Transitioning Industries is Possible

For many aviation professionals, this is the first time they have been faced with a career catastrophe and an insecure future. For pilots, secure in their seniority ranks and chipping upward to a command, this is a huge career interruption. For cabin crew lifers, no other job can hold a candle. 

Aviation will rebound, be ready 

I can hear the frustration in your voices as you apply to industry and non-industry roles and don’t get a look in. I know the benefits you bring to any industry. The lateral thinking, project management, customer service and problem resolution you offer any employer with the foresight to invest in you. Employers compound the situation with zero responses to applications and incorrect assumptions. When you do get in front of a decision maker you hear: ‘you will jump ship as soon as aviation reopens’. They know you are a catch but see you a ‘short-term’ investment.  

Industry insiders project two to three years before we exit stall mode and experience industry growth. Zero growth, means zero recruitment. So, is two to three years short term? The answer is categorically no. I work across a portfolio of seven key industries, many of which are lucky to have an employee stick with them for that long. 

How do we educate other industries about the ‘state of the aviation nation’? It takes time, time most of us don’t have with mortgages restarting in September and for some families, both income earners impacted. So I say to all employers, this is the first time thousands of highly skilled and valuable candidates have hit the market. For savvy employers, this is an opportunity to visualise how this can benefit your business, to grasp a once in a lifetime situation and bring amazing minds into your fold. 

Transitioning can be tricky, making it important for job seekers to give themselves the best chance of success. Over deliver, use a targeted process and a creative approach. Below are tips and tools I teach my clients on applying competitively to other industries. 

• Ensure your resume is transition ready: Have two resumes, one for industry and one for nonindustry. Taking a generalised, scattergun approach to applications is high risk. 
• Cover letters: Address each selection criteria point and include your motivation towards the company values. Include results or project achievements as evidence of the benefits you bring. 
• Identify your transferable skills: Both ‘personal skills’ and ‘experience’ are relevant. Consider identifying those skills in a tangible way. 
• Gatekeepers: You will encounter people who block your progression. It’s time to find ways around them by being inventive and creative. Connect directly with key personnel on LinkedIn, use all your resources, colleagues and friends to spruik you. 
• Consider industries that are proving more future proof: Healthcare, real estate, finance/bookkeeping, trade services, telcos, ADF, tech and digital, state/federal government. 
• Consider up-skilling: Gain a micro credential, take advantage of free TAFE courses or start a side hustle. After experiencing four economic downturns in 20 years, having a secondary income stream is essential planning. 
• Peer support – utilise the industry support systems: Everyone reacts to unexpected negative events differently. It’s a time to stick together and support each other. In aviation, this is something we traditionally do quite well. 

Peer support 

• AFAP – MAP (Member Assistance Program | Members and immediate family only): Short-term counselling and advisory service for AFAP members and their immediate family to seek professional assistance for any personal or work-related problems. 1300 307 912 at any time for free, confidential counselling with a trained psychologist. www.afap.org.au 
• AFAP Crewroom: The Crewroom was created to provide a place for pilots to hang out, find resources and stay connected. 
• NZALPA – PAN: PAN NZ provides confidential peer-based support and assistance to pilots, air traffic controllers and airways limited flight service operators. 0800 726 100, www.pan.org.nz/ 

Think outside what you do 

Since March, I have been contacted by past and current clients as well as industry groups, checking on the pinstripe team. This has buoyed me as I revive a business I thought was future proof. Like you, I am in the middle of thinking outside what I do and know to explore the possibilities. I have discovered that there are always opportunities, even during a crisis, and that aviation will rebound and I will be ready when it does.