How to write a CV and Motivation Letter

A smartly written cover letter will set you apart from other applicants. Therefore, choose your words carefully.
A cover letter consists of five elements:

1. Name and contact information
2. Company data (contact person if possible)
3. Greeting
4. Letter / body
5. Signature

Your focus and primary work should be in the fourth part, which is usually divided into an introduction, a main body, and a conclusion. Prepare yourself accordingly by reading the job advertisement intensively and paying attention to the details; extract the essential keywords and match your skills. Also research the company and its philosophy. Last but not least: If you can, find the relevant contact person and address the cover letter to him/her.

The header contains essential facts about your person (name, photo, date of birth) as well as contact information (phone number, e-mail). In our application checklist, you can find out why we recommend the use of a photo. Also, make sure your email address looks legitimate; it should include your name. You should have an answering machine enabled for your phone number so that recruiters can leave messages in your absence.

The second section should be your flight experience with a focus on hours per career level/position. At the top, we recommend showing the total hours. For the individual positions below, make sure the hours are pleasantly readable and aligned. Focus on the essential and important aspects for the company. For example, if you are applying for a position with a specific aircraft type, add the specific number of flight hours for that type.

List a certificates and ratings. As with your entire application, the same applies here: Focus on relevant licenses, e.g. JAR-FCL ATPL or FAA ATP. Also include type ratings. Make sure you meet the requirements of the application.

List all of your aviation work experience as a pilot. The key to success is an accurate summary of your work experience. Avoid listing non-flying experience – unless you don’t already have any. Then list your current work experience here.

This section of the pilot resume includes your education: Include the highest level of education you have achieved, for example, a university degree. In case of multiple degrees or study abroad, list them all. Recruiters are usually not interested in your high school education. Again, be aware of the requirements of the airline you are applying to, which should be adhered to at this point!

The personal details section is the only section that allows you to be a little more creative. Inform the recruiter about yourself, your marital status and your citizenship (passport). What are your personal interests and what do you like to do in your free time? Non-flying interests are also desired at this point to get to know you better.

Listing people as references and recommendations is optional, but recommended if you can provide such references. However, if you do not have enough space, you can delete this section. For references, it is best to choose two to three aviation-related individuals, such as chief pilot, captain or flight instructor. List the individuals, including their name, position, email address and phone number. Be sure to respect privacy laws and inform them that their personal information will be shared. Here you can talk about details that are particularly relevant for a conversation between the airline and the reference person.

This section does not replace references that you attach as a document.