Young Professionals: Target Jobs Where Your Skills Matter Most

Whether you’re trying to land your first job or your 10th, an effective search can easily become a fulltime pursuit. One way to cut through the clutter: Target potential employers by identifying your top skill sets and finding opportunities where those talents are highly valued.

Pennsylvania native and NBAA member Eric Gerlach was already midstream through a 12-year career in the U.S. Air Force, first as a B-1 avionics technician and later as an electrical tech on C-17s, when he decided to look for employment outside the military. Earning an A&P certificate along the way helped position him for success.

“I believe my experience, network and mentorship experiences played a major role in identifying the best-fit organizations,” said Gerlach, who also serves on NBAA’s Young Professionals in Business Aviation (YoPros) Council. “It was important to align my technical background with a company that valued teamwork, attention to detail and continuous improvement – values that mirror those I learned in the Air Force.” Gerlach eventually landed at The Hershey Company’s flight operation in Harrisburg, PA, serving as a crew chief on a Gulfstream G450.

“Hershey checked all the boxes for me,” Gerlach said. People who are beginning a job search should first identify their nonnegotiables for their professional life, suggested Gerlach. “Write them down on paper. If a company doesn’t meet those items during an interview, you know that’s not the place for you, because you won’t be happy. And if you’re unhappy, you’re not a good employee.”

NBAA member Daran Dorman is a recent graduate of the University of North Dakota’s College of Business. Since then, “I’ve been working in sales-related functions, first for Embraer and now at Jetcraft,” Dorman said. “In the beginning, I was fortunate to get a call back from an Embraer recruiter and things progressed into an eventual job offer.” Dorman said he approached his work “as if I were a sponge. I tried to take in everything. Working at a company with more than 20,000 employees was a valuable experience and gave me exposure to large-scale operations and collaboration. It reinforced my appreciation for roles that allow for broader involvement and impact.”

For job searchers, Dorman recommends considering the amount of preparation they put into their next job interview. “Don’t just do the bare minimum,” he said. “That says a lot about your potential dedication and commitment to the company.”

He discovered that it’s important to learn everything about a company long before the interview. Failing to do that points to “a lack of curiosity,” Dorman explained. “You should want to explore and learn more. Having a curious mind can take you places and open new doors you wouldn’t have known about otherwise.”

His top tip: “Stay open to change and embrace the unknown,” Dorman said. “Life is unpredictable and maintaining too narrow a focus can prevent you from seeing valuable opportunities beyond your immediate path.”

Learn more about Young Professionals in Business Aviation (YoPro) at nbaa.org/yopro.