"Hi! I've just been invited to
attend an 'informational session' at XYZ Airlines that's being held next
Saturday. I sent them my resume a couple of weeks ago. Is this an interview? Is
there anything I should know?"
Yes, Virginia, airlines are hiring flight attendants again - and the so-called
'informational session' is often the first step in the flight attendant job
interview process. Start off by congratulating yourself - obviously, your resume
and cover letter did their job, and now the company wants to meet you in person.
That's the good news. The bad news is that they probably also liked a few dozen
other people's resumes enough to also invite them to this cozy little tea party.
Much like acting, where there are dozens of people who want that one job, those
who fill positions for flight attendants at major airlines have their interview
process down to an art. If you've been invited in for a flight attendant job
interview, here are some things that you should know.
The "cattle call"
The first stage of the interview process is often called a 'cattle call', after
the same practice in the acting profession. The airline will invite as many as
several hundred applicants to a conference center or hotel where you'll get to
fill out an application, then stand up and introduce yourself. You'll have two
to three minutes to wow the interviewers with your personal statement, and if
you do, you may get an invitation to a personal or small group interview later
in the day.
This kind of flight attendant job interview is great for the airline, especially
if they're hiring a lot of people in a short time - for instance, when they're
opening a new base in a new city. It's far less expensive for them to rent
conference centers in several cities and weed through several hundred people in
a day than it would be for them to fly everyone to the home base for personal
interviews. Unfortunately, it's not so great for you - you need to make a good
impression in a very short time. Basically, it's a 'stress interview' - you may
be asked, “Tell me a little about yourself,” or be hit with a tougher interview
question. Your best strategy for this kind of flight attendant job interview is
to practice responding spontaneously to many different questions. They're
looking for unruffled poise - and that comes with practice.
Small group interviews
If you wow them in the cattle call, or if your resume is really impressive,
you'll move on to the second round of interviews, usually a small group flight
attendant job interview. You'll be seated in a room with 8-10 other applicants
while the interviewer asks questions of the group at large. It'll be up to the
applicants to answer in their own order - and how you answer questions will be
as important as what you say in response to the questions. The recruiters will
be watching you as much for your demeanor as for your knowledge - remember,
they'll be training you after they hire you, so knowing the job isn't the most
important thing here.
The best strategy is answer first on some questions, last on some questions and
somewhere in the middle on most questions. When you answer, be polite and
pleasant, never ever belittle another person or their answer, and answer briefly
and concisely. The types of questions you might be asked will range from 'How do
you handle a conflict in this situation?' to 'What's the most important thing to
remember on an international flight?'
The interviewers are looking for people who are poised, confident and sensitive
to other people. Remember, their job in a flight attendant job interview is to
find people who will represent the company and make them look good to the
customers. As a flight attendant, you are the person that people will associate
with the airline. Make sure you project a confident, competent attitude.
One-on-one interviews
So you made it to a one-on-one interview. That's quite an accomplishment in
itself. At this point, the advice isn't much different than it is in
interviewing for any other job. Listen to the questions asked; respond to them
briefly and concisely. Take the time to draw out your interviewer a little -
knowing whether she or he was a flight attendant, and what his or her experience
is in the industry can help you frame your answers effectively. Most
importantly, remember that the airlines hire as much for attitude and image as
they do for skills - as noted before, they'll train you in the knowledge that
you need. Instead, you should be working to present an outgoing, resourceful and
friendly personality - just the kind of person you'd want in the aisles on your
flight home.
About The Author
Rita Henry is a contributing editor for Flight
Attendant Jobs, the leading job site for the Aviation Industry. Interested
in receiving only the hottest Flight Attendant jobs weekly for free? To
learn more visit
Flight
Attendant Jobs.
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