How to write a Curriculum Vitae / Resume for Pilots

A strong Curriculum Vitae (CV) is the key to getting an interview with a certain aviation company. Recruiters usually don't spend more than 15-30 seconds viewing your CV. A Curriculum Vitae is the summary of your experience and qualifications and should only be one page long. It is imperative that the most relevant information a recruiter is looking for, is retrievable within the blink of an eye. 1. Information In this section you will provide information such as your name, phone number, address, and e-mail. Some aviation companies in Europe like to see a nice photo of you in the header section. Make sure your e-mail contains your full name and does not come across as unprofessional. Also make sure your phone has an answering machine, so that the recruiter can leave a message if necessary. 2. Flight Time Break down the flight time and clearly indicate your total flight time on the top of this section. Make sure that the column with your hours are nicely aligned. It's not at all recommended to write down specific flight times such as solo time, a total of landings or dual received. If you are applying for a company that is looking for personnel for a specific type of aircraft they are operating, then write down the total time you have flown on that aircraft. Be aware that you CV should only be one page long, so don't be too specific 3. License & Ratings List the certificates and ratings that are relevant to the job you are applying for. An example may be JAR-FCL ATPL, or SACAA ATP. Also, do include type ratings issued on license. Make sure that the requirements listed by the airline are mentioned in your qualifications section. 4. Employment History List all your previous work experience as a pilot. The key is to keep it short and easy to read. Don't be too specific in this section and refrain from including non-flying work experience. If you have no experience in aviation and this is your first application to an airline, then just write down your last work experience.

5. Education List the highest education level you have achieved. If you have any college degrees, list all the degrees obtained and universities you attended. The recruiter is not interested in information about your high school education, or specific classes you attended. 6. Personal Details Inform the recruiter about yourself, your marital status as well as the passport you hold, what your personal interests are and what you like to do in your free time. 7. References This section is optional and we recommend you to only list it if you have space to spare. List two to three individuals that are related to aviation, for instance a Chief Pilot, a Captain or a Flight Instructor. List their e-mail address as well as their phone numbers, in case the airline wants to contact them.