Mentor Minute: Networking & Resumes

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Contributing Writers

Afton Kinkade Ava Shelly Connor Clinkscale Cayla McLeod Dick Knapinski, EAA Haden Bourland Laila Johnson LIFT Academy Lynsey Howell Nick Poucher Republic Airways Robb Williams Shlok Misra Terry Lloyd Tori Helseth USAF: Ilma Vallee

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By: Lynsey Howell

Networking & Resumes

Networking is so important and beneficial to actually getting a job. Your resume is more to prove that you have the credentials that meet the minimum requirements.

The only time I’ve needed a resume was for: 1) my very first job out of college, 2) to complete a formal interview, and 3) to show my flight hours for insurance. I think the more valuable topic here is networking. Every flying job I’ve landed was because I knew someone or I knew someone who knew someone.

• I got a job flying a King Air because I knew someone outside of aviation who needed a copilot. • I got a job flying a Baron and Hawker because I went to college with a pilot who recommended me to the captain he was flying with. • I got a job flying a Citation X because the line guys recommended me to the lead pilot. • I got a job flying in the Caribbean because my best friend used to fly with a guy who worked there and he walked in my resume. • I got a job flying for JetSuite because a guy I flew with in the Caribbean walked in my resume to the chief pilot. • I am at my current position flying a Lear 45 because that same captain from 14 years ago needed a copilot again.

So what is networking? To me, it’s just a fancy business word used to describe making and maintaining relationships. Why is it so important? Because you’re more likely to get a job when someone sticks up for your character and even more likely when it is someone from within the organization. But you have to be a person that someone wants to work with. Do you have a sparkling personality? I don’t care how amazing your credentials are, if you have a bad attitude you’ll probably struggle to get hired.

So the first step in getting a job is to practice the art of networking; meeting people and maintaining relationships. Once established, have a stellar resume that shows off how awesome you are!