CFI Job hunt situation
Posted by DoorVirtual1256@reddit | flying | View on Reddit | 30 comments
I’ve been A CFI for 5 months now and CFII for a month. I've submitted over 100 applications, but I'm consistently met with either a 'no hiring' response or no response at all. I've also visited several flight schools in person, only to find they aren't hiring. I'm prepared to relocate anywhere to secure an instructing position, but the current aviation market seems challenging. I have no money left to get my MEI. Any tips on what else I can do to land my first CFI gig.
RopeNo1670@reddit
i kno my flight school is looking for cfii, I’m persuing my instrument rating currently and all of their cfii are moving forward either to 121 or 135 I’m struggling since to schedule and find a cfii to help me finish my ifr. So maybe you can be my cfii if you willing relocate to kvgt. I can give you some info for my flight school. Just hit me up on dm
Mr-Krabs_Wallet@reddit
Which school at VGT? I’m local and looking for a job
Pleasant-Raccoon4875@reddit
Got my first CFI job a couple of weeks ago just by calling the schools and asking if they are hiring. Somehow I managed to get super lucky and got a job. Market is tough right now but just keep going after it. Eventually you’ll get lucky and land something. Good luck!
shattermast1@reddit
Commenting to check further responses. Aviation enthusiast here, planning to pursue a career in the area. Do you mind to say where you live?
JustAnotherDude1990@reddit
Trying to get into aviation as a career right now is like trying to get into real estate as a career in 2007-2008.
shattermast1@reddit
Well, by my calculations, I might get all licenses around 2030 😂 Until there, the expectation is to aviation come back growing or keep declining? Haha
CryOfTheWind@reddit
One factor that might be declining then is the number of people trying to break into it. Looking at the FAA stats database you can see around 16,000 CFIs issued in 2021 and 2022 each. Then in 2023 and 2024 those numbers jump to over 22,000 and then over 23,000 issued. So it's not just the fact that hiring slowed down but there are literally thousands more CFIs being made the last couple years.
In theory this slump in the cycle will filter out a lot of those who thought this would be a ticket to easy money or those who unfortunately can't handle the finances and end up dropping out to put food on the table and never return.
But who knows what the next crisis will be or when the next big hiring boom will occur.
Otherwise-Pen70@reddit
The airlines are losing over 2500/yr to retirements. The cycle will pick back up. Keep knocking on doors and making phone calls - your time will come
CryOfTheWind@reddit
Right but the point was that today we made 6-7000 more CFIs too so not everyone is going to make it.
I kept it up and am a captain at my career destination today but it took me 6 years before I found a job that paid me to fly. Most of my class didn't and dropped out of the running.
JustAnotherDude1990@reddit
There are currently enough CFIs to staff the airlines for several years, especially if spirit airlines folds and floods the market is 2-3k more pilots who have better resumes. Currently their furloughed guys are having trouble getting hired already.
CryOfTheWind@reddit
Sure but how many will hang around for another 4 years of not having a job?
Many will have quit the industry and not come back, happened to much of my class and why only 2 of the 9 of us are flying today. They wanted to fly but were forced out and by the time hiring was better they were happy enough making more money in another industry and not willing to go back to minimum wage entry level pilot jobs.
The glut of new pilots is making this worse right now but there is no way of knowing if that will be true or worse in 2030.
JustAnotherDude1990@reddit
There are currently enough CFIs to staff the airlines for several years, especially if spirit airlines folds and floods the market is 2-3k more pilots who have better resumes. Currently their furloughed guys are having trouble getting hired already.
LegalRecord3431@reddit
What a post
JustAnotherDude1990@reddit
It has the same feelings.
DoorVirtual1256@reddit (OP)
Florida
Odd-Explanation-9614@reddit
Just keep doing what you’re doing now, someone will bite eventually.
MyPilotInterview@reddit
The biggest mistake I see if people visit a flight school, hand over their resume and leave. Go back every month, check in, they’re far more likely to call you if they remember you and you show initiative.
Also make some business cards, leave them in FBOs, and try and get some time freelancing.
kiwi_love777@reddit
This and also join flying clubs, see if you can volunteer at CAP.
DoorVirtual1256@reddit (OP)
Will do
Sudden_Direction_564@reddit
Face to face
Rich-Philosophy-7576@reddit
I feel your pain. I was also like you a year ago applying hundreds resumes. I was doubt myself as well if I am able to land this job. Just believe in yourself and keep applying. Don't give up!
curyfuryone@reddit
Mind sharing the rest of your story, like how you got the job? Unless you quit all together.
dirtyfilthyy@reddit
There’s about 10,000 other CFII’s in your shoes. It’s not CFI or die; look into survey, pipeline and skydive operations.
clearingmyprop@reddit
Where there’s 20,000 other applicants not 10,000!!
ltcterry@reddit
It's the market, not you. Though that doesn't help a lot.
My number one tip is that w/in reason any job is better than no job. Look for "normal" M-F, 9-5 jobs too. You need income. You need the mental reinforcement that comes with a job.
Look at the local EAA group(s). Attend FAASTeam meetings w/in a reasonable drive. Talk to local flying clubs. Look at CAP if you are close to a squadron w/ an airplane.
My number one pilot suggestion is to do glider commercial and instructor add on ratings and go instruct in a glider club on weekends. The time counts. Ratings are legit. You'll meet lots of people in local aviation. And it's dual given building while you work during the week. This will help with the airplane CFI hiring market loosens up.
There are other entry-level jobs to look at. They remain the same small fraction of the market as ever and they aren't vacant either, but they do exist. Don't ignore them.
Remember learning Maslow's Hierarchy in FOI? You've got to take care of yourself - roof over your head, security, food, etc before you can be the best CFI you can be.
Stay strong. Cut spending. Don't give up the ship!
vicious_delicious_77@reddit
Every single application I submitted had at minimum a phone call to go with it asking to talk to the chief instructor or hiring manager, or when possible included an in-person visit. It eventually worked.
TxAggieMike@reddit
You need to employ meeting the hiring authority face to face.
You need to have something the employer needs that he cannot get from anyone else. He already is besieged with applications that have very little experience. So what is your unique proposition? What about you makes you different than the other 100 applicants that applied today?
When you meet in person, you should employ networking skills. Any “we w have a position” response, Find out from the interviewer who the next persons to talk to are.
Blasting emails is lazy and not likely to get any interviews.
You meed to do this in person.
Narrow_Meeting3126@reddit
The dumpster behind Wendy’s is always an option. A serious way to make some money for real go-getters if you ask me
BluejayChoice3469@reddit
Search this sub for the word CFI and Job and there's at least six recent posts with a few hundred comments to wade thru which include suggestions and empathy.
rFlyingTower@reddit
This is a copy of the original post body for posterity:
I’ve been A CFI for 5 months now and CFII for a month. I've submitted over 100 applications, but I'm consistently met with either a 'no hiring' response or no response at all. I've also visited several flight schools in person, only to find they aren't hiring. I'm prepared to relocate anywhere to secure an instructing position, but the current aviation market seems challenging. I have no money left to get my MEI. Any tips on what else I can do to land my first CFI gig.
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