5 Pros and Cons of Becoming a Pilot

Many people want to become a pilot because the inspiring stories they ve heard about the job as well as how movies and TV shows depict the profession as a reputable and lucrative one. While some of these bear some truth, not everyone is aware of the full scope of becoming an aviator.

While this idealized look does paint a pretty picture of pilots, many don t realize the time and effort needed to become one. Aspiring pilots must first undergo pilot training and pass several exams just to get their license. Once they have earned their wings, they have to adhere to the strict standards and schedule that their airline follows.

If you are considering a piloting career, it s valuable to learn the advantages and disadvantages that come with the profession. This way, you can better prepare for the responsibilities and make better informed choices on your road to becoming a pilot. To give you some ideas about the job, here are the pros and cons you can expect as an aviator.

Pro: You Get to Travel the World

One of the perks of becoming a pilot is the opportunity to travel to different places around the world. While it s normal to travel from airport to airport for work, there are times when pilots can end up staying in a new city or country for a couple of days. This gives them the time to explore their destination and immerse themselves in the local culture.

Even when traveling for leisure, pilots get some amazing perks. Most of the time, pilots for commercial airlines can get discounted fees or even travel for free. This benefit also extends to their family, regardless of whether the pilot is still on active duty or has already retired.

Pro: The Flexible Work Hours

For most people, reporting to work means they have to get to the office at nine in the morning and leave at five in the afternoon. In addition to the regular eight-hour shift, they ll need to bear the daily commute and sit at the same office desk every day. If you re doing this from Monday to Friday for the entire year, it can feel pretty mundane.

Pilots, on the other hand, have a more flexible schedule with changing flight routes and working hours. They can start work at different times of the day—which means anytime from mid-day or even at night. This varied schedule often matches with the region or area that they re required to travel. Apart from pilots work schedules, their vacation days often change too. Depending on their seniority and flight schedule, pilots can enjoy a minimum of 12 days off every month. This gives them plenty of time to rest and recuperate for their next flights.

Pro: It Can Be a Lucrative Career

Another attractive benefit of becoming a pilot is the compensation. Depending on the airline they re employed in and their ranking, a First Class Officer can earn a minimum of PHP 175,000 while a Senior Captain can earn at least PHP 350,000.

Additionally, pilots get additional incentives such as transportation and living costs. They also receive allowances for clothing, meals, and hotels when they re traveling for work. During their employment, pilots also enjoy health and life insurance benefits. Once they retire, they also get a generous retirement plan for their years of service.

Con: Costly Initial Investment

One downside most pilots need to face is the costly investment to pursue the profession. Aspiring pilots need to cover all training costs including ground and flight instructions. They also need to pay for books, medical exams, licenses, and aircraft rental fees, among other expenses. If you reside in another area far from the flight school, you also need to think about your lodging arrangements.

Although training to become a pilot require a certain investment, the costs can be spread out over the years as the student works on acquiring their pilot licenses. This means you don t need to settle the entire amount in just a single payment. Also, some schools offer financial assistance, partner with financial institutions with student load programs, and have part-time flight training. The last option is ideal for people who want to work while earning their wings.

Con: It Can Be Stressful

While flying an aircraft is an exciting experience, it can also be a stressful one. Whenever airline pilots go to work, they know that they re responsible for the lives of their crew and passengers. Fortunately, every pilot has undergone rigorous training to safely fly specific types of aircraft such as Airbus, Boeing, and ATR. Also, a good pilot will always regularly update themselves with the latest aircraft instrument and technology.

A lot of people aspire to be a pilot because they see it as a lucrative and rewarding career. What they might not realize is that, like any other job, becoming a pilot has some downsides too. If you re considering pursuing this profession, make sure to do some research on it so that you can understand the full scope of your responsibilities once you become a pilot. This way, you can better assess whether or not becoming an aviator is the best choice for you.

The post 5 Pros and Cons of Becoming a Pilot appeared first on Jobacle.com.

Published June 14, 2023

4 Steps To Break Your Job-Hopping Habit

Are job-hopping and career success related to each other? What is the effect of one on the other? How long is too long to stay at a company?

I must admit, the resumes that pass by my desk make me conclude that job-hopping is far too common.

Job-hoppers hop for various reasons. More often than not, they don’t know what they are getting into. Sometimes it’s because they don’t know what they want, and therefore they are not ready for the challenges that lie ahead of them.

In my opinion, changing jobs often affects your career in a negative manner. Consider this: What signals are you sending to your potential employer if you are job-hopping too often?

Here are four effective steps to break your job-hopping habit:

1. Follow The Two-Year Rule

I have a two-year rule I tell my staff and potential employees. The two-year rule is this: You must be willing to mentally commit to spending at least two years in the company before you quit.

The reason? You need to deal with the learning curve. If you’re job-hopping too often, you learn nothing substantial. In my opinion, it takes you at least a year to know the ins and outs of the company. Then another year before you can be truly productive in adding value to the company.

To see the true results of your contribution to the company, for me, it takes at least two years. So, if you are prone to changing jobs and career success is on your mind, then it is time to rethink.

2. Learn To Be Stable

Group of loyal employees working together during a team meeting

Many well-established companies have training programs. They are willing to invest in recent college graduates and newbies. However, in order for them to make that decision, they need to look at past track records.

Ask yourself, if you are a manager, who are you more likely to invest training time and money on: someone who’s known for job-hopping, or someone who is stable?

Companies are more likely to invest in people who are stable. The reason is simple: they are able to contribute back to the company. Everybody wins. If you are constantly moving from one job to another, you send a signal that you are not ready to commit.

Companies like to invest in people who see their career goals align with their corporate goals. Job-hoppers usually cannot see their career path beyond the next year.

3. Know What You Want

Professional woman thinking about what she wants to achieve in her career

One of the best ways to quit job-hopping is to truly know what you want. Once you know that, you will have a singular focus in the pursuit of your career goals.

Of course, it is understandable that, as a fresh graduate or newbie at work, it is tough to know where you want your career to go. You may be interested in some other industries. If there are other fields that you are interested in, then make a plan to find out about them.

Start with the internet and then ask friends who may know people in those fields. Speak to them. Ask them about the expectations of the company and the position you are interested in. You may not get all the answers, but at least you’ll have some idea.

This will decrease the chances of you job-hopping later on.

4. Make Learning A Key Objective

Senior employee trains a new employee to help her grow in her career

If you are new in the workforce and have been job-hopping quite a bit, my advice to you is this: truly find out what you want.

Once you know that, find a company that is willing to train their employees and willing to commit to their employees’ careers in the long term. If they have structured training programs, join them. Make learning the relevant skills and knowledge in that industry your key objective.

The skills and knowledge that you learn will contribute to your career success in the long run. It is something that you can bring with you for the rest of your life.

Once you see the benefits of committing to a company that is willing to train you for more than two years, you, hopefully, won’t be job-hopping often anymore.

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This article was originally published at an earlier date.