On Thursday 18th June, GOOSE Recruitment's Mark Charman, CEO & Founder and Samantha Wilson, Commercial Manager, joined Wendy Pursey, Head of Recruitment & Organising at BALPA to host a webinar for their members.
BALPA organised the webinar to support its members. Mark Charman delivered a talk on ‘Managing your career in a crisis’ that covered topics across CV writing, social media presence, video interviews and his top ten survival tips. Samantha Wilson covered the opportunities that GOOSE is currently recruiting for with ASL Airlines Belgium.
You can view the full webinar recording here:
The webinar ended with a Q & A session and as there was not time to answer all the good questions we were asked, we have put together a full Q & A here for you to utilise:
Career questions
Are you seeing hiring trends in specific regions, for example, the Middle East, Far East and Europe?
It is fair to say that we are seeing more activity in Asia. Some of the Asian airlines that we have a relationship with and have recruited for in the past, who have put their recruitment on hold, are starting to show some signs of optimism and may start to look at pilot recruitment again. No floodgates are opening yet, but we are seeing the start of green shoots.
However, only this morning we had a conversation with a new European client who has a huge project coming. Things are happening, planning is taking place and we are optimistic that we will see activity increase in the next few months.
What do employers make of people who just aren’t on social media, for example, LinkedIn, or Facebook?
It is not a necessity to have social media profiles. It will not have a negative impact on how employers perceive you.
If you do have social media, you do need to check how you are representing yourself. You can find out more about how to represent on social media in our article 'What do your social media profiles tell employers about you'.
How much detail do you need to go into for your school qualifications, for example, GCSEs and A-Levels?
We would recommend that you go into more detail about your highest level and most relevant qualifications for the job you are applying for. Noting that you achieved 10 GCSEs and 3 A-Levels for example, will suffice.
What would be your recommendation for describing the role and responsibilities of a First Officer? Am I wrong to assume that the job title speaks for itself to an airline recruiter?
The answer to this question depends on what type of job you are applying for. If you were applying for a job outside of aviation, it would be a good idea to explain in more detail in your CV about the role of a First Officer and the responsibilities that you have. You may even want to explain the process to become a First Officer, especially the training and qualifications that you have invested in to achieve this position.
If you are applying for jobs with airlines, and you are applying for a job as a pilot, there is no need. Just ensure that you have covered the hours you have accumulated and if there is any extra training or responsibilities you have taken up that will make you stand out from others.
Should we include a photo on our CV?
Some companies will not accept a CV with a photograph on it. This is due to companies wanting to ensure they adhere to equal opportunity processes. If a company is not able to accept CVs with a photograph on them, they will say so in their application process. If you have applied via a recruiter like GOOSE Recruitment, we will tell you that or we would just remove your photograph from your CV before submitting it.
In our opinion, we would encourage you to have a photograph, it brings your CV to life. Just ensure that it is of good quality and has a professional headshot.
We have created a short video on CV guidance, that you can watch here.
Do recruiters use automated CV readers? If so, what advice can you give to ensure a CV is readable and have the most appropriate keywords to maximise the chance of being selected for the next stage?
Some recruiters and hiring companies do use these automated CV readers, they utilise ‘passing software’. It is intelligent software and is looking for certain keywords and phrases that match the job that is advertised.
The problem as a candidate writing a CV is if you write it for passing software, including lots of rich keywords and phrases, that when a human reads your CV, it doesn’t work and it doesn’t make any sense.
In many sectors, this software is very common, but in our experience in aviation, we don’t see a lot of companies using it. Stick to writing a good CV.
Have you noticed an erosion of the T&Cs and salary for the contracts that you recruit for?
We haven’t seen an erosion in T&C’s or salary for the contracts we recruit for as yet. It might come, but it depends on the shape of this crisis. Airlines across the world have different views. Some think this will be a -V-shape crisis, fast in, fast out. Other airlines that we talk to think that it will be a u-shaped crisis. Then it will depend on the shape of the U and how flat it is at the bottom. We think if we experience a more V-shaped crisis, compensation and benefits will hold up ok. If it is u-shaped and wider than we had hoped, you might see some erosion of terms and conditions.
With this in mind are there “low” hour jobs out there at the moment?
We currently do not have any low-hour pilot jobs available. As we come out of the crisis we hope to see this change and for more opportunities to become available to low-hour pilots. Please keep checking our latest pilot jobs here.
Do you recommend downscaling a CV for a job application at a level below your present working and education level? So as not to scare off employers or HR managers?
No, if you’re currently a Captain, and are for example applying for a First Officer role, as long as you are still right-hand seat qualified then you can be eligible.
Will clients become more flexible on requirements if demand exceeds supply (or interest).
Clients might adapt their requirements later in the recruitment drive with our advice if they struggle to fill a role, but they would always prioritise those who meet their minimum requirements and some will rather wait, than lower their requirements.
My question relates to Brexit and currently held UK-issued EASA licences post the 31st December this year. Several colleagues albeit primarily friends in the corporate world have been getting concerned and I understand a significant number of professional pilots are switching to Irish or even Danish-issued licences. I have seen agency requirements for the type operate stating the need for a non-UK issued EASA licence for jobs within Europe – appreciate this is less relevant to roles further afield. Do you have any thoughts/advice with regard to this?
Some airlines will require you to change the state of issue of your license, especially if their aircraft are European registered. Upon my research, it is a relatively easy process to switch, where you surrender your UK license in exchange for an EASA state license. Costing around £50.
How do I acquire Proof of No aviation incidents or accidents?
From your last employer. They can provide a statement of your dates of employment, hours flown and no incidents/accidents.
How can we go about obtaining a type rating on the B747?
You will need to visit an ATO who provides ratings. We do not offer type rating courses for the 747 or any non-rated positions on this aircraft type.
ASL AIRLINES BELGIUM contract questions
For the contract duration of 12 months at ASL Airlines Belgium, when does this start? At the beginning or the end of the training?
The contract starts at the beginning of the training.
What are the start dates for the opportunities with ASL Airlines Belgium?
There are starting now, there is no delay. They have set start dates every month, we have people starting next week and then more people starting in three weeks. If you are not able to start now, you can be put forward for the dates in the following month.
The few jobs that are being advertised currently have requirements such as Valid OPC, last flight on type within x number of months etc. For those of us who have lost jobs/been furloughed, as time goes by meeting these requirements will be increasingly difficult. What do you recommend to offset this? And do you think airlines will have to be flexible with requirements as time goes on given the current situation?
Currently, our client is accepting the extensions provided by the CAA. What will happen in the future is not known. Before COVID-19, we always encouraged pilots to try and remain current when out of work by performing ferry flights etc. to ensure that they have recent take-off/landings in their logbook.
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