find attached a current resume and cover letter.

-Possibly mention if you have any special qualifactions, PPC/time on type etc.

I once was offered a job with the following cover letter:

Dear Mr. ....

I meet all the requirements!

Please have a look!

Sincerely,

....

Believe it or not and it was a good company!

Cover letter: Short and sweet
Resume: detailed

FYI wrote: You are applying for a pilot position, so why must you tell us about past employment that is completely irrelevant to the position. We do not need to know about you having worked as a cashier in a grocery store or about every past waitering or bartending job that you have held. Furthermore, we do not need to know about all the duties you carried out at the aforementioned jobs. I think we can figure out what duties you had as a bartender. Try to keep your past history relevant to being hired as a pilot.

I don't really agree with you in that part and i really think that other experinces may get you the pilot job that you have always wanted.
In my case i am a computer programmer and i hold few good certificates from Oracle and Microsoft so why not mention that and why not mention that i used to teach Adobe photoshop and web esign at the age of 19,why not to metion that i have good experience in computer networking and hardware-software maintenance (Don't you think you would be intrested in somebody who would save you money in the with the other skills that he/she has).

Other skills will save you money sir .. A pilot with a diploma in accounting and some experience will save you money,a pilot with construction experience will save you money,a pilot with carpentry experience will save you money SIR. In one way or another..

I believe that employers should always read what is between the lines,maybe the canadidate is telling you something or maybe he/she wants to show you that they have a good work ethic..

Cheers
Adam

I agree adam... As a 200 hour wonder, I really do not have squat to offer in terms of flight expierence so my computer programing, and network admin type of expierence may be a useful and the only thing that sets me above any other candidate.

As for resume, mine is one page, and the one page cover letter. I like to send it in PDF, as I can include a signature, and it looks just like the paper copy. Now all I need is a freaking job.

I wouldn't want to dampen anyone's enthusiasm, but a prospective employer should not have to "read between the lines" in an initial application. The initial screening process determines which of the applicants possess the basic qualifications needed. There is simply not enough time on this side of the desk to make qualitative assessments of the other "soft" facts; these things are more appropriately done in an interview.

On cover letters/initial e-mails, "Springjob" and "Juggs" have the right idea; short and simple. "I would like to be considered for a job", or some variation is good enough, for that is obviously your intent. If you send your resume attached to an e-mail, an additional attached cover letter is not needed; I don't even open them. If you send it by mail, all the stuff about researching the company, how you are certain that your attributes would be of value, and deciding that this company is the one for you for the rest of your career, is not going to get you an interview on its own. Such things, once again, are better discussed in the interview. As well, it is obvious that some of these sorts of cover letters have been paid for.

What someone in my position wants to see is:

1/ Name and contact information - you'd be surprised how many times I get resumes with disconnected phone numbers and/or no e-mail address.
Also, give me the name you go by instead of your formal full name, so that when I call and ask for "Montesquieu" I don't get puzzled dead air on the other end from your room-mate;

2/ Education - Post-secondary is sufficient; if you attended that we can probably leave the primary and high school info for layover chat;

3/ Flying experience - Total time does not include any S/O or cruise relief time (hey, I don't make the rules). Only give me specific time on types that would be of interest, according to the requirements and the types of aircraft we operate, (and the plural of "aircraft" is "aircraft"; insert spell- and grammar-check note here). Breakdowns between 150 and 172 time don't help much. And if that's all you've got then, even though we all have to start somewhere, applying for a 727 job with 200 hours on a 150 indicates something other than what you are trying to convey;

4/ Employment history - It's okay if you don't currently have a job. If anyone has been in the business for more than five minutes, they know such things happen. Give me your work history, all of it, and make the dates accurate; no one is working at Jetsgo "to present". But if you got fired from a job, I'm gonna find out anyway. I understand personal differences, but I don't look favourably on someone trying to keep something from me. If there are obvious gaps in your work history I'm going to ask. And that segues to:

5/ References - "References on request"? What, you going to make me beg? "References on request" sounds likes it's too much trouble for you to include them. If you're not going to tell me, then don't include a "References" section on the resume. I'm going to ask around about you anyway.

All of this should fit on one page. Pilots are selected by hard, non-qualitative criteria. This is why many major airlines have on-line applications that only allow you to submit what they need to be able to compare your experience and qualifications to what they require. The closer a candidate gets to what the airline is looking for, the more successful the resume will be. Remember, someone has to read all this stuff, and that someone is the one you're asking for a job.

The input of people like you are priceless, please keep it coming and ignore the dumb remarks...

I better redo my resume.