Dreadlocks, long hair/ scholarship and jobs
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[ Goatees, dreadlocks, grungy clothing and scruffy appearance are not the things an operator wants his clients to see sitting in the control seat of his million-dollar helicopter.
I am not prejudiced, I do know "Rastas" wear Dreadlocks, smoke Dope and are pretty chilled, laid-back people.
Therefore, A Dreadlocked person presenting themselves to rent my (very expensive) Heli, would be mentally pigeonholed into this bracket.
As a Businessman, I'd want to see a conventional, prepared, professional and rule / law abiding self-fly hirer of my machine.
IF I were chartering it out, the Client would expect a Professional Pilot
First impressions count....if the Pilot looks like a "head", he's kicking 5h1t uphill from the off..
It's all a big game....play by the rules, you won't handicap yourself on that score.....plenty more-worthwhile battles than appearing Unconventional.
Yes! been there, done that, beard, shoulder-length hair, the lot....bimnned for suit /tie /company car /Expense account /Telephone.
That job set me up!
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As a helicopter pilot you need to demonstrate an ability to "pay attention to detail".
One of those details is conformation, another of course is spelling and message content for the simple message which is; "I am asking for the privilege of working for you". By the way, I don't think that you are dyslexic at all.
Having said that one of our company's best pilots was one who authored a hand written, not very legible piece, that accomplished all of the above.
Another paradox to contemplate, and it contains many mixed messages, refers to a true tale related in one of OZ's leading blogs today. I know it is true as it was first told me by my late father who flew with and was a good friend of this gentleman.
The story runs like this; It's war time, an applicant walks into the recruiting office dressed in his work clothes straight from his duties that commenced at daylight as an orchadist, to apply for a fighter pilots position. The recruiting officer takes one look and says, "I am sorry sir but we require fighter pilots to have a university degree".
Clearly the recruiting officer was telling a lie as that was not true at all and he also badly misjudged his applicant. The applicant thus replied, "Oh, would an Oxford degree count?"
The gentleman concerned, none other than John Grey Gorton, who became a famous fighter pilot and prime minister of this great country.
Incidentally it was he who first took his wife with him on a visit to a war zone, not the excuse for a PM we have now who claims some sort of publicity for being the first to take his wife to a war zone when he took her to Afghan land just recently.
It wasn't a publicity stunt by Gorton but a very courageous move by Mrs. Gorton to help the troops who she perceived were having a hard time in Vietnam at the time.
One of those details is conformation, another of course is spelling and message content for the simple message which is; "I am asking for the privilege of working for you". By the way, I don't think that you are dyslexic at all.
Having said that one of our company's best pilots was one who authored a hand written, not very legible piece, that accomplished all of the above.
Another paradox to contemplate, and it contains many mixed messages, refers to a true tale related in one of OZ's leading blogs today. I know it is true as it was first told me by my late father who flew with and was a good friend of this gentleman.
The story runs like this; It's war time, an applicant walks into the recruiting office dressed in his work clothes straight from his duties that commenced at daylight as an orchadist, to apply for a fighter pilots position. The recruiting officer takes one look and says, "I am sorry sir but we require fighter pilots to have a university degree".
Clearly the recruiting officer was telling a lie as that was not true at all and he also badly misjudged his applicant. The applicant thus replied, "Oh, would an Oxford degree count?"
The gentleman concerned, none other than John Grey Gorton, who became a famous fighter pilot and prime minister of this great country.
Incidentally it was he who first took his wife with him on a visit to a war zone, not the excuse for a PM we have now who claims some sort of publicity for being the first to take his wife to a war zone when he took her to Afghan land just recently.
It wasn't a publicity stunt by Gorton but a very courageous move by Mrs. Gorton to help the troops who she perceived were having a hard time in Vietnam at the time.
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"I thought maybe if I go there and do my interview and express I'm willing to cut my hair if it's a issue hopefully may help my chances instead of cutting my hair for the interview and still keeping the possibility of not getting the scholarship as there is a lot of people applying "
Two words: First Impressions!
Two words: First Impressions!
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Kyyle
You have heard the responses, so its up to you.
Unfortunately, and sometimes unfairly, the first word that spins through a lot of peoples minds when they see someone with dreadlocks is "stoner". Probably not the best first impression and you willbe fighting it from there on in.
There will probably be plenty of other candidates with similar or better abilities than you who won't have that first impression to overcome.
Do you want to take the chance?
You have heard the responses, so its up to you.
Unfortunately, and sometimes unfairly, the first word that spins through a lot of peoples minds when they see someone with dreadlocks is "stoner". Probably not the best first impression and you willbe fighting it from there on in.
There will probably be plenty of other candidates with similar or better abilities than you who won't have that first impression to overcome.
Do you want to take the chance?
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Hello Kyyle,
I told you what you needed to know to have a better chance of achieving your aims.
Don't shoot the messenger!
I don't quite see how meeting you would change the fact either that you have a poor grasp of English, or that you are deliberately spelling wrongly to prove something.
For all those who think that dreadlocks, bad spelling, smelly feet, whatever, should NOT be factors in selection choices, you are probably right. But if Kyyle wants to improve his/her chances, it remains good advice to smarten up.
Now back to the debate on the morality of it all.
I would like some advice
Don't shoot the messenger!
I don't quite see how meeting you would change the fact either that you have a poor grasp of English, or that you are deliberately spelling wrongly to prove something.
For all those who think that dreadlocks, bad spelling, smelly feet, whatever, should NOT be factors in selection choices, you are probably right. But if Kyyle wants to improve his/her chances, it remains good advice to smarten up.
Now back to the debate on the morality of it all.
Last edited by Capot; 30th Jul 2013 at 14:09.
I had a huge mop of hair when I started flying, mid-eighties, shaved on the sides and back with this "Sideshow Bob" mass of red ringlets all over my head, hanging over my face. It was great in the night clubs of Toronto, Montreal and Buffalo, NY but when I went job hunting, 100 hours and fresh commercial in my back pocket, I tucked the mass up into a baseball cap so I LOOKED like I had a shaved head. When someone finally hired me, I shaved the lot off and never looked back, but I KNOW I wouldn't have gotten hired if I looked like the wingnut I was.
30 years, 11,000 hours and numerous endorsements and countries and managing International operations and sim instructor and TRE and what-not....I'm almost respectable now, but you have to look respectable for people to even give you a chance.
I wouldn't have hired me!
30 years, 11,000 hours and numerous endorsements and countries and managing International operations and sim instructor and TRE and what-not....I'm almost respectable now, but you have to look respectable for people to even give you a chance.
I wouldn't have hired me!
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alicopter - Thanks with everyone could be like u haha
Ian Corrigible - that picture is to funny
206Fan - my interview is in birmingham, its tomorrow
cockney steve - i wear dreadlocks im not a rasta and never have smoked anything in my life but maybe stereo type is why things in this world dont progress, O well
i suppose if i dont pass my interview tomorrow its not the end of the world i will still go on to pay for my PPL it may take longer but hey and in my own time i will cut my hair
i do thank everyone for there constructive advice
there one thing i do know is opinions are like a**holes everyone has one
just got to keep pushing and hope for the best il still go to my interview and hope my personality shines
Ian Corrigible - that picture is to funny
206Fan - my interview is in birmingham, its tomorrow
cockney steve - i wear dreadlocks im not a rasta and never have smoked anything in my life but maybe stereo type is why things in this world dont progress, O well
i suppose if i dont pass my interview tomorrow its not the end of the world i will still go on to pay for my PPL it may take longer but hey and in my own time i will cut my hair
i do thank everyone for there constructive advice
there one thing i do know is opinions are like a**holes everyone has one
just got to keep pushing and hope for the best il still go to my interview and hope my personality shines
I've never seen a commercial pilot with dreadlocks. If it comes down to you and another guy with exactly the same attributes who has a short back and sides - guess who they're going to pick? 
You are putting yourself at a disadvantage. No doubt at all.
If you want to fight the 'appearances mean nothing' battle it's your prerogative but you're doing yourself absolutely no favours.
You are putting yourself at a disadvantage. No doubt at all.
If you want to fight the 'appearances mean nothing' battle it's your prerogative but you're doing yourself absolutely no favours.
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As if it hasn't been said sufficiently already....
When an applicant walks through the door, is he there appearing prepared and does he show the kind of dedication and focus for the position?
Do I want to take the chance that I may be wasting the scholarship on someone who is only in it as a lark and may not have the will and commitment to see it through?
So, can a dyslexic really reed and conpretend tha remulapions ond thu RFM?
When an applicant walks through the door, is he there appearing prepared and does he show the kind of dedication and focus for the position?
Do I want to take the chance that I may be wasting the scholarship on someone who is only in it as a lark and may not have the will and commitment to see it through?
So, can a dyslexic really reed and conpretend tha remulapions ond thu RFM?
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For goodness sakes, do you want this or not? If you do want it, why aren't you willing to do every possible thing that will improve your chances?
You only have one chance to make a good first impression. You don't get a do over. Saying "I'm willing to cut my hair" won't overcome that first impression.
Go to a barber and get yourself a buzzcut. Shave any facial hair.
You only have one chance to make a good first impression. You don't get a do over. Saying "I'm willing to cut my hair" won't overcome that first impression.
Go to a barber and get yourself a buzzcut. Shave any facial hair.
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and hope my personality shines
I base that on what you have shown us so far, knowingly or otherwise, about your personality; this may not be the whole story, of course.
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So you´re walking towards an aircraft, and you´re on your way to your holidays.....with your family and kids at your side (or your mother, if you don´t have kids)....
While you´re boarding the plane, you look into the cockpit (as the door is open).....
Who would you want to fly with?
1. The pilot who´s wearing dozens of piercings in his face, black hair, facial tattoos, and cutting scars on his arms, or
2. The pilot with a neat haircut wearing his nice uniform, looking all trustworthy?
It´s all about impression-and passengers also only get a first impression.
The pilots appearance is part of the business.....no company can afford loosing clients because pilots do not know how to talk to customers....or how to behave......or how to dress....or because they don´t know how to take showers.....
While you´re boarding the plane, you look into the cockpit (as the door is open).....
Who would you want to fly with?
1. The pilot who´s wearing dozens of piercings in his face, black hair, facial tattoos, and cutting scars on his arms, or
2. The pilot with a neat haircut wearing his nice uniform, looking all trustworthy?
It´s all about impression-and passengers also only get a first impression.
The pilots appearance is part of the business.....no company can afford loosing clients because pilots do not know how to talk to customers....or how to behave......or how to dress....or because they don´t know how to take showers.....
Last edited by hueyracer; 30th Jul 2013 at 18:32.
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there one thing i do know is opinions are like a**holes everyone has one
Do let us know how your interview went.
tet.
Helicopter scholarships must be as rare as rocking-horse 5h1t, I have never heard of one.
If it is that rare, the people conducting the interviews would have either
(a) only one applicant (the only person who knew it existed - our lysdexic friend with the dreadful lox) or
(b) a squillion applicants of all types of appearance.
Therefore, you will either (a) romp it in with the scholarship, or (b) be an also-ran.
If I was running the scholarship and only had one applicant, I would cancel the competition advertise it better, and run it again.
With a squillion applicants, I would pick the best combination of written resume, interview technique, and appearance to the clients.
Lotsa luck.
If it is that rare, the people conducting the interviews would have either
(a) only one applicant (the only person who knew it existed - our lysdexic friend with the dreadful lox) or
(b) a squillion applicants of all types of appearance.
Therefore, you will either (a) romp it in with the scholarship, or (b) be an also-ran.
If I was running the scholarship and only had one applicant, I would cancel the competition advertise it better, and run it again.
With a squillion applicants, I would pick the best combination of written resume, interview technique, and appearance to the clients.
Lotsa luck.
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One question, if I may?
If you are not going to get the haircut after all of the (solicited) advice
to the contrary by people who have gone through the early stages of their
career some time ago, why did you ask the question in the first place?
Were you hoping for a round of "nah, it shouldn't matter!"?
You are not interviewing for a position as a drummer in a Reggae band.
You are asking someone to invest their money in your career. I think the
minor effort of trying to look somewhat serious about it should not hurt you
too much.
Good luck,
Rigidhead
If you are not going to get the haircut after all of the (solicited) advice
to the contrary by people who have gone through the early stages of their
career some time ago, why did you ask the question in the first place?
Were you hoping for a round of "nah, it shouldn't matter!"?
You are not interviewing for a position as a drummer in a Reggae band.
You are asking someone to invest their money in your career. I think the
minor effort of trying to look somewhat serious about it should not hurt you
too much.
Good luck,
Rigidhead
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206Fan
Helicentre doesn't offer a PPL scholarship and, to be eligible to apply for a CPL scholarship, candidates have to do their PPL courses at .......... guess where?
Rigidhead
I began to post the same question last night but, after reflecting upon kyyle's reaction to advice already given, decided it wasn't worth the effort.
I hope kyyle will tell us in due course who is offering a PPL(H) scholarship; he's declined to say so far. I'm not aware of any in the UK so am interested to learn.
FL
Helicentre doesn't offer a PPL scholarship and, to be eligible to apply for a CPL scholarship, candidates have to do their PPL courses at .......... guess where?
Rigidhead
I began to post the same question last night but, after reflecting upon kyyle's reaction to advice already given, decided it wasn't worth the effort.
I hope kyyle will tell us in due course who is offering a PPL(H) scholarship; he's declined to say so far. I'm not aware of any in the UK so am interested to learn.
FL