Autumn is here, and aside from pumpkin spice lattes and being able to accessorize with hats and scarves again, it’s also the time of year when airlines traditionally begin hiring. Looking for that dream job? Do you want to be like me and get your hair coiffed in Paris, shop for groceries in Greece and get massages in Manila? Here are my best tips for how to become a flight attendant, including a few things to think about before you apply.
Ready your Resumé
First and foremost, polish that resumé. I’ve worked on the hiring team in this industry before and it was amazing to see how many we got that either had typos, details that were out of chronological order or were just poorly written overall — and not surprisingly, those go straight in the bin! Spend five minutes with spell check, read it over one last time and avoid being looked over before the process even begins.
Talk the Talk
Next, brush up on your foreign languages. If you’ve taken five years of Spanish in high school or maybe only speak a smattering of French, start brushing up Ahora! Airlines love candidates who are bilingual and most will test you either during the interview process or once you begin training to establish just how proficient you are. Whether you need to download an app, go spend a few weeks somewhere for immersive learning or find a lover who’s willing to whisper sweet, other-language nothings in your ear — my favorite way to learn, Bien sûr — start brushing up on your language skills before you begin the application process. Personally, I’d recommend watching airline safety videos from your target language's country, a great way to learn a lot of industry-related vocabulary in a period of a short time in a familiar format.
Ready your Resumé
First and foremost, polish that resumé. I’ve worked on the hiring team in this industry before and it was amazing to see how many we got that either had typos, details that were out of chronological order or were just poorly written overall — and not surprisingly, those go straight in the bin! Spend five minutes with spell check, read it over one last time and avoid being looked over before the process even begins.
Talk the Talk
Next, brush up on your foreign languages. If you’ve taken five years of Spanish in high school or maybe only speak a smattering of French, start brushing up Ahora! Airlines love candidates who are bilingual and most will test you either during the interview process or once you begin training to establish just how proficient you are. Whether you need to download an app, go spend a few weeks somewhere for immersive learning or find a lover who’s willing to whisper sweet, other-language nothings in your ear — my favorite way to learn, Bien sûr — start brushing up on your language skills before you begin the application process. Personally, I’d recommend watching airline safety videos from your target language's country, a great way to learn a lot of industry-related vocabulary in a period of a short time in a familiar format.
Know What You’re Getting Into
One of the most important things I recommend before you apply is to do some research and make sure you understand what the job is really like. Whether it’s talking to friends who fly, posting questions in a forum or asking yours truly in the comments section below, make sure you know what you’re getting into. It’s not all “Paris, First Class, International.” In particular, when you first start out, the job is going to involve working holidays and weekends. There will be missed birthdays, recitals, parties, and games. You will sometimes be on call and need to be at the airport within two hours.
You will sometimes be working long days — or even all night — and it’s not all going to be serving Champagne and flirting with businessmen. Your duties will include picking up trash, being nice to cranky people who are rude and don’t like you for no apparent reason, cleaning bathrooms, cleaning up messes left behind by people whose homes I’d shudder to see — all while having a smile on your face and your makeup en pointe even though you’ve only had four hours of sleep in the last 24 hours. The job is by no means as fancy or glamorous as some people make it out to be. If that doesn’t sound like something you’d be comfortable with, turn around now!
Read More Here: How To Become a Flight Attendant
