AviationCV.com: what mistakes should be avoided by a pilot preparing for his initial contact with a potential employer?

For many years now airlines as well as other pilot recruitment agencies have been conducting pilot screening and selection procedures. As a result, they have come up with a list of mistakes most frequently made by candidates. AviationCV.com has observed that many candidates fail to land a job simply because of a poor introduction or an inadequate resume containing minor elementary mistakes or incorrect information.

“Recruitment specialists usually spend no more than a minute on browsing through CVs therefore the right introduction is the key towards entering further selection stages. A proper candidate’s CV must contain concisely and clearly presented information covering the facts confirming relevant education and professional experience only. Moreover, as a common practice in the pilot recruitment sector, a CV must be presented together with a number of documents supporting the information provided – copies of licenses, certificates and diplomas,” explained the CEO of AviationCV.com Skaiste Knyzaite.

One of the most common pilot CV mistakes is an inadequate presentation of executed flight hours. Airlines are generally not so much concerned with a total number of flight hours a candidate has performed. Instead, they are more interested in a detailed listing of flight hours spent on certain types of aircraft and real flight simulators. Standard information about flight hours must cover the entire flying time and distinguish the time spent as a first and a second pilot in command as well as a pilot instructor. It must also contain a detailed account of hours spent on a turbojet, turboprop, single-engine and multi-engine aircraft as well as a full flight simulator, etc.

Sometimes even an experienced pilot fails to send all the required documentation or presents a no longer valid criminal record check. An employer who has clearly stated in a job ad that he is seeking for a candidate with certain language skills expects to receive a certificate supporting such knowledge. Unfortunately, many candidates fail to produce such documentation.

The recruitment specialists working at AviationCV.com point out, that the information about licenses and categories a candidate holds is also commonly ambiguous. A pilot CV must contain a clear list of all types of licenses held and type rating courses for different types of aircraft attended. It must also include a listing of all aircraft types that a candidate has operated during his entire pilot career as well as all specialized training courses and gained qualifications.

Another no less important aspect when writing a CV and applying for a pilot position in a desired airline is providing an adequate description of previous work experience. Candidates in Europe are required to provide facts supporting the employment history of 5 recent years, in the USA they need to account for an even longer period of time (10 years). In some cases the required employment history is presented incorrectly or a candidate opts for making certain ‘amendments’ on his resume. AviationCV.com draws attention to the fact that periods of self-employment must be validated by a confirmation from the applicant's accountant or solicitor. Any gaps of over 28 days must be covered by a reference from an individual (gap referee) who should be asked to confirm in writing how long they have known the applicant and, to the best of their knowledge, what the applicant was doing during the gap period in question.

“We receive a large amount of pilot resumes on a daily basis. Most of them are meticulous and well presented. Our experts focus on facilitating the work of airlines by sorting out all inaccuracies with candidates and previous employers. If needed, candidates are asked to append or itemize certain information; our specialists perform detailed checks on previous employment history and the reasons for leaving. All these procedures are performed in accordance with all legal requirements and are aimed at ensuring that the information about the candidate is comprehensive and correct. Such practice allows us to provide our clients with top quality services and sustain the accuracy of the information in our constantly expanding candidate data base,” said S.Knyzaite.

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