Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return. – Leonardo da Vinci

Job interviews can be some of the most stressful situations, however, with proper preparation and coaching you can learn to anticipate and even flip the interview in your favor. This topic and entry is SPECIFICALLY written for non-native English speakers applying with airlines around the world. While every industry has a unique aspect to their business, aviation is certainly an ever-changing specialized field that spans the globe and has very specific needs for their customers and qualifications for crew members. Throughout my years of consulting, I have chosen to put together a WORKING list of relatively common questions and answers for the aviation industry. If you have any additional questions, comments, or feedback please write a comment below.
IMPORTANT TIPS FOR THE INTERVIEW
➥ ALWAYS be honest in your answers, EVEN if your answer is "I'm not sure" OR "I don't know"
➥ DO NOT RAMBLE = This is a discipline, you must learn when to STOP speaking
➥ Keep your answers SHORT and CONCISE
➥ Practice ACTIVE listening. Often when I would interview someone, I would begin with a question and I knew EXACTLY what the person being interviewed would do, which is begin formulating their answering in their head, and STOP listening to me. I did this on purpose to see how well they could remember my question, while also continue to stay focused, since working in a fast-paced and often high-stress industry you must be very flexible and adaptable to a variety of tasks whether urgent or not.
➥
1. TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF
*AREAS TO AVOID:
➥ Keep ALL personal information out of your introduction
2. WHY DO YOU WANT TO WORK WITH X AIRLINE?
Intention: Understanding of the overview of the company by demonstrating how badly you want THIS job and HOW prepared you are with your amount of research and consideration you have prepared. *Provide the basics of what you know. DO NOT speculate, stick to facts.
3. WHY DO YOU WANT TO BE A FLIGHT ATTENDANT?
4. WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST AREA OF WEAKNESS?
Intention: evaluating potential risks and how you demonstrate self-awareness
TIPS TO AVOID:
➥ Refusing to answer the question (or remaining silent, meaning unable to think of an answer)
➥ Raising red flags: for example I had a former client that stated his biggest weakness was having a very bad temper! Whoa, I told him I love the honesty, however, you need to think of something that will be keep you from being a liability to a company, as you can learn to control your temper AND should.
5. WHAT STRENGTHS DO YOU FEEL YOU POSSESS?
6. WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE THE PRIMARY ROLES (GENERAL DUTIES) OF A FLIGHT ATTENDANT (CABIN CREW MEMBER)?
➥ Attend preflight briefings on details of the flight
➥ Ensure adequate supplies of refreshments and emergency equipment are on board
➥ Demonstrate the use of emergency equipment
➥ Ensure that all passengers fasten their seat belts (safety belts)
➥ Serve, and sometimes sell, beverages meals, or snacks
➥ Take care of passengers' needs and/or requests
➥ Assist passengers with special needs
➥ Reassure passengers during the flights, such as when the aircraft hits turbulence
Administer first aid to passengers, when necessary
➥ Be aware of any suspicious activity that may result in passenger or crew safety
➥ Direct passengers in case of an emergency
7. WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN 5-YEARS?
You must keep in mind you are interviewing you for a job right now, even during this question, not a job in the future, so why would they want to hear you wanting to do any job but the one you’re going for right now? Rather than demonstrating your ambition and drive for future positions such as a Chief Purser or something else, hiring managers wants to see you demonstrate your level of commitment to the job you’re interviewing at the moment.
8. TELL ME ABOUT A TIME YOU MADE A MISTAKE.
Intention: No one wins all the time, so discuss in detail what the failure or mistake was? What you learned? And, how you handle any potential future similar situations, by what you would do differently and/or any potential fallout?)
9. HOW DO YOU HANDLE CONFLICT (STRESSFUL SITUATIONS)?
#1. I TRY to remain calm. (doing so helps others remain clam, even if someone is yelling in your face)
#2. Ievaluate the ENTIRE situation (you need all of the facts in order to make the best and most accurate decision)
#3. Finally, I assess the level of priority and actions that need to be taken or delegated to others. (*remember sometimes taking action, means doing nothing)
Once you've verbally given your simple three-step formula you MUST provide an example that demonstrates using ALL THREE areas of conflict and/or a stressful situation.
10. HOW DO YOU RELIEVE STRESS?
Intention: Valid understanding that you can maintain a strong; physical, emotional, and mental stability. Provide clear points and reasons to support.