Recently in Getting the Job Category

Several Airlines are hiring pilots now, with more to begin at various times this year. It is no mystery as to what they are looking for in successful candidates, as the airlines themselves are happy to tell us. American Eagle Airlines has a long history of hiring ATP Graduates and recently told us why they have hired so many and what they will be looking for as they begin to hire pilots again.

With this nation's recovery from the current recession, the airlines will recover and once more they will be in search of pilots to fill open positions on their flightdecks. As you consider whether you will pursue a career as an airline pilot, there are a few things you should consider.

I came across an article in this month’s Flying Magazine which caught my eye. The article does a great job of describing a sometimes misunderstood program with Gulfstream Training Academy and Gulfstream International Airlines.

Getting a job flying for the airlines is very competitive and always has been. It has become even more competitive lately, and you have to do whatever you can to make your resume stand out from the other resumes in that big stack lying on the recruiter’s desk. Having experience flying an aircraft powered by turbine engines is a definite plus.

No matter which path you decide to take to become an Airline Pilot, you must realize that there are many other very qualified individuals who also want that job. You need to make yourself as desirable as possible to the airlines. Paying attention to the following as you pursue your goals will make a world of difference when you get to that airline interview you have been working toward.

When you complete your flight training, you are going to have to gain some quality flight experience before an airline will hire you. Remember the research you did earlier to find the flight times required by the airline you want to work for? Your next move is to build the amount of flight time they require to be eligible to interview with them. There are a few ways to do that.

Once you have made the decision to become a professional aviator, it’s time to begin flight training. Airlines require a pilot to have several FAA certificates and ratings before giving them an interview, so you should do some research on how you get those certificates

A good course of action is to plan to complete your flight training with not only the certificates and ratings that you need to fly for the airlines, but also the training and tools that you will need to continue to build quality flight time and experience.

When an airline needs to hire pilots, they set out to hire talented pilots with good educations and loads of quality flight experience. Each airline has its own hiring qualifications, so a little research is in order to find the qualifications for the airline you want to work for. Qualifications also fluctuate according to the supply of pilots and the number of flying jobs available. When several airlines are hiring actively, the demand for pilots goes up and airlines often lower their flight time requirements to increase the number of resumes coming in.

At ATP, the last stage in flight training is our Regional Jet Standards Certification Program. It is designed to expose a student to the accelerated pace of a Part 121 airline training program. Learning to perform up to airline standards will greatly increase your chances of success when you have to do it during Initial Flight Training at your new airline. A good Jet Transition course like ours is designed to help a pilot make several transitions actually.

When a person goes to college to get a four year degree, they often emerge without all the tools and experience to succeed in a professional environment. And just as often, graduates don't even know what direction they want to take their life in after they receive their degree. A hypothetical example:

Jason works hard in high school and gets into a state university on a full academic scholarship. Four years later Jason completes his studies and receives a degree in Psychology. He has emerged more intelligent and very knowledgeable on the subject of his studies, but he only has a slight chance to actually acquire a job in the psychology field with his undergraduate degree. There are other types of jobs he could get with his degree, but he isn't in love with any of his options.

At this point, Jason has two choices - he can begin a career outside of his chosen field, or he can go for more education. Even with a more advanced degree he might not get the job he wants. On the other hand, he could have taken his education in a far more practical direction: training that also provides experience. In today's world, there are very few options that put you on a specific, guided career path and give you the experience to climb the ladder to success.

Completing a career-oriented flight training program is one of those exceptional options. You graduate from a career program in aviation, and you have all the tools to succeed. You'll be licensed in the field you trained in, and have the experience to back it up. Not only that, but you know EXACTLY where your career is headed. There's no period of "finding yourself" after college, or settling for a job that you don't love just to pay the bills. In aviation, you'll have a job right out of the program that is leading you to your goal of becoming an airline pilot. Just be sure your career program offers flight instructor ratings, or some other means of gaining additional experience.

Even better - you can pursue your four year degree while training for a specific career path such as aviation. Every certificate you earn while flying can be applied as credit for a college degree. You’ll emerge with a guided career path, and a solid college degree to supplement your qualifications for the job of your dreams.