Possibly Switching Careers and Interested in Dispatch Advice

[duckbilled]

Thanks again for the advice. I think if I was single and I had the ability to move anywhere to get the best job, I would do this in a second. Since I am tied to this area, my job prospects are very limited.

Honestly, I worked in Washington for a while in the political/non-profit realm. If I could move anywhere, I would move back there and try to get a job with APOA or something.

It looks like I am off to grad school then. I wish there was a airport management grad degree program in the area. The are a few undergrad programs but I am not going back for another 4 year degree. I am probably going to do a Masters in Public Administration. I have seen a few jobs with the Airport Authority that required that degree and it also opens me up to a number of non-aviation careers.

 

[Gert_B_Frob]

Thanks again for the advice. I think if I was single and I had the ability to move anywhere to get the best job, I would do this in a second. Since I am tied to this area, my job prospects are very limited.

Honestly, I worked in Washington for a while in the political/non-profit realm. If I could move anywhere, I would move back there and try to get a job with APOA or something.

It looks like I am off to grad school then. I wish there was a airport management grad degree program in the area. The are a few undergrad programs but I am not going back for another 4 year degree. I am probably going to do a Masters in Public Administration. I have seen a few jobs with the Airport Authority that required that degree and it also opens me up to a number of non-aviation careers.

Everyday makes me think grad school isn't such a bad idea, I just don't know what I want to go for, as long as it isn't aviation.

 

[Draginass]

Have absolutely nothing to do with the airline industry unless you can go in as high level management, stuff as much money in your pockets as the rest of the executives, then leave.

 

[airplane wizard]

Well, IMOH, what job doesn't suck nowadays!! I was an Assistant Dispatcher for Skyway for about a year. Yes, it is stressful and the pay does suck. And of course there is the Management. Lets not even go there!! All thngs considered, it was not any worse that any other job that I have had. At least you can BS with the pilots. It is what you make it.

 

[SKC]

It is what you make it.

One of the few good statements in this thread.

 

[maverick121]

Low pay, bad hours, stressful envionment, Nazi management....sounds like a dream job!!

 

[jobear]

Do you know of any pilots who lost there medical and gave dispatching a try and liked it?

 

[Lexy]

Do you know of any pilots who lost there medical and gave dispatching a try and liked it?

Actually, I do. (or at least he seemed to like it) He would have been the most senior Eastern pilot way back when. He was a great guy to work for/with and taught everyone a ton. He seemed happy, but of course I'm sure he missed flying. Of course all the pilot, dispatchers, and mechanics liked him and management hated him! Great guy.

 

[hoover]

Do you know of any pilots who lost there medical and gave dispatching a try and liked it?

I do. He liked it, but he never really got over the fact that he wasn't a pilot any more.

 

[Morning Wood]

The best advice I can give you is to do your homework before spending between $3000-6000 to get a dispatch license.

A major will not hire you without experience (most are not hiring anyway). You will need to start at a regional which will likely be less money than you hoped for or in a city you don't like. If you are married or hooked up with someone, take them with you to investigate the town the airline's SOC is located in. If you don't find the hustle and bustle you crave or the culture isn't your cup of tea, don't bother. Regardless of whether you love everything about the job, if your significant other doesn't like it you'll just be forced to quit and move later. Chances are good that the airline (or its SOC) is not going to move after you arrive and decide you (and whoever else in the office) doesn't like the town or the culture.

If you aren't married or think you can commute, find an SOC in a city that has a hub with a lot of flights to a lot of destinations. If you find yourself at an airline whose SOC is in a town with a small airport with few flight options, you will get on flights well after people with a higher boarding priority and/or more seniority. The airport is not likely to add airlines, flights, or destinations that will make your commute any easier.

Be prepared to do shift work, weekends, and holidays until you have enough seniority to do otherwise. Airlines don't shut their doors at 5pm or on Christmas Day. Someone has to there and it will probably be you until you have been around awhile. And by that I mean longer than 6 months. Some people have a hard time accepting this one.

Investigate the area's cost of living. If what you're going to be paid is not going to allow you to pay all your bills, student loans, or to afford to buy a house, don't bother. You can probably work overtime and make some extra $$$, but your pay is not going to go up 10-fold after you arrive.

Check into the climate. If you don't like 110 in August, or rain everyday, or want to go skiing everyday, some places aren't going to work for you.

I don't mean to sound flip about this, but what seems to be basic facts to investigate for such major life decisions (moving and starting a new job), very few seem to do it. They take the job and then get sorely disappointed because things aren't what they expected or wanted. If all this stuff I mentioned isn't something you can do, than this industry or this part of it isn't for you.

 

[propsarebest]

The best advice I can give you is to do your homework before spending between $3000-6000 to get a dispatch license.

A major will not hire you without experience (most are not hiring anyway). You will need to start at a regional which will likely be less money than you hoped for or in a city you don't like. If you are married or hooked up with someone, take them with you to investigate the town the airline's SOC is located in. If you don't find the hustle and bustle you crave or the culture isn't your cup of tea, don't bother. Regardless of whether you love everything about the job, if your significant other doesn't like it you'll just be forced to quit and move later. Chances are good that the airline (or its SOC) is not going to move after you arrive and decide you (and whoever else in the office) doesn't like the town or the culture.

If you aren't married or think you can commute, find an SOC in a city that has a hub with a lot of flights to a lot of destinations. If you find yourself at an airline whose SOC is in a town with a small airport with few flight options, you will get on flights well after people with a higher boarding priority and/or more seniority. The airport is not likely to add airlines, flights, or destinations that will make your commute any easier.

Be prepared to do shift work, weekends, and holidays until you have enough seniority to do otherwise. Airlines don't shut their doors at 5pm or on Christmas Day. Someone has to there and it will probably be you until you have been around awhile. And by that I mean longer than 6 months. Some people have a hard time accepting this one.

Investigate the area's cost of living. If what you're going to be paid is not going to allow you to pay all your bills, student loans, or to afford to buy a house, don't bother. You can probably work overtime and make some extra $$$, but your pay is not going to go up 10-fold after you arrive.

Check into the climate. If you don't like 110 in August, or rain everyday, or want to go skiing everyday, some places aren't going to work for you.

I don't mean to sound flip about this, but what seems to be basic facts to investigate for such major life decisions (moving and starting a new job), very few seem to do it. They take the job and then get sorely disappointed because things aren't what they expected or wanted. If all this stuff I mentioned isn't something you can do, than this industry or this part of it isn't for you.

Very, very good advice.

 

[XPOO]

PROPSAREBEST should have done all that research YEARS ago! haha