Networking is so important and beneficial to actually getting a job. Your resume is more to prove that you have the credentials that meet the minimum requirements.

The only time I’ve needed a resume was for: 1) my very first job out of college, 2) to complete a formal interview, and 3) to show my flight hours for insurance. I think the more valuable topic here is networking. Every flying job I’ve landed was because I knew someone or I knew someone who knew someone.

I got a job flying a King Air because I knew someone outside of aviation who needed a copilot.
I got a job flying a Baron and Hawker because I went to college with a pilot who recommended me to the captain he was flying with.
I got a job flying a Citation X because the line guys recommended me to the lead pilot.
I got a job flying in the Caribbean because my best friend used to fly with a guy who worked there and he walked in my resume.
I got a job flying for JetSuite because a guy I flew with in the Caribbean walked in my resume to the chief pilot.
I am at my current position flying a Lear 45 because of that same captain from 14 years ago needed a copilot again.

So what is networking? To me, it’s just a fancy business word used to describe making and maintaining relationships. Why is it so important? Because you’re more likely to get a job when someone sticks up for your character and even more likely when it is someone from within the organization. But you have to be a person that someone wants to work with. Do you have a sparkling personality? I don’t care how amazing your credentials are, if you have a bad attitude you’ll probably struggle to get hired.

So the first step in getting a job is to practice the art of networking; meeting people and maintaining relationships. Once established, have a stellar resume that shows off how awesome you are!