| Writing a résumé can be one of the | | | | should be mentioned as well including: |
| most daunting parts of any job search. | | | | food service, wine courses, language |
| Quite frankly, it is one of the most | | | | training, etc. The training section |
| important elements in helping you find | | | | could easily be titled "Education" and |
| work. A good résumé can ease doors | | | | include college degrees and other post |
| open while a poorly written one will | | | | high school training as well. |
| certainly shut these very same doors. In | | | | References: Please do not include |
| aviation, there are certain things that | | | | references on your résumé! If you feel |
| must be included in a résumé to help | | | | the need to mention references, please |
| you get noticed and getting noticed is, | | | | conclude your résumé with something |
| of course, the first step toward | | | | like this: References furnished upon |
| securing an interview which may lead to | | | | request. That's it. Nothing fancy. If |
| employment. | | | | you do mention that references will be |
| There is no "one-size fits all" résumé | | | | included at a later time please make |
| that will guarantee success. In my many | | | | sure that you have at least three, be |
| years of reviewing pilot and, later, | | | | prepared to present them upon request, |
| flight attendant résumés I have seen | | | | and make sure your references know that |
| submitted everything from multipage | | | | you are using them as references. |
| treatises to two paragraph summations. | | | | Hobbies: Hmmm.... I am not sure why some |
| As a private flight attendant, your | | | | people feel the need to include details |
| résumé should fall somewhere in | | | | on how they spend their free time. |
| between: a one page copy is the | | | | Perhaps they are trying to tell the |
| preferred length in this industry. | | | | person reading the résumé that they |
| The top part of your résumé must | | | | are a well rounded person. In my |
| include the following: | | | | opinion, save those details for your |
| 1. Your name | | | | interview. |
| 2. Your complete address: house or | | | | Other personal information: In most |
| apartment number, street, city, state, | | | | states giving out one's marital status, |
| zip and country if applying | | | | age, height and weight is illegal. If |
| internationally. | | | | you are applying for work overseas the |
| 3. Your home phone number. | | | | company or agency may want this |
| 4. Your cell phone or secondary | | | | information in addition to a full length |
| number such as a fax machine. | | | | picture of yourself and a headshot. I |
| 5. Your email address. | | | | have heard objections from some about |
| This first bit of information should be | | | | this particular practice. Remember: the |
| centered for easy reading and your copy | | | | U.S. Bill of Rights stops at our |
| should be on white or off white paper. | | | | borders. If you want to work |
| No fancy fonts, no loud colors, nothing | | | | internationally, you must respect local |
| to make it stand out. Why? More than | | | | laws and customs. Your opinion will |
| likely it will be trashed if it is not | | | | probably not shape what they want if you |
| visually appealing. Trust me: in | | | | do not like it then do not apply. |
| business aviation, which is generally a | | | | College and universities are key |
| very conservative field, the flamboyant | | | | institutions where many get their first |
| self promoter is often ignored. | | | | try at crafting a résumé. I like what |
| What follows next is open to debate. | | | | the University at Buffalo School of |
| Some human resources people insist that | | | | Management has to say about writing a |
| you need an Objective on your résumé | | | | résumé: |
| while others do not. If you do include | | | | Do: |
| an Objective, please write a strong and | | | | * Do try to fit your résumé on |
| positive statement about your career and | | | | one page |
| job objective, concentrating on your | | | | * Do leave an appropriate amount of |
| strengths and how you can add value to a | | | | margin space (1/2 - 1 inch is good, no |
| potential employer. When creating your | | | | less than ¼ inch) |
| objective, use clear and concise | | | | * Do use positive action verbs to |
| language. One of the advantages of | | | | highlight your skills |
| including an Objective is that it tends | | | | * Do use the present tense for |
| to set the tone for the entire résumé. | | | | current activities and the past tense |
| Leaving one out is sometimes preferable | | | | for previous experiences |
| if you are applying for different | | | | * Do place important items in the |
| positions. Always state in the Objective | | | | most prominent areas of your résumé |
| what you can contribute to the company | | | | * Do proofread your résumé for |
| and not what you want to get out of the | | | | spelling, punctuation, grammatical, and |
| job or the company. | | | | typographical errors |
| After you write your Objective, you | | | | * Do make sure your résumé is |
| should follow up with your work history. | | | | neatly typed and letter perfect |
| Instead of centering the remaining | | | | * Do be honest and accurate in the |
| information, align your copy to the left | | | | facts you give on your résumé |
| of the page. | | | | * Do be Positive! |
| Work History: Please, if you have been | | | | Do Not: |
| working for many years, you might want | | | | * Do not write RÉSUMÉ on top of |
| to consider limiting your information to | | | | the page |
| the last ten years. A résumé is not | | | | * Do not use "I," "Me," or any |
| your job history, rather it is a | | | | abbreviations! |
| summation of who you are and what you | | | | * Do not date the résumé, attach |
| bring to the table. Save the nitty | | | | advertisements, or list salary |
| gritty details for the application form. | | | | requirements |
| This is particularly important if you | | | | * Do not leave out volunteer or |
| are over 40: do not kid yourself by | | | | other experiences where you have |
| thinking that age discrimination does | | | | demonstrated relevant skills |
| not occur. You want to get the interview | | | | * Do not give any false information |
| and then you can work on getting the job | | | | * Do not include reasons for |
| during the interview. In some situations | | | | changing jobs |
| you will not even get the interview if | | | | Have others proofread your copy and do |
| someone finds out that you are 49. Is | | | | not be offended by their suggestions or |
| this legal? Usually, no. Is it provable? | | | | comments. Consider all comments and |
| You probably will never find out. | | | | suggestions for possible changes to your |
| Training: After including your work | | | | résumé if you are rigid about your |
| history, you will need to list your | | | | résumé you may be too rigid for this |
| training. If you completed FACTS, | | | | industry. Remember, there is no |
| Alteon, FlightSafety, Beyond and Above, | | | | "one-size fits all" résumé your copy, |
| etc. then spell it out. Include training | | | | however, should accurately reflect what |
| locations, dates, and a brief synopsis | | | | you are all about and what you can do |
| of the training. For example, "emergency | | | | for the company. |
| egress training, emergency medical | | | | For more information about the wonderful |
| procedures, food safety and culinary | | | | world of business aviation, please visit |
| arts, wine service, etc." Do not write | | | | the internet's premier independent site |
| several paragraphs but do include some | | | | for private flight attendants, the |
| information about what was accomplished | | | | Corporate Flight Attendant Community. |
| during your training. Taking other types | | | | Links to this site and others are listed |
| of training related to the field can and | | | | in the resource box which follows. |