Pilot Cover Letter Tips, Content, and Example
In your pursuit of pilot employment, a cover letter will often be required to complement your pilot resume. Though not always necessary/requested, you should plan on devoting ample time to developing an effective pilot cover letter.
View Examples Of Effective Pilot Cover Letters:
Sample CFI Cover Letter
Sample Airline Pilot Cover Letter
Sample Corporate Pilot Cover Letter
Need resume examples too? Click here to see sample resumes for CFI’s, Airline Pilots, and more.
While a detailed analysis of cover letter tips and tactics is beyond the scope of this article, we’ll take a brief look at a few basic pointers. As with your pilot resume, it’s essential you take every precaution to ensure your cover letter is error free, concise, and relevant to the position you’re pursuing.
Use the same paper color/weight/size as your resume. As with your resume, your pilot cover letter should be on a single 8.5″ x 11″ (or A4) sheet of 24 lb, 100% cotton paper. Whatever color you choose for your resume (discussed on our Sample Pilot Resume page), be sure to use that same color for the cover letter.
Brevity is key. Your pilot cover letter should be no more than 3-4 brief paragraphs. As with your resume, this document will only get a few seconds of scrutiny. If it takes more than about 30 seconds to read, you’ll want to make some edits.
See an example of a pilot cover letter to the right of the page. Click here to download the PDF version.
Supplement, don’t duplicate, your resume. This is where many job applicants mess up. Recipients will be receiving your resume too, so don’t duplicate the same info on your cover letter. Instead, your goal should be to introduce yourself, explain why you’d be a good addition to the company’s pilot staff, and thank them for their consideration. That’s it. Your pilot resume will provide the specifics for them.
Tailor each cover letter to its intended recipient. While life would be easier if you could develop a one-size-fits-all pilot cover letter, doing so would be unlikely to work in your favor. Potential employers want to know you’re eager to work for them, not that they’re number 12 on your job search list. For this reason, at least a portion of your cover letter should refer to information specific to that potential company. Maybe their equipment, location, or financial strength makes you want to work for them. Whatever the reason, a bit of personalization will definitely work in your favor.
Keep your Pilot cover letter up to date. You’ll need to revise your cover letter(s) as your qualifications change. Whenever your career goals or credentials change, be sure to update your cover letter accordingly. Additionally, it’s often wise to revise your cover letter to reflect changes in the industry or within the company’s hiring practices. Currency is key if your pilot cover letter is to be effective.
What if a Pilot cover letter is not specifically requested/required? Many job applicants and employment services seem to believe cover letters are obsolete/unnecessary. Your objective here is to research each potential employer’s hiring practices. If the company or past (successful) job applicants advise not to include a cover letter, don’t. If you’re unsure, you’re usually better off to include one. Even if a job states that a cover letter is not required, I would recommend writing one just in case. If necessary, you can always present it during the interview if the subject comes up.
As you can see, designing a basic pilot cover letter is fairly easy, and does not require a major in writing to come up with something eye catching. Now that you have the necessary guidance on how to create a pilot cover letter, you should start thinking about how you should craft your pilot resume. We have put together some great resources for Aiployment members that will help you to craft the perfect resume which will help you stand apart from the competition.