ExVermonter

Here is a little bit about my background. I am 30 years old and have been flying since I was 19. I flight instructed at an FBO in Arizona for 3 years and 1 year at Western Michigan University. I flew for 4 years for Part 135 operator in North Carolina. I was laid off in September of 2010 and have been looking for a job ever since.

I love flying airplanes and always will, but flying for a career has made me absolutely miserable. After all of my years in flying, I have only broken the $30K mark once. It lasted one year and then I was forced to take a 40% paycut and then I was laid off 6 months later. The thought of flying for living again honestly makes me want to puke. Having said that, I would love to someday own an airplane and fly for fun on my terms.

I am currently working on a 2 year degree in Information Technology online. I am trying to find non-flying jobs here in the Charlotte, NC area and have not had any luck. I just interviewed for a job locating underground utilities and got a rejection letter today. This surprised me because the interview went quite well I thought.

For those of you who have made the change from pilot to a non-flying job, how did you do it? I have tried to word my resume in a way that it shows my skills outside of the cockpit. Leadership skills, strong computer skills, able to work in extreme weather conditions, etc. It seems that when employers see anything related to aviation, it scares them. I guess they are afraid that I will bail after 6 months for a flying job, even though that is the last thing I would do.

Any advice from other career changers? I do appreciate any advice.