Air Traffic Controller Resume: Examples and Tips
Air traffic controllers manage the movement of aircraft in and out of airports, as well as on the ground, coordinating with pilots and control towers to direct planes efficiently and safely.
To create a resume that directs potential employers to all your best qualities as an air traffic controller, use these expert tips and resume examples:
Table of Contents
Featured resume example: air traffic controller
Name: GRACE FENTON
Address: City, State, Zip Code
Phone: 000-000-0000
E-Mail: email@email.com
Reliable Air Traffic Controller with exceptional five-year safety track
record. Commended for leadership under severe pressure and superior
critical thinking skills. Fluent in automated radar systems, flight control
software and full suite of advanced technologies.
SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS
- Proficient in executing work under stressed condition with strong
analytical acumen. - Outstanding ability to exhibit team oriented approach coupled with
ability to communicate with people. - Remarkable ability to develop content for reports and letters.
PROFESSIONAL SKILLS
Reporting:
Company Name, City, State
- Developed statistics based reports while maintaining customer related
data. - Provided assistance to local project group in maintaining rapport with
customers. - Ensured supply chain related operation catering to production plant
while resolving dispatch related issues.
Safety:
Company Name, City, State
- Delivered weather updates to pilots to determine if necessary to divert
aircraft to different airports. - Oversaw emergency flight operations per government regulations for
aircraft experiencing bad weather and equipment failure - Carefully monitored movement of ground traffic such as baggage
vehicles.
Communication:
Company Name, City, State
- Reviewed requests for activities impacting National Air Space (NAS)
and Special Use Airspace (SUA) management. - Communicated instructions to pilots through clear delivery and
enunciation. - Identified, analyzed, resolved and reported hazards and procedural
issues affecting or potentially affecting safe and timely outcomes.
SKILLS
- National security regulations
- Radar usage
- Aircraft emergency reports
- Radar Terminal Display System
(RTDS) - Takeoff instructions
- Ground traffic control
WORK HISTORY
July 2018 to Current
Company Name, City, State
August 2015 to January 2018
Company Name, City, State
August 2012 to October 2014
Company Name, City, State
EDUCATION
Bachelor’s Degree Air Traffic
Management,City, State
Top 4 characteristics of a best-in-class air traffic controller resume
- Summary Your summary should highlight your top abilities and work experiences, presented in a few crisp sentences. For example: “Focused Air Traffic Controller with four years’ experience directing aircraft under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) and Instrument Flight Rules (IFR). Well-versed in assisting pilots with flight plan preparation.”
- Skills Read through the description of the job you are applying for, aligning the skills you list here with the job’s needs. Feature both hard skills (e.g., analyzing and disseminating weather observations, familiarity with equipment such as radar and runway lighting systems and record-keeping) and soft skills such as leadership, excellent communication abilities, and the ability to excel in stressful situations.
- Work history Zero-in on important duties and achievements from previous jobs, adding numbers and data to highlight your accomplishments. For example: “Supervised a crew of 25, recording zero mishaps over more than 5,000 hours.”
- Education Include your FAA certification and highest qualification (such as high school diploma or college degree), with name and location of the institution where you received credit, and any additional certifications that apply to the job, such as certification in specific software.
See Why My Perfect Resume is a 5-Star Resume Builder
Find the right template for your resume
Below are three professionally-designed templates you can use to construct your air traffic controller resume:
Contempo
This clean, straightforward layout presents a professional image that’s suitable for most jobs. The job applicant’s name and contact information are arranged at the top right for a unique look.
Pinstripe
Using centered headings and simple lines to separate each section, this template is easy for hiring managers to scan.
Pacific
The bold colored header gives this design a polished, eye-catching look. This layout allows you to customize content easily, depending on if you want to emphasize work skills or experience.
For even more resume layouts you can use, visit our resume templates section.
Do’s and don’ts for your resume
- DO tailor your resume for different jobs. Air traffic controller duties can vary from job to job, which means that one resume most definitely does not fit all. Create different versions of your resume for each job you apply to, updating your summary, skills and work history accordingly. For example, if the job emphasizes “Coordinating with and issuing instructions to airport vehicles and personnel,” emphasize skills that relate to coordination (e.g., attention to detail, excellent communication skills, team management), or give an example of a job where you’ve performed a similar function successfully. Our article How to Create a Targeted Resume features more advice on customizing your resume.
- DO use job-specific keywords. Every job posting is loaded with keywords — phrases that explain the job’s major duties and requirements. Make sure you address these keywords in your own resume. This not only helps your resume pass muster with employers, but also with applicant tracking systems (ATS) employers use to scan resumes. If a job calls for “supervising and managing air traffic control facilities,” then include “facilities management” or “air traffic control facility management” in your skills section. See our article How to Use Keywords Effectively for more keywords pointers.
- DO submit your resume after proofreading it. As an air traffic controller, you will be expected to deliver error-free, on-time work. So, it is better to start the same with your resume. Sometimes minor errors or even typos can lead to rejections and hence never send a resume without decent proofreading. A neat and error-free resume ensures that your profile perfectly aligns with the recruiter’s requirements.
- DON’T forget to include soft skills. While air traffic control management involves many technical and professional skills, it also depends on soft skills that determine how well you can work with others, and perform under pressure. Add soft skills like communication, leadership, collaboration, attention to detail and problem-solving to your resume. For more soft skill suggestions, see our Top Resume Skills page.
- DON’T make your resume too long. Most recruiters only take scant seconds to read a resume, so don’t lose their interest by packing your resume with unneeded information. Limit your work history to the last 10 years, and use bullet points and short phrases to describe your achievements, as you’ll find in our resume examples. Above all, focus only on qualifications and experiences that directly relate to what’s needed to perform the job well.
- DON’T get too fancy with your layout. Don’t get caught up with flamboyant fonts and graphics when putting together your resume — it’s much more important to present the right content that resonates with hiring managers rather than throwing together a visual look that might not connect with them. Stick to a straightforward template that lets employers find what they want to know without any issues.
Air traffic controller resume FAQ
- 1. What are skills that fit an air traffic controller resume?
- 2. How should you format your resume?
- 3. How do you incorporate keywords in your resume?
- 4. What are some examples of training and certifications that are suitable for an Air Traffic Controller?
- 5. How should you craft your resume if you are looking to take the next step in your career?
1. What are skills that fit an air traffic controller resume?
- Problem assessment
- Three-dimensional situation awareness
- Proficient with radar and transmitters
- Attention to detail
- Visual problem-solving
- Ability to excel under pressure
- Good with numbers
- Leadership abilities
- Time management
- Decision-making
- Multitasking
- Team-building and supervision
2. How should you format your resume?
Your format (or how you organize your resume) depends on your experience. If you have a few years of air traffic control work under your belt, use a combination format, which emphasizes your skills and relevant work experiences. If you have a more extensive work history, use the chronological format, which has a detailed work experience section. If you are a recent graduate or first-time job seeker, use a functional resume, which focuses on the skills, training and certifications you already possess rather than your work history.
3. How do you incorporate keywords in your resume?
Review the job description and note phrases and words that underline the major requirements of the job, such as “issuing clearance and control instructions to aircraft” or “Control Tower Operator Certificate (CTO).” Use these keywords in your resume’s summary, skills, and work history sections, with work examples that show how you’ve put your abilities to good use. For example, you could list your CTO certificate in your skills section, or write “Issued clearance and control instructions to aircraft at airport handling 100+ flights per day” in your work experience section. Our article How to Use Keywords Effectively provides more keyword tips.
4. What are some examples of training and certifications that are suitable for an Air Traffic Controller?
Below are some certifications to consider for enhancing your credentials (and your resume):
- Air Traffic – Collegiate Training Initiative (AT-CTI)
- Technical Operations – Collegiate Training Initiative (TO-CTI)
- Air Traffic Control Specialists
- Management of Aviation Communication and Navigation Systems
5. How should you craft your resume if you are looking to take the next step in your career?
To move ahead in the aviation sector, look to add these skills and experiences in your resume:
- Display work accomplishments where you’ve exhibited leadership, including planning, delegating and executing work in compliance with AWP policies and safety procedures.
- Show evidence of prolonged efficiency as a controller, handling high-traffic airports without accidents.
- Experience with training new hires and ensuring that delegated work is done on time.
- AIPB Certified Bookkeeper
- NACPB Licensed Bookkeeper
- QuickBooks Online ProAdvisor Certification
Pair your resume with a matching cover letter
Resume examples for the next step in your aviation career
- Aeronautical Engineer
- Aircraft Mechanic
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- Airline Gate Agent
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- Airport Customer Service Agent
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- Airport Representative
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- Pilot
