CFI Employability

hammer

New Member
Anyone care to put an estimate on the percentage of licensed CFI's out there that are actively looking but not able to find a job flight instructing? I've been giving more serious thought over recent days to doing the training. I know I'd enjoy working as a CFI however at the same time, spending $5,000+ to get the ratings to still be looking for a job isn't all that appealing. Also, has anyone found a preference among potential employers for the type of CFI training their employees received? The All ATP route is certainly efficient and cheap however has anyone heard their graduates have a harder time finding a job instructing over CFI's that went the FBO route for their training? Thanks in advance.
 
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The only CFI's who can't find jobs are the ones who aren't willing to move/sacrafice to get them.

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This is true...there are quite a few of them out there!
 
Took me 5 months after getting my CFI, and moving 170 miles from my hometown to find a job =)
 
Hell, I know a CFI/CFII/MEI/ATP who probably has close to 3000TT right now who cannot find a job OTHER than instructing... because the dumba$$ won't relocate.

You gotta be flexible, man.

Best of luck! Keep us posted!

R2F
 
I moved 1100 miles for my CFI job....and now I'm about to move back 1100 miles for another CFI job!! Go figure....

The keys to my success = 1997 Sentra and no furniture.
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Hell, I know a CFI/CFII/MEI/ATP who probably has close to 3000TT right now who cannot find a job OTHER than instructing... because the dumba$$ won't relocate.

You gotta be flexible, man.

Best of luck! Keep us posted!

R2F

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Is that why so many CFI's are single? (grin)
 
sometimes if you time it just right you can find universitys or colleges that are hiring outside of their program because they dont have enough going through their program but tons of newer students. This was the case at my college. We hired outside of the program quite a few times. Then we finally had more students start getting their cfi again, it kinda goes in waves. Justkeep looking everywhere though. You just have to be in the right place at the right time.
 
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Is that why so many CFI's are single? (grin)

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No. It's because all we ever talk about are airplanes. Seriously.
 
Man this post has just cheered me up, im about to finish my CFI and my interview with academy is coming with alot of nervousness, alot of uncertainty. It sure brightened my day to hear that you guys are confident that a CFI can find work.
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I moved about 200 miles for my first CFI job.

Anyone remember a couple of years ago when people were arguing with me about the value of being a CFI?
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I'm nuts for suggesting people become CFI's instead of plunking down another $15,000 to land an FO position somewhere.

Methinks those people aren't even in aviation anymore!
 
How about right now or fairly recently? Anyone actively looking for a job as a CFI or just get hired? If so, how long have you been looking or did you look?
 
I was one of the CFIs who couldn't find work. Luckily, I got a chance at another job opportunity.
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Honestly though, I traveled all over the country looking for work. I followed about 15 job leads all over the States, buying plane tickets to walk in my resume at various places. Came up empty. I gave up the search after a month though, because of my current job.

It's difficult to find CFI jobs I believe, because often schools will employ students who received their ratings at that particular school. I ran into that problem at EVERY job I applied for.
 
NETWORK! Connect and reconnect with flying friends- they may be able to give you a tip on a possible, "unadvertised" opening.
 
Ive been at my cfi job almost 2 years now but I had to wait nearly six months before I found a job... Actually I didnt even walk my resume into the place but I was talking with one of my old instructors who had just gotten furloughed from mesa airlines. This was at a time where there were tons of furloughed and even united pilots were looking for cfi jobs. My former instructor decided to take the chief pilot job and told me he would hire me as soon as he could.. The networking part is important... There is one place around here that ive heard makes you buy a membership in their club to instruct there. One friend I know thats working there said he had to buy a membership and it was like $3500 or something. Yikes hopefully not too many jobs like that out there.. It would be a dark dreary day for the industry if all places required you to buy your job... There are jobs out there, just need to be in the right place at the right time
 
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