A cover letter does not guarantee you a job, but it plays a crucial role in getting you a call from your potential employer. The letter acts as a catalyst that helps you boost your career by helping you in the hiring process. Since your airline pilot cover letter is your first formal interaction with your potential employer, you must follow certain guidelines to be followed when writing. The airline pilot cover letter samples, along with templates and some important tips given here, will help you in the same.
How to Write an Airline Pilot Cover Letter
Cover letters should be sent together with your resume. This is a great opportunity for you to make a great first impression with the recruiter. Therefore, you must draft and send a professionally written cover letter. In most cases, recruiters will not spend more than 15-30 seconds to review it. So, you should ensure that you make your cover letter stand out in the best possible way.
Here is how to write your cover letter:
The header
Your cover letter’s header should be the same as the one in your Curriculum Vitae.
Company’s address
Write down the address of the company that you are applying to. You can search for the address on the company’s website and find out where their headquarters are located.
Date
Write the date of writing the letter and leave a line or two before proceeding to write direct the letter to the recipient
Salutation
Find out who the pilot is and direct start the letter by saluting them appropriately. If you don’t know the person to address the letter to, you can contact the company and ask them. This will make a great first impression on the hiring manager. If, in any case, you do not succeed in getting their name, then you can write the generic “to whom it may concern” or “Dear Sir/Madam.”
Sentences
Inform the hiring manager why you are the best candidate for the position. Let them know how your skills and expertise will meet their expectations. If you are not certain about what to write, you can draw some inspiration from the samples and templates provided below.
The ending
Conclude your letter as you would any formal letter. Don’t forget to notarize your cover letter at the bottom of the page.
Airline Pilot Cover Letter Samples
Following are some samples for your better understanding:
Sample 1:
Sandra Hopkins
(123) 543-9876
3rd July 20XX
Dear Chief Pilot and Hiring Manager
I read your online posting for the Mayfield Air 250 route between Los Angeles, California, and Boston, Massachusetts. I earned a B.S. at Blue Gates State. I completed my bachelor’s degree, where I majored in meteorology with a minor in public relations. I completed my flight training at Sheffield Tech’s flight program last year.
My pilot ratings include; CFI I and Commercial. During my time at Sheffield Tech, I worked my way up and became rated as a certified flight instructor II. I understand everything to do with flight training. Therefore, I have attached my previous and current employers’ recommendations and copies of my Federal Aviation Administration Licenses. Please look at the attached copies of my logbooks and the quantity of flight time I have earned while on this career path.
Thank you for your time and consideration. I am looking forward to learning more about the position, and I hope to hear from you soon.
Sincerely,
Sandra Hopkins
Sample 2:
Dear Ms. Kingston,
I would like to submit my resume and discuss my qualifications in response to your online job advert for a First Officer at Unicorn Airways. I have a military background in aviation science and a firm understanding of FAA regulations that I think would make me a good addition to your team.
I have provided comprehensive assistance with flight preparations as a First Officer with my previous employers. I have knowledge of take-off and landing procedures with great emergency training.
I will ensure that all aircraft are well maintained and fueled properly. Also, I believe that you will benefit from my ability to motivate and manage crew members through effective communication. My training and experience have prepared me for a variety of challenges as a First Officer, including but not limited to the ability to deal with the unexpected calmly and resourcefully.
Please call or email me for further clarification on my qualifications if needed. I am available for an interview. Thank you.
Sincerely
Neil Watson
Tips for Writing an Airline Cover Letter
Below are some great tips to help you write your cover letter like a pro:
- Use a professionally designed template and ensure that the font is easy to read.
- Include your name, your official address, and your contact details at the top of your airline pilot cover letter to make it easy for the employer/hiring manager to find them when they want to contact you for a job.
- Proofread the letter before sending it. If your letter is littered with grammatical mistakes, you will be reducing your chance of being selected for the job. Best to have someone else read the letter before sending it to ensure that it is free of any errors.
- Be specific with your achievements. Explain to them how great of a candidate you are but don’t give them too much information so that they can set up a meeting with you to find out more.
- End the letter with a succinct call to action for the hiring manager or the potential employer to get in touch with you. Remind them once more that you are the right candidate for the job.
Mistakes to Avoid When Writing your Airline Pilot Cover Letter
Here are a few things that you should avoid when writing your cover letter:
- Don’t put too much focus on yourself: the company that you are looking to work for is hiring since they need someone to fill a position that they have, ultimately the most important thing that they will focus on is what you are bringing to the table. You should, therefore, focus on telling them how you are suited for the position by highlighting how best your qualifications, skills, and experiences for that specific position that you are applying for.
- Sharing too much about your previous positions: In as much as you are trying to sell yourself, sharing all the details about your previous roles will make for a very cluttered and headache-inducing letter. Only focus on what is related to the position that you are applying for.
- Do not repeat all the information included in your resume: your cover letter should not be a repetition of everything that is contained in your CV. If the hiring manager/potential employer is reading your cover letter, it means that they have gone through your resume or are yet to. Don’t make it too boring.
Free Templates
An airline pilot cover letter is not only a way of selling yourself but also a glimpse into your personality as an applicant. Make a great impression on your potential employer by using our professionally designed air pilot cover letter to help you in securing that interview. After downloading, don’t forget to tailor the letter to match the role that you are applying for. Also, make sure that all the details included in the letter are correct.
Conclusion
You may possess all the required skills and knowledge that are necessary for a given job but still wonder why you are not getting any response from the hiring manager or your potential employer. This may be due to the absence of a well-formatted cover letter accompanying your resume. When a job opening has been advertised, it is obvious that you will not be the only person applying for the position; the hiring manager might be getting hundreds of applications daily. Screening all these applicants is usually a tiring process and is time-consuming. In that situation, the hiring manager will look for applications with cover letters that are easier for them to read and pick the best candidate for the job. Therefore, you must ensure you draft a great airline pilot cover letter that will help you stand out from thousands of applicants.
