Resume Gripes.
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Resume Gripes.
For all the people out there who find plenty of CV's and resumes dumped in their inbox, or to anyone with an informed opinion - what are the biggest gripes you have had with resumes from low hour pilots.
Aside from people saying they are 'endorsed' on a 152, what grinds your gears? Also, what are some things to include that would sway a prospective employer to use your resume for something other than darts practice.
APL
Aside from people saying they are 'endorsed' on a 152, what grinds your gears? Also, what are some things to include that would sway a prospective employer to use your resume for something other than darts practice.
APL
Sprucegoose
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In no particular order Spelling, Grammar and Syntax!
Just so you know I am a year 11 drop out, if I can pick errors in your resume, then you are not travelling too well!
Just so you know I am a year 11 drop out, if I can pick errors in your resume, then you are not travelling too well!
Personal referees disguised as professional referees.
It always comes out somewhere in the reference check that "...actually no, I wasn't his Chief Pilot. He's a mate, and he had a bit of a personality clash with the old Chief Pilot..."
...and usually every other Chief Pilot and employer he's ever had
It always comes out somewhere in the reference check that "...actually no, I wasn't his Chief Pilot. He's a mate, and he had a bit of a personality clash with the old Chief Pilot..."
...and usually every other Chief Pilot and employer he's ever had
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Too much irrelevant information
Too long (should never be more than 2 pages).
Too difficult to find what I want.
Everything crammed together (should be well spaced and easy to read)
I shouldn't have to look past the first page to find out if you meet the requirements for a job i.e. Hours and qualifications. Endorsements work history and personal information can go on the second page.
I don't care if you won 3rd place in your year 8 swimming championships or are interested in cricket or line dancing. If I wanted to know that (which I don't), I would ask you in the interview.
All a CV should do is get me excited enough to want to meet you in person. If you include your life history, then what is the point of interviewing you?
Too long (should never be more than 2 pages).
Too difficult to find what I want.
Everything crammed together (should be well spaced and easy to read)
I shouldn't have to look past the first page to find out if you meet the requirements for a job i.e. Hours and qualifications. Endorsements work history and personal information can go on the second page.
I don't care if you won 3rd place in your year 8 swimming championships or are interested in cricket or line dancing. If I wanted to know that (which I don't), I would ask you in the interview.
All a CV should do is get me excited enough to want to meet you in person. If you include your life history, then what is the point of interviewing you?
Last edited by ProProp; 5th Jul 2012 at 13:21.
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- Not being qualified for the job
- Not being endorsed on the required aircraft
- Not having the required mimimum hours (by a long way)
- Not having a clue
- Stupid statements like "I'm not endorsed on the PC12 but I've seen them taxi past my flying school so I know I can get an endorsement"
- Not being endorsed on the required aircraft
- Not having the required mimimum hours (by a long way)
- Not having a clue
- Stupid statements like "I'm not endorsed on the PC12 but I've seen them taxi past my flying school so I know I can get an endorsement"
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Apart from the spelling, grammar, piss-poor syntax, excessive detail and obvious scatter-bombing errors committed, I have personally received one CV, via fax (8 pages of it, as I recall) at 22:00 on the night we lost an aircraft, it's pilot (a close personal friend) and 4 of his pax. It wasn't inadvertent: the cover-letter stated "as you are now a pilot short..." or words to that effect. We had just stood-down from SAR-ops at the time, the office was packed with people. It just happened that I was closest to the fax machine at the moment this started to arrive. I wasn't CP of that organisation, just a line-pilot, but chose to destroy the fax the moment I saw what it was without letting anyone else know what it was -quite a mission on its own. I wish now I had kept the 1st page, for no other reason than to vent my spleen at the inconsiderate little mongrel that sent it.
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In no particular order:
- I'm glad to see the list of previous employers. I have no interest however in the duties you performed at Blogs Fast Food.
- List your hours in an easy to read format. And if you put multi-time on your CV and neglect to note the Multi PIC I probably won't look at your CV again. It begs me to ask a question that I would normally ask at the interview you won't be invited to.
- If you can't spell or string a sentence together without errors, it's not likely that I'll be trusting you with important company paperwork. It's all in the detail.
- Got a CV recently from some muppet with a picture of said muppet AND his kids. WTF is that all about??
- Regardless of the reasons you left/were asked to leave your previous positions, put all your previous CP's down as referree's. Everyone makes mistakes. Trust that your prospective employer can see that. If they can't you probably wouldn't want to work there.
That'll do.
D.
- I'm glad to see the list of previous employers. I have no interest however in the duties you performed at Blogs Fast Food.
- List your hours in an easy to read format. And if you put multi-time on your CV and neglect to note the Multi PIC I probably won't look at your CV again. It begs me to ask a question that I would normally ask at the interview you won't be invited to.
- If you can't spell or string a sentence together without errors, it's not likely that I'll be trusting you with important company paperwork. It's all in the detail.
- Got a CV recently from some muppet with a picture of said muppet AND his kids. WTF is that all about??
- Regardless of the reasons you left/were asked to leave your previous positions, put all your previous CP's down as referree's. Everyone makes mistakes. Trust that your prospective employer can see that. If they can't you probably wouldn't want to work there.
That'll do.
D.
When I’m reading through a pile of résumés that contains a resume, I immediately resume reading the résumés.
There is an amusing range of spellings of ‘curriculum vitae’, too.
KISS, not French or Latin.
“Put all your previous CP’s down as referree’s.” Pot calling black; Pot calling black… One ‘r’ and one apostrophe too many there.
There is an amusing range of spellings of ‘curriculum vitae’, too.
KISS, not French or Latin.
“Put all your previous CP’s down as referree’s.” Pot calling black; Pot calling black… One ‘r’ and one apostrophe too many there.
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A picture you with the wife and kids is not necessarily a bad thing. Really depends what the employer is looking for. Someone who is married with kids might be more level headed and less reckless than a single 18 yr old CPL...
Likewise a picture of you is good if you don't look like a terrorist. A picture is good for the interviewer to remember you by too.
Likewise a picture of you is good if you don't look like a terrorist. A picture is good for the interviewer to remember you by too.
Last edited by VH-XXX; 6th Jul 2012 at 10:14.
Total round file material:
The big posed pic with four gold bars on a 250 hour shoulder or even a 2500 hour shoulder. C'mon guys, until you are left seat in something over 20,O00 kg who are you kidding?
Next main gripe is disguising real hours and in what position on each type. If you have a B 737 endorsement bought in some simulator but no hours don't piss down my leg with claims of being a qualified B 737 pilot. Until you have driven the thing on someone's payroll you are NOT a B 737 pilot regardless of what is stamped in your license. Sorry, that's the way it is.
And not interested in your time at Maccas as burgermeister. While you need to pitch your cv at the target, don't pad it out with trivial experience. If you are chasing a job on a station and can ride a horse that could be relevant. If you are looking at an operator who does scenic tours and you worked as a tour guide on a boat or somesuch, ditto.Otherwise if you have nothing better to offer, tell me about the time you spent sweeping out the hangar at Bloggs Air Charter and I may just be interested in your dedication to the business.
The big posed pic with four gold bars on a 250 hour shoulder or even a 2500 hour shoulder. C'mon guys, until you are left seat in something over 20,O00 kg who are you kidding?
Next main gripe is disguising real hours and in what position on each type. If you have a B 737 endorsement bought in some simulator but no hours don't piss down my leg with claims of being a qualified B 737 pilot. Until you have driven the thing on someone's payroll you are NOT a B 737 pilot regardless of what is stamped in your license. Sorry, that's the way it is.
And not interested in your time at Maccas as burgermeister. While you need to pitch your cv at the target, don't pad it out with trivial experience. If you are chasing a job on a station and can ride a horse that could be relevant. If you are looking at an operator who does scenic tours and you worked as a tour guide on a boat or somesuch, ditto.Otherwise if you have nothing better to offer, tell me about the time you spent sweeping out the hangar at Bloggs Air Charter and I may just be interested in your dedication to the business.
Last edited by Mach E Avelli; 6th Jul 2012 at 14:01.
Quick question, aimed at the guys who are referring to putting down previous employers. I have a decent background in Hospitality and 3 of my jobs were Management positions and as such have been put down but none of the many others, would you guys consider that acceptable?
Love these ones....
C150. 15.3 hrs dual 22.4 hrs solo 102 landings
C152. 12.6 hrs dual 35.4 hrs solo 86 landings
C172. 37.0 hrs dual 64.0 hrs solo 73 landings
PA28R 22.1 hrs dual 39.9 hrs solo 53 landings
And Kiwis chasing Aussie jobs (which seems to be all of you at some stage of your careers...why don't we just save the hassle and make it the eighth state?
) don't list your hours in two decimal places, we only use one and we have an endorsement that covers (most) single engine pistons below 5700kg.
Do not list endorsements on C150, C152, C172, C172RG, C182, C182RG, C206, C210, PA38, PA28, PA28R, PA32, PA32R etc etc etc as it shows complete ignorance of the licensing system in the country you want to work in.
Instructors, same thing. Read a document called the Day VFR syllabus. Learn it! Australia does not have a 50 hour minimum for the PPL license.
C150. 15.3 hrs dual 22.4 hrs solo 102 landings
C152. 12.6 hrs dual 35.4 hrs solo 86 landings
C172. 37.0 hrs dual 64.0 hrs solo 73 landings
PA28R 22.1 hrs dual 39.9 hrs solo 53 landings
And Kiwis chasing Aussie jobs (which seems to be all of you at some stage of your careers...why don't we just save the hassle and make it the eighth state?
) don't list your hours in two decimal places, we only use one and we have an endorsement that covers (most) single engine pistons below 5700kg.Do not list endorsements on C150, C152, C172, C172RG, C182, C182RG, C206, C210, PA38, PA28, PA28R, PA32, PA32R etc etc etc as it shows complete ignorance of the licensing system in the country you want to work in.
Instructors, same thing. Read a document called the Day VFR syllabus. Learn it! Australia does not have a 50 hour minimum for the PPL license.
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It's definitely worth noting 200 Series Cessna time but perhaps don't bother breaking down 100 series time as noted above.
As for including management when in hospitality, why not? They are often loosely related. You'll be one step ahead of the other guy that has only worked at Maccas.
As for including management when in hospitality, why not? They are often loosely related. You'll be one step ahead of the other guy that has only worked at Maccas.
When I’m reading through a pile of résumés that contains a resume, I immediately resume reading the résumés.