Networking - Move to Social Networking

FCF Forum

Forums used to get a bad press, with several high profile examples of abuse or employees getting fired for comments online. It is true you have to be careful what you say so as to not impact negatively on you, but they can be a valuable source of information and debate.

As flight or cabin crew we lead a life that often takes us away from home and may not get the opportunity to see people working in the same field outside of work that often. The detached nature of the work could lead to a sense of isolation especially if there is limited or no work. Forums can overcome this issue by offering people an opportunity to interact with others, despite possibly remote locations.

A reliable forum community is a very good way of quickly seeing what the pertinent current affairs are within the industry. You can then seek others opinions or use the topics to further your own research, but ultimately you are improving your awareness of the environment in which we work.

Employment opportunities can also be found through forums. Different individuals will have access to numerous sources of information that they can share, or may even be looking for part-time or casual cover. It is a great way of keeping ‘your ear to the ground’. Just remember to help others as well, by informing them of jobs you hear about.

The Flight Crew Finder forum is alive and flourishing and the community is growing every day. We now have over 3000 subscribers with whom you can discuss employment ideas, discover the latest job opportunities or simply talk about your shared love for aviation.

Facebook me

Facebook has become the dominant social network of the decade but in some circles it is seen as just the place we connect with our friends. We tend to let down our guards, don't think about our professional image but thinking this way can be dangerous as more and more employers want to see your facebook profile before they hire you. Pictures of you drunk in your pilot uniform may have only been a fancy dress party but it is not the kind of thing a potential employer wants to see so whenever using social networks think about the image you are portraying as like it or not, people will judge you by what they see.

Keep updated with the latest jobs from Flight Crew Finder by "liking" our facebook page.

To Tweet or Not to Tweet

Twitter is very similar to facebook in so much as employers want to see what you have been up to on there. Are you going to be a good fit for their company? Do you engage with people on twitter and what kind of image do you portray when you do.

For businesses twitter is becoming increasingly popular as companies all over the world use it to distribute information and keep people informed. The reselt weather delays in Europe were updated by the second on twitter and it was the only place to find the most recent information. Because of this if you want to be up to date - you need to be on twitter - even if you don't feel comfortable tweeting yourself.

Flight Crew Finder regularly tweets all our news and jobs so don't forget to follow us @flightcrewfind when you join.

Get LinkedIn

LinkedIn is the world’s largest business social networking site, offering members the opportunity to create a profile that includes an employment history. The number of airlines whose senior HR and recruitment managers are using the website mean that you would be wise to use this tool to promote yourself in the aviation field. There are many different ways you can use your online C.V. to further your career.

But how do you successfully market yourself and land your perfect airline job? The most important thing to remember when creating your profile is to ensure it is completely honest, if you are not currently employed don’t hide it. Instead use phrases like ‘seeking a challenging position as a pilot’ or ‘open to freelance cabin crew opportunities’. This will ensure that anyone looking at your profile is aware of your current job-hunting status and can react to it.

An important factor affecting your potential is the size of your network. Most opportunities will come from 2nd or 3rd degree contacts. The more people you are connected to the more likely you are to gain lucrative opportunities.

Possibly the most powerful tool at your disposal is the recommendation. This enables other users to write a short piece about you or a specific piece of work you have undertaken which can then be displayed on your profile. The great thing about recommendations is they act as references that are connected to the givers profile. This enables potential employers to instantly check the credibility of your references.

The final thing to remember is to keep your profile and status up to date to remind your network that you are looking for a job as a pilot or cabin crew.