Firstly, HOW DO I FIND A JOB
Arguably, securing your first commercial pilot position is the most difficult challenge of your career, and no flying training organisation offers absolute guarantees. Unfortunately you are now one of the thousands of pilots graduating from flight school with minimum hours fighting for very few jobs in a very competitive market. Bear in mind that the training path takes approximately two years, and as aviation is extremely volatile the job market can change drastically between commencing and completing your training. It is vital to research what opportunities are likely to be available when you graduate, and whether you are prepared to go anywhere in the world to secure employment. The more flexible you are the more likely you will be to succeed.
Before embarking on a costly and time-consuming training program it is important to ask some key questions:
- What is the likelihood of securing a commercial pilot position upon graduation from training?
- Where are the growth areas going to be in the future – if these are outside the UK, am prepared to move and live abroad for significant periods of time?
- Am I going to be able to secure a position that will service my debt sufficiently?
- Will the financial commitment I need to make in my career be a worthwhile investment in the long term?
- Does the profession offer me the rewards and lifestyle I am looking for?
- Is the profession able to give me the security that I would need if I have a family to support?
There is still a good career to be forged in commercial aviation, but unfortunately it now can be somewhat risky, and sometimes career paths are not chosen but enforced by fate.
Traditionally UK airlines will start hiring in the autumn so that the correct numbers of pilots are in place for the following peak summer season. Ideally, to prevent a possible break in currency your training should be planned so that you will have completed by the end of the summer. This will give you time to write and send your CV and make the follow up calls and emails. Recruitment departments usually ring to schedule an interview, so it is imperative you are contactable during this time – if you miss a call they may go on to the next person and you could miss your opportunity.
Perseverance is a key to getting a job. Individuals must be prepared proactively to market themselves, otherwise, failure at the last hurdle may be the final outcome. Some pilots have taken up to five years to secure their first opportunity, but one to two years is a more normal time-frame.
Aviation Insider Recruitment
To help our pilots manage their careers, we have teamed up with Pilotbase.com, a revolutionary new company that is tackling the hassle of pilot recruitment head-on.
Pilotbase’s mission is simple: To make the recruitment of pilots a pain-free process for all involved. Their job platform, which launches later this year, will match pilots to jobs they are qualified for using the latest technology, intuitive design, and streamlined processes. Additional resources, such as helpful templates, comprehensive databases, and industry news updates, are designed to help users navigate the new world of aviation and – most importantly – land their perfect flying job.
The hiring of pilots around the globe is a clunky and time-consuming process for both pilots and employers, and it hasn’t really changed in decades. The inefficiencies caused by out-of-date systems and lack of standardisation mean lost time, wasted money, and missed opportunities for all involved. Pilotbase is tackling these problems head-on by building a platform where you can become the pilot you’ve always wanted to be, with none of the hassle.
To be among the first to access this exciting new system, Click here to register. The details you enter will automatically be used to create your profile when the full site is up and running.
