I am convinced I'm stuck

[Squirrel29]

I have said this to many of people I was a DX for a large regional doing well good money for the cost of living etc. And wanted to take a job with a Major but in the ramp tower. My mom helped me answer the question at hand. It was this " I LOVED MY JOB DISPATCHING !!!!" That I already knew I was good at it and I had respect. The tower job would be fun etc but when it came down to it she asked me how many people can say the LOVE their job? Why fix whats not broken. I stayed were I belonged.

I have to agree. I had the perfect job for 9 years dispatching. Didnt start off that way. But I loved the job the pay was manageable but not great but over the years it improved enough that I was living good and close to my family. If you are in it for the money fine but money isnt everything. I was able to get on with a airline with great starting pay. I had to move and the only thing keeping me here right know is the love of the job.

 

[airbrush]

I can relate to the above posts. I had a great situation for almost 18 years, dispatching at a small regional, wholly-owned by a major, where I had a super boss, unlimited travel benefits, an adequate salary for the area, and my wife was happy being close to her family, especially after the kids came along. I had complaints, but overall it was a good deal. I passed up a few opportunities along the way, because it didn't seem worth screwing up all of the quality of life issues.
Then came Ch. 11, the merger with the forced move and pay cut, and the bleak future despite my seniority; I decided to take another job that looked like the ideal "out", and we wouldn't have to move. Long story short, I didn't like that job, or the one (non-aviation) that followed....I soon found what I was good at, and what I wasn't, what I liked and what I hated, and ended up coming back to my former (now merged) carrier in a lower-paying position (without my previous seniority) just to get back to the world that I loved and could function in. Even then, I assumed it was temporary until I found something better, even told the wife we may have to bite the bullet and move. Then the bottom dropped out of the economy, and since 2007 I've been turned down for jobs I KNOW I was well qualified for, or offered jobs that didn't pay enough to justify the cost/life disruption of moving and/or were located in very expensive areas that chewed up the extra pay (and then some).
So, for now it's hold the cards I've got until things improve, hopefully before I'm too old for anyone to look at me. To all you young guys, believe me, the issues get more complex as you get further into your career and life; the "entry-level" jobs that you can afford to take in your 20s just don't cut when you're trying to raise a family. Starting your career over every few years in a seniority-based industry is a bitch; and when the "place to be" now becomes the "place to flee" in five years when the industry does another reversal, you can suddenly find yourself without a chair when the music stops.
For now, I'm just looking at alternatives I never thought I'd consider, and developing some side business projects until the right deal comes along.

 

[clr4theapch]

Excelent post Airbrush.. I think we all have the same basic story.. i know I do and have done the same thing you have done, sometimes I look back at my choices and oppportunities and just shake my head.. the ol hind sight is 20/20 routine, that kind of thinking will ruin you... all we can do is go with the flow of the times we live in.. The worse part of this is when you just get the occasional interview and never hear back from them or dont get noticed at all.. ya know its time to look elsewhere then..

The whole aviation routine, in any position is really a young persons gig.. it sucks for the spouses, kids and any kind of "normal " life.. it is what it is... and I miss it.. but in the end, won't all of us miss something sometime?

 

[Pull To Guns]

I don't know what is going on up above, but you guys need to take it outside. I was a mod here at one time and this is thread drift IMHO. "Judge/Jury/and Executioner" may be a little strong as a description.

I am the Forrest Gump of dispatch. I got a job with what I consider the best regional carrier right out of the famous South Florida dispatch school. I stayed there for 10 years. I was relatively happy and we had a fun time while keeping the professionalism. I miss my co-workers. A great team!

On a dare and with a change of personal circumstance, I accepted an offer for a position with a major foreign carrier. Maybe I interview well but I now DX A320s, A330s, A340s, and B777s to all corners of the Earth. It is fun and I am getting great experience. Prior to this, I had no international, Eurocontrol or ETOPS experience, just EMB-120 and RJ's.

So yeah, I got lucky but that doesn't mean my fellow DXers cannot. Keep trying and think outside the box if your situation allows it. Its not for everyone. My company is looking to hire soon and if I know and respect you I will be happy to walk-in a resume.

We are a small, elite, tightly-knit aviation community and I enjoy rubbing shoulders occasionally and keeping touch with my cohorts. Setting fire to bridges is certain suicide in our profession. Word gets around.

My biggest challenge is how to re-enter the U.S. market again. My current address may not pass through HR filters and interviews will be arduous to say the least!

I didn't write this to gloat or brag, I just wanted to let folks know that there are some opportunities out there and don't get discouraged. If good things happened to me, it could happen to anyone. I really didn't think I was worthy.

I know it is tough but aviation has never been easy as a lot of people want to be a part of it and there ain't that many chairs at the table to accommodate all.

 

[dispatchguy]

My current address may not pass through HR filters and interviews will be arduous to say the least!

I know for a particular pilot gig my little carrier, were actively seeking people from your neck-o-the-woods, so your address will filter thru to get thru to HR shmoes. OR, you could use a PO Box here in da States, or say your mom's address if you just want to have a CONUS-based address.

 

[Pull To Guns]

I know for a particular pilot gig my little carrier, were actively seeking people from your neck-o-the-woods, so your address will filter thru to get thru to HR shmoes. OR, you could use a PO Box here in da States, or say your mom's address if you just want to have a CONUS-based address.

DG, thanks for the advice. I do worry that other carriers might look at my current employer's location (and by association, mine) as an HR red flag. It may not be a problem and I might just be paranoid about it. We all know HR and Finance run the airlines anymore. They just got raises here but not us in ops. They forget that without us pushing tin, there would be no beans to count!

I do have some CONUS addresses I can and do use.