Resume guide · Job Zone 4

Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineersresume guide.

Pilot and navigate the flight of fixed-wing aircraft, usually on scheduled air carrier routes, for the transport of passengers and cargo. A strong Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers resume shows operation and control, operations monitoring and active listening, and names the tools you have worked with, such as R, Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Office software.

See how a parser reads your resumeFree, no card→

01Also called

O*NET
Airbus CaptainAirline CaptainAirline PilotCaptainCheck AirmanCommercial Airline PilotCo-PilotFirst Officer (FO)Line PilotPilot

02Skills employers expect

O*NET

Importance is how much the skill matters to the job; level is how much of it the job demands. Both are worth naming on the resume, in this order.

SkillImportanceLevel
Operation and ControlVery highAdvanced
Operations MonitoringVery highAdvanced
Active ListeningVery highAdvanced
Critical ThinkingVery highAdvanced
MonitoringVery highAdvanced
Judgment and Decision MakingVery highAdvanced
Reading ComprehensionHighAdvanced
Time ManagementHighIntermediate
Active LearningHighAdvanced
SpeakingHighIntermediate

03Knowledge areas

O*NET
  • Transportation
  • English Language
  • Public Safety and Security
  • Geography
  • Mechanical
  • Mathematics
  • Computers and Electronics
  • Physics
  • Law and Government
  • Administration and Management

04Common responsibilities

O*NET

Ordered by importance. Each one is a bullet waiting for a result and a number.

  1. Use instrumentation to guide flights when visibility is poor.
  2. Start engines, operate controls, and pilot airplanes to transport passengers, mail, or freight, adhering to flight plans, regulations, and procedures.
  3. Work as part of a flight team with other crew members, especially during takeoffs and landings.
  4. Respond to and report in-flight emergencies and malfunctions.
  5. Inspect aircraft for defects and malfunctions, according to pre-flight checklists.
  6. Contact control towers for takeoff clearances, arrival instructions, and other information, using radio equipment.
  7. Monitor engine operation, fuel consumption, and functioning of aircraft systems during flights.
  8. Monitor gauges, warning devices, and control panels to verify aircraft performance and to regulate engine speed.
  9. Steer aircraft along planned routes, using autopilot and flight management computers.
  10. Check passenger and cargo distributions and fuel amounts to ensure that weight and balance specifications are met.

05Software and tools

O*NET

25 tools across 12 categories. The six largest categories are below; Hot marks a hot technology, In demand a tool employers ask for most often.

Data base user interface and query software11
  • Airline Pilots Daily Aviation Log PPC
  • AirSmith FlightPrompt
  • doXstor Flight Level Logbook
  • Electronic aircraft information databases
  • MJICCS PilotLog
  • Nimblefeet Technologies Captain's Keeper
  • Polaris Microsystems AeroLog Pro
  • Polaris Microsystems CharterLog
  • RMS Technology Flitesoft
  • Skylog Services Skylog Pro
  • CoPilot Flight Planning & E6B
+ 6 more
Information retrieval or search software2
  • AeroPlanner
  • Notam Development Group Airport Insight
Object or component oriented development software2
  • RHotIn demand
  • Document Object Model DOM Scripting
Route navigation software2
  • Navzilla
  • IFT-Pro
Analytical or scientific software1
  • Pilot Navigator Software Load Balance
Calendar and scheduling software1
  • SBS International Maestro Suite
Electronic mail software1
Office suite software1
Presentation software1
Process mapping and design software1
Spreadsheet software1
Word processing software1

06Education and preparation

O*NET
Typical education
Bachelor's Degree
61% of surveyed workers. Others report High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) (18%) and Less than a High School Diploma (8%).
Preparation level
Job Zone 4 · Considerable preparation
Usually a four-year degree and several years of related experience.

07Putting it on your resume

ResumeXRays guidance
BEE · How to show it

Lead with what you built. For a Job Zone 4 role, hiring managers and parsers both look for outcomes before credentials. Put two or three results at the top of each job entry, with the scale or effect stated plainly.

Name the tools exactly. This occupation is heavy on named software. A skills section that says "R, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft PowerPoint" matches more job descriptions than a general phrase. Use the spelling employers use.

Show operations monitoring and active listening, not just operation and control. Operations monitoring and active listening rank close to operation and control for this occupation. One bullet per role that shows a decision, a tradeoff or a result covers them.

Run your resume through the free scan →

See your fitbefore youhit apply.

Drop your resume and see what a parser flags before you send it. Free, no card.

Analyze your resume free →$0 to start · No card · Free plan forever