Matt Thurber, editor-in-chief at AIN Media Group, has been flying since 1975 and writing about aviation since 1978 and now has the best job in the world, running editorial operations for Aviation International News, Business Jet Traveler, and FutureFlight.aero. In addition to working as an A&amp;P mechanic on everything from Piper Cubs to turboprops, Matt taught flying at his father’s flight school in Plymouth, Mass., in the early 1980s, flew for an aircraft owner/pilot, and for two summer seasons hunted swordfish near the George’s Banks off the East Coast from a Piper Super Cub. An ATP certificated fixed-wing pilot and CFII and commercial helicopter pilot, Matt is type-rated in the Citation 500 and Gulfstream V/550. Based in the Pacific Northwest, Matt and his team cover the entire aviation scene including business aircraft, helicopters, avionics, safety, manufacturing, charter, fractionals, technology, air transport, advanced air mobility, defense, and other subjects of interest to AIN, BJT, and FutureFlight readers.

Editor-in-Chief

Matt Thurber

Times are tough and layoffs are widespread. Two companies are offering innovative ways to help people seeking jobs in aviation.
ServiceElements has a customer service certification program it provides free online. According to Bob Hobbi, president of the Scottsdale, Ariz.-based customer service training firm, “Differentiation is key for job seekers in what is becoming a very tight aviation market.” Unemployed aviation workers can take advantage of the program, he added, “to demonstrate to potential employers their desire and ability to impact customer satisfaction as they carry out their professional responsibilities.”
The program is delivered online via live webinars (seminars on the Web) held once a week for four weeks. Course materials are sent to the participants before each session, and after completion, ServiceElements sends a certificate to each participant.
“We believe that when a person is skilled in managing customers, whether the customer is ‘in the back,’ or a fellow employee, that person will be a valuable addition to any business organization,” said Hobbi.
JSfirm, an aviation-only, on-line jobs board, has another solution for aviation job seekers. 
Through its E program, which is included in company membership fees, JSfirm provides career counseling, résumé building assistance, Web site instruction and a list of companies that are hiring. According to cofounder and managing partner Sam Scanlon, “This is not an outplacement program [but] a less expensive and more effective way for aviation companies to help employees who are laid off as a result of downsizing.” The site allows members to download material to hand out to employees.
JSfirm currently has 4,000 company members and 63,000-plus individual résumé members. The annual membership fee for unlimited use starts at $1,998. Add-ons, such as banner advertising, cost extra. The service is free to job seekers.
JSfirm claims it is “the biggest aviation-only online jobs board” and recently reached six million hits a month. What is more important, said Joel Meanor, the other cofounder and managing partner of the Fort Worth-based company, is that 350,000 to 400,000 of those are “unique” users, who are not just logging on and off, but staying and looking. 
Aware of confidentiality concerns, JSfirm also provides a program that allows the viewing of résumés but without clues about the identity of the individual, or even the company.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Online help for aviation-job seekers

Times are tough and layoffs are widespread.

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