Peak time for recruitment

[Aerofoil]

Hi all

In am at the end of my CPL at the moment but my training has dragged on and taken much longer than expected due to weather and problems in other areas (not in my flying ability i might add). The thing is that by this time i was hoping to to totally finished and looking for a job.
I am very aware that its still very tough to get an airline job but i am worried that IF it was going to happen to me soon after training then it would be during this winter.

As it stands, and if everything goes to plan, then i am due to finish my IR and MCC in October.

My question is...when do you guys think that the 'peak' time is for job recruitment? Sept-Feb? Oct-Feb?

Thanks in advance

Foil

[checks-complete]

You don't neccessarily have to have completed your training to begin job hunting.

Just a thought.

[benjamin1981]

checks-,

You say you don't have to have finished your training to go job hunting. Do you mean just seeing who is recruiting or actually applying for jobs? I have heard some people say you can apply before you finish but how early is too early? Mid IR maybe?

Thanks

[Megaton]

Wasting your time. Most airlines seem to have knee-jerk reaction to recruiting. Nothing happens for ages and they deny they have a requirement and then suddenly they need you next week. If you haven't completed your training you're no use to them. You may be confident you'll pass your IR but if they have a type-rating cse to fill they can't rely on your self-confidence. Can you imagine recruiting someone half-way through their IR for a cse that starts 2 months away only to find the weather's been rubbish, the ac tech and you've failed the first attempt? They have an unfilled place. Until you're finished you are unemployable.

[benjamin1981]

Thanks Ham,

Thats the way I was thinking but thought i'd check how others felt,

Cheers

[VFE]

Ham's right.

There is plenty of time to waste after training to apply for jobs - they ain't exactly snapping us up right now you know. ;)

VFE.

[Megaton]

Sorry, I wsn't trying to be negative merely realistic. HR depts have hundreds of cvs arriving every week. These need to be filtered to a manageable number. First filter will be: " does this chap/chappess meet our minimum requirements?" If you don't have CPL, IR and MCC then the answer is no and your cv goes in the bin.

Personnel depts have limited resources and unqualified applicants add to their workload.

[Ropey Pilot]

Certainly when I applied a lot of companies were not only asking how many attempts you took to pass your IR, but what date you did it on (presumably so they would know how long you would remain current for in the hold pool or something).

But regardless, if you haven't finished it yet what are you going to put on the form - your best guess? Whilst going for a job with over 100 qualified applicants per place lying on your app isn't going to win you any awards with the HR dept when you get through the first filter and they see the dates on your licence at interview! You might also get called early before you have finished - as has been said many companies work on very little notice, possibly days.

Wouldn't worry too much about timing the end of your training in order to walk straight into a job during the 'peak' season either. You may be lucky and start working for a major jet operator the day you finish your MCC or you may wait over a year for a job with a small air taxi operator. I would plan to have a job you can live on the wages of but leave at a moments notice (without feeling too guilty) till you are picked up!

(As a seperate point most newbies seem to expect to walk into a jet job first off - that wasn't particularly the case pre- 9/11, most of the older guys you speak to did lots of air taxi/glider towing/aerial photography work and the like first. Since the industry dipped I would have thought that was even more likely as an entry route - not less).

Whatever happens - good luck and don't give up :ok:

[angelorange]

hang in there!

Try to customise your cv to each employer, give it to a person who's already in the job and repeat....