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THE MUG 10
TEN QUESTIONS THAT UNLOCK REAL STORIES OF SUCCESS.
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AT A GLANCE
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I am able to make my patients feel comfortable and well cared for while using my analytical brain to give them the best dermatologic care possible.
My unique genius is my level headedness, the ability to stay calm under pressure and only focusing on what I can control in the moment.
WHAT IS YOUR
UNIQUE GENIUS?
how did you become interested in this career?
SELF-DISCOVERY
Becoming a pilot was never on the forefront of my mind as a kid. I went to college as pre-med and thought that surgery was in my future. Then I took a self-reflection day to figure out, 'what's something [I'm] actually going to be excited about?'
I wrote down a list of things that [I] wanted to be when [I] grew up. Doctor was probably number two on the list behind secret agent, then somewhere down the list was pilot. The thought process of [becoming a pilot] made me smile. I [started] with a discovery flight and [I had an] epiphany of, 'I think I'm really going to enjoy this.' I knew that this is where I was going to be.
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IN WHAT WAYS IS THIS JOB
A PERFECT FIT FOR YOU?
I love traveling.
I enjoy a challenge.
I'm adaptable.
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I love traveling. I love being challenged every single day. I like not having the mundane every day experience. Something different is going to happen. I think that's what keeps me excited about coming to work every single day and makes it a perfect fit for me.
WHAT SKILLS DOES IT TAKE TO BE SUCCESSFUL AT YOUR JOB?
TECHNICAL SKILLS AND PEOPLE SKILLS
The skill set you need to be a pilot is actually twofold. We're very heavy on technical skills [like] ability to learn complicated systems, dynamic environments like airspace and speed limits in the sky. But then there's also a big component that's soft skills and being personable. I'm going to be sitting next to another pilot for hours at a time, potentially days at a time. You want to be a cool person that you want to go fly with.
I am able to make my patients feel comfortable and well cared for while using my analytical brain to give them the best dermatologic care possible.
WHAT DO YOU WISH YOU KNEW WHEN YOU WERE YOUNGER?
ASK FOR HELP
"I wish [I knew] it's okay to ask for help. Becoming a pilot is not one of those things that you can do by yourself. It takes a large network of people and a lot of favors. Don't be stubborn."
I am able to make my patients feel comfortable and well cared for while using my analytical brain to give them the best dermatologic care possible.
IN YOUR BODY OF WORK, WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF?
FACING CHALLENGING SITUATIONS
We took off out in New York and the weather wasn't in our favor. [Our company] said to bring the airplane back towards New York to fill up and take another short flight out to [the destination]. Unfortunately, the weather started deteriorating [more]. We left New York and 7 hours later, we brought the passengers right back to the same gate.
[I'm] used to not necessarily getting to where I'm going, but that's not the expectation for passengers. But majority of the [passengers] thanked us for keeping [them] safe. That's [a good] moment when you get a 'thank you,' even if it feels like a thankless job.
WHAT'S THE COOLEST PART OF YOUR JOB?
THE VIEW
The coolest part of the job is seeing some of the things you can see, like a sunset over the Florida coast and a sunrise over Los Angeles. That and layovers are always awesome. If you find yourself on a beach somewhere hanging out until the next flight, it's cool.
WHAT'S THE MOST CHALLENGING PART OF YOUR JOB?
MANAGING THE SCHEDULE
[The most challenging part is] sacrificing for the community at large. When you go on vacation, [pilots] go to work in order to make that happen. I'm adjusting my schedule personally to move a holiday to a different day in order to make that sort of thing happen.
WHAT'S 1 THING PEOPLE DON'T KNOW OR UNDERSTAND ABOUT YOUR JOB?
A LOT OF MOVING PARTS
[What people don't know is] it's not all glamorous. In order to get a plane from point A to point B with all of our passengers on board, there's a lot of moving parts. [We rely on] so many other people doing their jobs correctly on a day to day basis as well.
WHAT WAS A DEFINING MOMENT OF YOUR LIFE?
MY DISCOVERY FLIGHT
A defining moment in life is going to be the same for a lot of pilots — after your first Discovery flight. Your next goal is to learn how to fly the plane by yourself. It can be nerve wracking, can be exciting, can be scary. But it's definitely a defining moment because we all go through it and we're all so happy once we get past that first initial solo because there's nothing like that first takeoff and first landing and just knowing that you can do it.
INDUSTRY STATISTICS
PILOT
PROJECTED GROWTH
Projected Growth: 4% - 7%
Projected Openings: 6,300
AVERAGE ANNUAL SALARY RANGE
$100,550 - $208,000
TOP SKILLS FOR THIS JOB
Critical Thinking
Collaboration
Operating Machinery
Problem-solving
People Skills
WORK ENVIRONMENT
Leadership
Stress Tolerance
Attention to Detail
Adaptability
Operating Machinery
Time Pressure
TRAINING + DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
Pilot certificate required