EPISODE 26: How to Get Hired as Cabin Crew - Expert Tips for Landing Your Dream Flight Attendant Job
Although speaking 7 languages is impressive, even very qualified candidates are rejected!
Did you know there is only a 2% acceptance rate for the flight attendant position at the world’s best airlines?
Becoming a cabin crew member is intensely competitive - even the acceptance rate for Harvard University is less forgiving (3.7%)!
As someone who has flown internationally for Canada’s top airlines and been accepted by 2 of the 3 “Ivy League” airlines (Emirates, Etihad and Qatar) below are my top tips from someone who has achieved success in this area several times.
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Let’s get into it!
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Although I’ve already written articles on what to expect at an Emirates Assessment Day, given you all tips on what makes the perfect CV, shown you what the accommodations and welcome package is like, shared my thoughts on Dubai and even what it’s like to get fired from Emirates, I’ve never shared my thoughts on cabin crew interviews in general.
In this article, I am going to simplify the process so you clearly understand what any airline is looking for, as someone who has attended their fair share of group assessments. Then, I’ll share my thoughts on how the top airlines differ from regular airlines.
Hello, international flying! (Mexico City, Mexico)
The first thing to keep in mind that cabin crew interviews generally happen in rounds.
The day begins with hundreds of hopeful applicants and with every group interview, candidates who do not fit the criteria the airline wants are asked to leave. By the end of the day, only the most qualified remain and are potentially hired.
The reason airlines do this is very strategic. By putting you in this situation, they are giving you a realistic environment that is similar to being onboard: You are in a group setting where the stakes are high.
Except instead of arriving to a destination, you need to work together to arrive at a job offer.
Yes, I said work together. But we’ll get there - just keep reading.
Hello, international travel!
The first thing I think we should be clear on is what the cabin crew role includes, and what it does not include. What does a flight attendant actually do?
If you’re like most people, you think it’s a cute person who serves diet pepsi in the sky.
Or as my flight Murray says, it’s “being grumpy towards passengers.”
Although these things may with the job, it is not actually the truth.
The truth is that the cabin crew role can be broken down into 3 parts, which I’ve represented in the image to the right.
Understanding these 3 parts helps you stand out from other candidates, because you will be able to give the airline exactly what they want and are looking for. If you can convince them that you can do all these things, the job is yours.
So let’s talk about each one.
Safety first!
SAFETY
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SAFETY -
The actual reason airlines hire flight attendants is in case of emergency. If it was for service alone, they would not invest so heavily in training crew or in hiring the right candidates.
In case the plane has mechanical difficulties, in case the weather strikes, in case there’s a criminal threat on board, the flight attendants are trained to handle any and all emergency situations and protect those flying with them.
When and if you are hired, your training will likely be very intense and cover things like what to do if a bomb is discovered in the plane, how to handle a drunk and unruly passenger, or what to yell if there’s an emergency evacuation over the ocean.
As you can imagine, this is a lot and not something everyone can handle!
Although the job looks glamorous, the airline needs to know that if the plane stops in the sky, you can be trusted to take care of everyone flying with you, and do it without running for the hills yourself.
Here are some things they will be looking for while you are in your interviews, with examples of how you can demonstrate that you are capable of protecting everyone safely:
TEAMWORK.
Although most jobs want someone who is a team player, acting as part of a team is actually essential in any emergency. It can be the difference between life and death if something goes wrong.
Although it’s generally good in interviews to be proud of your accomplishments, airlines tend to hire team players and making others shine and look good will take you far when applying.
Really genuinely listening to your teammates is key to this strategy. Not to mention it takes the stress off of you and your sweaty palms! Having a positive vibe and supportive, calm attitude when everyone else is stressing about they look will naturally make you stand out.
Pro tip In all of my group interviews, I always acknowledge the contributions of another team member. For example, if you are presenting the group’s answers, you can say something like the statement below :
“In our group discussion, we decided that if there’s only one seat available and two people want it, we should give it to the passenger who is at a health risk.
My colleague here (say their name) had the great idea of ensuring that we offer the seat to the pregnant woman to protect both her and her child, instead of the VIP client who will be offered another airline perk instead for their loyalty.”
ATTENTION TO DETAIL.
Again - this is a safety job. So if you are not paying attention to details, people’s lives could be endangered. For this reason, really pay attention throughout the day of the interview.
What is your team member’s name? What are the specifics of the questions asked? Do you remember all your own information regarding past roles at the drop of a hat?
Besides genuinely listening to your teammates and having a positive attitude, a great way to shine here is by paying attention the specifics in the questions they ask you.
Pro tip : Often, airline recruiters will be walking around, or will be seated at the same table listening in to a group of candidates as they work through a question. They are doing this to see who is working as a team and who isn’t. Here’s an example where you are helping your teammates shine but also showing the recruiters you pay attention to details:
“Although I think it’s a great idea to place the pregnant woman in the last remaining seat, I can’t help but point out that in the question it says that a third passenger who needs to take their medication every 30 mins is also in need. How can we make sure that this person is also taken care of?”
CUSTOMER SERVICE
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CUSTOMER SERVICE -
Thankfully, airplane rides are not usually filled with emergencies. Therefore, at some point the airlines realized that they could utilize cabin crew to provide service to the passengers as an added convenience.
In order to showcase your customer service skills, you really need 3 things: Empathy, Speaking Skills and a Proactive Attitude.
EMPATHY.
Empathy means caring what other people are going through. It means stepping out of your life and your world for a second to notice what’s going on with someone else. In very tense or emergency situations (like an interview or a flight), having the self-awareness to think of someone else or put yourself in their shoes when most people only think of themselves will help you stand out.
The way you can demonstrate this in your interview is by doing two things: Listening to others and really reading into the question.
I already touched on listening in the teamwork portion above (and it is important so definitely do it!), but here’s an example of how reading into the question can demonstrate to the recruiters how empathetic you are:
“Although the question states that there is a group travelling on this flight, it does not say why they are travelling. There are many reasons people travel and they could be travelling for a funeral or some other difficult situation. As crew, it’s important to think of what others could be going through and not always assume we know why they act the way they do.”
SPEAKING SKILLS.
This one is a bit tricky, because you want to be a team player while shining at the same time. Therefore, it is actually very important to listen as I said, but you need to be able to showcase your own value clearly in the moments when you are speaking.
I have seen many candidates be rejected because they were unaware of their teammates when answering questions, or worse, spoke over everyone to get their point across. Being bossy gets you rejected because it shows a lack of teamwork. However, being overly shy and timid also will not get a positive result because how will they know you can handle the plane if you can’t handle speaking up?
In order to prepare for public speaking, I would recommend watching the video below and practicing with a close friend or family member in the days leading up to your interview.
In my case, I’ve taken some on-camera acting classes and those really helped me become comfortable with public speaking while staying authentic at the same time.
Some of these tips were ones I used when I was presenting - show the recruiters you respect your teammates and they will see you as exceptional.
A PROACTIVE ATTITUDE.
Being proactive means being a person who looks for solutions before or in difficult situations.
Most people are not proactive, they are reactive. When difficulties arise, they just react without thinking of what is the best for everyone.
In customer service, you cannot be reactive unless you plan on losing your job. Helping people with creative solutions rather than reacting to them is how you do your work.
This one takes a bit of time to learn if you tend to be very emotional, but it will help you in the long-term handle any life difficulties.
The best way to do it is by asking yourself - what would I want someone to do for me? And then do that.
Here’s an example where you are a crew (or a candidate in an interview) and you discover a passenger eating a granola bar with peanuts onboard (a common allergy in Canada).
The proactive person / hired candidate:
“Hi sir, I must ask you sir to please put your snack away as it could endanger the lives of those seated near you. Thank you.”
The reactive person / person who is asked to leave the interview:
“Peanuts?? On a plane?? You’re the one who’s nuts!! You better give those to me or else!! Don’t raise your voice at me!!”
BRAND REP
+
SALES
BRAND REP + SALES
Most people never meet the corporate people who work an airline’s offices. In fact, if you think of your own experiences with an airline, you’ve likely only met the staff at the airport.
Part of the reason crew must look good is because the passengers only ever meet gate agents, pilots and cabin crew and decide who an airline is based on this impression.
Therefore, as crew you are a brand ambassador. Everything you do reflects who the airline is and what they stand for.
This is why Emirates and the Middle Eastern airlines are so strict in terms of their grooming standards and what you are and are not allowed to do in uniform.
Everything you do in uniform makes the airline look either good or bad to passengers.
APPEARANCE.
Caring for your appearance the day of your assessment helps the recruiters see that not only are you a respectable professional, but you are also capable of following procedures.
For all the reasons mentioned above, adhering to standards of procedure is important in a cabin crew role because there are many safety rules to follow. If you are doing whatever you want with your appearance, how can they trust you to follow the safety rules?
Although every airline is different in regards to how standards are upheld, they all have grooming standards to follow.
Following them the day of your assessment shows you are willing to follow all the standards, including safety.
SALES.
Although it is not directly tied to the crew role, some airlines push their duty-free and in-air purchases more than others.
It is useful if you have a sales or entrepreneurial background to point this out in your answers as you may be able to help the airline reach their targets.
It shows you are a go-getter who can make them look good if you are persuasive and charismatic enough.
The truth is though, since most cabin crew applicants are women and many recruiters are women as well, I would not advise being bossy and taking over to prove how great you are as I said in the points above.
Tap into your feminine energy, and help others shine.
Stay confident in your value, truly listen and be present.
Your natural radiance will come through and others will be drawn to you, whether you have direct sales experience or not.
Check out the video below to sell yourself without saying a word.
All in all, this blog post covers the qualities that any commercial airline will absolutely be looking for in its crew.
However, one difference I noticed between your usual, local airline and the world’s top airlines is the emphasis on speaking up and on leadership.
Airlines like Emirates and Etihad are looking for standout candidates because they are a standout airline.
Therefore, it is even more important to stand out and show them you are a leader.
Here are some tips to keep in mind for the elite airlines:
Volunteer to be the one in your group to speak up.
Create a list of your biggest accomplishments in life and have 2-3 prepared that could be related to being cabin crew.
Brush up on your public speaking skills to be extremely clear when it’s your turn. Don’t be scared to mention your biggest accomplishments when you speak up.
Have a detached but very confident attitude in addition to all the skills they want.
WANT MORE?
The new Flight Path to Success Ebook is available! Use it to secure your future as cabin crew from someone who has aced many interviews herself. it has everything you need so you are well prepared for your new career to take off!
Hope to see you in the sky!
