Resume
10-12-2007, 04:45 PM
#1
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Resume
I'm currently working on my first resume as a pilot and I am trying to figure out how to list my instrument experience. Should I have one broad category of "instrument time" or seperate it out as actual, sim, hood? Should I only list actual? I've read a few templates on line but if anyone has any advice I'm happy to read it. Thanks, Trevor
10-12-2007, 04:51 PM
#2
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I've also read that you should only include flying experience in your work history. Most of my previous work is aviation related but never as a pilot. The same site I read this from also said not to list your degree if you haven't completed it. I'm trying to find a good way to say I'm graduating in December. Should I just put Southern Illinois University B.S. Biology minor Chemistry December 2007?
10-12-2007, 04:51 PM
#3
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Joined APC: Jan 2006
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Originally Posted by TrevorW
I'm currently working on my first resume as a pilot and I am trying to figure out how to list my instrument experience. Should I have one broad category of "instrument time" or seperate it out as actual, sim, hood? Should I only list actual? I've read a few templates on line but if anyone has any advice I'm happy to read it. Thanks, Trevor
10-12-2007, 05:19 PM
#5
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Joined APC: Feb 2006
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Posts: 3,865
Trevor,
On a resume, just say Instrument and count it all. If they want to know if it was actual or not, they will ask.
Also, I would definately include your non-flying aviation jobs.... and any jobs which showed any kind of leadership (ie. night manager at McD's: duties inluced supervising the night shift, reconsiling (sp?) the cash registers, and making nightly cash drops).
About the degree, assuming you are current enrolled and "this December" is two months away, ABSOLUTELY include your projected BS! (hmm not sure that reads quite right
)
As an interviewER, I liked to see a progression from worker bee to queen. Fill ONE page. If all you were to put on your resume is flying, you will have lots of empty space. I think the suggestion to only include flight time is kinda foolish... it may be the bullet "Fenway Turf Management Company: Junior grounds keeper" that buys your ten more minutes to bond with a chief pilot who is a Red Sox Fan
Good luck
j
On a resume, just say Instrument and count it all. If they want to know if it was actual or not, they will ask.
Also, I would definately include your non-flying aviation jobs.... and any jobs which showed any kind of leadership (ie. night manager at McD's: duties inluced supervising the night shift, reconsiling (sp?) the cash registers, and making nightly cash drops).
About the degree, assuming you are current enrolled and "this December" is two months away, ABSOLUTELY include your projected BS! (hmm not sure that reads quite right
)As an interviewER, I liked to see a progression from worker bee to queen. Fill ONE page. If all you were to put on your resume is flying, you will have lots of empty space. I think the suggestion to only include flight time is kinda foolish... it may be the bullet "Fenway Turf Management Company: Junior grounds keeper" that buys your ten more minutes to bond with a chief pilot who is a Red Sox Fan
Good luck
j
10-12-2007, 07:12 PM
#9
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Joined APC: Aug 2007
Position: Satan's Camaro
Posts: 397
Yeah, what everybody else has said.
Actual and simulated, list any Level C, etc sim time. I agree completely about listing jobs to fill one page. Resumes are important for two reasons and two reasons only: they get you the interview, and they provide some framework for the interview. Don't put down every single thing you've ever done, put down things that you think are interesting. Good at sports? Put down not only that you played soccer, but that you played in X competition and won. Work a lot? Put down awards, etc that you've won because of it. Don't show that you worked as a waiter at your local greasy spoon, put down things that distinguish you and show that you don't just put in the time, but that you put in the extra effort and want to take responsibility in your life.
If you're distinguishing whether or not to include actual and simulated instrument, odds are you're relatively low time (not necessarily). If you have 250-750 hours, don't emphasize that you're low time by putting things like "Actual instrument time: 3 hours", put your "Actual and Simulated Instrument: 50" or "Instrument: 50" and spend your real time worrying about how to make the fact that you went from "Intern Grounds keeper" to "Junior Grounds Keeper". Unless you need to fill the page, try to make as much of your resume a conversation starter as possible, without leaving awkward gaps in employment and schooling, of course.
Couple other tips. Spell out your degrees to say "Anticipated Bachelor of Science Degree in December 2007", don't abbreviate to BS or AS or BA etc etc. Take the time learning MS Word and create your own template. It doesn't matter if it looks similar to other peoples, but for the love of God, please don't use the default Resume template, it gets SO tiring looking at it, and it shows that you're capable of learning how to better utilize computers. I love it when people say "Proficient in MS Word" on their default MS Word Resume template. Are you sure you're proficient? Don't include your High School, that'll go on the application, and who really cares that you went to XXX Public High or YYY Private School? You went to ZZZ University and and had a 3.4 GPA, that's all that matters. If you're still in college or are a recent graduate, put your GPA. Nobody cares if it's a 4.0, 3.0, or 2.0, your intelligence and your ability to interact with other people will come out in an interview. If somebody has a 2.0, but worked two jobs (where they became supervisors) for four years during college and another person has a 4.0 and didn't do anything through college, who do you think is going to get the interview? I don't know about you, but the 2.0 working two jobs where they advanced is a lot more INTERESTING to me. Make sure there aren't any indentations that aren't right. You can use "power verbs" in job descriptions, but please, "Objective: To obtain a position as a First Officer with XXX Airlines" does not need to be "Objective: To use my splendiferous abilities to obtain a prestigious position as a First Officer on the reliable and trustworthy ERJ at XXX Airlines, so that my extensive knowledge of aviation can be put to use curing cancer." Ugh. Give me a break. You want to get a job as a pilot. I know.
That's all I can think of for now.
Oh, and please don't go over a page, in the world of flying, if you're applying for a flying job, there's NO need to fill more than a page unless you are truly and honestly spectacular and have had the most interesting aviation career imaginable. Especially if you're not an industry vet with 20-30 years of experience.
Actual and simulated, list any Level C, etc sim time. I agree completely about listing jobs to fill one page. Resumes are important for two reasons and two reasons only: they get you the interview, and they provide some framework for the interview. Don't put down every single thing you've ever done, put down things that you think are interesting. Good at sports? Put down not only that you played soccer, but that you played in X competition and won. Work a lot? Put down awards, etc that you've won because of it. Don't show that you worked as a waiter at your local greasy spoon, put down things that distinguish you and show that you don't just put in the time, but that you put in the extra effort and want to take responsibility in your life.
If you're distinguishing whether or not to include actual and simulated instrument, odds are you're relatively low time (not necessarily). If you have 250-750 hours, don't emphasize that you're low time by putting things like "Actual instrument time: 3 hours", put your "Actual and Simulated Instrument: 50" or "Instrument: 50" and spend your real time worrying about how to make the fact that you went from "Intern Grounds keeper" to "Junior Grounds Keeper". Unless you need to fill the page, try to make as much of your resume a conversation starter as possible, without leaving awkward gaps in employment and schooling, of course.
Couple other tips. Spell out your degrees to say "Anticipated Bachelor of Science Degree in December 2007", don't abbreviate to BS or AS or BA etc etc. Take the time learning MS Word and create your own template. It doesn't matter if it looks similar to other peoples, but for the love of God, please don't use the default Resume template, it gets SO tiring looking at it, and it shows that you're capable of learning how to better utilize computers. I love it when people say "Proficient in MS Word" on their default MS Word Resume template. Are you sure you're proficient? Don't include your High School, that'll go on the application, and who really cares that you went to XXX Public High or YYY Private School? You went to ZZZ University and and had a 3.4 GPA, that's all that matters. If you're still in college or are a recent graduate, put your GPA. Nobody cares if it's a 4.0, 3.0, or 2.0, your intelligence and your ability to interact with other people will come out in an interview. If somebody has a 2.0, but worked two jobs (where they became supervisors) for four years during college and another person has a 4.0 and didn't do anything through college, who do you think is going to get the interview? I don't know about you, but the 2.0 working two jobs where they advanced is a lot more INTERESTING to me. Make sure there aren't any indentations that aren't right. You can use "power verbs" in job descriptions, but please, "Objective: To obtain a position as a First Officer with XXX Airlines" does not need to be "Objective: To use my splendiferous abilities to obtain a prestigious position as a First Officer on the reliable and trustworthy ERJ at XXX Airlines, so that my extensive knowledge of aviation can be put to use curing cancer." Ugh. Give me a break. You want to get a job as a pilot. I know.
That's all I can think of for now.
Oh, and please don't go over a page, in the world of flying, if you're applying for a flying job, there's NO need to fill more than a page unless you are truly and honestly spectacular and have had the most interesting aviation career imaginable. Especially if you're not an industry vet with 20-30 years of experience.
Last edited by boilerpilot; 10-12-2007 at 07:25 PM.
10-12-2007, 08:24 PM
#10
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Joined APC: May 2006
Position: C-172
Posts: 8,024
There are templates and there are templates. Other than the one offered by Microsoft, is there a template that is acceptable to airlines? Is it available on APC? Also, I thought that wannabes apply online so when does a resume come into play? Isn't it true that airline resumes are not like the curriculum vitaes of some other professionals?
I suppose I could find the answers to all these questions by using the Google search, but it's late on Friday night and I've had a long day making friends with those fine people at FedEx Kinko's.
I suppose I could find the answers to all these questions by using the Google search, but it's late on Friday night and I've had a long day making friends with those fine people at FedEx Kinko's.
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