Career Advice Job Market Trend Report

High-flyers wanted

Pilots, crew, engineers and others
Hongkong Jet

Hongkong Jet, the total-solution business aviation provider, is expanding and looking for pilots, flight attendants, engineers, sales, human resources and finance experts.

"We want people who are very international to build and maintain our international flavour," says CEO Chris Buchholz (below centre). "Private jet experience would be a big plus."

Buchholz says they are looking for professionals who always put safety first, are customer-oriented with good communication skills and enjoy working in a team. They have to be fluent in English, he adds. "We look for the best and we know how to take care of the best. We equip [staff] to succeed and grow professionally. There will be a lot of opportunities to grow in the coming years," he says.

Work on private jets is very different from commercial aircraft, he adds. The flight schedule is unpredictable, and staff have to be flexible, on call and on demand all the time. They also have to have experience in dealing with VIPs.

Furthermore, the job does not end on arrival. For instance, the chef has to find the right catering for return flights, while the pilot may have to take care of last minute changes and get flight permits and landing slots. As for engineers, there may be off-schedule maintenance jobs and they may have to fly out of their home base to fix aircraft with problems overseas.

"It's much more demanding [than commercial work]. They have to be more skilled and think on their feet," Buchholz says. He adds that the job is great for people who love to travel because, unlike commercial flights, destinations vary.