What Jobs are Available to Low Time Pilots
Most important is your resume and interview, click here for advice, Resume - Interview
Many prospective helicopter students start to think about employment opportunities, and how soon they can begin to get paid to fly. They begin to ask other pilots and their instructors what jobs are available, and if the school can put them to work doing commercial flights and instructing.
To become a commercial helicopter pilot, that is to obtain the rating, you will need to accumulate the necessary training and build a total of 150 hours of flight time. This does not mean that you will be able to get a job with a commercial operator.
In rare cases some commercial operators will hire low time pilots to fill SIC positions. These pilots must work for a period of time usually about 1 to 2 years and then after they have paid their dues they may be moved into PIC positions. If you cannot find a commercial operator to hire you in this capacity the only job that you will be qualified to fly with low hours is a light ride-hopping job or flight training.
Some schools may have connections with commercial operators that may hire their best qualified students. Keep in mind that not all students may get the opportunity. Think about it; if you did not study well during your training and you did not fly all that well, do you really think your school should, or will recommend you to an operator? Not likely; if schools do that then soon operators will not consider their students. Only GOOD students will get recommended, and ultimately interviewed by the operators.
Quite frankly it will likely be necessary to instruct for a period of time to build the hours you will need for a commercial job. Commercial operators will not hire a pilot to fly an aircraft worth hundreds of thousands of dollars or even millions of dollars as PIC until that pilot gains experience. Not only the operators, but the insurance underwriters specify the minimum hour requirement for pilots.
Keep in mind that the majority of accidents occur with pilots of less than 400 hours experience. Those with less than 300 hours are the group with the highest accident rate. In many cases, pilots with 200 hours or so begin to think that they know how to fly and they begin to take chances that higher time pilots just won't take as they are wise to the consequences.
The simple fact is that in most cases you must instruct if you want to build the hours necessary to get jobs with the commercial operators. Either that or you will have to spend a lot of money building your flight time at your own expense.
What should be on it, and what should not. When I look at resumes I want to see relevant information, not works in progress i.e. things that one might complete at some point in the future (you might not complete them either so I don't care about them). Don't send a resume that says "references available on request". Send your references so the potential employer can decide if he or she wants to call you. When I put out job adds I am inundated with resumes; the easiest thing I can do is drop one in the trash can. Try to answer the questions that an employer might have. The more relative personal information you give, the more impressive it is as it shows a willingness to disclose and be honest. In any case, a resume should be one (1) page long when ever possible, and may be complimented by a letter of introduction. Often relevant information or personal highlights that would otherwise extend the resume to longer than one page may be included in the accompanying letter.
What impresses me with a resume is one that answers my questions without me having to ask. You should list your flight experience as you would on an 8710; include the time in the last 90 days, the last 6 months, and the last 12 months. I want to know if you qualify for the job, if you do not qualify, or if I will have to give some currency training. Most employers will give some form of training anyway as they want to make sure that you know how they expect you to fly. If you are not current at all then you better get some training before you show up for your check out or you will wash out.
Do Not hide any past accidents or violations; the potential employer will find them out anyway and then you will not get the job because you were dishonest or shady, 'I forgot' won't cut it. Absolutely be straight forward, honest, and up front with your potential employer. Remember that burning bridges in aviation will haunt you forever. I would not put accidents or incidents on the resume however as it is better to discuss these issues fact-to-face as you will have a better chance of convincing your potential employer of the details. If you must do it by mail then take the time to describe the case in detail, do not leave your employer to do research, and most of all don't hide or fail to disclose these important details.
Include the following:
All flight time broken down by make and model aircraft less the irrelevant tails, also by last 90 days, 6 months, and 12 months. Forget all the extra tails because I just don't give a shit about them i.e. OH 58 A,B,C etc.; they are all an OH 58. I don't care if you have flown 1-model, 3-models or a dozen models, I just care about what experience you have and what you can do.
Your references, the more thorough yet concise, the more impressive. I even include the phone numbers of my past Instructors/DPE's other references etc., so that my potential employers can contact my references prior to talking to me. What is the point of a reference someone cannot contact anyway?
Your age, this can be in the form of a birth date or your age directly. I get argument on this issue as some are insulted by it. I like to know the age because it gives me an idea of mindset. I have hired pilots between the ages of 23 and 68 so age does not matter when it comes to hiring; furthermore it is illegal to discriminate by age. All employers are curious of the age of applicants so why not give the information out? The facts are these: An older pilot may be more experienced, yet on the other hand he or she might have made a late in life career change and may not have any experience at all. A young pilot may be a natural with tremendous skill; or conversely he or she may be a hot-shot not yet mature enough to be responsible. An older pilot may be over all the risky stuff, yet on the other hand may have a macho hang-up. You see, neither age nor experience is a positive indicator of what kind of pilot someone will make. What is more important than either age or hours (experience), is what has been learned in the relative period of time, be it age or hours.
Sex and Marital status do not matter although you may include it if you wish; again the more information the more impressive as it shows a willingness to disclose and be honest. As an employer conducting an interview, if I know one is married or not, I may address the importance of spouse flexibility for certain jobs. Although not a hiring factor, it is important that the applicant consider all possible consequences.
Your weight is relative. This is aviation but even more, it is helicopter aviation therefore one can be legally passed up for employment due to weight. If you don't like it go on a diet. If you show up for a job interview grossly overweight your potential employer is not going to hire you.
Your Education, I really don't care about your education, you got your pilots license and that is the education I care about so make this brief unless you have a degree in aviation.
If you get this far, don't screw it up now. Wear a sport jacket and tie to the interview. Do not go casually dressed. Take any necessary information with you such as your log book. Make sure your medical, your picture ID, and your CFI certificate if needed, are current (not expired. If they are expired, they are worthless). Make sure you do not have to ask for a piece of paper and pen to take notes, in other words take your own. Sit straight up in the chair with your shoulders back (don't slouch), and be enthusiastic. Have the answer to potential questions, and look your interviewer straight in the eye.
I am not at all impressed by a crunching hand shake, but then I don't like a faggot finger shake either, so whether you are male or female, greet with a normal hand shake.