Resume/cover letter

[pokeymon]

Can anyone recommend a good company to get help with a pilot resume and cover letter. If anyone has some good examples of both I'd love to see them.


Thanks!

 

[Admin]

Banner ad to your left, Resume Writer

 

[Jpilot23]

www.airlinepilotcentral.com

 

[HawkerF/O]

PM me so you can email it to me. I'll help you for free.

 

[Resume Writer]

www.airlinepilotcentral.com

JPilot - I disagree with MANY things that the resume video talks about on this website. My comments below come from a hiring manager background of six years - three at a major.

One thing that struck me was saying that you did not need "months" when you are listing your employment. That is absolutely incorrect. An employer wants to know exactly where you have been - especially in the aviation industry post 9-11.

Second, the commentator sales that the resume is a sales tool. I agree 100%. However, the resume shown in their sample does not "sell" the client in any way at all. It is simply a list of jobs. There is nothing in it that differentiates that candidate from the thousands of other people applying for the same position.

They also say on there to list education that you have completed, even if it is not a Bachelors Degree. I disagree. The first thing I would ask the candidate is why they did not finish the degree. While the candidate may have a good answer, it now puts them into a position of wasting time explaining something which could be viewed as negative when they could be selling their positive attributes.

Achievements should not be listed in a separate category. They should go with each job so the employer does not have to figure out where you accomplished your achievements.

I also disagree with the "9 pt type size" that they recommend if you do not have enough room. You should never go smaller than 10 pt.

Their resume is plain vanilla at best. You want to stand out in the crowd, not blend in.

Just my thoughts...

 

[Tonala2k]

Good post. I've followed a few resume helps links in the past, but even though they were posted on aviation web sites, they had now aviation resume helps. They all seem to be "just add clay" molds that they expect every business professional to meet. I'd really like to hear about some good AVIATION targeted companies.

 

[bladeusa]

i used Kathy's service and thought she did an excellent job..
she put alot of personal time and effort into it, and delivers a great product. id definately recommend her..
dave.





Kathy Sweeney
Certified Professional Resume Writer
Credentialed Career Master / Interview Coach
The Write Resume
www.awriteresume.com

 

[Jpilot23]

JPilot - I disagree with MANY things that the resume video talks about on this website. My comments below come from a hiring manager background of six years - three at a major.



Just my thoughts...

It seems to me there are many ways to skin a cat. i'm sure every company is different. I've had 2 people try and write resumes for me. and though i am happy that both of my friends put in the hard work. It came down to what i liked. I liked the format on that site b/c it seem to me it stood out. it made since that when someone was looking over thousands of these, they'd probably have an easier time with mine. AND ITS FREE Its cool if you don't like the site, and by all means PM me if you have any other interview or resume tips for me. i need all the help i can get.

 

[Resume Writer]

It seems to me there are many ways to skin a cat. i'm sure every company is different. I've had 2 people try and write resumes for me. and though i am happy that both of my friends put in the hard work. It came down to what i liked. I liked the format on that site b/c it seem to me it stood out. it made since that when someone was looking over thousands of these, they'd probably have an easier time with mine.

Ok, let me clarify what I mean by "standing out." I compose hundreds of resumes every year for pilots. That same type of format is what is always sent to me by my clients as what they have put together. They usually come to me because they are not getting results. When I redo their resume, the results are immediate.

Now, I am not saying that the other resume will not work. I am sure it has for thousands of pilots. But my job is to get my clients in the door and my results are excellent. I cannot think of one pilot who has ever come back to me because they have not received interviews in more than 19 years in business.

What people think is going to "stand out" in the mind of a hiring manager is vastly different that what the hiring manager is really thinking. I write resumes for high-level executives. I have had recruiters call me when they have seen the resumes that clients have brought in, which were prepared by me. They are so impressed and I now write resumes for clients of more than 25 executive recruiters across the country. These are 6-7 figure jobs these people are going after, so the recruiters want the best possible presentation because they make their money based upon their candidates getting hired by the companies.

I have also been conducting a great deal of interview prep for these executives. As one recruiter wrote to me, "You get to the point quickly with my clients and address their specific challenges in a way that makes me feel comfortable sending them on the interview, knowing they are prepared to put their best attributes on the table. " That, to me, speaks volumes.

Anyway, you are right. There is more than one way to skin a cat. But when the tools used to skin that cat are proven, then why would you want to try any other tools?

 

[Mercury]

Interesting "before" samples on Kathy's website. My company (fortune 200 flight dept.) receives many resumes every month from 600 hr pilots to retired airline and military folks and I have yet to see one that looked like any of these before samples. The majority are clearly written,well structured and easy to read. Now dont get me wrong, I still feel that proper grammar, spelling and basic formatting are important factors in the appearance of a resume but what we are interested in most is the candidates qualifications. As for cover letters, most rarely get read entirely, usually just skimmed over. (I have had many CP's and DO's agree with me on this fact.) But I do have one huge suggestion for cover letters: Make sure you address the cover letter to the proper person, not To whom it may concern or dear sir or madam or even to "Chief Pilot XYZ Airlines". This makes it look like you are using the shotgun approach to applying for a job and didnt bother to do enough research to find out the name of the CP, DO or Recruiting Manager.

I agree with Kathy about not listing a course of education that you have not completed but I feel that the "resume as a sales tool" needs some clarification. The resume is a thumbnail outline of your employment history and qualifications. It is designed to get you the inteview based on those qualifications. After that, the selling part is up to the candidate. Whether it is a regional, a major or a corporate dept., the folks doing the hiring are asking themselves 1) Can I work with this person for a 4 day trip or in the case of corporate the next 25 years. and 2) Will this person represent his supervisor, the department and company in a proper and professional manner.

Disclaimer: This post is in no way an effort to detract from the resume business, I even though about trying it myself. I am just trying to provide some addtional insight from someone who has been on both sides of the pilot hiring table in what can be a very stressful and intimidating environment.

 

[b757driver]

As someone who has also been on both sides of the table, including international (so I also have the cultural perspective as well), I have some comments to ad.

Just curious, what would you suggest if the candidate is applying to one of those "blind" ads, where even the name of the company is withheld? I don't think that necessarily means you are shotgunning.

If no name, position, or address is given, then what other option do you have other than "Attn: Chief Pilot" and "Dear Sir"? This is not at all rare, especially with corporate positions. Should a well-qualified candidate not apply just because a company chooses not to publicize who or what they are?

Many people forget that an interview and the means of getting there are supposed to be a two-way street. You are just as much checking out the company as they are seeing if you are a fit. And that is one of the biggest problems: the "us" and "them" mentality. The whole process would be a much more pleasant experience (for both sides) if each were more cognizant and respectful of each others needs and more open in their hiring etiquette. How a company handles the hiring process and later, treats their employees is the kind of thing that makes one company stand out from the rest.

While I can understand that a company may be besieged by thousands of resumes, most of whom don't even meet the basic requirements, ads which feel the need to put NO PHONE CALLS, NO FAX, NO EMAILS are actually shooting themselves in the foot. There are other ways of getting the message out and the wording of the ad says volumes about the type of company.

On another note, candidates are forever being coached about spell-checking their correspondence or at least having it proof-read. You would be amazed at the volume of mispelled or grammatically incorrect ads on some aviation job websites! Like I said, it really is a two-way street.......or should be.

My comments are just to balance the equation and dynamics of the hiring process as most you ever hear about is what the candidate should or should not do. Rarely is there anything mentioned about what a company ought to do.

 

[Resume Writer]

My comments are just to balance the equation and dynamics of the hiring process as most you ever hear about is what the candidate should or should not do. Rarely is there anything mentioned about what a company ought to do.

While I might agree with your comments, unfortunately the company is the one in control. They control the resume submission process, whether they interview a candidate and who they decide to hire. It is just part of the game and has been for decades. As my dad always tells me, "He who has the gold makes the rules." The best thing a candidate can do is play the game well, following all the rules.

When a company truly has a bad reputation, it gets around. The people who do their research know which companies stink and avoid them. I was just telling one of my clients today (non-aviation) about a company they might want to avoid because I have had several clients from that company and have first-hand accounts of what goes on there. If it were just one client, I might question his/her story. But when I have five clients from the same company tell me about the antics, then it cannot just be the clients.

The same advice applies to aviation. Do your research and know what you are getting into with that company. It is difficult when there is a blind ad to know what company it is, so you cannot always do research.

Just my thoughts...

 

[Mercury]

b757,

You make two very valid points. The "two-way street" is a very important concept since individual company/corporate cultures can vary greatly esp. when you factor in the international perspective. Secondly, thank you for reminding me about the "blind ads" that may not list a specific contact name. So to answer your question, No, I would not consider this shot-gunning, as the candidate has no other choice than to use a generic greeting.
I guess I was just venting a little frustration over some of the resumes/cover letters we have been receiving lately.

Thanks for your insights and have a good weekend,

Merc

 

[NW_Pilot]

Ok, let me clarify what I mean by "standing out." I compose hundreds of resumes every year for pilots. That same type of format is what is always sent to me by my clients as what they have put together. They usually come to me because they are not getting results. When I redo their resume, the results are immediate.

Now, I am not saying that the other resume will not work. I am sure it has for thousands of pilots. But my job is to get my clients in the door and my results are excellent. I cannot think of one pilot who has ever come back to me because they have not received interviews in more than 19 years in business.

What people think is going to "stand out" in the mind of a hiring manager is vastly different that what the hiring manager is really thinking. I write resumes for high-level executives. I have had recruiters call me when they have seen the resumes that clients have brought in, which were prepared by me. They are so impressed and I now write resumes for clients of more than 25 executive recruiters across the country. These are 6-7 figure jobs these people are going after, so the recruiters want the best possible presentation because they make their money based upon their candidates getting hired by the companies.

I have also been conducting a great deal of interview prep for these executives. As one recruiter wrote to me, "You get to the point quickly with my clients and address their specific challenges in a way that makes me feel comfortable sending them on the interview, knowing they are prepared to put their best attributes on the table. " That, to me, speaks volumes.

Anyway, you are right. There is more than one way to skin a cat. But when the tools used to skin that cat are proven, then why would you want to try any other tools?

So What do you think of my resume times are a bit off as it has not been updated in a few weeks!

http://www.aircraftdelivery.net/resume/Steve_L_Rhine_Resume.pdf

 

[b757driver]

b757,

You make two very valid points. The "two-way street" is a very important concept since individual company/corporate cultures can vary greatly esp. when you factor in the international perspective. Secondly, thank you for reminding me about the "blind ads" that may not list a specific contact name. So to answer your question, No, I would not consider this shot-gunning, as the candidate has no other choice than to use a generic greeting.
I guess I was just venting a little frustration over some of the resumes/cover letters we have been receiving lately.

Thanks for your insights and have a good weekend,

Merc

Merc,

You're welcome! It's nice being able to share such important and useful info. Sometimes we get bogged down with all the detail and rhetoric and we ALL get frustrated from time to time.

Have a nice day, yourself.