Scholarships are seemingly everywhere. But I’ve interviewed countless pilots who could not clearly tell me why they should be selected…can you? Do you have a well-thought out, concise presentation describing your aviation history, accomplishments and goals? Basically it’s your chance to sell yourself and tell them what makes you different and worthy of what they are offering, be it funding, a job or a special opportunity to excel.
Good preparation means researching your target. Learn about the company or organization so you can determine who are the key players, what’s their history, and who’s received their award in the past? If they are looking for any specific qualities, you’ll need to highlight yours with that angle in mind.
Proper presentation obviously goes hand in hand with clear communications. If you can’t shown them your strengths on paper or online, having the chance to talk live about your skills may never occur.
Think about answering the question “Why should we select you?” in 100 words or less, hand-written with a five-minute time limit. It’s a challenge, but not if you’re prepared and can think on your feet (or in the interview chair) and have done your homework by writing down and rehearsing your answers.
Persistence means you’ll need to pick yourself up and keep trying even when they knock you down. If you don’t have the qualifications they want, go get them, or, at the very least, add to what you’ve got so that next time you can tell then what’s changed since you last applied.
You need to be proactive on your own behalf, especially in aviation. That scholarship won’t find you unless you get out there and show them you’re the person who deserves it.
Related Articles
