Virgin Graduate Engineering Scheme - I missed it!
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Considerably Bemused Wannabe
Joined: May 2003
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From: UK
Virgin Graduate Engineering Scheme - I missed it!
I don't believe it....From the time I graduated last July, I made a point of checking the Virgin Atlantic website at least once fortnightly to see if VIR were running the Engineering Graduate Scheme. The last time I checked must have been around early March. And what happens - sods law - early April they advertise their scheme with a May 5th closing date.
What a pis
er 
Oh well, there's always next year (should they run it).
Note to self - check more often!
Cunning Artificer
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 3,125
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From: The spiritual home of DeHavilland
Sitting waiting for something to happen isn't an ideal characteristic for one who wishes to work in aviation. Why don't you get in touch with Virgin right now and then continue to pester them a lot until they give up and call you in for an interview? Short notice on a vacancy generally means that most places are already taken by early birds.
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Considerably Bemused Wannabe
Joined: May 2003
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From: UK
Thanks for the advice, I will contact Virgin - but I suspect all Graduate positions have now been filled - there were only 4! With all due respect, I wasn't sitting waiting for something to happen. If I pestered Virgin, they're not going to run a graduate scheme just because I pestered them into it are they?
As I said, I frequently visit the VIR site - and view most aviation and graduate recruitment sites on a regular basis. Hence the reason why I posted, in the sense that its ironic the only time I don't check is when the scheme is advertised.
But anyway, thanks again. I will contact Virgin Atlantic.
As I said, I frequently visit the VIR site - and view most aviation and graduate recruitment sites on a regular basis. Hence the reason why I posted, in the sense that its ironic the only time I don't check is when the scheme is advertised.
But anyway, thanks again. I will contact Virgin Atlantic.
Joined: Jul 2000
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From: Everywhere
"I wasn't sitting waiting for something to happen."
With all due respect, Blacksheep is just suggesting that clicking on and off the website for advertised positions IS, in aviation terms, exactly that. Pestering them is a more useful strategy. Bad luck about missing the deadline though - my advice is not to put all your eggs in one basket!
With all due respect, Blacksheep is just suggesting that clicking on and off the website for advertised positions IS, in aviation terms, exactly that. Pestering them is a more useful strategy. Bad luck about missing the deadline though - my advice is not to put all your eggs in one basket!
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Considerably Bemused Wannabe
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From: UK
Hi mate,
Agreed about all the eggs in one basket, however since BA stopped their Engineering graduate scheme, the Virgin Atlantic one seems the only true UK airline engineering graduate scheme left. The majority of airlines seem to recruit qualified aircraft engineers, more often than not either with mandatory experience of certain aircraft/fleet.
I think I was miss-leading in my earlier post with regard to the pestering of airlines. In fact, that was my initial tactic. I must have sent letters to all the UK based airlines which operate an engineering division, with each airline probably getting about 5-10 letters each between July 2005 and around the middle of March this year. Everyone came back the same - thanks for the interest, check our website for latest vacancies.
Thank again,
eP.
Agreed about all the eggs in one basket, however since BA stopped their Engineering graduate scheme, the Virgin Atlantic one seems the only true UK airline engineering graduate scheme left. The majority of airlines seem to recruit qualified aircraft engineers, more often than not either with mandatory experience of certain aircraft/fleet.
I think I was miss-leading in my earlier post with regard to the pestering of airlines. In fact, that was my initial tactic. I must have sent letters to all the UK based airlines which operate an engineering division, with each airline probably getting about 5-10 letters each between July 2005 and around the middle of March this year. Everyone came back the same - thanks for the interest, check our website for latest vacancies.
Thank again,
eP.
Moderator
Joined: Feb 2000
Aviation Qualifications: CPL
Posts: 14,480
Likes: 178
From: UK
Originally Posted by easyPilot
Hi mate,
Agreed about all the eggs in one basket, however since BA stopped their Engineering graduate scheme, the Virgin Atlantic one seems the only true UK airline engineering graduate scheme left. The majority of airlines seem to recruit qualified aircraft engineers, more often than not either with mandatory experience of certain aircraft/fleet.
I think I was miss-leading in my earlier post with regard to the pestering of airlines. In fact, that was my initial tactic. I must have sent letters to all the UK based airlines which operate an engineering division, with each airline probably getting about 5-10 letters each between July 2005 and around the middle of March this year. Everyone came back the same - thanks for the interest, check our website for latest vacancies.
Thank again,
eP.
Agreed about all the eggs in one basket, however since BA stopped their Engineering graduate scheme, the Virgin Atlantic one seems the only true UK airline engineering graduate scheme left. The majority of airlines seem to recruit qualified aircraft engineers, more often than not either with mandatory experience of certain aircraft/fleet.
I think I was miss-leading in my earlier post with regard to the pestering of airlines. In fact, that was my initial tactic. I must have sent letters to all the UK based airlines which operate an engineering division, with each airline probably getting about 5-10 letters each between July 2005 and around the middle of March this year. Everyone came back the same - thanks for the interest, check our website for latest vacancies.
Thank again,
eP.
G
Cunning Artificer
Joined: Jun 2001
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From: The spiritual home of DeHavilland
By "pester them" I don't mean firing endless e-mails to the same person in Recruitment.
As a hint: If anyone manages to bypass HR/Personnel Services, find out my name and designation and get his tidy two page CV onto my desk they're at least guaranteed an interview. After that they have the same chances as any other interviewee of getting the position, but showing initiative and a true interest in the job is always recognized.
Checking a website once month for a vacancy notice and then missing it on the vital day isn't showing initiative. Finding someone who works for the company concerned and using that contact to 'mine' for the right person to write to is.
As a hint: If anyone manages to bypass HR/Personnel Services, find out my name and designation and get his tidy two page CV onto my desk they're at least guaranteed an interview. After that they have the same chances as any other interviewee of getting the position, but showing initiative and a true interest in the job is always recognized.
Checking a website once month for a vacancy notice and then missing it on the vital day isn't showing initiative. Finding someone who works for the company concerned and using that contact to 'mine' for the right person to write to is.
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Considerably Bemused Wannabe
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From: UK
Originally Posted by Genghis the Engineer
Please tell us that you weren't just sending huge numbers of standard letters and CVs? A great method for irritating HR departments, and making the royal mail rich, but not for getting a job.
G
G
I see your point blacksheep, but if I’m reading you right, and I’m probably not, you are talking from a standpoint that there are vacancies within a company. You say you guarantee an interview if the applicant gets the letter to your desk. Do you interview even if there are no jobs at your company? I have had a further reply from VS saying all 4 places on the scheme are taken for 2006. Are you suggesting that this is not the case, and a letter to the "right" person will create an extra place for a suitable candidate on the scheme?
I must admit, knowing somebody within is a great advantage. When I finished uni, I wanted to do a PhD. I knew exactly who to approach, and I got the only available funded scholarship even before it was advertised externally. So I agree, knowing whom to contact is a huge advantage. But finding that “right” person from the outside is easier said than done.
Thanks to all for the replies. I shall continue my quest for the “right” contact at VS.
Cheers
eP.
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Joined: Feb 2000
Aviation Qualifications: CPL
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From: UK
Originally Posted by easyPilot
I am delighted to say I certainly did not do as you say G! The majority of the letters I sent were specifically addressed to certain staff members of airlines by name - having found them out via various avenues. I most definitely did not simply address them to "The Engineering Manager". I'm just about smart enough to know that letter after letter addressed to HR is a waste of rain forests.
G
Thread Starter
Considerably Bemused Wannabe
Joined: May 2003
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From: UK
Originally Posted by Genghis the Engineer
Glad to hear it - nothing irritates me more as a recruiter than standard CVs, standard letters, lack of research into my own organisation. It just wastes time and paper.
G
G
I think persistence is half the battle, and that’s what I’ll remain until I get in!
Thanks again,
eP
Moderator
Joined: Feb 2000
Aviation Qualifications: CPL
Posts: 14,480
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From: UK
Just as an aside, I'm currently recruiting for somebody to work on wing aerodynamics - for various reasons I really need a Brit and have said so in the advertisement. I've been advertising in the usual websites, etc.
Although one or two of the applicants are actually qualified for the job and I'll be interviewing them (phew!), I've also clocked up two computer programmers from London, and an environmental engineer from Chile.
There must be a polite form of words to say "since you are too stupid to understand my job advertisement, you are clearly too stupid to be allowed to work here". Sadly I can't actually say that to the applicants - tempting however!
I do incidentally insist on being the contact for my own advertisements - I'd rather put up with that particularly silliness than have our HR department deciding for me whether I should interview somebody or not. (Although even they probably could have managed to filter out the Chilean fellow!).
G
Although one or two of the applicants are actually qualified for the job and I'll be interviewing them (phew!), I've also clocked up two computer programmers from London, and an environmental engineer from Chile.
There must be a polite form of words to say "since you are too stupid to understand my job advertisement, you are clearly too stupid to be allowed to work here". Sadly I can't actually say that to the applicants - tempting however!
I do incidentally insist on being the contact for my own advertisements - I'd rather put up with that particularly silliness than have our HR department deciding for me whether I should interview somebody or not. (Although even they probably could have managed to filter out the Chilean fellow!).
G
