5 things pilots should consider when looking for a new position.

At Avionco, along with our partner organization PilotMovers, we have one of the world’s leading state-of-the-art pilot databases for helping commercial, private and business aviation customers find the right pilots for their organizations. However, it also works the other way. We help pilots choose the right organization for them.  It’s all about fit, understanding and the ability to earn one’s living doing what they love.

Over the years we’ve identified many things pilots need to consider when choosing an employer. Here are our top 5.

  1. Does the job fit your life? This sounds obvious but it isn’t always. Often pilots take what sounds like a great gig only to find out that the countries, time zones and cultures they must operate in are not conducive to what makes them happy. It’s important to do some real homework to find out if the opportunity is worth re-organizing your life for.
  2. What’s the rotation? Flight schedules can be a killer if you’re not careful.  How many flights, locations and time zones will be involved? Does the employer have adequate staff for all operations or are they a new operation still struggling to scale? Neither is better or worse, but it’s best to go in with your head up and understanding what expectations will be.
  3. What flying environment best suits you? You do this because you love it so why not pay attention to the things that really make you happy? For example, are you a pilot that enjoys the inland experience of high density, multiple cities and airports or do you prefer flying coastal locations near the ocean? Maybe the thing you love about flying is the experience of crossing mountain ranges.  Know yourself and what makes you happy.
  4. Understand what home base looks like. Where will home be for this opportunity? What kind of accommodations or housing can you expect?  Will you have access to schools and local transportation for your family?  What’s the local food like at grocery stores or in restaurants? Will you and your family have easy access to health care? These are all things that are important to your lifestyle so don’t make the mistake of assuming things will be “fine”. Check them out.
  5. The money. Okay, what’s the new gig pay and will it provide for you the way you want it to? This can be a double-edged sword. Sometimes the money sounds great but you can quickly learn that piles of money can’t help you if you’re miserable based on any of the first 4 points we discussed here. Don’t be lured for big dollars unless your approach is mercenary. Get in, get out and move on. If you’ve got more of a long-term lifestyle plan, look for balance between the lifestyle you want and fair compensation with opportunities for growth. This all seems logical when you read it, but the heart and the head don’t always meet in the same place and it can cause you to make decision that are less than perfect for you.

Those are some of the things we think you should consider. And while you’re at it make sure your credentials are in the Avionco and PilotMovers databases to ensure you are found when the right opportunity arises!

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