FlyerJosh

Dead on. Make FRIENDS. Not networking acquaintances. Meeting crews and exchanging information is just the first step.

Join various discussion websites. APF, PPW, LinkedIn, etc. see if there are others on these forums that live near you. See if anybody wants to meetmformdrinks- not to job hunt, but to talk about aviation or other passions. Host overnighting crews at your house for lunch or dinner, or meet up with other crews while on the road. Personally, I've found PPW to be a great resource in meeting other pilots. Many members post where they live or are overnighting.

A name and a phone number on a piece of paper are worthless in most cases. It's what you do with that name and number after you have it that counts. If I endorse somebody for a job, I want to know who they are, beyond simple phone conversations that Ho along the lines of "Hey, are you guys hiring? Would you mind looking at my résumé or Can I keep in touch?"

givememywings

Dead on, on top of dead on!

Phone numbers only go so far, you have to make friends to see if you'd eventually be a good fit. Good luck

FlyerJosh

Sorry for the spurious "m" entries in my previous post... Side effect of rapid iPad typing...

eman

Thanks, I didn't know PPW existed until now! I've always been timid about approaching strangers; but if they're like me they'll want to talk ANYONE'S ear off after sitting alone in a plane for up to 5 hours! I'm not much for bar crawling anymore, but I've heard that's a good place to run into pilots. I don't doubt it, that's the first thing I used to do on a layover, get a drink and pass the time.

Hey if anyone finds themselves in Miami, look me up! You're all being helpful and giving me some motivation to keep trying.

MayorBee

I would recommend looking up companies by regions where you want to work and then start calling flight departments and "pitch" your background and willingness to work et. cetera. Fact is that if they are not looking for a pilot then you will get a no response. If they are looking, then you will have to cross whatever other barriers exist.
The good news is that you will eventually run across an available position with no competition and then it will be yours. Lots of dialing to get there but you can also create a pretty nice contact list of chief pilots with whom you can follow up regularly. I still have a list to this day and that is how I found my present job of 7 yrs.

Aviator89

I have only been in this industry for a few years and as far as networking goes, its hit or miss for me. But has generally helped alot. I was not offered jobs simply because of who i know, but they did help me make connections with people at corporations, that led me into the interview.
Now you interview needs to go perfect. thats the key. 2 things. 1. If they dont think your a good fit within their corporate culture you wont get the job. 2. they THINK you are not qualified. you wont get it. Let me explain.
I got hired in a corporate 91 department with 600 total time. flying a few single engines, but right seating in a King Air about 1/5 my 500 hours a year we fly. During the interview, the expressed their desire for a high time pilot for their single engine operations. Due to their HR department usually dealing with hiring shop mechanics, managers, salesman etc. hiring pilots was a new and unknown area. So I made my argument that although you want someone with ATP mins (or what they wanted a 3,000+ hour pilot) to fly a 4 seat single engine airplane will be a hard find since most of them are out in jets, turboprops, etc. But with my CFI/CFII/MEI my training/learning practices are I am much more current and likely on the safer side of habits compared to a guy who has been aerial mapping for 2 years. I also pointed out that total time doesnt mean a good safe pilot, in fact it likely means a higher probability of complacency, and lack of enthusiasm for the job, especially if they are "downgrading" to a smaller aircraft or moving to a small town. (they had a history of pilots only lasting 2-4 months up to this point)
In your case, maybe you dont have the type rating they want or not enough time in a similar airframe. What you could point out is your ability to learn in the aircraft you have flown so far, and that really, besides the size and shape of an airplane. An airplane's an airplane is an airplane. Right? If you can fly a B350, you fly a Cj2 and so on. Put it in words they understand. Can a commercial big rig truck driver drive a large van and a big rig safely? You bet. Its your decision making and learning ability thats more valuable than previous time in type.
At the same time, my "fit" within the company was good. Similar background, similar area of the country, I even had experience working with the products they produce and warehouse/metal shop practices and forklift/squeez clamp truck driving experience. I did not get the job first time around since they hired a guy a little more time and time in both aircraft types and who also was a good fit, but 3 months later I got a call and they had bought another single engine and they offered me the job. I have been here about a year and unfortunately need to move again for family reasons, however I will miss it. I haven't had much of a chance to network except with our other pilots. So my "network" isnt huge, however I have spent sometime learning how to make friends in the right way to lead to these situations. I would recommend you do the same, not just interview prep if you want that sort of thing (i never did, just played the honesty game and its worked well), but talk to someone who you know that really appears to have the networking game down. Thats how i learned most of what I know. Just one friend who was damn good at networking.

Aviator89

great idea. That also would likely get you on their list of pilots to call when a job opens up.

kme9418

Agreed. I'm bewildered when people start "networking" when they decide to start looking for a job. That's too late. It's a process that takes YEARS...even DECADES. You have to be nice to people, take care of people, be noticed for your hard work/integrity and not focus on your own little world. Then you keep track of contacts and keep in touch with former coworkers over the long haul. Facebook and linkedIn are good places to start reconnecting. My current reserve job and my current airline job were both products of a very long process described above. The contacts that helped me out were people I had worked with 7-15+ years earlier. They were folks I somehow stayed loosely in touch with or knew well enough way back when that I could call them up out of the blue. Even if you are not looking for a job, networking exists so that you can help OTHER people out when they need a hand. Then, someday, it all comes back around.

eman

Thanks folks. I especially took to heart the advice of not networking just for the sake of networking.

I listed all my contacts that usually return my calls and provide advice/encouragement, job leads and have been spending more time with those people. I've got a great network of pilot friends and they help me out the best they can, I always get their recommendations. Unfortunately, it comes down to type ratings and time in type. Even with this, I managed to get the Part 91 SIC's on my certificate for 3 aircraft and logged almost 50hours in them; so that was pretty exciting! Especially the G3.

Corporate has been my dream since the start, and I hope it still happens. Lately I have been opening up to airlines. Unfortunately, as time passes, I grow more and more convinced I may have to end up at a regional just to get ahead...and we all know how we feel about them. I for one am absolutely sure I'll be living in my car and the gym if I do sign on with them. That's life I guess. I hear success stories almost every time I walk around the airport; so that's good to know that miracles do happen!

If anyone of you find yourselves in south florida, send me a pm; I'd love to meet some of you. Gonna keep active on PPW as well.

If anyone knows of leads or companies that value a great personality and dedication, loyalty, a desire to excel at everything I have to do...send me their info

Thanks dudes.

dirtysidedown

Believe it or not i actually got my currnet corporate gig while i was flying for a regional airline. I met my current chief pilot while waiting for our delayed inbound aircraft to arrive hanging out in gate area. We starting chatting had a few laughs and at the end of the flight he handed me his card and told me to give him a call when i had enough of the airline cr@p. Started out in Hawker for few years, and now i just recently checked out in GV. Aviation is a small world, always present yourself as a proffesional no matter where you end up.