Top 11 things you need to know before applying for a cabin crew job

It’s time to get your career in order. Here’s what you need to know before getting started in the New Year.

 
• 1. Not all airlines will be looking for the same things
Airlines recruit based on their own core values and these can vary a lot. Think about the difference between EasyJet and Virgin Atlantic for instance, or Emirates and Ryanair! Make sure your application and selection day performance matches what the airline you are applying for wants to see.


• 2. Customer service experience may not be enough
Not only do you need to describe your customer service experience in an interesting and detailed way (simply writing on your CV that you ‘waited on tables and greeted customers’ is not going to be enough) you also need to show recruiters that you do it with personality, great communication resilience and personal motivation. For starters!


• 3. Age doesn’t matter
Mature applicants have a wealth of knowledge and experience to bring to the role whilst younger cabin crew can have great stamina to meet the physical demands of the role. Airlines will consider you on your merits, not your number.


• 4. You might not fit the criteria
You could have the potential to be the best cabin crew an airline has ever seen but if you don’t meet certain requirements then you won’t get very far. Check the website to find out things like height requirements and what the airline’s position is on tattoos. And if you can’t swim, learn!


• 5. It’s not just an interview
Before you even get to this stage you have a pre-assessment (CV or application form). This can be the toughest hurdle because there are so many applicants early on in the selection process. If you are suitable you are sent to an assessment/ selection day. Some airlines require a telephone interview before attendance at an assessment day in person, and this can be a chance for applicants for whom English is not their first language to prove that their use of English is of a high enough standard.


• 6. Someone’s survival may depend on you
First aid, CPR training and basic survival techniques such as dealing with a heart attack scenario will be covered in your training. You won’t be left to apply this without regular refreshers though, plus you will be assessed yearly to ensure your skills are still up to date and ready to help.


• 7. You may get more out of your time off than you think
All airlines are different with their working agreements i.e. how much time is required in-between flights. However, there is always a basic legal requirement on the number of hours you are allowed to work. Generally if you are flying over say 10 hours you will usually require 2 local nights off at a certain destination; anything under this on long haul is often just 24 hours off. On some short haul flights the airline may require you to night stop at a European destination due to the schedule. One thing for sure, making the most of your layover is the key to making the most of this exciting new lifestyle.


• 8. Your team will be your best buddies
After 6 weeks of training you will form close bonds with certain colleagues- you’ll not only have lots in common but also have spent a lot of time together going through the same things. You may not get to work with them as often as you like but you will form bonds with other teammates through the hours you spend relying on each other on shift, and any down time you choose to spend together in unusual locations. You won’t be best buddies with everyone, but you’ll probably find some likeminded pals who you’ll stay friends with irrespective of the later career path you might take.


• 9. The training may well be the hardest thing you’ve done
It’s not just physically demanding, there are a lot of new things you will need to grasp, and quite quickly! But don’t worry, if you have passed the selection process it means you have a very good chance of being up to the job. The training will test your memory, how you evaluate risk, your manual dexterity, your patience, your use of routines, procedures and instructions, ability to make tough decisions- everything you’ll need in the average day!!!


• 10. You may not get in without getting help first
Competition for cabin crew jobs is HOT! Recruiters have to make some pretty harsh decisions on who to select as there are plenty of suitable candidates lining up for a job. A lot of applicants make it easy for recruiters to dismiss them by making mistakes in their CV or on their selection day. Our mission is to make sure you’re not one of the unlucky ones who gets a ‘no’ before they had a chance to shine.


• 11. You’ll have the most fun of your life!
Seeing the world and exploring destinations that you would never normally had seen is a wonderful perk of an airline career. Travel opens up all sorts of opportunities and improves a person’s perspective to life, taking them out of ‘ordinary’ life into something much more varied and remarkable. As cabin crew you’ll experience different cultures and cuisines and make new friends along the way from all walks of life.

So what are you waiting for?!