Y B Local?

dcramer16

Well-Known Member
AHHHHHHH! What is the deal with all these employers wanting you to be local. Don't they understand that we're pilots, and expect to have to relocate! WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just had my first interview opportunity in the last 2 months slip through my fingers! I applied for a job flying corporate in a CJ and Westwind. The guy called me up, asked me a bunch of interview questions. Then said he liked what he heard. He wanted to meet up with me. I'm in Montana, he's in Oklahoma. He said he'd be through Denver tomorrow and wanted me to let him know how far it was for me to drive. So I looked it up, and emailed him that it was 775 miles, no problem at all. So he emailed me back and said it was too far for me to have to drive, that he'd come up with a plan to meet up. So then I told him again, that when you live in Montana you expect to have to drive long distances for interviews, that it wasn't a big deal. Then I hear back from him, that he found a "local" pilot to interview instead, and he'd let me know what happens!

This isn't the first time this has happened. It has happened about a dozen times in the last 8 months of my furlough. These guys always want someone local. It's not like I can move somewhere before I apply. And it's not like I don't EXPECT to have to move out of Montana when I get a job. It's not like I haven't been saving to be able to afford to move when/if I get a job. I've got a big chunk of change just sitting there waiting for me to get a job, so I can spend it on my move!!!!!!! I am sick sick sick of being turned down for an interivew and or job because I'm not local! @&^%$@^*#&^ So should I just pick a central part of the US, decide that's my address and put it on my resume? I know, I'll put St. Louis as my address. Then if someone calls me up on Dallas, I'm close, if someone calls me up in Chicago, I'm close, if someone calls me up in Denver, I'm close, if someone calls me up in Nashville, I'm close. GOD PEOPLE WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT ME TO DO!!!!!!!!!!! I'm ready to get a job, move out of Montana, and be local somewhere else!!!!!!
 
Best of luck. I have been keeping up with the trials and all that other stuff for, quite awhile now, and still wish that I could give you a point here or there but I really haven't heard of anything. Keep your chin up. There is nothing wrong with being mad, irratated, or anything else. Just remember that you will be the "local" pilot some day and it may be sooner than you think. Good luck.
 
Dan, I know what you mean. The problem is that employers have us by the balls right now, and they can do whatever they want. Too many pilots out of a job right now. As a Pilot, you have to be willing to re-locate and be very flexible, which you are, but it is easier for an employer to get someone local. I've seen places now that don't even pay or reimburse for travel expenses to the interview anymore. Why? Because they can.
 
Tell the employer in your cover letter, or in initial conversations, that you have been trying to move to < their town > and you really want a job in that area. That'll help negate the not-local stigma before it even rears its head. Do your homework on their area though, and be ready to give good solid reasons why you want to live there. On the flip side, you'd better be ready to move to < their town > and plan on staying for a couple of years there.
 
Tell the employer in your cover letter, or in initial conversations, that you have been trying to move to < their town > and you really want a job in that area. That'll help negate the not-local stigma before it even rears its head. Do your homework on their area though, and be ready to give good solid reasons why you want to live there. On the flip side, you'd better be ready to move to < their town > and plan on staying for a couple of years there.

I've been asked before, "Where do you call home". I always say, "Sir, home to me is wherever my wife and daughter is. It could be anywhere, but as long as they're with me, it's home."

Then they say, "Awwww. That's nice.......but I found a local pilot. Thanks for applying.":banghead:

I also bring up the point that I've been living on the east coast and the south for years, but only live in Montana right now cause I'm a furloughed pilot that moved back in with his parents. It doesn't seem to matter how much I tell these people that I CAN be local, they don't want CAN, they want ARE. And the funny thing is, I can be local anywhere within 24-72 hours. I've litterally got the things I need to take with me, packed and ready to go. It seems so retarded now. 8 months ago, I thought, "Any day now, any day now. Someone is going to call and need me immediately, I need to have this stuff packed and ready to head out the door." 8 months later it's still sitting there and I'm thinking I need to unpack it and store it. I'm sick of looking at it! :mad:

I take a large chunk of my unemployment check and put it in what I call my "work" fund. It's money I can use to travel to an interview, or to move on. I've got close to $6000 saved up. So if someone wants me to drive to meet them, like in this last case, it's not a problem at all. I've got the money saved up to do it.
 
Telling an employer that you are willing and able to move is not the same as what I suggested.

Think about it.

The employer wants someone who wants to live in that area. They aren't looking for someone who wants the job who is willing to live there.

It makes a difference, trust me.
 
Telling an employer that you are willing and able to move is not the same as what I suggested.

Think about it.

The employer wants someone who wants to live in that area. They aren't looking for someone who wants the job who is willing to live there.

It makes a difference, trust me.

I see what you're saying. Thanks for the advice.
 
dc- i've kept up on your employement search through your post, i wish you well, dont worry the right job will come around! and listen to steve he's a very wise young man
 
Telling an employer that you are willing and able to move is not the same as what I suggested.

Think about it.

The employer wants someone who wants to live in that area. They aren't looking for someone who wants the job who is willing to live there.

It makes a difference, trust me.
Seems like good advice.

dcramer I can't offer any advice but good luck. I feel for you man.
 
Good luck man. I hope that you find a good job soon.

That is crazy that you were able to save up so much on unemployment.
 
That is crazy that you were able to save up so much on unemployment.

It helps living with my parents. It hasn't been easy though. I keep eyeing new computers, new car sterios, lots of expensive electronic gadgets that so far I have been able to convince myself I can live without.....:D
 
Man, that sucks. You can thank the many, many people who have said they are willing to move and do...but then eventually leave the company to go back "home". When the economy picks up that's what a lot of people do.
 
Personally I respect your value of family first. However, an employer (or prospective employer) might view your placing family above all as an indication that you may or may not be there when there is a decision between family and flying. You don't have to wear your heart on your sleeve. Keep your values but like in sales, (after all, aren't you trying to sell your piloting skills?) make your presentation to the audience. Don't give up. Things will roll out as they are supposed to. Like others in this thread, I've followed your search for employment agony. I think I recall you saying how you had driven a bit of an odyssey a while back only to have not gotten the job. Maybe this guy saved you from the disappointment of saying no. You come across as a conscientious person. Someone with longer term viewpoint will appreciate that. CRJDriver is spot on. They've got us by the balls. Being an employer IS a business decision. When supply exceeds demand employers can be picky. Their loss if they only take one perspective.
 
First of all, I value your opinion. I just want to comment on a few things.

Personally I respect your value of family first. However, an employer (or prospective employer) might view your placing family above all as an indication that you may or may not be there when there is a decision between family and flying.
I do place my family first, but I am 110% sure that my family is with me no matter what, and would never ever make me choose. I could be wrong, but Christina has allowed me to drag her from one end of the country to another and has never once said a thing about it. There was a time when I thought she was going to leave because I was furloughed, and things got tense, but we got over it. Perhaps I need to find a way to let employers know that it isn't like that at all. I know my family would ever ever put me in a position where I had to choose. But the point I was getting at was, as far as being local, I don't care where I live. My family is with me, and thus it's "home" to me.


I think I recall you saying how you had driven a bit of an odyssey a while back only to have not gotten the job. Maybe this guy saved you from the disappointment of saying no.
I see your point, but in my eyes there is a big difference between the two. First case, I drove 5000 miles round trip (and close to $1000 in expenses) under the assumption that I was most likely going to get the job. This case would have been 1600 miles round trip, (probably no more than $150 in expenses) and I was in no way led to belive that I would get the job for sure. But I see your point. Sometimes though I would almost perfer the dissapointment of being told no, than the dissapointment of being totally passed by. I guess I deal with that on a case by case basis, and I guess sometimes feel like bitching, and sometimes I don't. I don't know what else to say to that.


CRJDriver is spot on. They've got us by the balls.
:yeahthat:

I'm not ready to have a Kodak moment right now, but I will say I really appreciate the support from everyone. Not only do I have people on the threads telling me to keep my head up, I get PM's also. It really helps a lot. I know I'm only one of the many thousands that are having this problem, and my situation may be a lot better than theirs, so for someone to take the time to tell me to keep plugging along is a hell of a moral boost. JC is a great community. I've even had people PM me and ask for my resume to walk in. Believe me when I say the thing I look forward to most when I get a job, is being able to return the favors.
 
However, an employer (or prospective employer) might view your placing family above all as an indication that you may or may not be there when there is a decision between family and flying.
If the person on the other end of the table wouldn't make the same decision when it comes down to family or fly, that's not a place I'd want to call "home"....just sayin.

-mini
 
If the person on the other end of the table wouldn't make the same decision when it comes down to family or fly, that's not a place I'd want to call "home"....just sayin.

-mini

As always Mini, you're a welcome site on my thread. Thanks for contributing. By the way, do you type -mini after each post or is it automatic.:D We're all dying to know!!!!!!!!!
 
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