"Telling Your Story"

[derg]

@JetDoc !

You asked:

I would really appreciate it if someone would point out to me where the "your story" essay goes on Airline Apps. I haven't been able to find it as of yet.

I started a separate thread since the other Hawaiian thread, well, with my participation, became YAAAVDL thread (yet another AA versus DL)

Anyway, You're not literally going to find a box on a lot of applications that says, "Tell me your story", it's really more figurative.

Like if an application says "Professional Organizations" and the answer is "NGPA/OBAP/WAI" — it's not telling your story. Something like "Gotham City Do-Gooders: Helped organize a blanket party for someone who woefully deserved to get the beat down…." tells your story.

Every airline is different and floral explanations of what a captain does at SkyWeezy is less than efficient because most reviewers already know what a captain does and most people that cut and paste their descriptions from certain consultants tend to have the same errors or leave out the basic fundamental truth that you fly the airplane.

Remember, 100% of the applicants fly airplanes. Think of total time and PIC like a movie trailer for what's potentially a really rotten movie, or it might be an amazing movie who knows. You want to leave a reviewer with "Hot damn, I want to meet this guy" rather than leave him with the impression of "Welp, he's a pilot".

Hope that helps and your mileage may vary.

 

[Ian_J]

"Gotham City Do-Gooders: Helped organize a blanket party for someone who woefully deserved to get the beat down…."

Dude, sharing information straight off my own application isn't cool.

 

[guywhoflies]

Honest question: what other professional organizations are there besides OBAP, NGPA, and WAI? I know of EAA, CAP, etc. Are those two even considered "professional organizations"? Any others to get involved in? I ask because I know so many people join those organizations just to pad their resumes. I would like to get involved with a professional organization, but I don't know what is out there. Also, I feel like OBAP, NGPA, and WAI probably have enough volunteers to where my contributions wouldn't be as significant as they would with a smaller organization.

 

[milleR]

Honest question: what other professional organizations are there besides OBAP, NGPA, and WAI? I know of EAA, CAP, etc. Are those two even considered "professional organizations"? Any others to get involved in? I ask because I know so many people join those organizations just to pad their resumes. I would like to get involved with a professional organization, but I don't know what is out there. Also, I feel like OBAP, NGPA, and WAI probably have enough volunteers to where my contributions wouldn't be as significant as they would with a smaller organization.

I think Doug's point is that it doesn't have to be an aviation related group.

"ASPCA: Participates in weekly dog walks and assisted with the annual fund drive" says a lot more about an applicant than a simple affiliation (which every other applicant likely has as well).

 

[guywhoflies]

That makes sense. I was thinking professional as in our profession. I would much prefer to hang out with a bunch of shelter dogs over a group of pilots. I hang out with them enough while at work...work...work...work.

 

[Cessnaflyer]

I've left off volunteer work I've done for the National Association of Realtors for the scholarship they offer because I was worried it would look like I was not 100% focused on aviation and they would thing it was a distraction. Is this something I should put on when asked?

 

[Cptnchia]

off the top of my head:
ASPCA
ARC
ALPA
JDRF
BSA/GSA

 

[milleR]

I've left off volunteer work I've done for the National Association of Realtors for the scholarship they offer because I was worried it would look like I was not 100% focused on aviation and they would thing it was a distraction. Is this something I should put on when asked?

I'm probably speaking out of turn here, but honestly when I see something like that it immediately sparks questions in my head.

"What kind of group is that? How did you get involved? What do you do with them?" etc. etc.

Anything, anything that sets you apart from all the other red-tie, multi-thousand hour RJ captains has to help. (though I might leave off political/religious groups)

 

[jtrain609]

off the top of my head:
ASPCA
ARC
ALPA
JDRF
BSA/GSA

I believe I've learned the hard way that some airlines love ALPA, and want to hear about how you've served your pilot group, and some don't want to hear anything about it.

 

[derg]

Honest question: what other professional organizations are there besides OBAP, NGPA, and WAI? I know of EAA, CAP, etc. Are those two even considered "professional organizations"? Any others to get involved in? I ask because I know so many people join those organizations just to pad their resumes. I would like to get involved with a professional organization, but I don't know what is out there. Also, I feel like OBAP, NGPA, and WAI probably have enough volunteers to where my contributions wouldn't be as significant as they would with a smaller organization.

So many people insert "WAI/OBAP/NGPA" it's not even funny. It might be interesting to see what happens to that as many of the airlines are rolling back participation in external career fairs. It doesn't have to be aviation-related.

Think of yourself knowing who you are, the application is basically an instruction book on how to build a 3D printed "replica" of you in a reviewers mind, thousands of miles away.

I'm probably speaking out of turn here, but honestly when I see something like that it immediately sparks questions in my head.

"What kind of group is that? How did you get involved? What do you do with them?" etc. etc.

Anything, anything that sets you apart from all the other red-tie, multi-thousand hour RJ captains has to help. (though I might leave off political/religious groups)

Absolutely.

 

[derg]

I've left off volunteer work I've done for the National Association of Realtors for the scholarship they offer because I was worried it would look like I was not 100% focused on aviation and they would thing it was a distraction. Is this something I should put on when asked?

If I were the applicant, I'd have it on there. If I were the interviewer I would think, "Cool, that's interesting to ask about!"

 

[Cherokee_Cruiser]

I believe I've learned the hard way that some airlines love ALPA, and want to hear about how you've served your pilot group, and some don't want to hear anything about it.

Yup. Esp at my shop back in 2011 when I applied. Not that I was going to put down anything ALPA, but lets just say I had a heads up about absolutely no union work on anywhere in the application. Both Virgin and jetBlue are ALPA now but when they were non-union, IMO, putting down union work would have hurt depending on who in HQs reviewed your application. Remember that especially in a non-union shop, HQ people are brainwashed to believe a union drive by pilots is going to hurt the company, that we're being evil, not being team players, etc.

 

[derg]

At my shop, it's a pilot reviewing applications.

 

[Toobdrvr]

My $.02, although I'm sure many will disagree. There are two separate "questions" on the app:

1. "Please list any professional organizations in [sic] which you are currently a member"

IMO, the most literal interpretation of the first question is that it is asking simply for a LIST of PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS of which I am currently a member. The question does not ask me for details relating to my involvement in the organization. To me (and I think many others) a "Professional Organization" is one which exists to promote a particular profession. While I think the ASPCA is a wonderful charitable organization, I don't think it should go here (unless I was a veterinarian or something).


2. "Please list any volunteer/ charity work".

THIS is where I've gone into detail to explain my volunteer work, both inside and outside my profession.

I dunno. I've probably got it all wrong. Now if you'll excuse me, I've gotta' get back to pushing this rock...

 

[Hacker15e]

I dunno. I've probably got it all wrong

FWIW, you've got someone in the OP who is closely affiliated with the people who are actually reading the apps and making the decisions on who to call in for interviews posting exactly what they would like to see.

I don't know that it requires a whole lot of interpolating beyond that.

 

[guywhoflies]

My $.02, although I'm sure many will disagree. There are two separate "questions" on the app:

1. "Please list any professional organizations in [sic] which you are currently a member"

IMO, the most literal interpretation of the first question is that it is asking simply for a LIST of PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS of which I am currently a member. The question does not ask me for details relating to my involvement in the organization. To me (and I think many others) a "Professional Organization" is one which exists to promote a particular profession. While I think the ASPCA is a wonderful charitable organization, I don't think it should go here (unless I was a veterinarian or something).


2. "Please list any volunteer/ charity work".

THIS is where I've gone into detail to explain my volunteer work, both inside and outside my profession.

I dunno. I've probably got it all wrong. Now if you'll excuse me, I've gotta' get back to pushing this rock...

That's the way I always read it and why I asked the question about professional organizations. I haven't listed my volunteer work in that space because there is a separate block for volunteer and charity work. Maybe Derg can chime in with some clarification for those of us that are a bit slower (umm...me).

 

[cmhumphr]

It's really disappointing when people put OBAP/WAI on their apps just because they attended one job fair without even being a team player in those organizations.

You should be able to expand on OBAP. "Well what do you do in OBAP?" Great question I enjoyable participating in school visits and during the summer time, I volunteer to do what we call ACE camps to introduce high school students into aviation careers. I love it when the students keep in contact with me when they solo, get new ratings, etc. You actually show your involvement versus just putting for the sake of filling up space or trying to impress someone.

 

[derg]

A little birdy says a vast majority of applicants have "WAI/OBAP/NGPA" on their application and that's about it.

"Sooooo, ya like going to job fairs and hanging out with ten people you barely know in the same hotel room!"

 

[guywhoflies]

It's really disappointing when people put OBAP/WAI on their apps just because they attended one job fair without even being a team player in those organizations.

You should be able to expand on OBAP. "Well what do you do in OBAP?" Great question I enjoyable participating in school visits and during the summer time, I volunteer to do what we call ACE camps to introduce high school students into aviation careers. I love it when the students keep in contact with me when they solo, get new ratings, etc. You actually show your involvement versus just putting for the sake of filling up space or trying to impress someone.

And that is what it would take for me to include OBAP, WAI, or NGPA on my app. I'm not going to list an organization if all I did was pay my dues and not actually contribute to the organization.

That was my reason for my original question. What other professional organizations are out there? The three big ones have plenty of volunteers. I would like to join a professional organization where I could make a greater impact.

 

[Roger Roger]

And that is what it would take for me to include OBAP, WAI, or NGPA on my app. I'm not going to list an organization if all I did was pay my dues and not actually contribute to the organization.

That was my reason for my original question. What other professional organizations are out there? The three big ones have plenty of volunteers. I would like to join a professional organization where I could make a greater impact.

NAMBLA.