Pounding The Pavement, What Today’s CFA’s Need to Know!
/Finding a job as a Corporate Flight Attendant isn’t always easy. Some are lucky enough to get hired the first time around, while others unfortunately go through the grueling process of “pounding the pavement”. The key to the hunt is to stay positive and persistent. Don’t read that and say it’s easier said than done. Being negative never gets anyone anywhere. If becoming a Corporate Flight Attendant is the job you want, then it’s only up to you to get it!
We speak for many Corporate Flight Attendants when we say that the Private Aviation Industry is extremely competitive, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a place for you. VVIP spoke to CFA’s who are either currently working in the industry or actively seeking employment, and they all agreed with two things, that it wasn’t easy, but that it was really worth it. After all, being a Corporate Flight Attendant can offer many opportunities, not to mention it can be a traveler’s dream come true.
It’s true, the job can come with perks, but getting the job “is no walk in the park”. VVIP wanted to share what we learned from some of the Corporate Flight Attendants we spoke to, and Jazmin Marrero agreed to share some of her experience looking for work, and what she thinks is important for future CFA’s to know. Here’s what Jazmin had to say:
“It is a whole different world and a very small one at that! You have to be persistent and build your network...Let me say this, it doesn’t matter what training you go to, especially coming into aviation with no experience. This is a very competitive industry. So it is not Easy!!! If you're lucky to land a contract trip, that’s your chance to do your best & possibly land a full-time job. What has worked for me is being persistent, but the best way to get in is being referred in by your network.”
We also spoke to Kaelyn DaCosta who said:
“My experience job searching was made a lot easier because I did VVIP. Two months out of my training Lauren (CEO of VVIP) posted in our group forum a bunch of job openings and I applied to them right away. Soon after I was chosen for an interview with a part 135 company and I got the job! Since then I’ve been able to work contract trips and add to my resume.”
Kaelyn reminds us of something very important when searching in today’s job market. Join groups! Social media in this instance can be your friend. Use it to network. As Kaelyn mentioned she used The VVIP group forum where jobs are posted almost daily. Give it a try!
The one thing we think all future and prospective Corporate Flight Attendants should keep in mind is that in corporate aviation the most important thing is to find work in the first place, and that landing a contract job doesn’t always happen right away. We think you should always be yourself, and find ways to make yourself stand out in the crowd. Being a Corporate Flight Attendant takes a lot of stamina, and it isn’t a job for people who give up easily. You’ll have to put in some time and effort, but to help guide you in the right direction here are a few tips we found that may help you get started:
10 Strategies for Job Hunting in Competitive Industries
Get relevant work experience
Enhance your education
Network
Customize your resume for each job
Build a professional online profile
Obtain leadership skills
Stay current with industry trends
Have good references
Volunteer for work experience
Acquire marketable skills, try learning a foreign language.
Sometimes the smallest opportunities to work can arise, a call to help prep and stock the aircraft, or a random call to cover for a flight. Remember every opportunity in this industry is an opportunity and you should never turn one away. It’s a chance to be considered for an open position when one becomes available, and at the least it’s the chance to gain relevant work experience. Take every job you can no matter how small and show them what you’re made of!
We know that sometimes the whole process of job hunting can get you down. You're not alone. We’ve all experienced rough times when we had to take on part time jobs to make ends meet. Times when we applied and were never called, or were called and then rejected. Rejection is never easy. It can even make you feel like you aren’t good enough, or don’t have what it takes. It is undeniably a tough hurdle to get over. Here’s when we say stay positive, and stay focused!
If you find yourself feeling discouraged it’s time to take a step back and think of your future. Think of the future you planned for yourself and how far you are willing to go to make that dream come to fruition. Ask yourself, did I do my best? Did I try as hard as I could? Am I giving up? If you're finding yourself going through a particularly rough time here are a few things we thought you should consider that we at VVIP have found helpful.
Create a schedule and set some boundaries for your job search. Structure helps to give our lives a sense of control, which will keep you motivated and keep you thinking positive.
Stay organized. Create a step by step plan and break down your job search into manageable tasks. Setting up informational interviews, finding contact information, or drafting emails can all be done in steps. Without the chaos you can avoid feeling overwhelmed.
Take time off. You need to take time to relax and get some physical rest. You can’t feel motivated when you're exhausted.
Make sure you have some emotional support. We all need someone to talk to who can remind us of our value and talk us through things.
Know what triggers stress for you. If you can figure out what sets you off you can find more positive ways to cope.
