Your cover letter is often the first thing an employer will see when you apply for an aviation job – so it’s important to get it just right.
Your cover letter should be professional, eye-catching and stand out from the crowd, which means that writing an aviation cover letter can often be a tricky task!
That’s why we’ve pooled together our decades of experience in the aviation sector to help you craft the perfect cover letter. So, without further ado, here are six things to think about when putting together your next aviation job application…
How to write an aviation cover letter:
1. Use the right layout
When it comes to writing a cover letter, it’s important to use the right format. Presentation and attention to detail are important in any sector – but especially so in aviation. So, be sure to make sure your cover letter is well laid out, and no more than one side of A4._
We would recommend the following format:
- Your full address at the top, followed by the date.
- A formal salutation and signature (beginning the letter with “Dear Hiring Manager” and signing off “Yours sincerely”).
- An introductory paragraph that states your intention (for example, “I am writing to apply for the Chinook Mechanic role”).
- Three to four paragraphs outlining your skills and experience and why you are right for the job.
- Sign-off with your full name and contact details.
Don’t forget, your cover letter is a chance to say anything that your CV can’t, so be sure to use it wisely!
2. Be specific when it comes to experience
A cover letter is your first chance to sell yourself to potential employers, so it’s important to shout out about your career history.
Be specific about your experience by including what roles you’ve had and the types of aircraft you’ve worked on, how long you held these roles for and any notable achievements, and any experience you gained in these roles.
For example, if you have five years of experience working as an Apache helicopter mechanic and have a proven track record in the repair and replacement of aircraft components, make sure you say so!
Including a level of specificity will not only highlight your experience and promote you to employers as a safe pair of hands, but it will also give hiring managers all the information they need up front, encouraging them to go on to look at your CV.
3. Showcase your skills
From teamwork to the ability to work under pressure, there are a number of qualities and skills that hiring managers look for when recruiting for aviation roles.
These include but aren’t limited to:
- problem-solving skills
- safety and security consciousness
- willingness to follow instructions and work as a team
- efficiency and time keeping skills
- professional communication skills
Make sure you shout out about these aviation industry skills, and if you have any other extra qualities or transferable skills that make you perfect for the role in question, make sure you say so!
4. Go beyond your CV
A common mistake we see when people write cover letters is using their cover letter to simply regurgitate what’s on your CV, but it’s important to not simply repeat yourself._
Instead, you should expand on the bullet points in your CV to paint a fuller picture of your experience and show off why you’re perfect for the job.
If you’re struggling, ask yourself the following questions:
- What approach did you take to tackle one of the responsibilities you’ve included on your CV
- What details would you include if you were giving someone an overview of how you accomplished it?
- And what was it about your personality or work ethic that made sure you got the job done?
Of course, you don’t want to go overboard or waffle on for too long, so choose one or two points that you are most proud of or are most relevant to the role you are applying for.
It never hurts to throw in a few numbers too.
Hiring managers love stats, so if you’ve made a measurable impact in your previous role, now’s the time to say!
5. Check, check, and check again
When reviewing your aviation cover letter, your potential employers will be on the lookout for accuracy and attention to detail – so it’s super important to triple-check for any typos or errors.
After all, there’s no point in harping on about how great your attention to detail is only to have your cover letter littered with spelling and grammar mistakes.
To start with, whilst writing your letter, use a tool such as Grammarly to flag up any mistakes as you go, and use the spell check function on your computer too.
However, you still might miss some mistakes, so we’d recommend having a break between each draft of your letter so you can come back to it with fresh eyes.
You should also print out a copy to check – you’d be surprised how much easier it is to pick up mistakes on a printout! Why not ask friends or family to have a look over it too? And if you’re working with a specialist recruitment consultant, you could also ask for their expert insight as well.
6. Tweak your cover letter for each role
Finally, it’s really important to alter your cover letter for each application, just as you would your aviation CV. It’s impossible to be specific about why you’re right for a certain role unless you tailor your cover letter for each application, so be sure to amend your aviation cover letter for each position you apply for.
Of course, you can recycle a few points and skills, but it’s important to demonstrate that you understand the specific role and the company, so make sure you look at the job description and edit your cover letter accordingly. Find out the name of the hiring manager so you can send each cover letter to the right person!
How M&E Global can help
At M&E Global, our expert team has years of experience in helping people find their dream aviation role.
We currently have a number of exciting opportunities available and are always on the lookout to employ aviation experts, so, if you’re ready for your career to soar, get in touch with our team today.
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