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- Corporate Flight Attendant Job Hunting Tips
I will not pretend that this is the easiest topic to write about. In fact, my knowledge of how one finds work as a private flight attendant is based chiefly on what others have shared with me. You can find some useful tips within the many threads written on the Corporate Flight Attendant Community forum, but to save you from culling through hundreds of threads I will highlight various standout points and include others that have been shared with me over the past several years by industry insiders:
Cold calling. Time honored and time tested this is an important method for finding work and it is also one of the hardest for the majority of people to do. If you do not have the skills to contact strangers you will find an important avenue for securing work omitted. Even the unskilled can accomplish much by attempting this step...practice, practice, practice and you will get the hang of it. You many never feel comfortable doing it, but you accomplish much by trying. Always keep this in mind: every person that you meet is a potential contact for helping you find work; conversely, you may also be able to help someone out too. - Don't Forget To Say, "thank You"
One of the biggest mistake for job seeks is to not follow up an important interview with a thank you note to the people who interviewed them. Human Resources experts note that as few as 10% of interviewees take the time to say, "thank you." Let's take a look as why writing a thank you is the right thing to do and list some tips on how to write one.
If you are a candidate for a particular position you need every edge possible to land a job. Writing a thank you note is important because: - Aviation Maintenance Job Boards
Aviation maintenance opportunities can be found on various sites on the internet. Some job sites specialize in maintenance opportunities, while others do not, however they still manage to list their fair share of relevant opportunities. Please read on to learn about several key sites available to you.
Aerotek – Billing themselves as the leading technical and engineering staffing agency, Aerotek features jobs in eleven different specialties, including aviation. Job titles featured include: avionics technician, A&P mechanic, aircraft mechanic, quality assurance, and more. Visit www.aerotek.com for more information. - Negotiating Skills: How To Obtain The Salary You Want
Salary negotiating is an important topic that must be addressed prior to your initial interview with a prospective employer. Knowing your bottom rate, and being able to live with it [or on it?] is an important thing for candidates to uncover before the first interview. Why then do so many of us make the tactical mistake and go to the interview unprepared?
One of the first mistakes – a real killer – is to tip your hand too early in the interview process on what you will accept for a salary. Many interviewers will attempt to screen you out by finding out what your ballpark figure is. To mention that amount too early in the interview process can and will lock you in to a figure you might not be happy with later. Try changing your salary requirements after an offer has been made and you will come across looking flakey or greedy. - Career Choice: Automotive Systems Technology
Bobby Ventura, a lanky 6’2” blonde-haired blue-eyed high school junior, is a self described home mechanic who enjoys tinkering with his screaming yellow ’97 Mustang at every opportunity he can get. Having an uncle who runs a garage helped him to land his first car several months before he obtained his driver’s license.
“I’m not much for studying, but auto shop has kept me focused. I plan on working for my uncle when I graduate from school and I’ll take night classes at Tech to get my AAS in Automotive Systems Technology. Cars have changed a lot over the years and my uncle wants someone who can not only turn a wrench, but be able to read a computer. Today’s cars have much more diagnostic stuff to figure out and that is what I am going to learn at Tech,” Bobby quipped. - Aviation Employment Boards And Finding Work
Finding work in the aviation industry involves spending time on the internet researching companies, obtaining contact information, and doing plenty of cold calling before landing your first interview. Fortunately, there are numerous sites online providing excellent information on how to find work. Let’s take a look at some of the more important ones.
Major Job Boards: Three national job boards list the majority of opportunities available for all job fields, including those outside of aviation. Monster.com, Career Builder, and Yahoo’s Hot Jobs are favorite sources for listing jobs. All three offer free registration as well as free access to available opportunities. - Aviation Dispatcher Job Sites
Employment opportunities for flight dispatchers are often available through one of the major airlines as well as with one of the regional carriers. However, the best opportunities for pay and autonomy is typically through a private jet operator. Finding work with
Aviation Employment Board – A free site, the Aviation Employment Board features job openings for business and commercial aviation. Registration is free and you may post your resume for free as well. Visit www.aviationemploymentboard.net for all the details. - Corporate Flight Attendant Career: Getting Hired
So, you’ve made it through the interview process and have received an offer of an employment. Congratulations! However, there are some things to consider before accepting or rejecting an offer of employment. How you reply to these questions will determine whether the job offer is really worth it:
Is this a full time, part time, temporary, or contract position? As obvious as it seems, you may be getting an offer different from what you originally applied. Try to get in writing the official offer -- if it involves heavy-duty legal language consider contacting an employment specialist or an attorney for guidance. - Finding Work: Don't Blow Your Chances
"I sent my résumé in and I haven't heard back from the company yet. It has been weeks now. What is going on?"
A familiar refrain? For many job seekers it is an all too common feeling. You've researched the company, found a position that interests you, crafted a cover letter and sent it off with your résumé expecting to hear something, anything over the next week or two. Instead, nothing. - Flight Attendant Hiring Outlook
The hiring outlook for flight attendants has brightened considerably over the past few months. Led by United Airlines’ recent announcement that they would immediately begin to hire up to 2000 new flight attendants, this news has sparked the most attention. If you are interested in becoming a flight attendant, the market is the best it has been in five years. Let’s take a look at who is hiring or who can be expected to hire over the next year.
Legacy Carriers – Beaten up by high employee costs, surging fuel prices, competition from low priced carriers, and overall inefficiency, two legacy carriers [defined as those air carriers who have helped shape the US airline industry] are turning the corner and are hiring flight attendants. United Airlines and Continental Airlines are hiring for various bases within the US. - Airline Dispatcher Job Sites
In several related articles I made mention of finding work as a flight coordinator, as a flight attendant, or as a pilot. Each specialty, as you can imagine, has its own requirements, hence the job sites that feature these types of opportunities are not always the same. If you have some idea where to look – besides contacting an employer directly – you can narrow down your searches and, hopefully, shorten the entire job hunting process. The following list contains some of the sites that are most helpful in listing viable opportunities for airline dispatchers.
Aviation Employment Board – This site offers free registration and allows for you to post your resume for free as well. Airlines featured include United, Continental, Trans States, Spirit, Southwest, Northwest, Mesa, EOS, Champion, Pace, and a host of others including many European and Asian carriers. Please visit www.aviationemploymentboard.net for more detailed information. - Flight Technician Resource Guide
Finding employment as a flight technician can be especially challenging for some as the opportunities are fairly limited depending on your current residency and your willingness to relocate. At the same time there are a number of resources available to you at your fingertips to help you in your quest to find work. The following are some of the resources that I have found helpful in tracking down opportunities …you may too!
Direct Contact – It goes without saying that contacting a particular company directly is the best way of determining if they utilize flight technicians and whether they currently have an opening. Of course, this can be a long and drawn out process as this method becomes a literal roll of the dice. Still, it is an important part of the entire job search process. - Airline Customer Service Careers
The US airline industry is gradually moving away from all the bloodletting that brought about the bankruptcy of four major carriers over the past several years while at the same time marked the emergence of many discount carriers into the forefront of the business. Indeed, the face of commercial aviation has changed dramatically over the past decade and it now appears that the worst is behind us. This does not mean that further layoffs and downsizings are not possible, but for the person seeking a customer service career in the aviation industry, the future has brightened considerably.
Customer service opportunities with the airlines includes the following job titles: reservation agents, ramp agents, line service technicians, customer service agents, baggage handlers, and various management positions including station manager, customer service manager, and airport operations manager. Similar job titles exist, but for the sake of brevity in using the term “airline customer service” I mean those ground personnel tasked with assisting customers as they get to and from their destinations. - Corporate Flight Attendant Resource Guide
So, you have decided to enter the exclusive field of business flying. Congratulations! Before you go further, have you done all the research that you can to find out all the details that you need to know about this exciting field? Some people say that business aviation is a mystery compared to working for the airlines and, in many ways, they are correct. To take the mystery out of everything, this handy little guide will help point you in the right direction.
FAA -- All that you need to know about the regulatory side of business aviation can be found on the FAA’s web site. The FAA, or Federal Aviation Administration, is the U.S. government agency tasked with overseeing much of what goes on in business aviation. FARs, or Federal Aviation Regulations, are set up to establish what can and cannot go on in business aviation. As a corporate flight attendant, FAR Part 91 and FAR Part 135 will be of the most interest to you. Visit www.faa.gov for all the details. - Power Networking: Getting Your Name Out There!
Today’s economy presents some very special challenges to people who are unemployed, underemployed, or who are simply trying to give their own business venture a shot in the arm. At times, the job search can seem daunting, if not impossible, as it takes quite a bit of encouragement – and creativity – to keep pressing forward. A highly flexible [power] networking plan is important – one that requires “out of the box” thinking in order to increase your chances of securing desired employment.
The following is a list of options to pursue in order to launch a successful personal marketing plan, which is what networking is all about. Most will cost you little or nothing to implement and for the cash strapped person that can be a real help. I wrote these suggestions for business flight attendants who, understandably, have suffered much since the 2001 terrorist attacks. You can easily modify the suggestions for your particular field of interest. - The Power Of An Online Resume
I just finished posting what has to be my 150th online resume for yet another happy customer. As a manager of a site for corporate flight attendants, I know that there are several things that are extremely important to consider when crafting an online resume no matter where or how it is listed. Please continue to read on as I share some valuable pointers with you.
Granted, not everyone wants or should have their resume posted online for all the world to see. However, if you are seeking a very public position – and I don’t know too many more jobs that are much more public than that of a flight attendant – then having some information about you online is not only smart, but critical to your finding work. - Tips On Finding Employment As A Corporate Flight Attendant
I will not pretend that this is the easiest topic to write about. In fact, my knowledge of how one finds work as a private flight attendant is based chiefly on what others have shared with me. You can find some useful tips within the many threads written on the Corporate Flight Attendant Community message boards at http://www.cabinmanagers.com, but to save you from culling through hundreds of threads I will highlight various standout points and include others that have been shared with me over the past several years by industry insiders:
* Cold calling. Time honored and time tested this is an important method for finding work and it is also one of the hardest for the majority of people to do. If you do not have the skills to contact strangers you will find an important avenue for securing work omitted. Even the unskilled can accomplish much by attempting this step...practice, practice, practice and you will get the hang of it. You many never feel comfortable doing it, but you accomplish much by trying. Always keep this in mind: every person that you meet is a potential contact for helping you find work; conversely, you may also be able to help someone out too. - The Original Eight: Genesis Of The Modern Day Flight Attendant
The following article serves as a tribute to eight women who were the forerunners of the modern day flight attendant now numbering nearly 250,000 women and men worldwide.
In 1930, it was the dream of many a young man to marry a Boeing Skygirl. These “original eight” women were single nurses enticed from their homes with the idea of marriage to a rich-lonesome business passenger. Ultimately, however, they played a pivotal role in revolutionizing air travel by ensuring passenger comfort and through promoting the safety of air travel. - Resume Updating Time
Do you feel as if you are in a R.U.T.? No, I don't mean that you are stuck in a ditch somewhere, rather is it Resume Updating Time?
If you haven't updated your resume once over the past year, now is a good time to take a fresh look at your copy. Beginning with the header, is all of your information correct? How many times have I seen an old cell number or former email address listed? Plenty! You want someone to contact you, don't you? Make sure your contact information is up to date. - Pilot Jobs: The Ever Changing Market
If you are looking for work as an airline pilot, you can’t help but notice that the news is constantly filled with information [mostly negative] about the job situation for the industry as a whole. Unfortunately, newsmakers only get part of the story right as the airline industry is always in a state of flux. Pilot jobs are available, but you must broaden your horizons beyond the conventional ways in which most pilots go about finding work. Let’s take a look at some of the options available to you.
Independence Air’s recent demise has thrown hundreds of Airbus pilots out of work in the US. Press reports have been painting a gloomy picture of this event, which was not unexpected by airline experts. Still, the future isn’t completely gloomy for these very same pilots as Virgin America is expected to take flight in about one year. They plan on operating a fleet consisting of as many as 105 Airbus aircraft. - Working Freelance: Not For Everyone!
I recently responded to a young woman’s thread on another site regarding what it takes to enter the world of freelance writing. The questions she asked were probing — which is good — and something that everyone should do if exploring whether to jump into this dynamic field.
Without going through all the 5 questions again, these were some of my responses to her: - Flight Operations Job Sites
Employment opportunities for flight operations personnel are often available through a major airline or with a regional carrier. On the other hand, the best opportunity for pay and independence is typically found through a private jet operator. Let’s look at some sources that can help you find work.
Aviation Employment Board – A free site, this forum features job opportunities across the range of business and commercial aviation. Registration is free and you can post your resume for free as well. Visit www.aviationemploymentboard.net for more information. - Entering Business Aviation: Types Of Aircraft
The jets that people fly in corporate aviation are usually a lot smaller than those found with the airlines. Exceptions to the rule are Boeing's BBJ and Airbus' Corporate Jet, both of which are based on some of the smaller types of aircraft marketed to the airlines.
A corporate flight attendant is typically utilized on a "cabin class" aircraft. They are larger aircraft with usually 19 or less seats, where you can easily get up and walk around the cabin. Compared with a Westwind, Lear, or Cessna, the larger jets have an aisle to walk up and down upon and the headroom usually is adequate to allow easy passage of anyone under 6' tall. - Entering Business Aviation: Pay Rates For Flight Attendants
Pay. You know that aviation pays better than commercial, in most cases a lot better, but you aren't sure what the going rate is for a corporate flight attendant. It might surprise you to learn that pay rates vary widely depending on the type of account, your location, your responsibilities, experience, and more.
Over the years I have discovered that the pay range is not set in stone. Typically, fractionals pay less than charter operators [Part 135] who pay less than owner accounts [Part 91]. Are there exceptions to this rule? Of course. Other factors as mentioned above can play a significant role in determining what you will make. These include:
* Location: business flight attendants based closer to major metropolitan areas command the highest salaries. New York and Los Angeles are the two most trafficked areas for private flying. Between corporate moguls and Hollywood celebrities, the two metropolitan areas produce some of the most significant amounts of flying in business aviation. If you are located in Pocatello or Burlington the chances of you finding work in the first place are remote, unless a fractional operator hires you and allows you to airline to reposition for your flight. - Entering Business Aviation: Training Options
Time for some training! So, you are not sure what type of training you will need or how it compares to the commercial side of aviation. For starters, there are some very big differences.
Please be aware that the Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs) do not require that a flight attendant be assigned to an aircraft with fewer than 20 seats onboard. With that being said, it is a good idea -- regardless of federal regulations -- for the person who is in charge of the cabin area to have adequate training. - Entering Business Aviation: Crafting A Resume
Writing a résumé can be one of the most daunting parts of any job search. Quite frankly, it is one of the most important elements in helping you finding work. A good résumé can ease doors open while a poorly written one will certainly shut these very same doors. In aviation, there are certain things that must be included in a résumé to help you get noticed: getting noticed is, of course, the first step in securing an interview which may lead to employment.
There is no "one-size fits all" résumé that will guarantee success. In my many years of reviewing pilot and, later, flight attendant résumés I have seen submitted anything from multipage treatises to two paragraph summations. As a private flight attendant, your résumé should fall somewhere in between: a one page copy is the preferred length in this industry. - Entering Business Aviation: Tips On Finding Work
I will not pretend that this is the easiest topic to write about. In fact, my knowledge of how one finds work as a private flight attendant is based chiefly on what others have shared with me. You can find some useful tips within the many threads written on the Corporate Flight Attendant Community message boards, but to save you from culling through hundreds of threads I will highlight various standout points and include others that have been shared with me over the past several years by industry insiders:
* Cold calling. Time honored and time tested this is an important method for finding work and it is also one of the hardest for the majority of people to do. If you do not have the skills to contact strangers you will find an important avenue for securing work omitted. Even the unskilled can accomplish much by attempting this step...practice, practice, practice and you will get the hang of it. You many never feel comfortable doing it, but you accomplish much by trying. Always keep this in mind: every person that you meet is a potential contact for helping you find work; conversely, you may also be able to help someone out too.
* Attend conferences/meetings. Attending NBAA related conferences and events will get your name and face out there. Preferably, you would also attend events where a lot of pilots hang out, especially pilots of cabin class jets which include the Global Express, G-V and Falcon Jet 2000. The NBAA's annual conference is a very important venue for networking as well as are their one-day regional conferences.
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