Category: Job Seekers

When 2020 began, one of the last thoughts on the minds of aviation jobseekers was the possibility of considering a “bridge job” instead of a dream job. Now, nine months into the pandemic, aviation jobs are scarce, and there are a limited number of ideal opportunities available. If you’re an aviation professional looking for work, you understand the challenges of finding solid prospects in today’s market. Competition for infrequent job openings is fierce. In fact, at API we’ve heard stories of more than 200 applicants for a single pilot position! Is a “Bridge […]

Aviation scholarships — specifically those awarded in business aviation — can often seem like “pie-in-the-sky” pursuits. That is: difficult to win, with a lot of hoops to jump through and red tape to navigate. Or aviation professionals often feel it’s too late—that they’re too far along in their careers to qualify for one. But I’m here to tell you they’re worth the effort, and you shouldn’t abandon the idea of applying for them. I’m a big proponent of scholarships. In fact, I often broach the subject when talking with aviation professionals. There […]

Losing one’s job can be a traumatic experience at any time, but especially during a global pandemic. And particularly when opportunities are scarce. In the wake of COVID-19, aviation professionals cannot network in the customary way. They cannot attend industry events to help build connections. They cannot even shake hands. We understand it’s a stressful and frustrating situation to find oneself in. I know the frustration first-hand. In fact, I witnessed it just a few months ago when I was on a team to help some out-of-work employees. Our CEO and I were […]

Why are job references important? One major reason is because business aviation is a niche industry. And, as such, it often seems like everyone in business aviation knows everyone else. Or they can get to know them fairly rapidly via word-of-mouth. That means your industry-wide reputation is critically important. The people providing your job references can be a vital key to getting a job offer from a company—or not. Part of building your references is to proactively ask specific people if they’d be willing to provide a professional reference for you. For that […]

Congratulations, and welcome to the (new) Roaring 20s! With the closing of 2019, not only do we celebrate having taken another trip around the sun, we look back on 10 trips! Yes, we’re welcoming in a new year—and a brand-new decade—with a bang. The end of each year always lends itself to reflection on how far we’ve come in the past 12 months. And—this year especially—the past decade. Every one of us has had major experiences worth noting. That’s why I always like to spend the first part of the New Year […]

Lately, I’ve been hearing from a handful of aviation candidates who are new to job hunting. Some of them feel like job-hunt novices, mainly because they’ve been at the same company for the past 10 years—and in some cases, even 20. Needless to say, the market’s changed radically over that time period. Now, as they report, they’re either inspired to job hunt by sensing opportunity in the marketplace or they’re forced by circumstances to seek out another prospect. As I’ve been talking to them, they list the following reasons for their decision to […]

Are pilot pay, benefits and quality of life the keys to retention during the talent shortage? Here at Aviation Personnel International, we happen to think so. After all, business aircraft owners and operators are feeling the pressure to compete for the best pilots. And many are wondering whether they’re offering the right mix of competitive pilot pay, benefits and a more regular schedule to allow for better quality of life.   Keys to Retention To further explain these keys to retention, I’ve gathered up the most popular articles that reference them. I’m hoping that you’ll […]

It was quite an honor to be invited to be a panelist at the 9th Annual JETNET iQ Summit* in New York. It was my first time attending, but it won’t be my last. The panel I participated on was entitled, simply, “Industry Talent.” The informative session was moderated by Rolland Vincent, who is the JETNET iQ Summit Co-Chair as well as the iQ creator and director. My co-panelists included Joseph Barber, Vice President of Fleet Development for Clay Lacy Aviation; Steve Gade, Duncan Aviation’s VP of Marketing and New Business Development; and […]

Just what are the opportunities for women in aviation? And will the pressure around identifying and recruiting great talent ever let up? Those are a few of the questions I wanted to answer when API’s Jennifer Pickerel and I attended the recent International Aviation Womens Association’s General Aviation Leadership Forum. The IAWA Forum focused on opportunities for growth within the sector. It also emphasized the need to attract, retain and promote women in aviation. I was honored to participate in an inspiring panel entitled, “Leading Today and in the Future.” For that discussion, we […]

Earlier this year, I (Sheryl Barden) had the pleasure of being interviewed by Bill Garvey, the Editor of “Business & Commercial Aviation,” one of the industry’s premier trade publications. In every issue, Bill writes a Fast Five column in which he asks a thought leader five questions. Bill recorded our phone conversation, in which we go more in depth than the print article. Topics included resume writing, college degrees, projected industry growth, the pilot shortage and compensation. I’ve also included a transcript of our conversation below. Or, if you’d like, you may click […]