Hiring Tools

[flyboy757]

AEPS or AIR Inc.? Are these worth the money and do they help?

I got hired ay my current job (CFI) with findapilot.com. But these are the "bigger and better" sites. Are they worth it?

What do you do to find out about the industry and hiring practices?

 

[bobbysamd]

AIR, or Kit Darby redux

Kit Darby of FAPA fame is the AIR impressario. Kit is the one who proclaims every ten or fifteen years or so that there is or will be a pilot shortage. He also sells himself and his services as being the only virtual fountainhead of job information and hiring trends.

In 1987, Kit, as FAPA impressario, said there would soon be a pilot shortage. Forty thousand pilots would be needed over the next ten years. News reports, quoting FAPA, came out about this forthcoming "shortage." Kit put out a magazine first called Piloting Careers and then Career Pilot that advertised tons of providers with aids for navigating up the ladder to being hired. Kit also advertised his services in the mainstream pilot mags. I'm convinced the result was that with all the new student starts that Kit became rich and made his advertisers rich. But, not as many pilots as Kit thought were needed and/or were hired.

I discovered during this time that there was no pilot shortage. That getting a response from a company was infrequent and rare, getting interviews was rarer still, and getting hired was virtually impossible. This was because there is no shortage of qualified applicants. In other words, Kit's claims were, and still are, a sham.

Having said all that, I will say that Kit sold me some good interview books that were helpful, and an interesting, if less than credible, monthly magazine. In other words, don't waste your money. You probably can find the names and addresses of airline H.R. people elsewhere for free on the internet and/or by doing your own research. The two interview books that Kit recommended are Sweaty Palms: The Neglected Art of Being Interviewed by Anthony Medley, ISBN 0898154030, and Airline Pilot Interviews: How You Can Succeed in Being Hired by Irv Jasinski. I found both on Amazon.com, for probably less money than Kit charges. So, there, you don't need Kit Darby. Save your money for postage with which to send your resumes.

Only my two cents. Good luck with your plans.

 

[flyboy757]

AEPS??

Thanks!

What about AEPS? I have read some good articles in their aviationcareer.net magazine that help me understand what the industry is like at times. Also, as a non-member, I would like to view some of those jobs that I get emails about every day (I did the 10 day deal).

Are they worth the money?

 

[bobbysamd]

AEPS

I can't really say for sure how much AEPS does for pilots. I agree, the online mag is interesting and has some good information.

I'd say you're still better off doing your own job hunting and research. Ten years ago, when I was in the market, information was hard to come by and you needed Kit's pubs and "magazine" to stay up to date. Now, with the internet, there's an onslaught of information, and for free. Posting on this board will yield more real-time results than depending on printed matter.

Just my opinion. Again, good luck with your efforts.