Advise on networking?
 

I am still very young and am still about a month away from receiving my PPL. However, I am eager to go far in this industry of aviation since it has been my dream to be involved with airplanes since I was 5 years old! I will hopefully be graduating with a degree in Aerospace engineering aside from all my ratings to be an airline pilot. I wish to not only fly but also be an influential part of the industry, working with some of the biggest names in the aviation and aerospace field. I know this will take a tremendous amount of work but I am very willing to work towards this goal every single day since it is what I love anyway. I am also well aware that just a degree and some ratings may not mean much if you don't know the right people.

So, my question is, are there any good events or ways I can network and meet people in the industry in the area of South Florida or just Florida in general? I want to meet as many people as possible and learn from many experienced individuals in the industry. I have already met a handful of good contacts from delta, JetBlue and united, but I am 100% sure that there are MANY places or ways to network here. I just would like some tips from some of you guys! thanks everyone! This forum really is great IMO and I've learned a lot as well!

Learn to spell advice.

The main way you will likely network is as you progress through your career. Have a good attitude, help others as you progress, etc. People in your “network” will help you as they move on.

Don’t be over eager, be realistic when you discuss your goals.
Ask people: Hey is it ok if I stay in touch with you.
Then send a text or email with all the major holidays and and update on your progress.
Happy Easter and by the way I’ve passed my Initial CFI looking forward to instructing.
Or something similar.
Don’t give the impression you need something of them.
I’ve had a guy ask me for advice which I gave and I asked him to get back to me when he has his ATP. Should be by the end of the year.
If he needs my help I’ll send his resume to a CP that I know with a recommendation. If he needs my help that is. If he doesn’t that’s fine too.
Kinda self explanatory but don’t buy somebody every week, especially if you’ve only met them once or twice.
Stick to 4-5 times a year.
Find a good contact that you see on a regular basis and keep them as a mentor. But discuss all advise with your flight instructors.

Good luck.

Don’t be afraid or reluctant to do someone a favor or ask for a favor, however minor, it will be remembered. As the ops officer in my squadron, I went out on a limb to do a new pilot a favor. He wanted to be released, prior to C-5 training, I signed off, took a bucket of crap from the boss. Years later, when I was looking around, one phone call to me was met with a surprise job offer two weeks later, sans resume, perfunctory interview. All on reputation and doing a favor.

The best “networking” story I ever heard was from a corporate pilot. He happened to be V-P Bush’s escort at his USAFA graduation. Years later, he was Pres. Clinton and Bush 43’s pilot at the 89th. Well, he’s set to retire, has some offers. Bush 43 calls up the CEO, who was acquainted with Bush 41 and says, “I know this guy, he’s your best choice and Pappy won’t be happy, if you don’t hire him.” Now, that’s networking!

GF

Geese dude, cut the kid some slack. Can you ever.....even once, post without being so condescending??

You must be a joy to fly with:rolleyes:

And fails to address the topic or contribute in any meaningful way, if only in the slightest. Well done. Or not.

"Dude?" Can you not find your car?

It's "advice." You're welcome.

There's a subtle, yet big difference in 'negativity' and 'lack of tact,' in which the 'lack of tact' approach can still offer good feedback if the OP has thick enough skin. Personally (and I know the only person asking for an opinion here is the OP), I've come to appreciate the direct approach that many find "condescending" after I've experienced coworkers who don't have the guts to call it like it is.

It is "advice" and it was probably a simple error that doesn't define the OP's character. It's also "your or you're" and "their, there, or they're" all of which folks get wrong and cause many people to cringe (not that the OP did this). It's especially cringe-worthy when it's a poster trying to vent why they think a degree shouldn't be needed, yet they can't spell worth a darn. I might even have a typo in this, but I'll take any feedback for what it's worth and be more careful next time if it gets pointed out.

When it comes to networking I can only speak to the non-aviation industry since I'm a career changer, but in general I've found that it's best to stay away from anything deemed a "networking event." Don't try to network, try to make friends. The best relationships will have common ground. I've met people on vacation at resort pools simply by being social and they own businesses, they run private equity firms, etc. You never know when someone is able to pull the strings you need. Be social, be positive, reciprocate in conversations, have a genuine interest in seeing others succeed at their goals, remember details about people and check-in on them occasionally to see how they're doing (like a friend would), while expecting nothing in return. If you're focused on meeting someone with hopes of getting something out of it, it'll be fairly obvious and it'll be tough to maintain that level of effort since the networking benefits will often take awhile to pay off. If you make friends, it will be effortless and the timeline won't matter since you've at least made a friend out of it. As TiredSoul mentioned though, don't pester people. 4-5 times per year is a good measure of keeping in touch with people who aren't necessarily the type of friends who you see every day.

When you need a favor in 3, 5, or maybe 10 years from now, is your connection going to stick their neck out for some person they 'networked' with many years earlier or for a friend that helped them reach their goals, that remembered their birthdays and their kids' birthdays, that they opened-up with and shared some life experiences with, etc? You should be nice to people regardless, but the person you might benefit most from might not currently be in a position that you'd think will be helpful (and yet they eventually get in a great position). So be nice to everybody.

I don't network, and never have. I've never had a job because of connections. Every job I have ever had came as a result of applying, interviewing, and getting the job, not based on who I knew.

In today's climate, in particular, the notion of needing to network to get a job is overblown and unnecessary. There's long been a sense that it's not what you know, but who, and this is not correct.

Networking is often misconstrued as "working the system" or "good ol boys club".

Reality for most folks (unless your uncle is a CP, etc), it's just having professional associates who will verify to potential employers that you really are the good pilot and great employee that your resume claims.

More about making sure you get credit for your professionalism.

Since references are so common in this industry, lack of them might make some folks wonder about you, especially in the large masses of airline pilots where you can just get lost in the crowd.