View Full Version : BALPA Employment Conference
Mister Geezer
24th Aug 2002, 19:22
Just wondering if anyone has been to one of these before. I have the impression that it will be a day full of people who are trying to barge past each other so that they can nudge their CV onto a pile, and hopefully get it noticed. I am aware that there are airlines giving presentations and Maersk will be accepting CVs for their next wave of interviews but will it be useful for the low hours pilot. With the likes of Dragonair and especially Emirates who will only touch someone with plenty of hours, is this years conference geared up for the ATPL holder with a type rating or the Frozen ATPL holder?
If I lived close to London I would not of posted this but it could mean forking out a lot of £££ to get to London and I would only make the effort if others think it has been worth while for them in the past.
Any thoughts?
MG
tailscrape
25th Aug 2002, 11:27
It is a scrap, however it can be worthwhile. Just do not expect to walk away with a 737 offer that day.
You will hear the latest accurate info first hand. That is invaluable, unless you believe everything you read here of course......
ChickenHawk
25th Aug 2002, 11:52
When is the next one? :D
Broken Wings
25th Aug 2002, 18:25
ChickenHawk - Saturday 12 October (open to BALPA members only however you can joins as an unemployed member for £24 call 020 8476 4000)
Mister Geezer - Agree with Tailscrape as I went to the one last year. Will it get you a job? Almost certainly No. Will it encourage you that things are getting better? I hope so. I too am unemployed so I'm going for that hopeful boost that things are looking up. Face time doesn't do any harm and you will get the chance to chat with Cheif Pilots/Senior Training Captains/Recruiters. BALPA Employment Services seem keen to help out the low hours guys as well as once you're working they get 1% of your salary but as PPruNe forums show the supply and demand cycle of the business is such that the airlines are calling the shots and at the moments it's TR's, once they've dried up its experienced people and then it's the turn of the low hours guys. Whether you go or not best of luck job hunting.
I agree with BW.
Yet I have heard people talking about the upside of being a lowtimer (no sales people of flight training schools by the way :D). What they say has got a point: Depending on how the airline's current cockpit work force is composed(pilots' age, experience on Type, etc) they tend to hire lowtimers OR experienced pilots. It's a strategy.
If an airline's current cockpit staff tends to be a bit older in average and more experienced*: it might be more interesting for them to hire more lowtime guys to have a natural flow of right to left en to secure continuation. And of course same thing vice versa.
* this of course is split up per aircraft type etc.
Jaxx