Any advice
 

Hi All.
I have recently been applying for flying jobs and have had no luck. I have sent out about 25 resumes in the last two and a half months and followed them up. I had a few replies saying there is nothing available.

I have about 1600tt and 550 multi command on barons doing charter remote, unfortunately all VFR although I do have my MECIR and its current and also a grade 3 instructor rating although I would rather not instruct.

I am happy to go to a regional area and I’m really enjoying flying GA and I just want to fly a piston twin or turbine single and get some IF time up.

My question is,
Am I doing something wrong? Is it a slow time in GA at the moment/no movement? Am I aiming to high? Should I just hurry up and wait by the phone a few more months while not working?

Everyone says the hardest flying job to get was your first one. That was a walk in the park compared to this.

Any constructive feedback would be appreciated.

Have you tried overseas? Hevilift in PNG for example? My suggestion is to broaden your horizons. 25 really isn't that many resumes in the grand scheme of things considering the number of operators out there. Can you give us an idea of whom you have been applying to so we can get an idea of what you're after?

Sending resumes never worked in the outfit where I was when I was involved in hiring. Those people who HAND DELIVERED them were the only ones who got a job. Unless your qualifications and experience are an exact match for a particular position that is available somewhere else, I think you might need to be door knocking rather than just sending emails. Good luck, hope all goes well.

Ha! That's nothing. When Ansett went out of business, I sent out 55 resumes and didn't hear Jack Shight untill I call a call out the blue from a company that I hadn't even applied for (some one recommended me). This was 10 months after the 'event'.

I had 8,500 hrs and 3 jet type ratings.

Keep trying. Never give up. Remember: "The Squeeky Wheel gets the grease".

How did you get your 1,600 hrs? Why not instruct? You did the rating and have the hours where you could probably offer something to students. Any flying is better than no flying.

Best of luck. :ok:

Thanks for the advice guys.

Ixixly. The thought of PNG flying makes me pretty excited. I will look into heavy lift. Thanks. Im have applied to a fair few GA operators in Cairns,Townsville,emerald and down south GAM, Tasfast to name a few. Also GA operators in WA, Perth and regional.

Cirronimbus- The amount of operators I am applying for and the fact that they are all over OZ including regional makes it a bit hard to visit all of them. If my finances permitted I would drop into all of them if I could, I agree this is by far the most effective way of getting a GA job.

Slam Click- Yeah I agree with the demise of Direct air and the unfortunate grounding of Barrier probably has increased the pilot pool incredibly. So I have got a bit of competition. I would love to get the ATPL,s knocked over but again finances don't permit that and I don't have a parental line of credit avaliable. Also I really enjoy flying GA and would love to get a good gig doing that.

Thanks for the advice everyone. Much appreciated.

DC

Cheers anthill.
I can't imagine going back to my former career swinging a hammer, so that keeps me going:)

Yeah I did a few hundred instructing but gave up because it was my first job and felt it was the blind leading the blind, although I guess I would have something to offer now. But I don't get the satisfaction out of instructing that I get out of charter.

25 resumes?
are you serious?
in 2 and a half months?
wow!
sarcasm Off

When looking for jobs in other sectors, it's not unheard of to send out 25 resumes per day for several (ie. 6 or 7) months.

OR, you talk with people you know in the industry and find out if you can talk to their chief pilot.

Or you go to the office and ask to have an appointment with the chief pilot, offer to take them for a coffee or tea, and have a chat with them about their company.

I have to agree with some of the other posters here, you won't get a job sitting in Brisbane emailing resumes. I would read page 1 just in case you had something outstanding in your personal profile (I hope you have one and your resume is up to scratch). If not....Delete.

I would be too busy flying and having a quick coffee with those who had bothered to get off their behinds and come and say g'day with resume in hand to read yours in detail.

Would I keep you on file? Doubtful, you will probably apply again or even visit one day. If not, no worrries. Only the motivated survive Mr "clarke"

Hey guys, like is said before I would love to go every where that I have applied but finances don't permit it.
I did say that I have applied in regional areas so is it really worth me spending $1200 minimum to fly, for instance Broome to have a chat only to be turned down because they have hired a couple of pilots recently? Then multiply that by all the operators around Australia in city and regional areas, that would equate to thousands of dollars in travel wouldn't it?
Its a bit easier for your first job cos you just shoot up to the NT. But with a few more hours opportunity's open up all over OZ.

Thanks Dark room source and Terminus mos I might not get to everyone but ill do my best.

Regards
DC

davidclarke, are you the headset guy?..............

If you haven't got the funds to go around to all these places all over the map, are you working now?
if not, then get a cheap car and a sleeping bag, and drive around to all the places, you've got time, it's the only thing you do have...
drive in one direction until you get to the end of the road, stopping at every place along the way, and on the way back stop again, then when you get home, call them up and say hello and talk with them again.

Go and seek an independent opinion on your resume and covering letter. Of the thousands of resumes I've seen, many are so full of statistics and irrelevent waffle that they fail to impress. A brief and concise resume will always receive attention.

Does your resume stand out in the crowd? Does the layout etc reflect professionalism and attention to detail?

I'm not suggesting you do this ...... but I recall a pilot application and resume I received around twenty five years ago, neatly bound into a folder. On opening the cover the first page was the Playboy centerfold with the following words "Now I have your attention, please read on.........."

That pilot applicant got the job!! :}

tail wheel, he wouldn't get the job today, what he would get is a date to appear at a tribunal :E

Tail Wheel, my respect for you has just increased 3 fold!!

Now that's just the type of resume all us Chief Pilots need to have on our desks to remind ourselves exactly what kind of model aplicant is required for various positions in our cockpits...

Speaking of which are hangars and work shop walls still allowed to be covered in calendars reminding us of our past dates and heavy iron raining justice on the heathens or are those days gone to...

is it really worth me spending $1200 minimum to fly, for instance Broome to have a chat only to be turned down because they have hired a couple of pilots recently?

Only you can answer that question. What's a job worth to you?

Go knock on doors! I am a Pom and I got a job in oz knocking on doors, also did the same in the Caribean, and the Middle East to. U have to spend money, the gamble is worth it. Sitting at home , sending cv's is a waste of time.

Stally......prawn camp anniversary coming up!

Thanks for the advice guys.

Tail wheel I have been told to keep my Resume short and sweet. Eg one page cover letter and one page resume covering mainly flying experience, so people don't lose interest which is what iv'e done. Thoughts?

The Playboy cover on the Resume sounds great probably isn't ideal considering a fair few GA company have female CP's these day's. If I wasn't to concerned with getting a gig i might try it;)

Honestly, why bother with the cover letter I think? Personally I've been told to save the cover letter for when they reply back saying their interested in your hours and experience.

Send a 1 page resume that lists your relevant jobs and experience, your hours, ratings and endorsements and your references. Having helped with the process of hiring and after going through a few dozen a week for a couple of weeks (Think I must have read about 60 different resumes after 2 weeks and there were three of us culling them!!) when you're already busy at work and trying to find time to go through them the cover letters start to blend together because they're usually all the same generic crap, so unless you've got some pretty awesome story telling/self marketing abilities I wouldn't bother wasting their time or you're going to try for the playboy route!! If fact sometimes I barely made it through the cover letter because it was just so boring or poorly typed, at least the resume itself is light on the grammar requirements and if they're interested in your hours/experience then they might not even care about the cover letter so much as the meet and greet or the subsequent telephone call.

Mind you, we've all had this discussion (Argument) before, and it all comes down to the Chief Pilot as an individual and what they like, I can only offer my own experience!!

Put yourself in the business owners shoes for a few minutes. As a business owner you may have a few ideas in the back of your head of growing the company or improving the level of service. Opening the mail to find another 10 resumes aint going to motivate you put those ideas into practice. Having someone knock on your door and leave you with the impression that they can "carry the can" so to speak will probably get you hired immediately.