Finishing flight training is a huge achievement, but the step from licence to first job is where many pilots stall. Operators receive a lot of applications for entry-level roles, and the candidates who get through are usually the ones who make an operator's checks easy. This guide walks through what to get right before you apply.
Know what operators screen for
Before anyone reads your cover note, your application is checked against the basics. Make sure each of these is current and easy to find:
- Licence: a CPL with a frozen ATPL, or a full ATPL, issued by the authority the operator works under.
- Medical: a valid Class 1 medical certificate.
- Instrument rating and multi-engine experience, where the role asks for them.
- MCC or APS MCC for multi-crew airline roles.
- Right to live and work in the country where the role is based.
Make your hours count
Low hours are expected at this stage. Inconsistent hours are not. Your CV, your logbook and any form you fill in should show the same totals, broken down the same way: total time, PIC, multi-engine, instrument and night.
Treat your licence, medical and logbook as one story. If the numbers on your CV do not match your logbook, an operator will notice before an interviewer ever meets you.
Widen the net
Your first job does not have to be your dream job. Pilots often build experience through:
- Regional and turboprop operators.
- Charter, air taxi and private operations.
- Flight instruction, which builds hours and sharpens your own flying.
- Specialist work such as survey, aerial work or ferry flights.
Prepare for assessment day
Airline assessments usually combine some of the following: technical questions, a simulator check, a group exercise and a competency-based interview. Revise your technical knowledge, practise describing real situations using a clear structure (situation, action, result), and be ready to talk about how you work in a crew.
Apply on AviatorJob
You can apply to any live role on the AviatorJob jobs board without creating an account. Upload your CV, answer the questions the employer marked as required, and complete the short AI screening call afterwards. A complete, verified profile is matched to new roles as they are posted, so operators can find you too.