jflchantha From United States of America, joined Jun 2009, 124 posts, RR: 5 Posted (4 months 3 weeks 3 days 15 hours ago) and read 3900 times:
As I am finishing college and starting my first job with a small airline I have heard from allot of others of their work. People start out as a Service Agent on the ground and move up to operations etc.
I was wondering if there was advice or examples of what could help or not help or any problems with the aviation industry and jobs. Did people leave other careers? Jobs? Making pennies?
ouboy79 From United States of America, joined Nov 2001, 4007 posts, RR: 23 Reply 1, posted (4 months 3 weeks 3 days 13 hours ago) and read 3893 times:
Quoting jflchantha (Thread starter): As I am finishing college and starting my first job with a small airline I have heard from allot of others of their work. People start out as a Service Agent on the ground and move up to operations etc.
I was wondering if there was advice or examples of what could help or not help or any problems with the aviation industry and jobs. Did people leave other careers? Jobs? Making pennies?
Experience is always good to have, but the main thing is to get your foot in the door. I have around 12 years of prior work experience outside of the industry that includes operations management, account management, in addition to a couple businesses I started up. Mind you I also don't have my degree finished (hopefully before I'm 40 LOL), but that really hasn't ever been an issue. The biggest thing I can say is get your foot in the door with the company you want to grow with. If you can't get in, then get the experience in a job you'll enjoy to give you an edge when a spot does open up. Then once you are in the door, at least in my case, you will have many opportunities to move around into various positions.
Any opinion/comment posted is that of my own and not that of Southwest Airlines Co.
jflchantha From United States of America, joined Jun 2009, 124 posts, RR: 5 Reply 2, posted (4 months 3 weeks 3 days 13 hours ago) and read 3889 times:
Ive heard that allot. I dont think a college degree is worth much these days but its such a bleak outlook making 10 bucks an hour, working over time and dealing with people (tiring).
I talked to a DL FA that started for CO and then moved to DL airport operations and just became a fa. But ive also met people working for b6 operations.
Being a Geography major and trying to think of the options (Its not always charted or talked about in aviation I sense), it just scares me.
TWA772LR From United States of America, joined Nov 2011, 762 posts, RR: 1 Reply 3, posted (4 months 3 weeks 3 days 9 hours ago) and read 3865 times:
Quoting jflchantha (Reply 2): I dont think a college degree is worth much these days
Don't say that! A college degree is everything! Granted a Masters is better than a Bachelors, but a degree is better than just a high school education, as far as employers are concerned!
This is an interesting topic, and one I will follow.
jflchantha, I think you will get more responses if this were in the Tech/Ops section.
There's nothing like the smell of Jet-A in the morning. It smells like... VICTORY!!!
gingersnap From United Kingdom, joined Aug 2010, 854 posts, RR: 5 Reply 4, posted (4 months 3 weeks 3 days 6 hours ago) and read 3857 times:
Quoting TWA772LR (Reply 3): Don't say that! A college degree is everything!
Don't be so hasty on that one. I know in this country, more and more people are heading straight into work instead of studying for a degree.
There are some jobs where it is a must (heck BA require a degree to train as a pilot), but I wouldn't say it's "everything".
ouboy79 From United States of America, joined Nov 2001, 4007 posts, RR: 23 Reply 5, posted (4 months 3 weeks 3 days ago) and read 3843 times:
Quoting gingersnap (Reply 4): Don't be so hasty on that one. I know in this country, more and more people are heading straight into work instead of studying for a degree.
There are some jobs where it is a must (heck BA require a degree to train as a pilot), but I wouldn't say it's "everything".
Indeed. Most companies are going to hire experience over someone fresh out of college. School can only teach you so much, but real world experience is priceless when it comes to putting people into new positions. School does give you the basic fundamentals and helps to establish a work ethic, but beyond that it is hard to pass over someone with 10 years experience for someone with zero.
Any opinion/comment posted is that of my own and not that of Southwest Airlines Co.
pocho From United States of America, joined Jan 2007, 84 posts, RR: 0 Reply 6, posted (4 months 2 weeks 4 days 7 hours ago) and read 3667 times:
Doing an internship in college is what got me in the airline industry. During my Airport Ops internship at a busy hub airport I got a ramp job with a regional airline. Almost two years later I am still loving it and just recently got picked up by a mainline carrier for the ramp. I can see myself having a great career with the company.
I think starting off on the ramp or gate is the best way to get into the airlines and get your foot in the door, especially if you want to work your way up in a company, as long as you stay in good standing. I'm finishing up my degree at the moment as well.
Although my graduation is delayed because of the internship, experience in my opinion is what sets you apart from other candidates. I've learned so much more about the airline industry in my time on the ramp than I have in my aviation classes on campus.
777ord From United States of America, joined May 2010, 355 posts, RR: 0 Reply 7, posted (2 days 22 hours 52 minutes ago) and read 232 times:
I work for United and feel free to private message me if you need any assistance.
I work in a management level position with United and the people I work with all have various skill sets. Most with degree's. a couple just High school. One with a Masters. It's all how you market yourself and what makes YOU better than me or anyone else reading this reply.
As with all companies it seems nowadays, if your resume isn't formatted correctly (in terms of continuity), spelling, grammar etc... TALEO (recruiting system) will toss your application out! All HR will see is the top X% based off the hiring managers criteria, then he'll get that list of X candidates and interview from there. So you could literally be the best person for it-period. But a mistake or lack of following direction in the application will cancel yourself out.
dlramp4life From United States of America, joined Jun 2011, 703 posts, RR: 1 Reply 8, posted (2 days 10 hours 6 minutes ago) and read 180 times:
Quoting pocho (Reply 6): I think starting off on the ramp or gate is the best way to get into the airlines and get your foot in the door, especially if you want to work your way up in a company, as long as you stay in good standing. I'm finishing up my degree at the moment as well.
Currently in school and work in the airline industry as well.
Quoting jflchantha (Thread starter): I was wondering if there was advice or examples of what could help or not help or any problems with the aviation industry and jobs. Did people leave other careers? Jobs? Making pennies?
At DL they are very focused on career growth. Most senior managers started out ramp, customer, or cargo agents. Having front line experience plus a college degree can have a promising future if one chooses to have one.
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