Aviation for Women is the flagship member publication of Women in Aviation International. Articles feature women who have made aviation history, professional development ideas, and current-topic articles.
Issue link: https://afwdigital.epubxp.com/i/619020
vative wear. Remember you are not dressing for yourself, but for the interview. Jennifer describes business attire this way: "For men this means a suit and tie and for women this means a dress or skirt suit. A small heel will do, but do not wear spike heels, and es- pecially do not wear fip-fops or sandals. You are representing your own brand, and you do not want to get a bad reputation just because you did not feel like changing out of basketball shorts." I believe in aviation, the skirt suit guideline can also include a pants suit. Women crawling in and out of airplanes look more dignifed in pants. I thought paper résumés had gone the way of "little man outfits," but Jennifer says no. She explains, "There are too many Baby Boomers and Gen X recruiters and managers who like to have hard copies in front of them. It's a heck of a lot easier when you're talking with someone to look at a piece of paper than scrolling their profle on LinkedIn or accessing their résumé via computer or smartphone to quickly scan their experience and ask meaningful questions." She says a good friend is a recruiter at General Electric and won't take a can- didate seriously until she sees their résumés in print. Advice: Have a (mistake-free) paper résumé printed on good paper, and brings lots of copies. Bill Fish thinks interviewing at a conference, job fair, or trade show presents unique opportunities for job seekers. He says because you aren't locked into the hiring company's con- ference room, you are able to show a bit more of your per- sonality. He said, "Don't be afraid to smile or joke a bit." He advises that you have some specifc talking points as to why exactly you are at the conference and what you have gained from being there thus far, as well as what you look forward to seeing or learning as the show continues. "Trade shows are in- vestments for companies to send their staff to," he said. "If you are a prospective candidate and can directly speak to how you have bettered yourself by being at the particular trade show, you are portraying yourself as someone who takes initiative to learn, which can put you a step ahead of the competition." Finally, two last tips—one for before and one for after. Before the conference, check out the list of exhibiting com- panies at www.WAI.org. If there's a company you're not fa- miliar with, look at its website and learn a bit. This holds true as well for companies you are familiar with. It's good to keep your knowledge fresh. Then after the conference, stand out in the mind of the recruiter by sending a thank you note (even if by e-mail) for the interview. Everyone does not do this, so it's another way to stand out. Try to make the e- mail sound genuine and not cookie-cutter text by mentioning something you discussed during the interview. With a bit of advanced planning and on-site smarts, you'll fnd yourself on the list of top candidates for a job. Be prepared! And now, tell me where you see yourself in fve years… ✈ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Patricia Luebke, WAI 1954, is a New York City-based freelance writer, editor, and marketing consultant. EXPLORER is a Gender-Neutral word Young Women Are Aviation Explorers, Too Aviation Exploring is part of the Boy Scouts of America Learning for Life program. But even though Exploring is part of the Boy Scouts, girls and young women are encouraged to become Explorers. As an Explorer, you'll have hands-on experiences with airplanes, meet interesting pilots, go on fi eld trips to airports and other aviation sites, and generally just have fun "exploring" everything the aviation community has to offer while learning about the many paths to an aviation career. What's more, you'll meet other young people, just like you, who share your interest in airplanes. You'll spend time with like-minded young men and women and have fun as you learn. To fi nd an Aviation Exploring Post near you or to start a Post, visit AviationExploring.com or contact Mark Wiesenhahn at 513.735.9100, ext. 338 or mark.w@sportys.com