For what it's worth, here is a view from the recieving end of many CVs.

I only employ instructors, yet I still get CVs from people asking for charter work. Often same CVs are addressed to "Dear Sir" again an indication that the "I am very keen to work for your company" really means "This is mass produced and I have no idea who you are or what you do". So I don't feel guilty about not replying to those!

Another thing that really bugs me is complete unknowns who come in without an appointment DEMANDING to see me! These people have no regard for the fact that the time they have come in is actually allocated to someone who has had the manners to make an appointment, or to comlete work by a deadline, so why should I make time for a stranger with bad manners? Remember a CP is a busy person, and the reason we have front desk staff guarding us is because otherwise we would never get any work done.

In the early days I emplyed a couple of unknowns on the strength of their CVs. This was a mistake that I learned from very quickly. Mainly because the time and money spent training these peope to do the job properly made it uneconomical. Similarly the place where peope have trained is vital, and there are now only a couple of places I would recruit from. So, it really does matter where you do the training, and I tell you what, it ain't the sausage factories!

Now, if I have a vacancy I will scan the network and see who is out there, ask my preferred instructor trainier if they have any new graduates, or interview someone who is strongly recommended by a trusted colleague. If someone who had a good reputation and had already made a good impression only had a CV handwritten on the back of an old envelope that would be fine.

SO: Make a good impression from day one of your training, get to know people, listen to people, never get drunk and make an idiot of yourself in front of other pilots, and remember, you make your own luck in this game.

Good luck!

I e-mailed a British charter company asking whether they would be recruiting in the near future-it was only a month or so ago. Within 5 minutes the phone rang and it was the HR dept of that airline. Unfortunately it wasn't good news but at least they took the time to call me. I was speechless when I answered the phone.

Bank Holiday Ramblings...
 

Just checking my e-mail at the end of a rather too-well celebrated Bank Holiday.... Ouch, my head.

Right, well done those of you who have taken the trouble to right and thank me for my pointers. Like I said, it's helping both parties - and it's fun sorting out the ones who are just doing it to network! Ah, don't be scared, keep 'em coming...

BUT, please think about your mails... I'm not really going to send you a copy of my ideal Aviation CV am I!?! Perhaps I will take some time and post my ideal one here on PPRuNe in the week for reference.

In answer to some of the questions directed at me:

i) Tosh McCaber - Indeed, I can attach notes to e-mailed CVs. I also change the Title of the E-mail accordingly, with my own codes. CV's arriving into the company go into a separate folder and are therefore kept aside from other routine e-mails.

ii) As Check 6 said, make it Word or Wordperfect, that way I can read both using just MS Word. As for versions, assume the highest, then backwards compliancy will work, in any case, I will be able to read it, just possibly without any fancy editing you've done. If your WP package is neither of the above, invest in either of the above!!

iii) I'm not going to deal with ZIP file questions as two sides of A4 aren't going to be worth ZIPping!! Suffice to say, I can open ZIP if you insist. But don't send it to me as a self-extracting file, I aint going to open it for virus fears, though the system will stop it before then anyway).

iv) There are ways and means of bypassing the system and speaking to the right person. Every person will have a good story to tell you of networking, so I'll leave that to your own research!

v) Paper quality has effect on some people, such as lawyers and Government. For me, I really don't care! But be assured that the money spent on your application/CV is not in anyway connected to your position in the (by now, quite famous) pile! I realise this differs from Check 6's position - but then that's the job world you're dealing with!! Perhaps electronic is better then...?

vi) Maybe 5 times out of 10 you'll get someone on the phone who sounds p*ssed off, but the other 50% it'll be someone who'll spend some time with you. At our place, even the CP answers the phone sometimes.....

vii) Yep, proof read and tailor your covering letter and CV. Don't address it to one airline and then use another "Dear..." name. Not good. In bin. That sort of route for those.

viii) Abbreviations are fine. You're dealing with people who know the terms. If you think they might not (for whatever reason - foreign licences etc) then spell it out. But don't talk down!

ix) Batty - each company has its own procedure for outgoing mail, where airline or not. Some insist on using their own stationery. But as was mentioned earlier in the topic, you are sending speculative CVs, there is no onus on the airline to reply at all, for smaller carriers getting cards printed is still going to cost a few hundred quid, when there are more things that that few hundred can go on. Like proper food during the day in BA's case, that sort of thing ;o) (sorry, cheap shot).

x) Read Charlie Foxtrot India's post above. It recommends networking. Perhaps a theme here...!?! It's a good post. Honest Fr@nk - I'm glad that some of us are beginning to know we'll need you more than you'll need us at some point!

If you've got a specific request that I (and my far more esteemed colleagues) can help with feel free to post. I don't really have a huge amount of time to reply to each of your mails individually and it's fairer for it to be posted for everyone to read in any case. And the editor's decision is final.

Dai.