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