Curriculum Vitae

&
Interview Guide
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Wendy Pursey ip & Careers Se

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Contents
A J o b .... .. .. ...................3
Finding

. P re p e ra t io n .......................5
C.V

. C h e ck lis t .. .. .. ..................... 8
C.V

T em p la t e .. .. .. ......................9
C.V.

vie w B e s t P r a ctice........10
Inter

v ie w Q & A B a nk.............14
Inter
Finding A Job
Not all jobs are advertised and you will need to network to hear of all the opportunities
available. Use the BALPA Forum and visit the Careers Area of the website where often
pilots will share their airlines recruitment plans in an informal way giving you the
heads-up. The BALPA Careers Area of the website also lists jobs often before they appear
in the trade magazines.

TIP: BALPA also has a range of current vacancies on its website www.balpa.org.
If you are reading this online please access the current job vacancies here:
http://tinyurl.com/qadgyoq. If you are reading the paper version of this booklet, the job
vacancies can be found on the BALPA website www.balpa.org via the career services
section. You can network on the BALPA Forums at https://forum.balpa.org or alternatively
log into the BALPA website www.balpa.org.

VV Only apply if you can meet (or are close to) the airlines requirements.
VV An on-line facility may lock you out if you do not meet the criteria specified -
so bear this in mind.
VV You can write to prospective employers but do not send your CV to every airline in
the world. Target those that you know have forward aircraft orders or are due to
hire in the next six months. You can then follow up with a further letter or
telephone call about 1 to 2 months later. Remember there is a thin line between
keeping a high profile and being a nuisance.
VV Flight International World Airline Directory (issued March/April each year) gives
airline addresses, telephone numbers and an outline of each airline. It can often be
found in your local library or purchased from a newsagent or by subscription.
Subscription Tel. 020 8652 3840 or buy on-line at www.flightglobal.com.
VV Join as many agencies as you feel appropriate, remember you may need residency
and work permits to be eligible for work outside Europe.

3
 VV For jobs outside the EU essentially the biggest problem at present for overseas
airlines is not the recruitment of pilots but their retention. Some of the turnover is
because pilots have not been fully prepared for the variation in employment terms
and conditions and the impact a new environment can have on them and their
immediate family. To aid your research BALPA have produced a booklet The Inside
Track to Working Overseas, if you are reading this online please access the Inside
Track to Working Overseas here: http://tinyurl.com/inside-track-overseas. If you are
reading the paper version of this booklet, the Inside Track to Working Overseas can
be found on the BALPA website www.balpa.org via the careers services section, to
better prepare you to ensure a move is considered and not shortened because of
any surprises further down the line. This booklet has been put together by our
members who have, or are currently working overseas and have been kind enough
to share their personal experience and sound advice. It also contains region and
country specific information that is often requested.
VV Contactability: Ensure you have a telephone with voicemail and an e-mail address.
If interview slots come up at short notice, companies are likely to fill the slots on a
first come first served basis. If you are not contactable you may miss your chance
this has sadly happened!
VV Keep, or consider ways of keeping, your license and skills current. Ensure your Log
Book is stamped by a member of management from your previous employer if
applicable. You can also access the BALPA factsheet on maintaining hours on the
Careers Area of the BALPA website. If you are reading this online please access the
Building Hours factsheet here: http://tinyurl.com/buildinghours. If you are reading
the paper version of this booklet the Building Hours factsheet can be found on the
BALPA website www.balpa.org via the career services section.
VV You can access factsheets on the airlines that are currently recruiting on the Careers
Area of the BALPA website. If you are reading this online please access the Airline
Factsheets here: http://tinyurl.com/airline-factsheet. If you are reading the paper
version of this booklet the Airline Factsheets can be found on the BALPA website
www.balpa.org via the career services section.

4
C.V. Preperation
Writing your CV can be daunting but the good news is for a pilot vacancy the process is
more straightforward.

The pilot CV serves two purposes:-

VV To identify if an individual meets the qualifying criteria. Make sure that this is
readily accessible and identifiable and not immersed in lengthy bodies of text.
VV To give enough information to encourage a prospective employer to invite you to
interview to find out more about you, but not too much so that they dont need
to do so!
Keeping your CV up to date is one of the best ways to be prepared for career
opportunities. Ensure that your hours and type ratings are all up to date together with
any training qualifications now held.

For some, it is easy to talk about their qualities in lengthy detail, but the majority of us
find it difficult when it comes to describing ourselves with confidence. However, in
todays competitive job market, a little confidence goes a long way to projecting the right
impression of your background and skills.

It is imperative also that you have a mobile telephone number and email address
included so that a prospective employer may contact you at the earliest opportunity.
Often interview slots become available at short notice and being readily contactable can
be crucial. Also ensure that you have an answerphone so that you can return enquiries.

5
When you have found a job you want to apply for, it is important to tailor your CV to fit
the role. You should always be honest about your experience, but you will appeal to
employers more if you use their terminology and can demonstrate the relevance of your
skills. For example, previous customer service experience will be an asset if applying for a
corporate pilot position.

Obviously you must meet the minimum requirements in terms of overall experience
level, command time, turbo prop time and jet time but if you are only a small way short
of this experience it might also still be worth applying. By the time your application is
processed you might have the time required or you might feel that your associated skills
or experience make up for that deficit. Bear in mind that pilot hiring requirements are
only valid at the time of publishing and can change quickly so just because you didnt
meet the criteria at one point in time doesnt mean that you wont meet them shortly
afterwards the market is very volatile and subject to change quickly according to supply
and demand. If an airline operations department suddenly decides to add another
aircraft to the programme at short notice, this often means requirements may change
overnight to meet this sudden and unexpected demand so you must always keep your
ear to the ground, keep in touch with the airlines, be readily available on the phone and
be ready to attend an interview at short notice.

Vital information
All the information on your CV must be relevant - include the basics such as:

VV Name, address and contact details (email and mobile phone).

VV Licences held.
VV Medical class held.
VV Total Time, PIC time, turboprop and jet experience.
VV Type ratings held.
VV Currency on type.
VV Additional qualifications such as TRE/I, CRMI etc.
VV Career history (most recent job first).
VV Education (including pilot training history).
VV Relevant skills.
VV Availability or notice period (the shorter the better and highlight if you are
available immediately!)
VV Your nationality or working visa details (any restrictions must be declared).
VV Referees are not required at this stage but you must obviously have them in
order to gain an airside pass.

6
What do they want to know about me?
A CV should highlight the applicants suitability to the job advertised or sought. Make
sure each CV is tailored to the target employer so each will require some modifications.
Currency on type, a good solid working/educational background and relevant
qualifications are desirable to new employers. Provide details of the previous companies
you have worked for and a brief synopsis of the routes operated on/type of operation.

If you are a recent graduate from pilot training you may not have a great deal of work
experience, although many graduates undertake day release or a year out in industry. In
this case, highlight the relevant skills that you gained in your course or on work
experience that might be relevant to employment as a pilot such as language skills or
working in the ops department of a flying school etc.

List each position in reverse order, so that the most recent appears first. Just include the
dates, the employer and job title with a very brief summary of your duties for each listing.

C.V. evaluation
At the end, provide a brief flavour of your interests and hobbies. In all, your CV should be
no longer than two pages (preferably one) and should be made up of key, concise bullet
points. Dont leave any gaps - if you took a year out, carried out an interim assignment or
travelled for six months, say so. Otherwise potential employers might have cause for
concern and gaps can present problems when applying for an airside pass.

You may also wish to include a photograph in the top corner but this is not compulsory
if you do include it make sure it looks professional.

Finally, dont forget to check your spelling and punctuation. Remember, first impressions
are key, so take the time to get it just right.

7
C.V. Checklist
The CV is:
st for interview
%% To get on the shortli t you
th in g a po te nt ia l employer sees abou
%% The first l control
jo b hu nt in g ov er which you have tota
%% The only bit of a m ee tin g would be worthw
hile
er to tell qu ic kl y if
%% To enable the employ
er
% To hi gh lig ht yo ur value to an employ
% terview
e a st ru ct ure and agenda for an in
%% To pr ov id
ial employer in min
d
ed w ith th e po te nt
%% Written and structur
cument
%% A personal selling do
%% A short document
bilities
hi ev em en ts not just responsi
%% Ab ou t ac

The CV is not:
y
A lengthy autobiograph
lems
About failures and prob
ing jobs
About reasons for leav
data
A list of demographic
es
For giving referees nam
A photo album
h money you want
About saying how muc
s
About your weaknesse
reer ambitions
About your thwarted ca
C.V. Template
Personal
Information This will be the contact
details to be held on your Relevant experience
Title: permanent file which demonstrates
leadership, trust,
Name:
Note you do not have to responsibility;
Address:
Phone:
give your age if you do not Interests initiative thinking;
wish to at this stage critical thinking;
Mobile: solution building; or
Email: You may also include a activist personality
Nationality: professional photo traits
portrait if preferred
Passport Held/
Visa Restrictions

License
Information
This information will
Licences held:
inform the reader whether
number: Employers are always
you have met their
Licence valid to: keen to see how you
Flying hours:
professional/technical
pre-requisites. (You can
Education/ have invested in
Jet: tailor this information to Professional yourself, the type of
Multi engine piston: ensure that it is relevant Development qualifications you
focused on and the
Single engine piston: for the post and does not
level you have attained
Rotary wing: under qualify you for the
shortlist)
Flying qualification:
Flying experience:
Medical:

Use this section to sell

yourself. Tell the employer
who you are and how
Personal wonderful you are. This is Referees Available on request
Profile a chance to wow them.
Keep it concise and to a
few key lines

Take time at this point to

sell yourself to the
potential employer, review
the job specification can
Career you draw reference to any
Summary responsibilities and or
projects which relate to
Company: the job. Tell the employer
Job title: what you achieved in each Availability Available on request
Dates: (from-to) role how did you add
Summary of value to the organisation
Responsibilities & or its profitability.
Achievements:
Copy and paste the
subject titles for each job
you have held.

9
Interview Best Practice
If youve been invited to interview it means youve passed the first test - your application
must have made a good impression and you have the entry requirements. Now you need
to plan for the interview to make sure youre successful at this stage.

Preparation for an interview is an absolutely key process and will often be the difference
between your success and failure. Good preparation not only gives you an insight into the
organisation, it can also give you some all important confidence. And, lets face it, no-one
likes surprises.

TIP: No matter how it turns out, dont look back on the interview wishing you had been
more prepared.

VV Research the company: Interviewers will expect you to have a good grasp of what
their organisation does, their fleets, bases, share price and fuel hedging if
applicable. You would be surprised at the number of interviewees that did not look
at the company website in advance which holds interview gems such as their latest
press release. With these facts under your belt, youll be able to hold a meaningful
conversation about the company and put any details youve learned ahead of the
interview into context.
VV Look up your role: It may seem obvious that you are going for the job of a pilot but
what does it mean in the wider sense at this company? Use the Crew Connected
facility on the BALPA website in the Careers Area to speak with a pilot already
working there to learn about their culture fit. If you are reading this online please
access the Crew Connected service here: http://tinyurl.com/crew-connected . If you
are reading the paper version of this booklet please access Crew Connected via the
BALPA website www.balpa.org via the career services section.
VV Interview Type: Make sure you find out what format the interview will take. Often
they can be combinations of standard interviews and role-specific tests (such as
role plays or psychometric questionnaires).
You should also find out who your interviewer(s) will be and their roles within the
organisation. You can look these up on the company website, or try finding them on
LinkedIn. Again the BALPA Crew Connected facility can help you here.

10
The day before
Get everything ready for the interview, so that the following day you can just grab your
things and go. This includes what youll be wearing, your CV, and a map of the location.

If youre not sure how to get there, try and make the journey the day before (if possible).
Being late because you got lost doesnt send out a great first impression. Also, it wont
help your stress levels.

Always remember to take important information with you. Taking a pack containing your
CV, cover letter, Log book and passport.

Even if some of these things are not needed during your interview, youll not only be
prepared youll look prepared too. Also, they are a great point of reference when
demonstrating a point (or if you get stuck).

On the day of the interview

Take special care to dress appropriately - most of the time smart business dress will be
appropriate.

Finally, always make sure youre punctual - try to arrive at least 15 minutes before your
scheduled interview time. If youre going to be late for any reason then make sure you
inform the interviewer as early as possible.

11
Getting started
Once youre fully prepared for the interview, its time to start thinking about the
interview itself.

Heres some information that may help you successfully overcome the hurdles of
attending an interview. Some things you may find obvious, but these are often the things
we forget.

Knowing what you need to prepare can be difficult. To put your mind at rest, try to write a
checklist of things to consider. For example:

Do:

%% Remember at the interview - they want you to pass, you meet the criteria otherwise
you wouldnt be there.
%% Remember, usually you have only one attempt to sell yourself. First impressions
count. Studies show that it takes a lot more to change peoples minds, once you
have made a first impression.
%% Do your homework.
%% Find out all you can about the airline and as much as you are able to glean about
their terms and conditions. Remember you can access BALPAs Crew Connected
facility where you can be put in touch with a pilot already working at the company
as well access Pay & Benefits Data. If you are reading the online version of this
booklet please access the Benefits Data here: http://tinyurl.com/benefits-data.
If you are reading the paper version of this booklet please visit the BALPA website
www.balpa.org via the career services section.
%% Be prepared for competence-based questions Tell Me About A Time When,
What Did You Do How Did You Feel Draw on your experiences that would be
good examples to illustrate dealing with difficult people & situations.
%% There may be a question about your weaknesses, although this might be veiled
so think carefully about this one in your preparation.

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 %% Be prepared for questions on basic airmanship.
%% Have a good answer ready for Why Us?
%% Have a good answer ready for How Do You See Your Career Progressing?
%% Have a good answer ready for Tell Me about a Time When
%% Be courteous and pleasant to secretaries/receptionists and all those support staff
you encounter before and after. You are being assessed ALL day.
%% Be prepared for a written technical questionnaire.
%% Be ready for psychometric tests and always answer them as truthfully as you can.
Dont let these stress you out. There are no strict pass/fail criteria. Extreme results
good or bad will be the ones that are further investigated. Airlines are generally
looking for the normal. In Aptitude tests, dont get hung up on one question and
dont worry if you do not complete them. If your results show areas of weakness
these may be explored further during interview or simulator assessment so dont
worry too much, just try your best.
%% The Airline may give you lunch if the interview process lasts a day to encompass all
of the above. Remember that lunch is a good time to make up for the odd gaffe, or
conversely, to blow it completely. Also be courteous and considerate - dont dive in
but hand around plates of food and help tidy up in your immediate vicinity.
%% Be prepared for Do you have any questions for us?
%% SMILE and make eye contact. Dont be afraid to pause to think of answers and dont
be scared of long silences or feel obliged to add to your completed answer. Use your
sense of humour where possible and be confident.
%% Involve others during the group exercise and be supportive. Your behaviour,
communication skills and teamwork, is what is being assessed, not the task.
%% Finally, do not forget to say thank you at the end of your interview.

Dont:

Never imply that you would be prepared to break an existing contract to make a
start date.
Dont say I am about to get, only I have got counts.
Dont be cocky or look too relaxed.
Dont lie about work experience; the truth is only a phone call away.
Dont slander your current/past employer or colleagues.
Round off on a positive note, do remember that you are being taken on as a potential
Captain (if you are not already) therefore you must be seen to be able to be personable, a
team player and thus get on with people and not just flight deck colleagues.

13
Interview Q&A bank
This is a range of questions that have been used in pilot interviews. Rehearse your
responses - time spent on this will pay off on the day.

Warm up Questions:
VV Previous Experience (brief summary of your career prior to flying: dates, positions
held, responsibilities).
VV Why did you want to become a pilot?
VV How did you fund your training?
VV What type of aircraft did you take you instrument rating on? Good & bad parts?
VV What it is that attracted you to apply for this role?
VV What do you think would be the worst/best aspects of this role?
VV General What interests or activities do you pursue outside of aviation?

Industry Questions
VV Could you give two examples of current topical aviation related stories?
VV If you were in a management position which direction would you like to develop:-
The crew and pilots and the company direction.

14
Behaviour Questions
VV Could you give me an example of where you have had to persuade someone to
change their mind?
VV How do you encourage colleagues to have a flexible approach?
VV What is your leadership style?
VV How do you deal with negative feedback?
VV Do you feel it is important to be popular?
VV Does it affect tasks if you are not liked?
VV What motivates and de-motivates you?
VV Who do you admire most and why?

Pilot Questions
VV What qualities do you think makes a good pilot and how do you match those?
VV Is it appropriate to deviate if so when?
VV What as a pilot can you add to customer care?
VV What as a pilot can you to do enhance airline efficiency?
VV What preparation do you plan to undertake before a type rating course?
VV As you are ready to depart it starts snowing which is building on the wings. The
Captain remarks its ok, I have gone like this before - What is your response?
VV The load sheet read that you are overweight the Captain says we will change the
fuel figures to make it work What is your response?

General Questions
VV What has been the highpoint of your life so far? Why?
VV Tell me about a responsibility that you have enjoyed and why?
VV What have you done in your life that you are particularly proud of?
VV What is the most difficult situation youve faced how did you deal with it?
VV Tell me about a time you have made a mistake in your professional career.
VV Tell me about a time when you have gone the extra mile?
VV Why should we hire you over someone else with the same qualifications?
VV If you do not get this role what do you think would be the likely reason?

15
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