When I first started as a flight attendant, the only thing that I had was experience from my customer service job. I never went to college, my job before took up a lot of my time that I didn't know how to fit college into my life. Then I became a flight attendant and that's when I saw the opportunity to go to college and get my degree. When I first started as a flight attendant, I was on reserve. Lucky for me, the company was growing so my time on reserve was quite short. A few months after starting and I was holding a line.
I didn't actually start going to college until almost a year into flying and it worked out great because my schedule was getting better by that point. If you have experience working in the travel and leisure sectors at a hotel, on a cruise liner , or at a high-end restaurant that will likely be viewed favorably by airline decision makers.
A background in customer service will give you an advantage, as well, as airlines look for professionals able to engage with hundreds of customers a day. Once your application is vetted and you're chosen for a first interview, often conducted online via video, you're in the game. Dress modestly but appropriately for that interview, and be ready to recite your background and qualifications for the job chapter and verse.
Remember to speak slowly and confidently and look the interviewer in the eye - those are traits you'll need on a busy flight from New York to London when serving the flying public. If you pass the original interview, you'll likely be asked for an on-site interview at the airliner's headquarters or hub destinations the airline will fly you in for the interview.
If you clear that hurdle, you'll likely receive a conditional job offer that will include flight attendant training with the airline. In airline training sessions, the emphasis is on honing your customer service skills, as they relate to air travel, and on proper safety and operating procedures.
Training usually lasts about six weeks and your best move is to keep your ears open and make sure to ask questions if any particular training session seems confusing in any way. Better to ask questions in training than asking them 30, feet over Phoenix. When your airline offers you a job, you have every right to thoroughly review the offer to make sure it works for you.
Salary is likely fixed, so there's little room for negotiation on that front, but you still want to go over the fine print to make sure you know exactly what you're getting into as a flight attendant, especially in terms of job responsibilities and time requirements. Job responsibilities for flight attendants are myriad, and require a unique set of multi-tasking skills.
For starters, be prepared for work in bursts, and expect to work on short notice as schedules shift, flights are rescheduled and canceled, and airports close down temporarily in heavy weather. Be in good physical shape.
Since you'll be up and moving before, during and after flights, expect the flight attendant work experience to exact a physical and mental toll. After all, it's no picnic serving the public in a tube moving at miles per hour thousands of feet in the air - always with a smile on your face, and always ready to respond to emergencies. Again, this takes a unique skill set to accomplish on a regular basis. By and large, flight attendant work schedules can vary and may even be chaotic depending on cancellations, delays and airport closings, due to bad weather or terrorist threats.
Would-be flight attendants should know that airlines fly all the time, often overnight, so be prepared to work day or night, or all night, if needed, often without any sleep. The typical flight attendant shift is longer than in the 9-to-5 world, at 12 to 14 hours. By federal law, all flight crew members must have at least nine consecutive hours of off-duty time before they can take on another shift. About two-thirds of shift time is spent in the air, serving the flying public, while the remaining time is at the airport or on the tarmac, preparing flight lists, awaiting the arrival of aircraft, and getting ready to help fly a plane with passengers on board.
Classroom instruction includes the following topics:. As of , flight attendants are required to hold a Certificate of Demonstrated Proficiency issued by the FAA in order to work on an aircraft.
As a working flight attendant, you can expect to spend spend 50 hours a month working on the ground and another 75 to hours in the air.
Typically, assignments are based on seniority, so you might not receive the most desirable routes as a newbie. However, as time goes on, you can expect to have more say in where and when you fly. Did you know that the average high school student has more than 80 items on their college applications to-do list? At CollegeVine, we recognize that the admissions process can be stressful. To that end, we aim to help students stay on track to achieving their future goals. Sign up today to get free, detailed college guidance and support.
We look forward to helping you on your college journey! What Does a Flight Attendant Do? Calculate Your Chances for Free. What to Do After High School Not all employers require prospective flight attendants to have a college degree.
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