BALPA employment conference

[skyhigher]

i was hoping some people might be able to shed some light on whether its worth while heading to the BALPA employment conference at Heathrow?

While i'm sure some networking can be done, i'm weighing up the cost for me to travel there, which would be around £180.

Is is really beneficial?

[dick turpin]

Skyhigh

Yes worth the cost, the guys that do the recruitment for the Airlines are there, get yourself known, take a cv etc.

Rich

[Pull Up Whoop Whoop]

If you have MC experience, well worth attending! If you expect to walk straight into an interview, think again!

If you have an interview in the pipeline with an airline who has a stand...definately go! you will get to meet other company pilots, get to chat with them and get a real insight into company life, maybe even the interviewer themselves!

To be honest though, if you are a newly qualified CPL/IR ....(and my friends all shared the same opinion), all this did for us was put us in a deeper state of depression! I dont wish to sound negative, but as a newly qualified CPL/IR you are in a room full of wannabe's (literally hundreds) all in the same boat. With the introduction, they ask the room for the level of experience, one or two hands go up for 5000hrs plus, over 2000 hrs...a few more, over 500, a few more....under 500......almost the entire room!!! It is the wake up call you just dont want to see, the realisation of just how many people there are with the same level of experience after so few jobs.

It is certainly well worth attending to get an insight into certain companys growth plans, recruitment plans etc, and meeting the people to whom you have written so many times....but I just cant help wondering if i really did get much out of it!

I am sure that some people that attend do get more from it, and I am really pleased for them, especially if it leads to that illusive job..!

Attended in 2005, out of 8 of us, all low time experience newly qualified, we are all now in paid flying jobs, none of which with any connection to EOC! Decide for yourself!

[bilderberger]

Skyhigher
It is worth a trip. A couple of friends of mine attended a few years ago, unfortunately they turned up very late (about 2 pm, possibly later) however, they are now both flying for UK airlines as a direct result of attendance.

Why? ......because they pulled a classic move, un-intentionally i might add.
Every other wannabe, hundreds of them, had earlier been queing out the doors of the place, it was like a cattle market, every airline had a long que, dealing with hundreds of pilot's trying to sell themselves, however by the time my mates got there the hall was virtually empty.
They just glided from stand to stand, MYT, TFLY, BMI, FLYMAYBE, VIrgin, etc, with no hassle or fuss.
Guess who's CV's where at the top of the pile by the end of the day!!!!
Guess who got the phone calls!!!!
Guess who's face the pilot manager's remember at the end of the day!!
One of them knew he had an interview before he left the room!!

They then went & celebrated with a big Mac & large fries across the road.
Take care BB.

[dartagnan]

I don' think this conference means anything unless you have some questions to ask.
You have the same chance to get a job(or to not get a job) unless you are highly qualified on a type with many hours.

I got 4 interviews in 3 months, I have one today(I am very surprised how this market is moving).Save the 60 pounds and buy fuel for the interview when they will call you.

[Rote 8]

I am afraid that I am unable to shed any light on whether or not attendance is of much value as I have not been myself in the past. However I am going along this year and if there is anyone reading this who would like a lift to London from the Shropshire / Wolverhampton area (perhaps share cost of petrol & parking) then get in touch.

Hopefully it will be of some value although I think received wisdom is that to really get some value out of it you need to have a type rating and some multi crew experience already.