I’ve heard through the grape vine that it’s a big mark against you if you’re joining groups like those just to fill the resume. Don’t know how they know, but I guess they know.

 

Did you hear that from peers also applying to the majors....?

 

No, an acquaintance who works in HR at a legacy. Although that might just be their personal opinion or that carriers view. I was just throwing out what I’ve heard to see what others think about it.

 

Yeah it's not the norm that LORs get tossed around after one flight on the JS, but it has happened.

While I'm an advocate of aggressive career self-help, it's probably over the top to ask for an LOR after one JS leg.

Better to to engage anyone and everyone you meet and maybe eventually someone will offer to write an LOR. If they offer, accept.

Best way to get LORs is network with people you've worked with who have moved on... works in the mil and the regionals.

 

This is where being in the MEC, being a LCA, working in a chief pilot office helps hugely. You meet more people outside of the plane, meet senior mgt types where you can do favors, show effort and skills beyond flying. Flying your line, going home isn’t going to help your networking skills or opportunities.

 

Agreed. I would not be asking for a LOR after a ride. This guy was a rare case and he didn’t ask.

 

In four years, I have had two jumpseaters and one pilot who was non-revving offer to write me a letter of recommendation. The non-rev was an interesting situation because he was trying to make a tight connection and he asked me if I could look after a fragile gate checked bag, which I did and I brought it up to him. I never asked a jumpseater for a letter of recommendation, but when they offered I took the necessary steps to receive it. This means you need to have your apps already filled out and ready to be published. Internal recommendations are now mostly done electronically so you need to have your pilotcredentials and airlineapps accounts already made and you need to follow up with the pilot who is making the recommendation.

I had been networking quite a bit and had internal recommendations at my target airlines, but it was the last jumpseater who wrote the LOR that got me an interview for my current job. So you never know.