Did AEPS help you get a job?

[enigma]

I found this qoute in another thread talking about some of the job help companies, specifically about AEPS. I never received one call in over one years AEPS membership, and I was well enough qualified to be an initial cadre 121 Captain at the time. During my AEPS membership period, I was also hired by Spirit. At the time, Spirit only hired pilots with previous big jet experience, who had proven abilities to succeed in a high stress training/operating environment. I'm not bragging, just showing that I wasn't a 1000 hour CFI hoping to score an impossible job.

Originally posted by
The service has to be free to the companies, so that means that members must pay. To be effective, you have to have a mandatory and a voluntary profile.

The above quoted post claimed that AEPS was a successful enterprise. It said that most jobs went out of the resume database, and that its' most important attribute was its' employer searchable database. Yet I know of no one who ever received a job from an employer who found their data by searching the AEPS database.

So help me out here. Did you, or anyone you know ever gain a job by being in the AEPS database?

Next point. Making the prospective pilots pay, had nothing to do with making the service free to employers. It happens because the employers are not stupid enough to spend money on something they can get for free. When an operator wants to access the best info, they don't mind paying. I forget the name, but one corporate operator has done its own salary survey for years. The results are available, FOR A FEE, and lots of other prospective employers pay the fee. They WILL pay for a worthwhile service.

So, once again, did AEPS help you?

regards,
enigma

 

[350DRIVER]

I think it was absolutely brilliant when this site first hit main street on the web and the "lower time" CFI's caught wind of this, it gave the low time 1,000 hour CFI that "hope" and "belief" that they may be able to get that initial break since "all" those regionals would access this site to pick up pilots... I think they marketed this concept extremely well and gave that "hope" to so many but I think the end result was not what most pilots wanted. I would almost wager any amount of money that the majority of the people who joined this site were in the 300 hour to 1200 hour total time frame with little multi-engine time.. I think it would be fascinating in a sense to actually see the break down on the membership. A friend of mine joined and right around that time he had about 400TT and was a newly minted CFI with the "hopes" of using this site to secure that "first" big break and next thing he knew was other flight schools tied in with AEPS started sending him emails about these "bridge" and "line training" programs that would get him the interview if he spent X amount of dollars... (fortunately he opted not to do this) I truly believe that this site was a money maker for all involved (except the pilot obviously) and really targeted the "lower time" pilots with the promise of a "hope"... I remember a few people would really hype this site up when it first started up.

If I remember correctly AEPS targeted the "lower timers" with that ASAP (Airline standardization and procedures) program through ATP and all of your information was passed on from AEPS to them if you fit the "lower time" profile...

I am sure some people were able to secure jobs through the service but the people I know who were members said they got nothing other than emails from other schools trying to take advantage of their situation. I thought this was a "joke" but I give much credit to those who came up with the idea because it was marketed so extremely well and they allowed many to buy into propaganda and false hopes- I think this service was like a child of Air Inc. in more than a few ways-


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[trainerjet]

What's the point of this thread? What do you hope to accomplish? AEPS is basically dead. The people who were running it no longer are involved. ALPA had/has it and is looking for a buyer.

Are you just giving people an outlet to bash AEPS, or Air Inc., or whoever, and blame them for their own failures and shortcomings? If so, it's been done and done and done and done and done, to death.

Find something more productive next time.

 

[enigma]

What's the point of this thread? What do you hope to accomplish? AEPS is basically dead. The people who were running it no longer are involved. ALPA had/has it and is looking for a buyer.

Are you just giving people an outlet to bash AEPS, or Air Inc., or whoever, and blame them for their own failures and shortcomings? If so, it's been done and done and done and done and done, to death.

Find something more productive next time.

I'm sorry that this string doesn't pass your relevence test.
It passes mine. Have you taken on a new job as an acting moderator?

The point of the thread is that I am curious to find out how many pilots ever received either a call, or employement from being in the AEPS database.

The quoted post contends that the main advantage of AEPS was that it offered the employer the advantage of being able to search the database and find qualified employees without having to advertise the job and be deluged with resumes.

If the database search option was as effective as the qouted poster claims, then there should be a goodly group of pilots who received job offers from companys that they never actually applied to. I want to find out just how many of those people exist.

If you feel that this is a waste of time, that's cool. Don't bother to click on the string. I am not sure my employer is in the game for the long haul, and I may want to change arenas in this game. If so, I need to decide if I should spend money on AEPS again.

As far as bashing AEPS, AirInc, etc. No, I'm not giving people an outlet to do so. If I feel the need to bash them, the owners of this site have already given an outlet to do so, I have only to write the "bash" to hit send. Neither am I looking to gain support in a "bash", only gather information.

The real question would be, why do you bother bringing a string up to the top if you don't like its content?

H1

 

[Timebuilder]

What's the point of this thread? What do you hope to accomplish? AEPS is basically dead.

I'll take a whack at this pinata.

The fact that AEPS is apparently "dead" isn't relevant at all. The important idea is that this business will no doubt be ressurected at some point, in some variation, by someone. Just like the 1,000th discussion of PFT, this thread serves as a possible "warning" to the uninitiated. The purpose of this board is, I think, to share information. Sometimes it is fact, sometimes it is opinion, and sometimes it's just silly.

I never took the AEPS bait, but I cam very close to doing so.

Caveat Emptor.

 

[Publishers]

being

Being close to this, here is some information for you.

The average hours of people who had their profile in AEPS was 2100 hours of total time. This compared with UPAS who had some 3400 hours of total time per average member.

At any given time, there were about 4500 active members in AEPS and almost 7 to 8000 active in UPAS, all of these numbers prior to September 11th.

Of the membership in AEPS, only about 50% were pilots, the balance from the other job categories. There was a period there in 1998 or so when seaches for mechanics out did pilot searches by 4 to 1.

The average number of company searches a day was about 14. The principal group searching were regional carriers and fractionals although corporate operators often came there on one time basis looking for a single crew member.

You are right if you think the schools used that same search feature. They did as much contribution to AEPS as anyone in terms of advertising and this bought them access to the database.

While the companies did not pay a dime for the ability to seach and post, it was originally conceived that they would. They did not and would not. Much of the attitude is that we are so great we do not need to do that to get people.

On the other hand, these same companies paid $2000 to attend an AEPS job fair while they pay nothing to go to Kit's Air Inc.

While I cannot verify the numbers of people who were employed other than those who called and cancelled due to becoming employed, the fact is that I personally have received four solicitations for further resume info or applications from companies that came across my information on AEPS.

The fact is that Comair, Southwest, ACA, Amerijet, Ameriflight, PSA, EJA, Netjets, Air Tran, Flight Options, Spirit, Colgan, Martinaire, Alaska, and on and on were always seaching and using the database.

After September 11th, Netjets had some 4000 resumes chasing say 10 sports a month. Well that is what AEPS was like everyday. You have this database and it is after a relative few spots. Obviously most are going to be disappointed.

 

[enigma]

Come on guys, somebody here must know someone who received an interview because an employer found their information in the AEPS database. You know, a friend, or a friend of a friend, maybe it was just a rumor of a friend of a friend. Someone, on this the nets most visited bbs, must know of someone who was pulled from AEPS's database.

regards,
enigma

 

[WrightAvia]

Yes AEPS found me my current job...

had my second anniversary on that job a few months ago. My employer saw my data on the database after I tried AEPS during the 10 day free trial period that was offered. In fact it was weeks after the 10 day free trial that my data was looked at and I was called at home...much to my surprise. After reviewing the job, I accepted an interview and then I cancelled interviews I had gotten on my own.

I don't know if I would try AEPS in the future or not...I know they got me this job I got now and It didn't cost me a dime. Maybe in the future I will have to try them out, just to pay em back for finding me a job when I was unemployed.

 

[dsee8driver]

Oh well..

In 1999 while flying for Fine Air, when the F word surfaced, someone recommended AEPS to me and I joined. During the time I was a member 3 times I was sent an email from 3 different companies that wanted more information from me and if I was still interested. Since I still had a jet job flying DC8's and all the offers came from freight 135 outfits I replied with a thanks but no thanks. 3 months later I found myself furloughed. I got on AEPS and went through their extensive list of employer phone numbers which were accurate and called a bunch. Needless to say I was hired by ATI after calling them and getting the CP on phone and saying I got their number from AEPS. ATI used AEPS for the initial screening and background checks. Was it worth my 12.00 per month? You bet ur AZZ! I found AEPS to be more affordable then Air Inc. After I got hired I received 2 more emails from corporate departments looking for more info. I think AEPS provided a service that TO me was worth the money. If not for the emails then for the vast resources of telephone numbers that actually worked and name and addresses.

 

[enigma]

Wrightavia and deesee8, thanks for your input. Please note that I am not asking if AEPS was worth the money; I too payed for their service (even after I found a decent job). BTW, I also received numerous notifications asking for more info, but nothing from a quality job. Maybe I was just too picky.

regards,
enigma

 

[Timebuilder]

Well, I'm glad to hear AEPS worked for at least two people I know of.

I wonder if the time frame was a relevant issue? From the posts, it worked in 1999 and shorty thereafter, and again in 2001 or so. After that, there may simply have been too many pilots and not enough jobs to make the process effective for most of the subscribers.

Let's hope the tax cut hasn't been so weakened that it will be ineffective, and that a rising tide will raise some of our waterlogged boats.

 

[Publishers]

times

When I published AviationCareer.net, there was a profile in there every month of someone who got their postion through AEPS.

As I said above 50% of the actives, maybe slightly more were pilots. I often reviewed resumes for various reasons and I will tell you that some of the profiles were absolutely terrible from the perspective of an employer. More than 15% had serious flaws, mispelled words, grammar problems, etc.

By the way, the guy who runs Martinair got his job through AEPS.

 

[enigma]

Re: times

I often reviewed resumes for various reasons and I will tell you that some of the profiles were absolutely terrible from the perspective of an employer. More than 15% had serious flaws, mispelled words, grammar problems, etc.

Publisher, I can't say that I exactly remember the AEPS profile, but wasn't it mostly a "fill in the blanks with hours and education" type of database? How could one be guilty of poor grammer when he typed in "1500" in the hours block?

You state that the guy who runs Martinaire "got his job through AEPS". Is his job management, or flying?

regards,
8N

 

[Midnight Mike]

Some time ago, I received calls from FEDEX, Legacy, UPS, & Gemini. The only reason that I received these calls was because was my resume was listed on the AEPS database. They were for ground pounder jobs, not pilot jobs.

 

[Publishers]

Enigma

There were several places on the profile that you put in written information. In addition, many people uploaded resumes. If you graduated from a college, you ought to be able to spell it and know that you capitalize it.

As someone who has been hiring people for most of my life, I was shocked at some of the casual errors made and general quality of resumes.

We used to review at the end of the Airfairs, how the show had gone with the recruiters present. It was almost amazing how a candidate would stand in line for say an ACA meet and not have a clue what they even flew. Even more amazing as there were models on the table.

The Martinaire gentleman was a management job but if i remember he got several jobs through AEPS. I never saw FEDEX look for anyones but Mechanics.

The good and bad of the system was personified by a Gulfstream F/O search that we did for a California company. He wanted a type rated pilot with at least 3500 total and 1000 pic in turbine equipment that lived hopefully in CA. 2 names met the qualifications, he called and interviewed both on the phone, one lived in his city. He hired him.

Now there were 3000 pilots active at the time, 2 got a look., 1 got hired. Is the service worth it. It was to the guy that got hired and probably was considered valuable even by the one who did not. The fact is that there may have been more qualified individuals in the database, there may have been ones with 3495 total time or 999 pic in Gulfstream that did not even have a chance to send a resume.

The bottom line is that the company got what they were looking for and a member got a job.