What are some things you guys included on your airline application to set yourself apart and increase your competitiveness?

Examples such as MBA, volunteer efforts, hiring team, etc.

 

You mean 2000 hrs and a fogged mirror isn’t doing it anymore?

 

Look through some older threads here. In summary...

Aviation experience and qualifications (Time, Certs & Types)

Education (Formal)

Aviation related employment/roles (safety, CP, union work, military collateral duty, etc)

Non-Aviation Employment (Only significant employment, enough to show gainful employment in recent history or anything noteworthy that's likely to show leadership, initiative or otherwise impress). Don't let this info force the resume onto a second page, unless maybe you're older and have a really impressive resume.

- Don't List: Uber, pizza delivery in college, generic white collar job 15 years ago.
- Do List: Engineer, senate staff, college coaching staff, Alaska crab fisherman, doctor, lawyer, business owner, etc

Personal: Volunteer stuff, personal interest. Don't list anything controversal, which is most things political these days. Volunter on Kamala' campaign will likely impress the HR ladies but pizz off the pilots on the interview panel... no win. Don't list extreme sports like skydiving, motorcycle racing unless it was your job and you need to show the employment history anyway. Don't waste space with stuff like reading, long walks on the beach, etc. International travel is good to list.


Also... pilot resume format is NOT the same as for generic white collar jobs. Google the correct format.

 

Steer away from mention of activities that might suggest a risk-taker or hazardous leaning. You might be a D-license skydiver or into free climbing the dawn wall. Leave that off the resume. You might be the all-time beer-pong champion. Don't lead with that one. Directed six porno's in college? It will set you apart. A bit too far apart.

List relevant things that speak to your role as an aviator. Your resume has only one purpose; in conjunction with your cover letter, it is there to get a job interview. If you have additional FAA certification (type ratings, additional certificates, etc) list those. If you have aircraft experience that makes you stand out, that's acceptable.

Not the place to cite your previous three divorces.

A great place to cite your graduation from the National Test Pilot School.

Recovering alcoholic? That's great, and congratulations. Don't mention it.

Check airman at your last job? Say that.

Race top fuel dragsters? Cool stuff. Save it for facebook. Or the bar. It doesn't scream "this guy is a safe, conservative person who avoids risks." It does scream "thrill-seeker."

Don't scream that.

 

Unless you’re applying at Kalitta.
All the Do—Goody stuff is like Aspertame.
Use very sparingly or it’s going to leave a bad taste.