Its not what you know, its who you know!
I am one of the few who used to post on here alot during my training days and i was even around on Spet11th when the forum crashed due to maximum overload (just before i started ATPLs). I rarely post nowadays but ithought i'd post this cos im a bit bored and i remember PP doing it years ago. Whilst its not the full story, it does give a little bit of hidden advice!
Enjoy
I entered the training market at just turned 20yrs (5.5yrs ago). Fairly well
gen'd up character when it came to all things aviation related but not the brightest and not the most out going!
It came as a problem to me when people would often say that its all about who you know in this business, not only because i didn't know ANYONE who worked in the flying business, but because I am one of the quietest and most shy people there is! 6 Yrs ago the only time I ever saw pilots was when i went on holidays and that would make me want it even more!
During my PPL days it became apparent to me that this really WAS the case. I would all too often see my ex-instructors move onto other airlines because of who they knew. Ie- Instructors from Barton would always move onto Emerald because of some long tied links and some of the Instructors from Barton would also move onto Eastern because of some Links too! (now that's two of the main airlines you quoted in your thread)
It was blatantly obvious to me that jobs would not come my way unless i made the effort to fit in! And believe me, its not easy when your quiet. Its even harder to fit in at Barton because the place is so cliquey(if your face fits an all that)
So i stuck with it and continued with my training. Some 4 years later i didn't know any pilots and i hadn't networked very well. I knew people but not well enough to get their well wishes (if you know what i mean). Anyway, by this time i had just passed my CPL and was faced with the dilemma of doing the IR or the FI. I had no money. (I could have fallen back onto IT but it wouldn't have paid massive amounts and, lets face it, IT is the most boring and, at times, the most stressful job there is. There's nothing worse than a misbehaving computer!) So I decided to take a break. The break lasted about 3 weeks! I was looking on the job centre website and found a baggage handlers job at Manchester Airport. I had always fancied working at the airport and decided to look into it a bit further .It didn't pay much but it would be better for me in the long run because maybe I'll learn a bit more and also I could do a bit of networking.
After a brief (1hr) bit of research I managed to find all the numbers for all the handlers at Manchester Airport! So within 1 Hrs of finding a random advert I had managed to get a shed load of information. I did that by using my 'loaf'. I could have just sent CV's to em all but that's no use cos i want a job and i want it now! I phoned EVERY ONE of the companies and asked for a job!! Cheeky and very out of character but i didn't care.
Anyway, one of the baggage handlers jobs came off and during the interview it was mentioned that i may be suitable to be a dispatcher due to me having some flying experience! So within a few days of seeing the ad for a baggage handler I have now landed myself a job as a dispatcher! How's a bout that then?
I started as a dispatcher in APR04 and after having dispatched my first 757 it was decided that I need to be an airline pilot! Standing in that cockpit gave me the boost i needed. To have done the FI at that point would just not have been good enough for me. I was on a high!
So, I did the IR during the week and managed to convince my employer to let me work part time. I did sat 12hrs and Sun 12hrs. It was hard, very hard.
And hey! would you have guessed, during my time I even saw many an ex instructor from Barton flying the aircraft that i was dispatching! So the networking links must still be there! and what with Barton being so cliquey and my face probably not fitting, they didn't remember me.
During this time as a dispatcher i learned so much about everything there is possibly to know about operations of A/c. In fact to this day i feel it stands me in good stead for problems which may occur on turnarounds!
Not only did i learn alot, I met alot of people and nearly all of them pilots! Pilots who nice and pilots who were bad! The nice ones all offered advice and all gave you the boost to carry on.
Oct04- By now the IR had been and gone. I was an employable pilot working as a dispatcher earning 14k a year. Now thats not a good return for my investment!
Job Hunting time-
I did the usual and did ONE big CV mail but it amounted to jack diddley.It was the first and last bulk CV session I'll ever do. Fortunately for me there must have been 3-4 captains who were waiting for me to pass my IR so they could take my CV and put them on the right desks! They all flew different aircraft from the J32 right the way up to the 757 and i would have taken a job an any of em! I'd say i was in a very fortunate position to have people working on the inside for me. You see, I got here by getting myself known! Not by working in an IT Office job cos thats what pays the money but by sacrificing a few things and following my heart! Anyway, i booked myself on an MCC course for the Nov/Dec04 and during that time I managed to have 2 interviews. Both were with regional TP operators. I passed both the interviews but only by the skin of my teeth.
The first interview meant me travelling 300 miles only to get a letter saying that i needed a sim assessment but it wasn't going to happen any time soon!
The second interview meant me driving the length of England and back all in one day!(12 hrs drive) The long drive was done as a test as how much i wanted that job. I did it and had the informal interview in the Cafe of a regional airport. It was a success and I was then told I'd have to wait for a start date to come up and in that time i will have to get another 50hrs.
I waited two more months in the hope that either of the two airlines will offer me a start date.(still working as a dispatcher) And during that 2 months I had numerous jump seat rides that my new (networked) friends had arranged for me. The job offers never happened!
So I started an FI course
But i didn't give up with the job hunting. I kept phoning and phoning the two airlines hoping something would come up.
Two weeks on in the FI course (Mar05) One of the capts told me a previously successful candidate had fallen by the way side in the sim and there may be a spare slot going for a future course. I phoned the CP of the first airline (who i was waiting for a sim check with) and he said nothing had changed
no more recruiting
just sit and wait
Two hrs later i got a call from his secretary saying can i go for a sim check the following week?
I went for the sim assessment and was offered the job 3 days later! APR05
I left the dispatchers job which i was sad to do but i still work with these people from time to time.
I left the FI course without any notice
No phone call,nothing!!
I suppose they think im dead! Worse is they never phoned me to see what had happened! So, Im sorry Ravenair!
Been working as a pilot ever since and loving every minute of it. Sometimes its not all its cracked up to be and you have to take the rough with the smooth. In almost 1 yr i have learned alot about the airline world and its definitely not what it used to be!
Anyway, my point is this - If you don't make yourself known then you'll never get a job! Its not about sending 100CVs a week to 100 airlines and waiting for the call. You should make realistic choices, don't pick an airline that fly's 747's if you've only got 230hrs. Look hard and long at the airlines you want to work for. Pick 5 and stick at them. If you're low houred then focus yourself at the TP market. If you're sending CVs addressed to ‘the chief pilot’ because you don't know his name then you're not trying hard enough. There are ways and means of finding this information out. Follow up your CVs with a call. Be polite and say you're sorry to bother him/her. Forget about Emerald, it might be a start but its going to cost you 10k for something that isn't worth 10p in the modern world. So imagine what the bosses at Emerald must be like if they're willing to rip off their prospective employers? not nice people i tell thee!! I never applied to Emerald or Ryanair and i don't regret it. Neither did i ever contemplate buying my own TR.
FWIW, the pilots who I met during my time as a dispatcher are still good friends of mine and i keep in contact with them regularly. Often go for meals and stuff. So don't just go and meet a set person for one thing cos they'll see you a mile off and the CV’s they are supposed to give in for you will only end up in the bin!
Its the time of year when the handling agents will soon be recruiting so get yourself down there and have a bit of fun on the ramp. I would!
good Luck, Now is a good time to be looking for work but it may not be the best time to start a training course.
It is possible but its hard and if you give up then you're better out of the business!
Ps, It took me ages to write this so slate it and you'll get a good hiding!! Understand?
