Applying for jobs
FurloughedAgain said:
In the early to mid-90s there were no pilot jobs. Airlines like Allegheny, Piedmont, and American Eagle "required" a minimum of 2500-3000 hours total-time and over 1000 hours multi-engine.
So few jobs were available that Comair and Flightsafety started their controversial "pay-for-training" program and even after the privilege of paying $10,000 to play, they still had minimum requirements of 1500 hours total-time and 500 hours multi-engine . . . . Supply and demand just raised the stakes . . . .
(emphasis added)
Indeed, a great wakeup call. Take it from someone else who was there, these statements are 100% accurate, in particular his comments about Comair and FlightSafety P-F-T. People who read the other side of the board should read these comments. I went through those times. P-F-T was one reason I "retired" from aviation. But, I digress . . .
I would say it never hurts to send in a resume. Based on my experiences, I cannot say definitively if you will be harmed in the future if you send in a resume before meeting a company's mins. I find it hard to believe that given the hundreds of pilot resumes companies receive that any company would devote the resources to create and maintain a blackball list of pilots who applied before meeting its mins.
Years ago, I sent in several resumes to Mesa when I was below its mins and always was shot back a polite "you don't meet our minimums" postcard. I finally met the mins and got an interview with Mesa. On the other hand, over the course of six years I sent in materials to Skywest beginning long before I reached its mins and for years after I met and exceeded them. I got rejection postcards stating I did not meet its requirements and rejection postcards stating "you will be called when a suitable position opens." Was I blackballed
ab initio because I deigned to send in a resume with 900 total and 50 multi (requirements were 1000 total, 100 multi and 100 instrument)? I don't know.
I feel you have to keep trying and try to keep the frustration under control. It's hard; believe me, I know. Compare it to playing darts. You have to keep throwing the darts at the target. Eventually, you will hit the target and maybe hit a bull's eye.
Good luck with your job search.