The last two years have been chaotic for the aviation sector due to the COVID outbreak, and the economic instability further sabotaged the industry. This has significantly impacted pilot recruitment levels and forced many to compete for jobs outside their preferred fields of expertise. However, now is the ideal opportunity to make sure your job application letter for pilot stands out from the competition to airline recruiters due to the introduction of vaccines and the gradual resumption of both local and international flights in numerous areas worldwide.
To help you stand out from the competition when applying for flight deck roles, we have put together their top ideas for writing the ideal pilot cover letter...
The Importance of A Cover Letter
A cover letter for pilot jobs is an excellent way to express more of your personality and non-quantifiable successes and personal qualities since airline recruiters will utilise your CV to identify your qualifications and statistical accomplishments.
Are you good at keeping time? Excellent under pressure? Instead of just restating what your CV says about your work experience, let a little more of your personality shine through in your cover letter. This is a wonderful time to highlight any unique personal qualities that set you apart from the competition for airline recruiters who love having a complete picture of who they might be trusting with a job opportunity.
What should my Pilot cover letter include?
The following information should be in your pilot cover letter:
• What kind of aircraft do you want to operate?
• Your desired operational base (or a statement that you would be willing to relocate to any of them).
• Emphasise your compliance with all regulations and any unique skills that can help you stand out from the competition (for example, holding an A320 type rating when applying to operate that aircraft).
• While writing your cover letter for pilot jobs, justify your desire to work for that airline by considering its ethos, values, and mission statement. Include a quotation from one of them, whether a phrase or a slogan. This implies that you did a lot of research on the airline.
• Include a few phrases that show you have done your homework on the company's history, such as when it was founded and how things have changed.
• Describe your long-term goals for the business. This can entail being a member of the training division or eventually being promoted to Captain. You might also connect this to any orders the airline has placed and the prospects these present.
• Emphasise the operation's nature and how it fits your goals and personality traits. For instance, a fleet of different aircraft types can perform both long- and short-haul flights, and perhaps a lost cost carrier that only has one fleet of different aircraft types but travels to numerous locations. Both have advantages of their own.
• Describe your abilities (especially non-technical ones), how you gained them (via previous jobs, etc.), and how they are appropriate for the airline you are applying for operations.
Depending on the type of airline you are applying to, you could take some of these elements into account when writing the pilot cover letter.
Tips to write the perfect cover letter
The structure is crucial!
A structured, simple-to-read cover letter is the one aspect of every job application letter for pilot that aviation recruiters want to see when they open your documents. This gives employers the impression that you are a well-organised person who has taken the time to present your information professionally and in a structured way. This makes it simple for them to locate your key qualifications and personal qualities, making your application more interesting.
Analyse your application and make it specific!
Any job application letter for pilot with a generic cover letter exasperates aviation recruiters. It's easier than you might think for recruiters to notice when you change the name of the airline and a few keywords. This gives the recruiter the idea that you haven't taken the time to properly understand the employing airline or the nature of the opportunity at hand.
Being in charge of an expensive aircraft and frequently a passenger or cargo compartment places pilots in a position of great trust and authority. Therefore, the two qualities that airline recruiters look for in a good pilot cover letter are professionalism and attention to detail. Make sure the recruiter knows you have researched the company by outlining your unique motivations for wanting to work for the specific airline you are applying to and by giving concrete instances of what you hope to accomplish while working with them.
Outline your aspirations for the future!
Clear future objectives that applicants hold with their airline are a quality that airline recruiters appreciate seeing in a pilot cover letter. Make sure the recruiter understands why you applied to work for their airline rather than another by giving concrete examples of what you would like to accomplish working with them in the future in your cover letter to show that you have looked into the airline's internal development potential.
Quality over quantity!
Keep your cover letter concise. Before moving into the more extensive CV, no airline recruiter wants to read an essay. Therefore, it is essential to keep it brief while still including enough details to present a favourable impression of yourself and your motivations for applying. Make sure that the hiring manager wants to read more of your job application letter for pilot.
Double Check and Proofread everything!
As was already mentioned, aviation recruiters seek the most competent, trustworthy, and thorough pilots. For this reason, it's crucial to double-check your cover letter before sending it, ensuring there are no grammar or language issues and that you have included all of the information you want the recruiter to know about you.
In a nutshell...
Ensure good flow throughout the letter. If you have to go back and reread a sentence because it doesn't read correctly when you reread it, modify it so that the sentence flows. While phrases make sense, they may read awkwardly because of the word choice or sentence structure. The recruiter would need to reread it if you did.
To learn more about the company's mission statement, beliefs, and vision, visit its website's "about" or "investor relations" section. Consider including some of these in your letter. For instance, if the airline's website declares that it is "dedicated to providing the best customer service in the world," state that you wish to assist the airline in fulfilling this commitment and discuss how your prior experience has complimented your expertise in this area. If you've never flown before, you might briefly discuss a former position in customer service or what you did as a pilot to improve the passenger experience.
Pay close attention to the job description's specifics. This can help you come up with some topic ideas. You can discuss how your non-technical talents would enable you to manage the problems of this suitably while finding it to be highly fulfilling if the airline, for instance, mentions a vast route network or quick career advancement. You could also discuss your professional plans, such as joining the training division.
Given the state of the aviation sector, there is probably a lot of competition for every job listing. To ensure that your application is remembered by the people who matter most—the airline recruiters—and that it leads you to a swift return to the skies, you must take the time to craft a professional and personalised cover letter for each opportunity.
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