Interviewing for a flight attendant job in an industry where so many people are competing for the same job is something that can be nerve wracking to be mild about it.
For some companies, there are group interviews, others rely on online forms and telephone interviews. For all, there will come a point where there is the dreaded face to face interview.
How you can fare throughout this entire process is something that depends a good deal on positive human interactions, some luck, and a private definition of what the company is looking for, as defined by each of the companies that are out there.
Go to enough interviews, and you will assuredly, get the rejection letter or telephone call.
How you handle this can determine if you could even get called back, and what type of person that you are.
This is not reality television. This is not where you are trying to make a memorable exit. This is where you are trying to remind them that you are gracious and poised in the face of adversity.
What do I advise?
The Thank you letter.
You should already have written a Thank You letter to everyone that has been involved in your employment screening at this process.
Here is how that should go.
When you get the interview, note the name(s) of the people that interviewed you. Write them down in your notebook/legal pad. As soon as you get home, write that letter or card. NOT an email, unless you have no other resource. DON'T send a Thank You Text. It is not professional. Send the card or letter. Use the same name that is listed on your resume. Don't sign the resume as "Sugar" unless that name is on your legal documents. You want them to be able to cross reference that thank you card with your resume.
After that interview, you may be interviewed with other people on the phone. They may or may not be able to give you their name. Get a name? They get a thank you letter or card.
I am sure that you are seeing a trend here. Every person that you encounter who helps you in your quest to be a flight attendant (or any job, for that matter) deserves a thank you acknowledgement that they really are helping you.
But what if you are declined? Do you feel let down that you did not get the job that you really wanted? Do you feel angry or upset? Sure. Perhaps. Maybe. Maybe you learned through the interview process, that the company that declined you was not a good fit for you.
Send a thank you card or letter. If you do not have an address, then send it email, which is less preferred than a card or letter, but still, send the Thank you.
Here comes the tricky part. What do you say to the very company that decided against you?
Here is an example that I have sent out in the past:
Dear X Airline Company,
CC Jane Smith, HR, John Jones, HR Development, Jill Doe, Recruiting
Thank you for the opportunity to learn more about your people and your company during the interview process that I just completed.
Although I was not selected as a member of your team, I would like to thank you for taking the opportunity to get to know me, and for me to get to know better, as well.
I wish you all the very best in your search for employees that fit your company's needs.
Cordially yours,
X
I actually got a letter back from the HR department, telling me that if there was going to be another hiring action, they would like to let me know and resubmit my application. You never know where the letter will go, so make sure that all of your contact information is on it, and that it is all current and correct.
This letter is not the time to critique the staff that interviewed you. They already have a job with the airlines, you do not. Being negative in a letter after you have already been declined sets you apart...in a way that you do not want. If you do have some critiquing to do, it is best done in a separate letter.
Best of luck, and I hope that we all see one another at an airport soon.
Showing posts with label employment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label employment. Show all posts
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Thursday, August 12, 2010
The Flight Attendant interview, employment tips, tricks, hints, and helps
In a world where the economy is barely beginning to crawl along, people still have their dreams.
I have always dreamed of being a flight attendant, of walking crisply up and down the aisles, telling funny anecdotes to travelers who were happy to hear them as I also dispensed beverages and snacks.
I have had this dream since I was a small child. My mother tells of a story when I was on a flight with my grandmother from Houston to Los Angeles. We were late for the flight because of a horrible car wreck in Houston. Running as fast as we could, we made it to the gate, Hollywood style with aplomb and drama. "Run, Run, Run!" My grandmother shouted as we ran past gates. She called out the number that we were looking for, and, soon enough, we were on the plane, settled into seats, and snoozing until we reached LA. As we got off, the stewardess stopped us to pin small badges on us. My brother was a junior pilot, and my sister and I were junior stewardesses. I still have my pin in a small jewelry box with some other very sentimental things.
More flights filled my life, some good, some bad. I have racked up more flights than most people I know, and many friends joke with me that I live out of a suitcase and in a hotel room.
The first time that I ever interviewed with an airline, I really blew the interview. I did not know about their corporate culture, and I blathered on and on about the good things that free travel would allow me to do. Needless to say, they were not impressed, and I was declined the chance to work in the sky.
More interviews happened, and, finally, I was selected to be a part of a sky crew.
Here are some hints and tips that I will share with you as I prepare to go on an interview in a few hours.
Look the part. When airlines say "Dress professional" in their information, they really mean it. Men, you should look like you are coming from a funeral. Dark suit, white shirt, nice tie, pocket square is optional. Your shoes should be clean and shined. Your hair should be tidy and neat, with no extreme style. Think pilot,male flight attendant, Men in Black, or minister in dark suit.
Ladies. Really? Really? This is not a night club, nor is it a fashion show. Dark, conservative suit. Conservative blouse. No cleavage. Yes to sleeves. Think flight attendant, lady pilot, lady employee at funeral home.
You are not interviewing for a cheerleader at the football game. Yes, you can be cheerful. Your clothes need to present a serious image. This job is all about safety, not silly. A recent interview I was at had attendees wearing no bras, sleeveless shirts, one man wore a pair of shorts that I would attest looked like swim shorts, and I stopped counting flip flops and sandals once I sighted ten pairs.
Read the directions. Twice. Then proceed to follow them. Have everything that you are being asked for in front of you. Go over the forms on the internet twice to make sure that you have filled them all in correctly.
Check your resume before you send it. Read it and make sure that it is correct, that it is complete, and that it is concise. A gal pal shared with me that a resume came across her desk that listed the potential employee's best attribute as "A rockin hard bod, a soft heart, and a attitude that kicks ass and takes names". This person was applying for a position in hospice. She did not get the job.
Tell people if you are going to use them for references. Aunt Mabel will give you a good reference, if she is expecting the call. If not, she may be hurt, offended, or worse, give out bad information.
A good email address. Again, from my human resources friend Cat, a lot of people list off their personal email addresses, and some of them can be very telling. Email addresses that mention sex, drugs, temper, bad choices, or anything else that is not work related can cost you the chance to get a job. Bad choice would be HotHighHoochie@IcantbelieveIamsober.com . Good choice would be JanisJSmith@professionalemailaddresss.com . Obviously, I have made those up to be dramatic, but, it is important to think about how you are looked at.
If your FaceBook, MySpace, or other social networking site has photos and inferences to you partying, drinking, having illicit sex, or making other poor choices, either make it private to friends only, or remove all of the incriminating photos. Cat tells me that if it is between two potential employees, a quick trip to the internet usually breaks the tie fast.
If you have a LinkedIn or other professional networking site, make sure that it stays professional. No future employer should read about "Work Sux, gonna drink". It is also not fair to the people who have linked to you professionally to post about such things, since LinkedIn and others are all about making business connections.
Do a search for yourself on all of the search engines. Are there any things that pop up that you don't want others to see? Check under your usernames, email addresses, webpages, and any other ways that you connect on the web. Remove, make private and delete all things that would be bad if a future employer learned about you.
Change most settings to private. It is your world. It is your life. It is your choice about what you put out there, but sometimes, the hardest person to get around is yourself. Make choices with employment in mind.
A friend of mine recently posted on her personal page a series of photos from many years ago that show her going from sober to drunk in the series. Her boss found them when looking online, and she was reprimanded, her review was poor, and she did not get an annual raise that year.
Her boss raised the question of "If I found this, our clients could find this. It could cost us revenue."
Password protect private things. Sure, photos of trees and birds and a river are sweet. No need to make them private. Your photo of you and your sweetheart wearing only tshirts and underwear is not something that you would want the boss to see. Password protect albums and photos that are of a personal nature, and you will not have to be the talk of the office.
Before the interview. Look at the company online and learn about them. Take notes.
During the interview: ask good questions, interesting questions, and let the interviewer talk. Don't ask questions simply to ask. These people are tired. Show that you are interested, but be brief. Note the name(s) of all of the people that you interact with from the company. Write them down if you need to, but not in front of them.
At the end of the interview, thank people for their time. Wish them well in finding the person that is the best fit. Don't beg for the job, or tell them how desperate you are to work.
After the interview, send thank you cards. To each one of those people you met. To each one of the people in the email chain. To the company itself. Email if you have it, but most assuredly, do send written cards as well. It stands out more than you know.
If you do not make the first cuts, still be gracious. Still send cards. I got a job once when I was not selected for the first cut simply because of the cards I sent after. When another applicant was ill and could not come, I was who was called. I asked how I was chosen, and all 4 recruiters told me that the cards I sent were thoughtful, and they kept me in the mind of each one of those four people.
Be yourself, but the corporate, responsible version. Good Luck!
I have always dreamed of being a flight attendant, of walking crisply up and down the aisles, telling funny anecdotes to travelers who were happy to hear them as I also dispensed beverages and snacks.
I have had this dream since I was a small child. My mother tells of a story when I was on a flight with my grandmother from Houston to Los Angeles. We were late for the flight because of a horrible car wreck in Houston. Running as fast as we could, we made it to the gate, Hollywood style with aplomb and drama. "Run, Run, Run!" My grandmother shouted as we ran past gates. She called out the number that we were looking for, and, soon enough, we were on the plane, settled into seats, and snoozing until we reached LA. As we got off, the stewardess stopped us to pin small badges on us. My brother was a junior pilot, and my sister and I were junior stewardesses. I still have my pin in a small jewelry box with some other very sentimental things.
More flights filled my life, some good, some bad. I have racked up more flights than most people I know, and many friends joke with me that I live out of a suitcase and in a hotel room.
The first time that I ever interviewed with an airline, I really blew the interview. I did not know about their corporate culture, and I blathered on and on about the good things that free travel would allow me to do. Needless to say, they were not impressed, and I was declined the chance to work in the sky.
More interviews happened, and, finally, I was selected to be a part of a sky crew.
Here are some hints and tips that I will share with you as I prepare to go on an interview in a few hours.
Look the part. When airlines say "Dress professional" in their information, they really mean it. Men, you should look like you are coming from a funeral. Dark suit, white shirt, nice tie, pocket square is optional. Your shoes should be clean and shined. Your hair should be tidy and neat, with no extreme style. Think pilot,male flight attendant, Men in Black, or minister in dark suit.
Ladies. Really? Really? This is not a night club, nor is it a fashion show. Dark, conservative suit. Conservative blouse. No cleavage. Yes to sleeves. Think flight attendant, lady pilot, lady employee at funeral home.
You are not interviewing for a cheerleader at the football game. Yes, you can be cheerful. Your clothes need to present a serious image. This job is all about safety, not silly. A recent interview I was at had attendees wearing no bras, sleeveless shirts, one man wore a pair of shorts that I would attest looked like swim shorts, and I stopped counting flip flops and sandals once I sighted ten pairs.
Read the directions. Twice. Then proceed to follow them. Have everything that you are being asked for in front of you. Go over the forms on the internet twice to make sure that you have filled them all in correctly.
Check your resume before you send it. Read it and make sure that it is correct, that it is complete, and that it is concise. A gal pal shared with me that a resume came across her desk that listed the potential employee's best attribute as "A rockin hard bod, a soft heart, and a attitude that kicks ass and takes names". This person was applying for a position in hospice. She did not get the job.
Tell people if you are going to use them for references. Aunt Mabel will give you a good reference, if she is expecting the call. If not, she may be hurt, offended, or worse, give out bad information.
A good email address. Again, from my human resources friend Cat, a lot of people list off their personal email addresses, and some of them can be very telling. Email addresses that mention sex, drugs, temper, bad choices, or anything else that is not work related can cost you the chance to get a job. Bad choice would be HotHighHoochie@IcantbelieveIamsober.com . Good choice would be JanisJSmith@professionalemailaddresss.com . Obviously, I have made those up to be dramatic, but, it is important to think about how you are looked at.
If your FaceBook, MySpace, or other social networking site has photos and inferences to you partying, drinking, having illicit sex, or making other poor choices, either make it private to friends only, or remove all of the incriminating photos. Cat tells me that if it is between two potential employees, a quick trip to the internet usually breaks the tie fast.
If you have a LinkedIn or other professional networking site, make sure that it stays professional. No future employer should read about "Work Sux, gonna drink". It is also not fair to the people who have linked to you professionally to post about such things, since LinkedIn and others are all about making business connections.
Do a search for yourself on all of the search engines. Are there any things that pop up that you don't want others to see? Check under your usernames, email addresses, webpages, and any other ways that you connect on the web. Remove, make private and delete all things that would be bad if a future employer learned about you.
Change most settings to private. It is your world. It is your life. It is your choice about what you put out there, but sometimes, the hardest person to get around is yourself. Make choices with employment in mind.
A friend of mine recently posted on her personal page a series of photos from many years ago that show her going from sober to drunk in the series. Her boss found them when looking online, and she was reprimanded, her review was poor, and she did not get an annual raise that year.
Her boss raised the question of "If I found this, our clients could find this. It could cost us revenue."
Password protect private things. Sure, photos of trees and birds and a river are sweet. No need to make them private. Your photo of you and your sweetheart wearing only tshirts and underwear is not something that you would want the boss to see. Password protect albums and photos that are of a personal nature, and you will not have to be the talk of the office.
Before the interview. Look at the company online and learn about them. Take notes.
During the interview: ask good questions, interesting questions, and let the interviewer talk. Don't ask questions simply to ask. These people are tired. Show that you are interested, but be brief. Note the name(s) of all of the people that you interact with from the company. Write them down if you need to, but not in front of them.
At the end of the interview, thank people for their time. Wish them well in finding the person that is the best fit. Don't beg for the job, or tell them how desperate you are to work.
After the interview, send thank you cards. To each one of those people you met. To each one of the people in the email chain. To the company itself. Email if you have it, but most assuredly, do send written cards as well. It stands out more than you know.
If you do not make the first cuts, still be gracious. Still send cards. I got a job once when I was not selected for the first cut simply because of the cards I sent after. When another applicant was ill and could not come, I was who was called. I asked how I was chosen, and all 4 recruiters told me that the cards I sent were thoughtful, and they kept me in the mind of each one of those four people.
Be yourself, but the corporate, responsible version. Good Luck!
Monday, June 28, 2010
Lufthansa and Pilots reach agreement in labor issue!
Does it seem like lately every single airline out there has a division on strike? Maybe it is just me.
The latest agreement between pilots and their company is Lufthansa.
Agreeing to a pay freeze until 2011, the pilots will be able to keep their jobs.
All of the agreements took place in Frankfurt, Germany.
The latest agreement between pilots and their company is Lufthansa.
Agreeing to a pay freeze until 2011, the pilots will be able to keep their jobs.
All of the agreements took place in Frankfurt, Germany.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Bearskin Airlines is now hiring!
Bearskin Airlines (You read that right) is hiring for a number of positions for it's company! I had to post this one because the name of their company is just so cool!
Check it out. If you meet the requirements and are so inclined, apply, and Good Luck!
Cathay Pacific is now hiring!
Cathay Pacific is now hiring! If you meet their requirements and are interested, good luck!
CommutAir now hiring!
CommutAir is recruiting for the position of Flight Attendant! Check out the requirements, and, if you are interested and qualify, good luck!
SkyWest is hiring! Height Requirements
SkyWest is hiring again. Be advised that there is a height requirement with them, and they do measure at the interview versus going what is on your drivers' license.
If you qualify and are interested, good luck!
If you qualify and are interested, good luck!
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Delta Airlines will hire 700 Ticket and Gate Agents!
Delta Airlines announced that it will be hiring 700 ticket and gate agents.
Friday, June 18, 2010
Trans States Airlines is Hiring!
Trans States Airlines is now hiring! Bases are currently St. Louis, MO and Washington, DC.
Must be at least 4'11 and below 5'10.
Check out their site if you are interested.
Must be at least 4'11 and below 5'10.
Check out their site if you are interested.
Emirates is hiring!
Describing themselves as The World's Most Luxurious Airline, Emirates is hiring, and they are looking for speakers of English. In the past year, they have grown 248.%!!!! That is astounding in an industry that is experiencing difficulties.
If you are interested, this is the right time to apply. Read all of heir requirements and review where they are having a job conference!
If you are interested, this is the right time to apply. Read all of heir requirements and review where they are having a job conference!
Air Wisconsin Hiring
Air Wisconsin is now hiring! If you want to work in the industry, here is a chance for you!
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