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6 To Dos
Before Applying for a Job In Aviation

If you’re reading this article, odds are you already made one of the best decisions of your professional life—you’re pursuing a career in aviation.

But what does it take to land a job where you can dig into tough problems, solve those problems with innovative solutions, and learn new skills every day?

To find out, we sat down with 3 employees at Lockheed Martin and pulled together their best advice to help you kick start your job hunt.

1     INVEST IN YOURSELF

Seek opportunities to build new skills. Consider joining professional networks, such as National Aeronautics Association, the American Society of Civil Engineers, or the Society of Women Engineers and participate in their conferences.

Not only will you build new skills, but you will have the opportunity to network with potential employers along the way.

And once you get a job at Lockheed Martin, you’ll be able to continue that  skills development.

2     LINE UP EXAMPLES

Develop a list of examples that illustrate how you have put your skills into action, whether via a degree program, work experience or even extra-curricular activities.

Preparing specific, concrete examples is vital. But, it’s also key to remember that saying you have done something isn’t enough—you need to articulate what you achieved and learned from the experience.

3     TAILOR YOUR RESUME KEYWORDS

Today, a majority of companies have adopted applicant tracking systems that scan online applications for keywords, letting recruiters focus on the top-ranking candidates. For your application to rank well, your resumes needs to contain the right keywords.

Your best bet is to tailor your resume and cover letter content to the exact way the job description is written.

Let's say you’re applying for this  aeronautical engineer role. You’d likely want to incorporate keywords like structural analysis, modeling, aircraft loads, and airframe manufacture.  

4     BUILD A CAREER PORTFOLIO ASSET

Sell yourself by creating a career portfolio that gives employers a way to learn more about you, even before the interview begins. A great portfolio typically includes:

  • A bio page, which sums up your strengths, projects, and education
  • Your resume
  • Testimonials or recommendations from people you’ve worked closely with, such as former employers, professors or clients
  • Evidence of your technical skills. This might be examples of past projects, completed courses or unique certifications.
  • Evidence of your non-technical skills. When describing your past roles, explain how your work directly benefitted the business.

5     DO YOUR HOMEWORK

While it might be a no-brainer, know a company inside and out before applying or interviewing. Some of the best ways to research a company include:

6     RESEARCH INTERVIEW FORMATS

Each company you interview with will likely have a different interview style. No matter the format, it’s important to be prepared, confident and flexible. Here’s a list of the most common interview formats:

  • Behavioral questions task you with describing real situations from the past
  • Case questions ask you to evaluate real-life issues the company has or might face in the future
  • Resume-based questions come directly from your resume and focus on education, experiences and activities
  • Technical questions test your problem solving and mathematical reasoning abilities
Lockheed Martin has multiple job offerings working on its  commercial aircraft
that are designed to travel where there are no roads—or even a runway.  Learn More
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