The Job Of A Flight Attendant - The Interview Process
By Janette McGreal
The first good strategy in making the odds better in landing a job as an airline flight attendant is during a merge. Presently, my employer Us Airways has merged with American Airlines making them the biggest airline in the world. This is a good time to start applying with an airline. Check all of the other airlines and find out when they may be hiring. Check posts online and newspapers. Most airlines will do their interviews and group screenings in hotels.
My interview was conducted in the Cincinnati Airport Marriott in 1988. These group screening interviews are set up in most cities. You could be lucky enough to do your group screening in a hotel near you and you will just need to drive to the hotel.
Your application and resume: Years ago when I was filling out the application, I listed all jobs from my past for the public experience. If you have experience in different types of public customer service jobs, it does not matter if you have bounced around some, it shows you can adapt to different work environments. College is very impressive on a resume even if you only attended for a year. This once again, shows life experience. If you have hobbies you excel at, make sure to have them on your resume. This will show you are involved. List a hobby that will show you have an outgoing, assertive personality, someone who is in control. This looks very good on a resume. You are selling yourself. You need to prove you are an asset to the airline you are applying to. Airlines are looking for someone who has a take control personality with a nurturing ability. You will be serving 100-400 passengers or possibly more depending on the aircraft. If an emergency comes up, an airline needs someone to take control. You have to prove you will be this type of person.
Your weight:
Years ago if you were not under a certain weight for your height, you were automatically put on weight check in the training part of becoming a flight attendant. Now this procedure is considered discriminating. Once you are a flight attendant, the weight problem is only considered an issue if you cannot go through the window of an aircraft at recurrent training once a year. However, I suggest when going to interviews for the flight attendant position, I recommend your weight should reflect a person who naturally has the appearance of a healthy lifestyle.
Going to the group screening. You will be seated with 30 or more people in a usual setting with most airlines. I do remember Delta airlines was only 4-6 of us in the group screening. My first interview with Delta Airlines paid for the flight and I remember being seated in first class. I was flown from Cincinnati to Atlanta. This was my first time on a plane, so you can imagine going to the interview. I did not receive the good news I was hoping for. I did learn quite a few things to do differently when you go to the screening, be prepared.
What to wear:
Women: Wear a navy or black solid color suit. A white blouse looks nice. No pants and skirt should hit at the knee. Nice shoes. Heels should not be to high. No open toed shoes. Pumps are a good choice and should match the suit. Nude pantyhose are a good choice. Hair should be pulled back in a bun if long, or in a neat pony tail. Bobs look great for airline interviews. Make sure hair color is not too bleached and looks professionally done.
Men: Wear a dark solid color suit. Nice tie and conservative. Dark shoes and shined.
Before going to the interview, you need to practice a biography that is about you, and present it to your family or friends. You will need to state your name, where you are from and why you would like to be a flight attendant. A good example could be, "you are curious about different cultures, enjoy working with the public and you have always been a nurturing person". Waitresses and nurses jobs are geared at serving the public, but do their jobs on the ground. Airlines will look at this as a positive. First big point once you say who you are and why you would like to be a flight attendant, you need to talk about activities you enjoy doing. Fitness was a big one for me. Making the group you are presenting in front of comfortable will show you are in control. Discuss something you know a lot about. You want to make sure this group feels your excitement when you are presenting it!! If you come across nervous in front of the interviewers, you are done. These applicants watching you are your competitors and you are competing for this job. You will only have minutes to sell yourself. So do not wait too long to give your presentation. You will just become more tense. Remember the group screening is only minutes, and it will be over. From the moment you walk into the room be poised, they will be watching!
The call back. The final interview. This one is easier and is more of a one on one. But have your timeline of your jobs straight in your head. Do not go overboard responding to questions the interviewer asks. Too much information is not needed. Be specific and to the point, but pleasant. Everything should go well. They liked you, you were chosen at the group screening already!
I have been asked so many times about being a flight attendant and the life. I have been a flight attendant for 24 years now, been hired twice by two different airlines and know the tricks to land the job. I am still presently working for Us Airways, and been employed with them since 1988.
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