Seriously considering airline dispatch profession

Just wanted to throw my thoughts into the mix. Spot on about class sizes and makeups above.

I am a recent Sheffield grad and was hired at a small part 121 domestic/flag carrier; I was offered the job an hour after the phone and Skype interview. Timeframe-wise that put me almost 2 months out from when I had graduated with my cert. Like you I had done my due diligence and research; as far as a time frame on how long it will take after school to land a job with a 121 regional carrier, I have seen as quick as receiving an offer while still in school to as lengthy as 6+ months. As woman pilot is saying, if you truly go out there and apply yourself and try to make the dots line up there's no reason you shouldn't be able to pin something down in a month or two.

I am in a similar boat as you are about a lack of aviation experience. This is my first airline gig (read: no dispatch experience), and I do not have a completed degree. On the contrary, I do have part 142 aviation education in the books. Everyone is going to be different, and again; no reason why you shouldn't be able to accentuate your strong suits.

Best of luck to ya.
 
Would being a flight attendant at the airline potentially help one's chances of getting hired as a dispatcher at said airline? Or is it more so a ramp/gate agent that would have an advantage?
 
Pilot121 said:
Would being a flight attendant at the airline potentially help one's chances of getting hired as a dispatcher at said airline? Or is it more so a ramp/gate agent that would have an advantage?
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Already working for the airline you want to dispatch for gets you a bit further towards the front of the line for sure
 
DispatcherSam said:
Already working for the airline you want to dispatch for gets you a bit further towards the front of the line for sure
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Couldn't agree more. Once you're in, you're in. Whether you're destroying people's badly-wrapped snow globes or being yelled at by serving grandma a Coke product instead of a Pepsi, the airline business loves their own.

"Welcome back," vs "Welcome aboard," if you would.
 
bilbolinski said:
Just wanted to throw my thoughts into the mix. Spot on about class sizes and makeups above.

I am a recent Sheffield grad and was hired at a small part 121 domestic/flag carrier; I was offered the job an hour after the phone and Skype interview. Timeframe-wise that put me almost 2 months out from when I had graduated with my cert. Like you I had done my due diligence and research; as far as a time frame on how long it will take after school to land a job with a 121 regional carrier, I have seen as quick as receiving an offer while still in school to as lengthy as 6+ months. As woman pilot is saying, if you truly go out there and apply yourself and try to make the dots line up there's no reason you shouldn't be able to pin something down in a month or two.

I am in a similar boat as you are about a lack of aviation experience. This is my first airline gig (read: no dispatch experience), and I do not have a completed degree. On the contrary, I do have part 142 aviation education in the books. Everyone is going to be different, and again; no reason why you shouldn't be able to accentuate your strong suits.

Best of luck to ya.
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i agree, also some luck helps
in my shop we were pretty desperate couple of times last year that we hired the first few applications that came thru, with 0 experience - fresh out of dispatcher school. but then if you get lucky like that, you probably have to put extra effort to catch up and be at same level as other dispatchers
 
Burrito said:
Couldn't agree more. Once you're in, you're in. Whether you're destroying people's badly-wrapped snow globes or being yelled at by serving grandma a Coke product instead of a Pepsi, the airline business loves their own.

"Welcome back," vs "Welcome aboard," if you would.
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Loyalty is a good thing on both sides. BTW, @Burrito what happened to the fun avatar? ;)

I have been quite encouraged by the group of dispatchers (and future dispatchers) on this forum. It is nice to have a platform to ask questions without feeling like they are dumb, or you won't get a straight answer. You just never know when we all might meet each other, or even work together at some point. :D
 
Avgirl said:
Loyalty is a good thing on both sides. BTW, @Burrito what happened to the fun avatar? ;) I have been quite encouraged by the group of dispatchers (and future dispatchers) on this forum. It is nice to have a platform to ask questions without feeling like they are dumb, or you won't get a straight answer. You just never know when we all might meet each other, or even work together at some point. :D
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You know what they say...the only stupid question is the one you don't ask!

Counting on you for the SDF meetup! By the way, this community is amazingly small and even though you won't work with all of us, your coworkers at every airline you go will know at least one dispatcher that you know.
 
womanpilot73 said:
You know what they say...the only stupid question is the one you don't ask!

Counting on you for the SDF meetup! By the way, this community is amazingly small and even though you won't work with all of us, your coworkers at every airline you go will know at least one dispatcher that you know.
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Oh, I'll be there! :D There are few certainties in life, but that is absolutely one of them! :D
 
747Dispatcher said:
But then if you get lucky like that, you probably have to put extra effort to catch up and be at same level as other dispatchers
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This was my experience - freshly licensed and my first job was dispatching heavy jets internationally. It definitely requires some extra effort on your part because it's not easy to walk into that with zero experience. I really had little idea what ETOPS, NATS, etc was because dispatch school focuses on domestic. But if I can do it, anyone can.

Schools do offer an international add on but everyone advised me to not waste the money because I'd get the training by the airline. Good advice!

Don't think it's not possible to get a job at one of the 121 supplementals without experience. It's probably not super common, but it does happen. Network! ;-)
 
womanpilot73 said:
You know what they say...the only stupid question is the one you don't ask!

Counting on you for the SDF meetup! By the way, this community is amazingly small and even though you won't work with all of us, your coworkers at every airline you go will know at least one dispatcher that you know.
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To point one: There are stupid questions. They receive stupid answers. That being considered, silence shall not be an option.

To point B: This holds true for airline hopefuls, interviewers you'll sit in with, who'll glance over your resume again (for the eighth time) and ask how you enjoyed the teaching from [dispatch instructor at whatever place gave you your ticket].

//

May I also suggest an NJC posting for the meetup..? Pilots are people too, and I know CVG and SDF aren't far if a certain airline's pilot base would want to join up.

//

Borderlands 2.
 
Avgirl said:
Loyalty is a good thing on both sides. BTW, @Burrito what happened to the fun avatar? ;)

I have been quite encouraged by the group of dispatchers (and future dispatchers) on this forum. It is nice to have a platform to ask questions without feeling like they are dumb, or you won't get a straight answer. You just never know when we all might meet each other, or even work together at some point. :D
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Could not agree more....I had been lurking on these forums for a while. Even though I had learned a lot by just going through what others had asked and the responses, I am glad I went ahead and posted myself. Amazed by all the support and encouragement!
 
Burrito said:
To point one: There are stupid questions. They receive stupid answers. That being considered, silence shall not be an option. May I also suggest an NJC posting for the meetup..? Pilots are people too, and I know CVG and SDF aren't far if a certain airline's pilot base would want to join up. // Borderlands 2.
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Well I sure am glad nobody has ever taken it upon themselves to give me a stupid answer because I am CERTAIN I have asked stupid questions along the way in an effort to learn. Hell, I still ask questions that I'm sure some perceive as stupid but it's still in an effort to learn. There is no way one can know everything and I learn something new every day. In fact, asking questions someone might consider stupid has kept me from making a mistake more than once. So I still believe that the only stupid question is the one you don't ask.

As far as the SDF meetup goes, anyone is welcome to come to the first annual JC Highlands Pub Crawl. Shoot me a PM for details :D
 
If it wasn't for this forum I would not have been nearly as prepared for the interview for my current job. There are quite a few people here who walked me through some of the finer points of dispatch. The stuff I didn't fully understand going into my first interview. I wouldn't have the job I have now if it wasn't for certain members.
 
Burrito said:
To point one: There are stupid questions. They receive stupid answers. That being considered, silence shall not be an option.

Borderlands 2.
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There are no stupid questions. Just stupid people. With that being said in this profession you have to ask every question you can. The FAA will see it that way too...
 
Since we are all sharing stories, it has almost been exactly one year since I started my Dispatch school class. I had zero aviation experience prior to this, but, like many others have also said they've done, I was on this forum learning as much as I could reading and asking questions (thanks again @womanpilot73 ). An unrelated Bachelor's degree as well.

I went to Jeppesen and we had two classes of over 20 each after the distance learning group joined us for the last 2 weeks. My class was about 1/3rd international students, had one guy who was active duty Army, and just about everyone else had some form of aviation experience. I was kinda the oddball with no aviation experience in our class. I don't remember how the make up of the other group was.

I ended up being offered an 121 regional Dispatch job even before I took my O&P. I think just over 10 people between both classes, including myself, were offered 121 positions at a couple of airlines before or just after actually getting our licenses.

Like everyone else, I would be happy to answer questions if pm'ed. Although it may take me a few days to notice it :oops:
 
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