Investigate the pay scale for airline jobs

Before you invest in your airline career, you should know whether the compensation of jobs in the airline industry is right for you.

I recommend: Get a general idea of the pay for all airline jobs at Salary.com. Review pilot pay scales for different airlines at Will Fly for Food.

Get airline career training

Whether you want to be a pilot, work behind the scenes or a yearn to be a flight attendant, career training puts you a step ahead of other job applicants.

I recommend: Airline Transport Professionals (ATP) offers flexible training for pilots, and they help place their graduates. If you're interested in maintenance, you can take four levels of training through Aviation Maintenance Training Technologies. Most airlines train the flight attendants they hire, but you can get a boost by completing a training course through Jet Set Aviation Professionals.

Create an industry-specific resume

Each airline job requires a specific skill set. If you know what skills to highlight in your resume, you're likely to get an interview.

I recommend: You can upload your existing resume for airline jobs to Aviation Resumes for a personalized evaluation. The service will also revise your resume to make it more attractive to potential employers.

Search online job boards geared towards airline jobs

Though you can check individual company websites for corporate airline jobs, you'll find it easier to apply to jobs by accessing a portal or job board that focuses on airline jobs across the industry.

I recommend: JS Firm specializes in airline job listings and allows you to post your resume online so you can quickly apply to job postings. Though it requires a fee to access the job database, AirlineJobFinder has customized search options to find the airline job you want. Here, you can also post your resume and create a profile. A membership to Avjobs.com gives you access to a number of professional aviation job search benefits, as well as a database of airline job listings.

Attend job fairs to meet with recruiters face to face

At in-person meetings, you have the chance to get to know a number of companies in a single event and apply for a number of corporate airline jobs.

I recommend: At the annual Pilot Job Fair, you can meet with recruiters from dozens of airlines. For a broader range of aviation careers, attend the Aviation Industry Expo, held each spring.