Best way to the Corporate? Advise needed

[Christopher3331]

I am starting out w/ 0 flight hrs and am looking the for the best way into the corporate end of flying. I've looked a regionals but not what I would prefer. Do schools matter (i.e. Flight Safety or small virtully unknown school) as long as you get your ratings. My main focus is on some type of assistance in finding a job after getting all the ratings. Looking for advise-

 

[miles otoole]

I am starting out w/ 0 flight hrs and am looking the for the best way into the corporate end of flying. I've looked a regionals but not what I would prefer. Do schools matter (i.e. Flight Safety or small virtully unknown school) as long as you get your ratings. My main focus is on some type of assistance in finding a job after getting all the ratings. Looking for advise-

It's advice. Mine is to get your college degree first.

 

[leardawg]

Obtaining experience and maintaining a clean record are important, but ultimately making connections is what will get you in the door. The average corporation is rather picky on who they hire. Your chances of walking in cold and unknown and even getting an interview are slim. If you develop a good reputation in your area and with fellow pilots who are willing to put in a good word for you, you are much more likely to have opportunities suddenly become available. Many corporations look for a college degree, but not having one is not an insurmountable obstacle (it just completes the package).

Obtaining flight instructor certificate(s) is normally the quickest way to obtain flight hours and experience. Obtain a multi-engine rating at some point along the way. Have a good work ethic, fly safely, and keep your nose clean. Get to know corporate pilots in your area. Read magazines such as Business & Commercial Aviation and Pro Pilot to gain insights into the industry. You'll find that opportunities will eventually present themselves (you might even get a "tap on the shoulder" with a job offer out of the blue).

Then there's also the Secret Handshake. One day, this may be revealed to you, but if I showed you now, I'd have to eliminate you!

Good luck!

 

[MissKittyKat]

I have to agree with leardawg, get your degree, and network! I have dropped a few hints here and there about corporate and flying too. Since my boyfriend is too lazy to write a cover letter, I do it for him, so experiment as to which cover letters work and don't work.

the standard cover letters DO NOT WORK, example HI my name is joe and I have such and such amount of hours.

Be honest in your cover letters, if you want to work for xxxx company and get a response then honesty is the part that will get yu the job, if you don't have the type rating, then specify it, by doing so, he got a new type rating.

Be commited to what you want to do for the company, sometimes they will take someone without a typerating.

While your employed on your cover letter, you could say something Like " I'm looking for a change of scenery" ALWAYS INCLUDE YOUR CURRENT SALARY, as well, fresh people and fresh faces who are willing to go the extra mile get the job, end your cover letter with, I HOPE everyone at xxxx has a great weekend! always! This works!

 

[oiltycoon]

On a similar note, I am a 121 regional pilot wanting to hop the fence into the corporate world. However, I have no network on this side of the industry. I have my eye on one particular company but I don't know anyone within the company. Advice?

 

[Bandit60]

On a similar note, I am a 121 regional pilot wanting to hop the fence into the corporate world. However, I have no network on this side of the industry. I have my eye on one particular company but I don't know anyone within the company. Advice?

PRAY?

 

[Gulfstream 200]

I have to agree with leardawg, get your degree, and network! I have dropped a few hints here and there about corporate and flying too. Since my boyfriend is too lazy to write a cover letter, I do it for him, so experiment as to which cover letters work and don't work.

the standard cover letters DO NOT WORK, example HI my name is joe and I have such and such amount of hours.

Be honest in your cover letters, if you want to work for xxxx company and get a response then honesty is the part that will get yu the job, if you don't have the type rating, then specify it, by doing so, he got a new type rating.

Be commited to what you want to do for the company, sometimes they will take someone without a typerating.

While your employed on your cover letter, you could say something Like " I'm looking for a change of scenery" ALWAYS INCLUDE YOUR CURRENT SALARY, as well, fresh people and fresh faces who are willing to go the extra mile get the job, end your cover letter with, I HOPE everyone at xxxx has a great weekend! always! This works!

wow.

quit hogging, pass that thing around.

 

[semperfido]

While your employed on your cover letter, you could say something Like " I'm looking for a change of scenery" ALWAYS INCLUDE YOUR CURRENT SALARY, as well, fresh people and fresh faces who are willing to go the extra mile get the job, end your cover letter with, I HOPE everyone at xxxx has a great weekend! always! This works!

uuuuhh....pure unadulterated BS

 

[leardawg]

On a similar note, I am a 121 regional pilot wanting to hop the fence into the corporate world. However, I have no network on this side of the industry. I have my eye on one particular company but I don't know anyone within the company. Advice?

Find out who the boss' daughter is, date her and marry her.

 

[leardawg]

Actually, I can't think of any easy way. You can submit your resume and hope for the best, but don't hold your breath. If you are really intent on flying for this company, you might consider getting a job at the airport where they are based. Do good work and develop a good reputation among the local pilot community. It might take a while. In the meantime, something better might come along.

 

[MissKittyKat]

Leardawg, I have to say your truly a breath of fresh air! If you don't care for my advice, then don't read it.

I too was once looking to get into corporate and found my way there.

No one is hogging nothing, this is the Christmas spirit some screennames legitimately want advice.

I just gave out an example of experience with covers letters, when your hot to trott and need a job, sometimes you must be creative in your letters to get the chief pilot to look at what you have to offer.

Merry Christmas!
Love MissKittyKat

 

[MissKittyKat]

ps persistance pays and the job market is competative. I spent one year banging or resumes and finally someone bit!

 

[MissKittyKat]

Good advice leardawg, keep up the good work my friend! my boy is a lear guy too! nice plane!

 

[leardawg]

Leardawg, I have to say your truly a breath of fresh air!

Hey, I can stink it up with the best of them! (Just ask Pilot Adjuster or Jarhead!).

 

[MissKittyKat]

ah come on! smiling! LOL

Ok here is the answer of the evening. network, network, network.

Do not let anyone tell you "you can't do it"!

 

[leardawg]

ah come on! smiling! LOL

Ok here is the answer of the evening. network, network, network.

Do not let anyone tell you "you can't do it"!

Don't get me wrong; I'm not saying that in a negative way. I mean to say I can get down and dirty if the right buttons are pushed, and it's admittedly quite cathartic!

I agree on the networking thing. Every job I've been hired for in aviation (5 in all) was in large part due to someone I knew on the inside. I've turned down a few jobs offered to me by colleagues I had worked with in a previous job. I applied for 2 jobs without knowing anyone on the inside, and didn't get either. It's who you know. Good or bad, that's a fact.

 

[MissKittyKat]

Honey your not negative at all! I love your style! and you have a nice avatar!

Reminds of something! lol, I may send you a pm!

 

[murdock]

Hey Christopher3331, the one thing that helped me get in is Most of the major corps really want someone who is driven and can be a team player. During my junior at UND, I went around to a number of corp flight departments and basically started an intern program with them. This helped to get to know the right people and the people they know. One of the senior pilots, told me that my intern was bascially a three month interview. Graduated from UND a year later and with 280tt and 50 multi, I was hired into a CL650 and now G-IV. He was right and I was lucky. Start Networking while in college, make it part of your training.

P.S.-I know Walmart had interns during the summer, great way to get in.

 

[Storm Chaser]

While working on your ratings try knocking on corp. doors and see if they need any help around the hangar. Washing Planes, cleaning the hanger whatever it takes to get in the door. Plus you will need the etra $$$ to help pay rent while you try to build your time.
Storm

 

[MissKittyKat]

Thanks Murdock and storm, nice to see some real people sharing their ideas, and positivness, it takes work right?

Those with good advice, have good advice, and many people who join here and have flown, are willing to share any tips and true advice!

I enjoyed reading yours posts and helping the person who was asking!

 

[leardawg]

While working on your ratings try knocking on corp. doors and see if they need any help around the hangar. Washing Planes, cleaning the hanger whatever it takes to get in the door. Plus you will need the etra $$$ to help pay rent while you try to build your time.
Storm

Good advice; I've known a few corporate pilots who got their start this way. I heard one story of a pilot who was hired as an intern with a Fortune 500 company, and was handed a broom on the first day on the job. He later found out this was done deliberately to see what his reaction would be. Presumably, if he copped an attitude or did a half-assed sweeping job, it would indicate someone who wasn't a team player or had an ego problem, or something like that. It may seem kind of like BS, but these things happen. Aspiring pilots don't make the rules; they have to find out what they are and do their best to accomodate them.

 

[Gulfstream 200]

Good advice; I've known a few corporate pilots who got their start this way. I heard one story of a pilot who was hired as an intern with a Fortune 500 company, and was handed a broom on the first day on the job. He later found out this was done deliberately to see what his reaction would be. Presumably, if he copped an attitude or did a half-assed sweeping job, it would indicate someone who wasn't a team player or had an ego problem, or something like that. It may seem kind of like BS, but these things happen. Aspiring pilots don't make the rules; they have to find out what they are and do their best to accomodate them.

jeeesus this has gotten pretty funny....

anyone aspiring to land a decent job in corporate aviation needs to avoid ANY of the "advice" given here.

- dont get "creative" in your cover letters. (odd)

- dont wish anyone "a great weekend" in your cover letters. (freak)

- dont EVER volunteer to sweep the hangar floors. You are applying for a professional pilot position, no? All decent corporate outfits have cleaners for the aircraft and the hangar. Need to neaten up the cabin on the road and you dont have FA's? sure....thats common sense...sweeping the hangar? uh -- NO.

You are a professional pilot, if a prospective employer handed me a broom at the interview to see my reaction I would promptly hand it back and tell him to stick it right up his a$$....and move on in my job search....

Its not called "ego", its called "pride" ......and is something more of you
need -- in a bad way.

Good Luck.

 

[MissKittyKat]

no gulstream it is not funny! sweeping floors must bother you!

When you work corporate, you MUST clean the plane. Yu sound angry and have not filled in what you fly for. and yes you need to be creative to make it! a positive attitude gets you everwhere!

 

[Gulfstream 200]

no gulstream it is not funny! sweeping floors must bother you!

When you work corporate, you MUST clean the plane. Yu sound angry and have not filled in what you fly for. and yes you need to be creative to make it! a positive attitude gets you everwhere!

dear god help us.

OK, I finally have to ask -- where the hell are you from and what is your primary language??

mark my word (and those of any self-respecting pilot).......someday Im gonna fly something like your Global Express and Im not going to do ANY floor sweeping or plane cleaning on the way there!

 

[murdock]

Hey Chris,
Gulfstream200 provided a really great example of this business, ITS ALL ABOUT HIM!. The only reason he thinks this is funny, is that he was probably looking in a mirror as he was writing. Gulfstream200 dosent realize that your just starting out. My advice is stay positive, show that your a team player, and be assertive. It's not so much about flying a airplane, its can you work with your crew and others in your dept. and willing to go that extra mile, to ensure your pax's are happy and that the flight is safe. That's what's it all about. Gulfstream200, keep your comments to yourself, I'm sure you could have shared a positive experience or advice to help guide someone.

P.S.-Chris pm me if you would like to start as a intern, and Congrats, I think you just started networking!

 

[AerroMatt]

mark my word (and those of any self-respecting pilot).......someday Im gonna fly something like your Global Express and Im not going to do ANY floor sweeping or plane cleaning on the way there!

I manage a small flight department, and I am happy to hear such attitudes as G-200... it helps me weed out the undesirables early on. It is relatively easy to fly an airplane, but it takes real brains to get along with corporate managers who are putting in 14-16 hour days and wonder why they are paying big frigging bucks to the flight dept for small jobs like cleaning the airplane/hangar etc. I have a budget to meet, and I can easily exceed it if I have crews who are too proud to push a broom with me or put a little elbow grease in on polishing the airplane.

Sometimes, ya gotta check yer attitude at the door, roll up your sleeves, and do whatever the job requires.

"I'm not removing that chock! That's a job for Maintenance!"

 

[Gulfstream 200]

mark my word (and those of any self-respecting pilot).......someday Im gonna fly something like your Global Express and Im not going to do ANY floor sweeping or plane cleaning on the way there!

I manage a small flight department, and I am happy to hear such attitudes as G-200... it helps me weed out the undesirables early on. It is relatively easy to fly an airplane, but it takes real brains to get along with corporate managers who are putting in 14-16 hour days and wonder why they are paying big frigging bucks to the flight dept for small jobs like cleaning the airplane/hangar etc. I have a budget to meet, and I can easily exceed it if I have crews who are too proud to push a broom with me or put a little elbow grease in on polishing the airplane.

Sometimes, ya gotta check yer attitude at the door, roll up your sleeves, and do whatever the job requires.

"I'm not removing that chock! That's a job for Maintenance!"

Dont worry about weeding me out Mattster, I wouldn't be applying. You need a shine-bitch, not a pilot.

Maybe you need to work on that budget boss?

If cleaning is stressing the budget, maybe your company cant afford the plane? boy are you going feel like an idiot as you shine it up all purdy before the next buyers look at it!

Trust me I do lots of extra duties at my job - (and am compensated for them) I consider that normal at most Fortune XX departments....but those duties usually consist of flying related stuff - Jepps,training, etc...not sweeping the floor or shining the freakin' brightwork....

your broom sweeping attitude makes me laugh! -- its so old school and wont be missed!





OLDSCHOOL MATT:smash:

 

[Gulfstream 200]

Hey Chris,
Gulfstream200 provided a really great example of this business, ITS ALL ABOUT HIM!. The only reason he thinks this is funny, is that he was probably looking in a mirror as he was writing. Gulfstream200 dosent realize that your just starting out. My advice is stay positive, show that your a team player, and be assertive. It's not so much about flying a airplane, its can you work with your crew and others in your dept. and willing to go that extra mile, to ensure your pax's are happy and that the flight is safe. That's what's it all about. Gulfstream200, keep your comments to yourself, I'm sure you could have shared a positive experience or advice to help guide someone.

P.S.-Chris pm me if you would like to start as a intern, and Congrats, I think you just started networking!

But Murdork - IMHO I gave the best advice here -- know your worth as a professional and have some pride. Just because you are low time does not mean you need to be pushing a freakin' broom.

and YES - it is pretty much all about me (and my family). Thats another great bit of advice I can share with someone aspiring to enter ANY field in aviation....IT IS ALL ABOUT YOU - every step of the way.


PS - You might want to get that ATP ticket, it adds much more to the aura of professionalism than does sweeping the floor like a "team player".

 

[semperfido]

cleaning the plane and tidying the cabin up after a leg are NOT the same thing. i might kick an errant ice cube under the ice machine in the hangar

 

[G4G5]

mark my word (and those of any self-respecting pilot).......someday Im gonna fly something like your Global Express and Im not going to do ANY floor sweeping or plane cleaning on the way there!

I manage a small flight department, and I am happy to hear such attitudes as G-200... it helps me weed out the undesirables early on. It is relatively easy to fly an airplane, but it takes real brains to get along with corporate managers who are putting in 14-16 hour days and wonder why they are paying big frigging bucks to the flight dept for small jobs like cleaning the airplane/hangar etc. I have a budget to meet, and I can easily exceed it if I have crews who are too proud to push a broom with me or put a little elbow grease in on polishing the airplane.

Sometimes, ya gotta check yer attitude at the door, roll up your sleeves, and do whatever the job requires.

"I'm not removing that chock! That's a job for Maintenance!"

I think the issue is when it becomes more then helping out. I know G5 operations that have their guys come in on days off to polish the bright work. 90% of the pilots I have have flown with have no problem helping out the FA in the back, especially if it means getting to the bar quicker. But if Willie is chargin his chopper down your carpeted halls, and you expect one of your captains to come in and vacuum up after him, then you may have a problem retaining quality talent.

Ride, Ride, Ride at least I am enjoying the ride