You decided you want to be a Flight Attendant. That’s great! What comes next?
You will start researching companies that (still) hire, you will fill in online applications, browse recruitment events in your city, read about introductions, assessments, tasks, questions and maybe answers. There’s a lot of information out there. What does it really take to be successful from the first try?
Google stage
- Research the airlines. Get the basic info from their ‘About us’ page or Wikipedia. Decide if that specific airline is what you are looking for in an employer.
- Look for the basic requirements and only go to the recruitment events if you meet them. There is no point in dreaming you will get the job if you have a tattoo on your neck or you are too short to reach the required height mark.
- Research the country where the airline is based and decide if a life there is a good fit for you. Living in the Middle East might be a dream for some but not an acceptable option for others.
- Understand the lifestyle and only go for it if it suits you. Being a flight attendant requires you to be flexible with your working hours, weekends and holidays. Is this something you are willing to do?
- Browse the recruitment events and decide if you want to wait until something comes up in your country or you are willing to travel for the interviews.
- Find out what is expected from you during the recruitment event.
Prepare your Flight Attendant application
- Build your CV in a simple manner. When you go for an Open Day, the recruiters spend only one minute reading your resume.
- Simplify and delete all that is not necessary. You shouldn’t have more than 3-4 bullet points for each job description.
- CV should not be longer than 1 page. Don’t give anybody a chance to yawn while they read in the greatest detail what a waitress does. We only want to know what YOU are doing. What sets you apart from the other people doing the same job?
10.Print your resume on white paper. Simple and elegant.
11.Invest in a set of professional photographs. When your application is in a pile in front of a person who never saw you, it is ideal they see you looking amazing and can immediately picture you wearing their uniform.
12.Choose a business attire while taking the photos. Ladies: skirt suit, collared shirt, high heel shoes and pantyhose, hair tied in a bun and simple makeup. Gentlemen: suit in a dark color, shirt and tie, polished shoes, short hair and elegantly groomed.
13.Take the passport photo in the same time with the full length photo.
14.If the airline requires a casual photo, do not provide anything that might look unprofessional: smoking, drinking, in a bathing suit or wearing sun glasses.
15.SMILE
16.Request printed copies of your photographs, as well as soft copies for your online application.
- Reserve 1 full hour in your schedule to complete the online application in one time. You are much more likely to be successful when you don’t procrastinate.
18.Use a professional email address in the following format [email protected]
19.Fill in all the required fields, paying extra attention to the ones marked with *. They are compulsory. 20.Always save before going to the next step.
Flight Attendant Assessment Day
21.There is no minimum or maximum number of people who will be hired. The best of the group will be chosen, regardless of how many candidates participate in the event.
22.Prepare in advance the required documents. They are not needed in the initial stage of the selection process, but things will move fast and you don’t want to run around trying to find your diplomas and making copies just before your final interview.
23.Find out where is the location of the interview and what route you have to drive, or what public transport to use both for going and coming back home.
24.Rest before the big day. As much as you can…
25.Bring some water, snacks, pens and a writing pad.
26.Prepare for a long day. It will be intense to go through all the stages of the assessment day.
27.Dress in a smart business attire, similar to the one you used for taking the photos. You want to look professional and resemble a flight attendant already.
28.Use comfortable shoes.
29.Arrive at the location at least 30 minutes earlier. You would want to absorb the surroundings, glimpse at the other candidates and even have a coffee.
30.Talk to the people around you. Make acquaintances. Say ‘Hello’ and introduce yourself.
31.Do not pay too much attention to the gossip. There will be people who have been through an assessment day before and they know it all or people who heard from a friend that there is a certain way you should behave. Ignore them!
32.Be friendly and polite with everybody. The assessors will be monitoring you even during the breaks.
33.Turn off your phone or activate the silent mode. Do not reply to text messages or update your Facebook page as the assessment progresses.
34.Pay attention to the information that is communicated to you. You might need it later. 35.Take notes. It will be useful before the interview. It also shows you are interested.
36.Ask relevant questions if given the opportunity.
37.If you already know the people who are in your group, approach them and remind them that the key to a successful group exercise is cooperation. Work together. www.FlightAttendantCentral.com
38.It is normal to be nervous. It shows that getting this job is important to you. Don’t worry about showing it in front of the interviewers.
39.Be aware of your tone of voice. Do not talk too fast, too loud or too soft.
40.During the group exercise, use simple words when addressing your colleagues. Different people will have different levels of English. Your aim is to be understood by all.
41.Be mindful of your body language. Your gestures say more than words.
42.Don’t take charge.
43.Don’t be the only one talking. If you find yourself in this situation, try to shift the focus to another colleague: ‘This is my opinion. What do you think Mary?’
44.Try to include in the conversation the people who are left out.
45.Volunteer for one part of the task. Ideally it will be something you are passionate about and your expertise will contribute to the success of the group.
46.Don’t be tempted to participate in conflicts or take sides. www.FlightAttendantCentral.com
47.The task and its result are not as important as how you worked together as a group and how you communicated with each other to reach your result.
48.Maintain eye-contact with all members of the group, not just with one.
49.Don’t sneak peek at the assessors or at the other group. You will not be able to read their reactions. Focus on what you have to do.
50.To prepare for the English Test, practice reading English every day, watch English TV channels or movies without subtitles.