If
you have ever applied to an airline for a flight
attendant position, you were probably surprised
to be confronted with a daunting application situation. Very
few people are chosen to become
flight attendants, and, with most of the major
airlines continuing to forestall hiring for awhile longer, there
are fewer jobs for the growing number of applicants. That is
why you must be among the very best in the application process.
The
process typically works like this: the applicant will go to
the airline’s website, fill out an online application
template which is similar to an application; many airlines now
use computers to scan the application, attempting to pull out
key words that relate to their requirements
for flight attendants. The successful applicant
may then be called for a brief telephone screening, in which
the screener asks several questions, sometimes a behavioral
or situational question. If the applicant answers the screening
questions successfully, he or she may be asked to attend an
open house interview session. If successful in the first part
of the open house, the applicant is often invited to a second
or even a third interview, followed by a training date. Each
time the applicant is interviewed, recruiters make a “cut”,
and as you can see, each time there is a cut, the applicant’s
chances of making it to training will dwindle if they do not
present appropriately.
There
may be quite a few applicants in the room at the first interview
session. There could be 70 people in the room and only 20 chosen
for a second interview, and out of that 20, only 4 may be hired.
So you see, the competition is quite fierce. Many people may
think it will be a piece of cake if they look nice and smile,
but there is clearly a lot more to it than that.
I
was once in the room when a former flight
attendant with another airline was interviewing.
She had gone out the day before and purchased a $200 suit; her
hair was immaculately coiffed and she had gotten a professional
manicure. She looked very professional and well put-together.
She performed admirably during the first interview, and was
held back for a second. In the second portion, she botched a
rather elementary behavioral question and was not invited to
training. Airlines have gotten wise to the fact that job seekers
are somewhat savvier these days, so they have upped-the-ante
to incorporate a more challenging interview track. Interviews
now include behavior questions that determine how well you can
think on your feet, and it is difficult to prepare for that
if you don’t know what will be thrown at you. This requires
careful preparation and knowledge of the recruitment process
as well as good communication skills and professionalism. One
can’t simply show up and look smashing – you must
have something to say that will give them credibility now, as
many people are finding out.
Job
seekers are occasionally overheard as saying, after being turned
down for the job, “did you see who they took – why
on earth did they choose that one?” Well, obviously the
recruiters are looking for something that many people take for
granted, and that is substance. Airlines are seeking those who
stand out from the crowd in the interview. You can’t just
be acceptable – you must give them something that no one
else in the room possesses, something which is not always obvious
to the untrained observer. You have to market your assets to
them in a way that will compel them to make you a part of their
company. An obligation to shine as the brightest star is what
is needed – the flight attendant
interview is now akin to an audition, and the
presentation you give can make you or break you.
Learning
to speak with poise and panache is key. While it may feel awkward
to you at first, practice in front of your mirror at home or
have a friend or family member grill you with behavioral-type
questions. Preparation is the name of the game, and you must
be a good salesperson in order to market yourself to the airlines.
When
interviewing for an airline, never take anything for granted.
If you don’t have some kind of preparation, you are putting
your future in someone else’s hands; take control and
prepare extensively for the interview – it’s a question
of you against everyone else in the room!
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