Entering Business Aviation, Part IV: Crafting a Resume

Writing a résumé can be one of the most daunting parts of any job search. Quite frankly, it is one of the most important elements in helping you finding work. A good résumé can ease doors open while a poorly written one will certainly shut these very same doors. In aviation, there are certain things that must be included in a résumé to help you get noticed: getting noticed is, of course, the first step in securing an interview which may lead to employment.

There is no "one-size fits all" résumé that will guarantee success. In my many years of reviewing pilot and, later, flight attendant résumés I have seen submitted anything from multipage treatises to two paragraph summations. As a private flight attendant, your résumé should fall somewhere in between: a one page copy is the preferred length in this industry.

The top part of your résumé must include the following:

1. Your name

2. Your complete address: house or apartment number, street, city, state, zip and country if applying internationally.

3. Your home phone number.

4. Your cell phone or secondary number such as a fax machine.

5. Your email address.

This information should be centered for easy reading and your copy should be on white or off white paper. No fancy fonts, no loud colors, nothing to make it stand out. Why? More than likely it will be trashed if it is not visually appealing. Trust me: in business aviation, which is generally a very conservative field, the flamboyant self promoter is often ignored.

What follows next is open to debate. Some human resources people insist that you need an Objective on your résumé while others do not. If you do include an Objective, please write a strong and positive statement of your career and job objective, concentrating on your strengths and how you can add value to a potential employer. When creating your objective, use clear and concise language. One of the advantages of including an Objective is that it tends to set the tone for the entire page. Leaving one out is sometimes preferable if you are applying for different positions. Always state in the Objective what you can contribute to the company and not what you want to get out of the company.

After you write your Objective, you should follow up with your work history. Please, if you have been working for many years, you might want to consider limiting your information to the last ten years. A résumé is not your job history, rather it is a summation of who you are and what you bring to the table. Save the nitty gritty details for the application form. This is particularly important if you are over 40: do not kid yourself by thinking that age discrimination does not occur. You want to get the interview and then work on getting the job during the interview. In some situations you will not even get the interview if someone finds out that you are 49. Is this legal? Usually, no. Is it provable? You probably will never find out.

After including your work history, you will need to list your training. If you completed FACTS, Alteon, FlightSafety, etc. then spell it out. Include training locations, dates, and a brief synopsis of the training. For example, "emergency egress training, emergency medical procedures, food safety and culinary arts, wine service, etc." Do not write several paragraphs but do include some information about what was accomplished during your training. Taking other types of training related to the field can and should be mentioned as well including: food service, wine courses, language training, etc. The training section could easily be titled "Education" and include college degrees and other post high school training as well.

References: Please do not include references on your résumé! If you feel the need to mention references, please conclude your résumé with something like this: References furnished upon request. That's it. Nothing fancy. If you do mention that references will be included at a later time please make sure that you have at least three, be prepared to present them upon request, and make sure your references know that you are using them as references.

Hobbies: Hmmm.... I am not sure why some people feel the need to include details on how they spend their free time. Perhaps they are trying to tell the person reading the résumé that they are a well rounded person. In my opinion, save those details for your interview.

Other personal information: In most states giving out one's marital status, age, height and weight is illegal. If you are applying for work overseas the company or agency may want this information in addition to a full length picture of yourself and a headshot. I have heard objections from some about this particular practice. Remember: the U.S. Bill of Rights stops at our borders. If you want to work internationally, you must respect local laws and customs. Your opinion will probably not shape what they want; if you do not like it then do not apply.

College and universities are key institutions where many get their first try at crafting a résumé. I like what the University at Buffalo School of Management has to say about writing a résumé:

Do:

* Do try to fit your résumé on one page

* Do leave an appropriate amount of margin space (1/2 - 1 inch is good, no less than ¼ inch)

* Do use positive action verbs to highlight your skills

* Do use the present tense for current activities and the past tense for previous experiences

* Do place important items in the most prominent areas of your résumé

* Do proofread your résumé for spelling, punctuation, grammatical, and typographical errors

* Do make sure your résumé is neatly typed and letter perfect

* Do be honest and accurate in the facts you give on your résumé

* Do be Positive!

Do Not:

* Do not write résumé on top of the page

* Do not use "I," "Me," or any abbreviations!

* Do not date the résumé, attach advertisements, or list salary requirements

* Do not leave out volunteer or other experiences where you have demonstrated relevant skills

* Do not give any false information

* Do not include reasons for changing jobs

Have others proofread your copy and do not be offended by their suggestions or comments. Consider all comments and suggestions for change; if you are rigid about your résumé you may be too rigid for this industry. Remember, there is no "one-size fits all" résumé; your copy, however, should accurately reflect what you are all about and what you can do for the company.

Matt manages the Aviation Employment Board a job resource center for aviators: http://www.aviationemploymentboard.com In addition, he manages the very successful Corporate Flight Attendant Community at http://www.cabinmanagers.com and http://www.corporateflyer.net

More Resources

Group Check-in At Airports
Plan Ahead For A Smooth Check-in and FlightWhen traveling with a group through a major airport, here are some tips to help things go smoothly while reducing your personal stress level:1. Resist the temptation to hold on to everyone's tickets until they get in line at the terminal.
Inflatable Aircraft Wing Camber Modification
Every aircraft is a compromise. It is either built to fly fast or slow to land in tight distances and carry more weight.
Finding Really Cheap Airline Tickets Online
Trying to find really cheap airline tickets can become very frustrating and time consuming but if you know how and where to search you can quickly and easily find airline tickets online.The internet is fast become the best place to find really cheap airline ticket deals.
Lockheed Loitering Missile Expandable Wing Concept
Smart Missiles are expensive, but effective. Efficiency in the the new paradigm of the net-centric warfare will yield results to those who pay attention and do not waste assets.
The Wright Brothers
Orville and Wilbur Wright were mere bicycle mechanics, yet they changed the history of mankind by inventing the first aircraft. It is amazing what one can do when you stop limiting your mind and go for it.
Private Jet Ownership Indeed
Wouldn't you like to own your own private jet? Have you ever thought about it? Many of us have and you know what it is not all that expensive as you might think after all. Private jet ownership is really taking off these days.
I Am Afraid Of Flying; You Are Not Getting Me A Light Plane
Boy I have heard it all from my friends. I am afraid of flying.
Top Ten Secrets to Saving Big Money in the Airline Flights
Do you know that some people travel around the country andabroad, for both business and pleasure, and save bundles of money in the process?They do that by using little known ways of really taking advantage of the most popular form of transportation - airline flights.They don't rely on the ever-famous "airfare price-wars".
Getting Cheap Airfares
Airlines offer tickets at a fraction of the cost you buy tickets. These offers are given to wholesalers and agencies that bring good business to them.
Cactus Fly-In, Casa Grande AZ
Every year in Arizona is the Cactus Fly-in which is one of the largest events in the city of Casa Grande AZ air show and fly-in, which is always well attended and a huge success. The event seems to be growing every year, much busier this year than last year even though general aviation has suffered due to 9-11.
Jet Lag - You Can Suffer From It...Or You Can Do What This International Airline Captain Does
Whatever the reason for your travel, you have made a considerable investment. It costs you time and money.
Mexico to Manufacture Aircraft
It appears Mexico with its 120 million population is considering getting into the lucrative aviation manufacturing sector. Of course this will mean that they must acquire some expertise and some trading partners to sell to once they build these aircraft.
Sex in a Cessna, Part II
Sex in a Cessna or any light plane can be exhilarating and since your flight instructor never trained you how to do this you will need to read all of this several part series of articles, we do not want you screwing things up so to speak. In part one, we explained the need for a practice area and separation between other aircraft, staying out of flight path of other aircraft and setting the aircraft up in level flight.
Leading Private Jet Charter Operators
Flying with the airlines can be a time consuming as well as risky proposition for businessmen as well as for people of wealth. If you absolutely, positively must get somewhere fast you are putting your trust in a system that is overcrowded, inconvenient, and failing when you fly with the airlines.
How Cheap Can You Get? Try Online for Cheap Air Tickets
Most consumers feel the airline travel is very costly. We can end up spending a fortune when we add up the various costs, such as flights, accommodation, taxes and insurance, hotel services and car hire.
Making a Mechanical Manta with Material Memory Manufacturing Methods
I propose building a mechanical manta ray as a Underwater Unmanned Vehicle; UUV. The manta ray will have air tanks inside of its wings and a sound device, which will also operate a sonar and an ELF communication system.
Airline Fuel Costs Mount
The airlines are huge users of fuel. Fuel costs are higher than even the cost of the aircraft.
Entering Business Aviation, Part IV: Crafting a Resume
Writing a résumé can be one of the most daunting parts of any job search. Quite frankly, it is one of the most important elements in helping you finding work.
Young Men Trying to Imitate the 9-11 Scenario, Part IV
In conclusion of this young man who crashed a single engine Cessna 152 into the Bank of America we see a whole chain of events; events, which should not have occurred at all. What can we do to prevent such kids from going astray in our society? Read the conclusion of my thoughts and perhaps you might find and answer to these questions.
Moving Troops and Evacuation Strategies
There are many ways to evacuate people from disasters like Hurricane Katrina for instance. There are also many ways to move troops to the area of conflict.

More Aviation Information:

Related Articles

Airline Travel Lingo! Does The Language Need An Interpreter?
With airline travel increasing in record numbers, more people are experiencing the frustration of understanding the airlines industry language, and leaving them feeling that they need an interpreter for the travel information they're receiving from the airline industry!It seems that air companies think that every individual that flies should have to understand all that travel Jargon they place on their flight reservations, and maybe it's about time we figure out what they're talking about, because it's costing you money and valuable time!Once you learn all the airlines travel terms, you won't be dependent on your local travel agent anymore, and he/she won't be able to collect all the wonderful service fees from you for being your traveling interpreter.The price of your travel flight is based on many intricate components that the airlines reservations department implement, not to purposely confuse you, but to formulate their airfares and determine what they need to charge each passenger for all flights taken.
Is your air traffic control person real?
Have you ever been flying around in your private plane and the control tower or approach control has sent you on a vector or asked you to do something, which made no sense at all? But of course you did it anyway, because they are in charge right? You might have thought to yourself; "Is this guy for real?" "Is this guy in some kind of dreamland, asleep up there?" Well in the future such questions may not be too far off actually. For instance your air traffic control tower professional maybe in augmented reality, sitting in a room with no windows looking at your aircraft on a TV screen or video monitor.
Future Shuttle Launches
The military aircraft we have are all equipped with anti-SAM systems. These prevent SAMs, Surface-to-air-missiles, which are heat seeking from hitting the aircraft.
Making a Mechanical Manta with Material Memory Manufacturing Methods
I propose building a mechanical manta ray as a Underwater Unmanned Vehicle; UUV. The manta ray will have air tanks inside of its wings and a sound device, which will also operate a sonar and an ELF communication system.
How Cheap Can You Get? Try Online for Cheap Air Tickets
Most consumers feel the airline travel is very costly. We can end up spending a fortune when we add up the various costs, such as flights, accommodation, taxes and insurance, hotel services and car hire.
New Airbus A-380 Beats Out 747
The A-380 has beat out the Boeing 747 as a target by International Terrorists. The A-380 will become the largest passenger jet in the world holding the largest number of passengers.
Cheap Airline Tickets! With Internet Access, The Skies The Limit For Great Deals
With easy access to the Internet, the convenience of finding cheap airline tickets is just a few clicks away. As more airline inventory becomes available directly to the public through the World Wide Web, cheap flights are being purchased in record numbers, and nearly everyone hunting for fantastic low cost airline tickets are finding better deals online, than offered at their local travel agency!If you happen to be wondering why your local travel agency seems to have a hard time competing with all the cheap tickets offered by online travel suppliers, well its a matter of volume.
Mexico to Manufacture Aircraft
It appears Mexico with its 120 million population is considering getting into the lucrative aviation manufacturing sector. Of course this will mean that they must acquire some expertise and some trading partners to sell to once they build these aircraft.
Business Aviation Networking Notes
The process of finding out about a job, getting interviewed, and eventually receiving an offer for employment starts with networking. By networking I don't mean sending hundreds of copies of your resume unsolicited to H.
Flying As A Hobby
Ask a room full of people what hobby they have and you willget as many answers as there are people. Others willconfess that they don't have a hobby.
5 Tips for Stress Free Long Haul Flights
The world is becoming smaller by the day. Flying long haul to distant locations for business or pleasure is becoming increasingly more popular.
Point to Point VS Spoke and Hub? Air Taxi
Boeing it is said took a big gamble in predicting the future of air travel. Instead of going bigger like Airbus and building an aircraft like the A380, the biggest airliner ever built; The Boeing Company decided to go for a more efficient smaller aircraft with better materials and better range.
Private Jets: 4 Leaders in Fractional Flying
Fractional flying, you say. Is that division? Well, sort of.
Tips to Finding Really Cheap Airline Tickets
Finding really cheap airline tickets onlineLooking for a really good deal on flights? Here are some of the best strategies used to find really cheap airline tickets online.1) Really Cheap Airline Tickets: Last minute flightsOften you'll find really cheap airline tickets posted at the last minute.
Lockheed Loitering Missile Expandable Wing Concept
Smart Missiles are expensive, but effective. Efficiency in the the new paradigm of the net-centric warfare will yield results to those who pay attention and do not waste assets.
Downed Pilots Hibernating From the Enemy
When we watch Oliver North's "War Stories" or the "Wings Discovery Channel" we often see the problematic issues with downed pilots trying to evade the enemy. They have limited if any food supply and lots of people looking for them.
Increasing TAS in Modern Day Fighters with Expandable Wing Tips
As fighter aircraft get faster and faster there is a diminishing return on more aerodynamic streamlining in designs. You can only build the aircraft so "Aerodynamically Correct" once you have the best optimum design for speed, there is little you can do without changing the aircraft in-flight or the air itself.
China is Starting to Build Military Fighter Trainers
China is entering the jet fighter trainer business and set to start building a completely new generation of trainers called the JL-19 Mountain Eagle. The jet is also know as the FTC-2000, which is interesting, as the FTC is the agency which is crippling our US Corporations competitiveness over seas now.
Young Men Trying to Imitate the 9-11 Scenario, Part IV
In conclusion of this young man who crashed a single engine Cessna 152 into the Bank of America we see a whole chain of events; events, which should not have occurred at all. What can we do to prevent such kids from going astray in our society? Read the conclusion of my thoughts and perhaps you might find and answer to these questions.
Airline Security; Stewardesses The Last Line Of Defense!
Introduction:It might come as a chock to many people, including the Stewardesses, but the fact remains that in today's Airline Industry, the Stewardess is the last line of defense!In the 11th of September terrorist attacks, on the WTC and Pentagon, the first victims were the Stewardesses. Savagely attacked by the terrorist on their way to the cockpit's and tortured to pressure pilots, to comply with the terrorists demands.