Has anyone ever used a resume service to put your resume together? If so I am curious to hear of the good and bad.
I'll roll in here, at least ref Air, Inc's resume service. No slam on them, they do a good job, but it's not necessary. In my own case, I filled out their seven (!) pages of the info they needed to create the thing, waited two weeks for them to get it done, and then changed it right back to the way I already had it, when I got it back from them. Ditto on the accompanying cover letter--I liked what I'd already done better.
Now, if you need a "normal" non-pilot resume, then sure, maybe you need some help (I would.) But for a pilot, there're plenty of good examples online. Save your $, I would say.
Comair - hired, worked from 2000-2006
Omni Air Intl - hired, turned down job offer
Netjets - hired, love it
Jetblue - Called me for an interview two years ago, I turned down interview
Continental - Called me for an interview two years ago, I turned down interview
I feel blessed, and would love to help any pilot in any way I can achieve their dreams as I have. Keep in mind I'm not an expert, but I used to 1st officer screenings at Comair so I know my way around.
Feel free to email me directly at toma2451@gmail.com anytime, sometimes it takes me a day or two to respond.
Resumes are an interesting animal. They are important, yes, but the original purpose of the resume was to get you the interview. This is becoming obsolete with more and more airlines implementing online applications.
Having said that, you still want a presentable resume. There are some rules to keep in mind...
1. Keep it to one page only
2. The recruiter/interviewer must be able to scan it for information in 10 seconds. Yes, I said 10 seconds. So keep it organized and CLEAN.
3. Employment history only needs to go back five years.
4. Remember, this is a carrot. It is NOT a legal document, not a place to disclose infractions, etc. It is supposed to tantalize the reader.
5. Speak TO the reader. Don't use a bunch of jargon - particularly if you are former military. Speak the language of the reader, do NOT try to "impress" with generic terminology or items that simply do not relate to the job for which you are applying.
ok, shameless plug...
I do offer a resume optimization service. For me to rework your resume it is $45. I do not charge the astronomical amounts other companies do for the simple reason that resumes are not the "end-all, be-all."
Also, I review your resume before doing any modifications. If it reads fine then I charge you nothing.
I hope this helps!
Lori
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Lori Clark, PHR
Clark Aviation Consulting
www.FlyTheLine.com