Pilots and cabin crew members are high in demand as of late – with the ongoing staff shortages, the sought-after professionals are finding themselves with numerous job offers landing in their hands. But choosing from such a significant number of offers could become overwhelming. How should one make the right decision?

The heap of job offers for pilots and cabin crew come from the ongoing staff shortage trouble that started with the COVID-19 pandemic. With some airlines going as far as offering early retirement at the peak of pandemic, the travel demand that reached the never-seen-before heights brought on the pilot and cabin crew shortfalls, hindering many airlines’ ability to rise back up.

Alison Dsouza, Director of Aerviva Aviation Consultancy, a Dubai-based international consultancy, specializing in aviation recruitment and document management, notes that with this set up pilots and cabin crew members find themselves with 3 to 4, sometimes 5 or more different offers.

“The main problem pilots and cabin crew face when choosing from a pool of job offers is defining their priority list. This can become very overwhelming very quickly, which then leads to hasty decisions and, possibly, regret. For example, sometimes the pay will be great, but the location might not, so the candidate needs to sort their priorities out – what they’re actually looking for.”

Another tip Dsouza offers is making a ‘pros and cons’ list for each offer, weighing it in full scope rather than getting side-tracked by the small details. Being meticulous, going through the offers without rush will aid in making the most suitable decision without having to second-guess the choice afterwards.

“One big mistake pilots and cabin crew sometimes make is skimming through all terms and conditions of the offer to ensure it covers all the possible red flags or challenges in their experience,” explains Dsouza. “This is where recruitment agencies come in. They do the groundwork of making sure contracts meet the basic needs of what is required as an industry norm.”

Dsouza stresses that while pilots and cabin crew are capable of going through job offers and contracts themselves, the keen eye of professionals working within the recruitment agency add additional layer of security and certainty that no detail will slip pass.

With the sky-rocketing demand for seasoned pilots and cabin crew amidst the airlines’ desperate hiring race, pilots and cabin crew find themselves with more job offers than before. To avoid being overwhelmed and avoid jumping into a bad deal, the best choice seems to be passing on the work to recruitment agencies that have solid experience in securing the best deal for the candidates.