Becoming a flight attendant is challenging. Airline companies want to know that they are hiring an individual that can keep passengers safe and comfortable throughout the duration of their flight. In order to get hired as a flight attendant, you need to prove to airline recruiters that you are tough, intelligent and compassionate enough to handle any situation while up in the air.

Cover letter and resume

First impressions are everything in the airline industry. Your resume and cover letter should give airline recruiters a quick idea of who you are and why you would be an asset to their company. A memorable first impression is the key to securing an in-person interview.

Your cover letter should be short enough to read at a glance, and should briefly touch on any relevant skills or experience that you possess. Each cover letter that you write should be tailor made to suit a specific company. You can get a taste of what sort of language an airline uses by visiting its website. Using company jargon in your cover letter can help you to stand out as a candidate by showing that you understand and appreciate a company’s culture.

A short, well written cover letter is essential for capturing the attention of an airline recruiter. You can use your resume to showcase more details about your professional background and skills. Like your cover letter, you should keep your resume concise and use simple, elegant formatting. Recruiters have to read hundreds to thousands of resumes, and anything unnecessarily long winded or jumbled may end up in the garbage pile.

If you have an extensive work history, you should highlight past experience that would be relevant in an airline setting. For example, past work as a cashier shows that you have customer service experience, while employment as an EMT shows that you have medical training. It’s also a good idea to list relevant volunteer work, hobbies, or interests that might give the recruiters a taste of your personality. Airline companies are particularly interested in candidates that are good with people, such as those who volunteer with children or the elderly, along with candidates that stay fit by participating in sports or other physical activities.

All of the information that you provide in your cover letter and resume will be verified during a background check, so it is best to best to be perfectly honest about your employment history. Airlines won’t hire a candidate that later fails his or her background check.

Stand out during the interview process

Your goal during the interview process is to prove to airline recruiters that you have what it takes to become a flight attendant. They are looking for candidates that are well groomed, personable, intelligent and courteous. You will often be interviewed with a large group of other applicants, sometimes hundreds, in what is known in the industry as a “cattle call.” The cattle call is designed to quickly and efficiently weed out any unsuitable candidates. So much competition can feel overwhelming, but there are a few simple ways that you can make yourself stand out from the crowd.

The simplest way to make a good first impression is to dress appropriately. Women should wear wear a crisp navy blue or black suit, preferably with a skirt, along with formal black shoes. Makeup should be minimal and in natural tones only, while accessories should be kept small and tasteful. Men should wear dark slacks, a dress shirt, and a suit jacket along with black dress shoes. The idea is to look as much like the standard image of a flight attendant as possible.

Looking the part of a flight attendant is only half the battle. Throughout the interview process, you must show the flight recruiters that you have the personality and interpersonal skills necessary to handle the daily challenges that you will face while in the air. Act courteously towards both the recruiters and the other applicants, because your every interaction will be under close scrutiny.

Some airline companies subject applicants to a brief preliminary one-on-one interview. A recruiter will ask you a series of fairly standard interview questions, sometimes up to twenty, that you will have a set amount of time to answer. This is your opportunity to show off your communication skills. Answer questions truthfully, clearly and concisely. Avoid rambling so that you are able to answer every question within the allotted timeframe. It can be helpful to practice answers to common interview questions beforehand, such as:

• How did you hear about this job posting?
• Why do you want to become a flight attendant?
• Why are you the best candidate for the job?
• What kind of jobs have you worked in the past?
• What are your future career goals?
• How would you handle an unruly passenger?
• How would you handle a dispute between two passengers?

It is important to be courteous and confident during the interview, since these are two qualities that are important in a flight attendant. Make eye contact, maintain a good posture, and avoid fidgeting. End the interview on a positive note by thanking the interviewer for his or her time.

Airline companies commonly use group interviews to assess the interpersonal and communication skills of applicants. Candidates are split up into teams and given a scenario to act out while being observed by the airline recruiters. This is not a competition nor a chance to outshine your teammates, but rather, a chance to show that you are able to work effectively as part of a team.

In the scenario that your team is given, you will face a problem that a flight attendant might encounter while on the job. For example, you may have to calm an unruly passenger, or settle a seating argument between two customers. You are expected to think on your feet and come up with creative and innovative solutions to the problem at hand. It may be helpful to practice role playing scenarios with friends and family members before your interview.

Take the medical exam seriously

The medical exam will assess if you meet the height and weight requirements necessary to become a flight attendant. You will also be put through a battery of tests to determine the health of your circulatory and respiratory systems. Serious medical conditions that could put you or your passengers at risk while in the air may bar you from becoming a flight attendant.

Candidates will also have their blood and urine analyzed during the company medical exam. You should disclose any past recreational drug use to the company upon taking the physical. This won’t bar you from becoming a flight attendant, but you will be subjected to random drug testing for two months after hire. You should also alert the recruitment staff if you take any prescription drugs, as these may show up in your blood or urine tests and affect your hireability.

Be personable, punctual and professional

Flight attendant training is an intense four to eight week course designed to weed out the weakest students. You won’t just be evaluated by just test scores and class rankings. Instructors will be watching trainees for grooming habits, punctuality, and disposition. Even small infractions such as unkempt hair or a rude comment can get you kicked out of the training program.

Flight attendants are expected to be the the paradigm of professionalism. Airlines are looking for candidates that will be an asset to the company. Throughout your training, take every opportunity available to show that you have the strength, compassion and intelligence necessary to become a flight attendant.

The goal of every airline is to provide a smooth, safe and comfortable onboard experience for its passengers. Flight attendants are the single most important factor when it comes to onboard customer satisfaction. Flight attendant training school is designed to prepare you for any situation that you might encounter while in the air, from unruly passengers to medical emergencies.

Before You Apply

Every airline has a set of minimum physical requirements that its flight attendants must meet. Candidates have to be able to push, pull and lift heavy loads, endure long periods of time up on their feet, and power through fatigue and jetlag. Crew members must be healthy enough to take on their daily responsibilities and to pull their weight as a team member.

All airlines have height restrictions that flight attendants must meet, but these restrictions vary between airlines. Flight attendants can’t be too short, but they also can’t be too tall to walk comfortably around the cabin. While height restrictions vary from company to company, most airlines generally accept individuals between around 4’11”, or 150 cm, to 6’3”, or 190 cm. Airlines also have mandatory requirements for how high a flight attendant is able to reach. This ensures that all staff members are able to safely access the overhead bins without endangering themselves or passengers.

Most airlines do not impose strict weight restrictions on flight attendants, but candidates must be within the normal weight range for their height. You can check if you are within the normal weight range for your height by checking your BMI. Flight attendants that are either overweight or underweight may not be able to safely perform their onboard responsibilities.

In addition to height and weight restrictions, airlines around the world also impose age restrictions on flight attendants. All flight attendants must be 18 or older, although some companies require that their flight attendants be at least 21 years old. Flight attendants must be mature enough to cope with the daily pressures of air travel.

The Interview Process

Many interviews are performed in the fashion of a “cattle call,” which involves dozens to hundreds of qualified applicants all being screened at once. Unacceptable candidates are quickly weeded out by written, language competency, and vision tests. Flight attendants working for companies that operate within the U.S. must be able to prove that they can communicate fluently in English with passengers and other crew members. Applicants must also prove that they have at least 20/30 vision, which means that they are able to see clearly with the aid of corrective lenses.

Some airlines conduct a preliminary one-on-one interview with candidates. Applicants will be asked a standard series of interview questions and are given a set amount of time in which to answer. It is best to keep answers clear and concise in order to get through all of the questions in the allotted time frame. The more questions you are able to answer, the more the recruitment staff will know about your unique background and skills.

Group interviews are popular among airline companies, since they help to demonstrate a candidate’s communication and interpersonal skills. You will be split into a group along with other trainees and given a role play scenario to act out. Recruiters expect to see candidates demonstrating strong team building skills and creative problem solving techniques. Airlines are looking for flight attendants that are able to stay calm and focused in any given situation.

During your interview, it is important to dress and act professionally. Women should wear a dark suit, preferably with a skirt, while men should wear dark slacks, a suit jacket, and a dress shirt. The idea is to look as much like a flight attendant as possible. Applicants should stick to natural, conservative styles when it comes to hair and makeup.

Those that pass the interview process will then undergo a of a battery of tests that assess their cardiovascular and respiratory health, their hearing, and their vision. This company physical also includes urine and blood analysis. Candidates that pass the physical are deemed healthy enough to safely take on the responsibilities of a flight attendant.

The Classroom

Much of what you’ll be learning during your flight attendant training pertains to cabin safety. In the classroom, you’ll listen to lectures, learn about safety equipment and procedures, and take tests. This is no normal classroom, however. Supervisors will be keeping a close eye on your grooming habits and disposition. Dress and act as you would while on the job. An unkempt appearance or a rude comment to your colleague in the classroom could get you kicked out of the flight attendant training.

Trainees are expected to show up on time to every single class. Your punctuality will be regularly tested by sudden schedule changes such as a delayed lunch or a test date change. The flight attendant school classroom is designed to test how well you can adapt to stressors such as fatigue and hunger when your routine is shaken up. Flight attendants need to be prepared for the possibility of a schedule change at a moment’s notice.

The Simulator

Lectures and classrooms are only a small part of flight attendant school. Your practical training will take place in either a simulated aircraft cabin or an aircraft that is out of service. You will learn how to perform safety briefings, serve food, and operate essential equipment. Over the course of your training, this simulated cabin will be like a second home.

Your practical training will also help you to learn how to deal with a variety of emergency situations while in the air, from fires to hijackings. Towards the end of your training, you will be tested with the notorious “flight from hell.” Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong during this simulated flight. Your instructors will be watching closely to see how you handle yourself during an emergency. It is important to stay calm and to communicate clearly with your fellow crew members throughout the entire simulation. You must prove that, as a flight attendant, you can keep yourself and your passengers safe in an emergency.

After Graduation

After graduating from flight training, there is still one more step before you can call yourself a bona fide flight attendant. The familiarization flight, or line indoctrination flight, is the first flight on which a new attendant serves. Trainees observe and assist senior crew members with their in flight duties, and experience their first real interaction with customers. During this flight, you are expected to hone your skills with the help of an experienced flight crew.

When you’re up in the air, you’re not just a flight attendant. You are also a nurse, a plumber, a firefighter and a chef, just to name a few of the roles you will have to occupy. Flight attendant training will teach you a variety of skills that will prepare you to cope with any situation that you might face.

It takes time and commitment to become a flight attendant, but the job is worth the effort. After one to two months of intensive training, you will be well on your way down a rewarding and lucrative career path. Flight attendant school is an investment in a promising future.

One of the first things that you have to realize if interested in becoming a flight attendant is that it is much more than what the job seems like on the surface. You have to have the psychological, emotional and mental qualities necessary to make it in this career field. When thinking about this career and if it is right for you, consider the following qualities, which are what are considered to be necessary for this position:

Flexible/Adaptable: In the airline business, things often change at a moment’s notice. You have to be able to adapt to these changes and embrace them.

Compassionate and caring: It is necessary that you have a soft spot for people who are on the flight. Being sympathetic and understanding is quite helpful.

Patience: Picky passengers, crying infants, demanding pilots, smelly bathrooms…if you are not patient, then you will not make it as a flight attendant.

Sense of humor: If you have a sense of humor toward passengers, as well as yourself, it can help to remedy even extremely awkward situations.

Focused and calm demeanor: You are the manager – you have to make sure that everything works as it should ensure a safe and comfortable flight for everyone.

Team player: The cabin crew is your team and everyone has to pull their weight. Be sure you are a team player.

Punctuality: Airlines rely on the clock to keep running as they should. You have to be on time, every time.

Tact and diplomacy: You are not going to be just another crew member. When it comes to the passengers, you are a representative of the airline. You have to make sure you are representing it in a proper way.

One of the things that you have to realize is that you should not take anything personally. In some cases, you will come across a passenger who wants to vent their frustration and while you may not be the right person to talk to, they want to be sure they are heard. Act with compassion and empathy and make sure that you don’t take the issues, blame, fault or anything else personally.

Basic Requirements for Flight Attendants

From the perspective of an airline, it is essential to find a person who has the right combination of talent and skills to ensure that the person is going to represent the company well while providing a quality on-board experience for passengers.

While each airline will have unique and specific requirements in regard to the type of aircraft, geography, culture, destinations, etc. there are some universal requirements that will be necessary to understand.

Regardless of if you are a flight attendant in New Mexico who can speak Spanish fluently or one in the Arctic who must load and unload cargo, you have to meet the specified criteria in order to fulfill the duties, you will have while on the plane. Your overall competency, personality, and skills have to be screened heavily so that the people hiring are sure you will meet and exceed the necessary requirements.

Now the question is, what is that magic formula that recruiters are looking for to find competent and qualified candidates? The answer is found in a few requirements. If you want to be considered seriously as a candidate for a flight attendant job, then you need to possess as many of the following requirements on this list.

Background and Citizenship Checks

In the U.S., you have to be a citizen or have received authorization to work in the United States and be allowed unrestricted, multiple entry out of and into the country. The majority of airlines are explicit in regard to these requirements.

Also, all members of the cabin crew have to apply for a Transportation Security Administration security clearance pass. If you are unable to satisfy the required background checks, then you will not be able to work for any of the airlines in existence.

In addition to seeking airline and government clearance, if you do not yet have a passport, you will have to also apply for that. If anything questionable or unsavory about your background is found out, then you will not continue on with the selection process.

Education

In the U.S., it is required that you have a diploma or a GED (Government Equivalency Degree). While most airlines specify that a high school degree is needed, this is typically considered to be the absolute minimum. In all reality, a higher level of education is going to be preferred.

There are quite a few flight attendants today who have earned university degrees. An airline will recognize when a flight attendant has the ideal combination of life experience and post-secondary education, which helps them be better equipped to handle any on-bard situation they may experience. It may also help them earn consideration for a management position down the road.

Experience in Customer Service

For those who have ever worked as a tour guide, in a clothing store or call center, or any other area where customer service experience was gained, then they may be able to have a competitive advantage when working toward the career goal of being a flight attendant. While there are some who think customer service goals are able to be learned while on the job, this is not something that most airlines are going to want to have to train new flight attendants in. In fact, once hired, 95 percent of all training a flight attendant receives will be in relation to cabin safety.

Language Skills

In the U.S., a fluency in the English language will be necessary, but carriers that go overseas will require flight attendants who also speak another language.

In some cases, airlines will hire flight attendants based mainly on language competency. In the United States, a language flight attendant is referred to as LOD/O’s. It can be difficult for companies to find people who speak certain languages, which means that the language requirements may override other criteria used to make a selection.

Also, a candidate who is able to pass the language fluency tests, but who does not have any customer service experience may still be hired instead of a candidate who has as much as two years of experience in regard to the service industry, based on the needs of the airline.

An advantage offered by being a language flight attendant is that they are often the very last ones that will be laid off during cutbacks.

Physical Competence

The beverage trolley that is used in most airplanes can weigh more than 200 pounds when they are fully loaded. Being able to pull the trolley up the aisle will require quite a bit of physical strength. Stamina physical well-being is necessary for this role.

If a person is not physically fit then they are not going to be as prepared to handle the often grueling tasks required of a flight attendant. Someone who knows how to take care of themselves and who leads a better lifestyle will be more capable of handling the effects of jet lag than others.

For most airlines, there is a height minimum for flight attendants of at least 5’2”. A person’s physical stature is crucial when they are working on a wide or narrow body aircraft and it is important they can reach the overhead bins.

Medical History

If a person is overweight, they have asthma, a heart condition, diabetes or some other significant health issue, they will likely not pass the medical exam issued by the airline. All airlines want to find healthy candidates who are able to look after their passengers, not the opposite.

Much like the background check, the medical exam will reveal the actual picture of a person’s physical health, even if they decide to embellish the truth. If a person has a history of alcohol or drug abuse it will be found during the tests that they are required to take. Some of the tests that are administered during this evaluation including eye, ear, heart, urine and blood tests. The person’s weight and height will be measured, as well.

Flexibility

If you are a person who makes concrete plans that can’t be changed, then the life of a flight attendant is not for you. Your travels may result in you being gone for up to seven days. This means that you need to have a flexible lifestyle and be willing to work at night, on the weekends and on holidays. In most cases, the recruiter you speak with will ask you if you are willing to relocate. It is essential to say yes. Adaptable and flexible candidates are the ones who will get hired first.

Appearance

Having a well-groomed and neat appearance is essential. In some cases, the pass or fail as a flight attendant may come down to a tattoo that is barely able to be seen on your wrist, or the three or four earrings you have in only one ear. While there is no need to be a supermodel, appearance matters when you are working with the public.

Passengers who are on the plane will expect the person who is hanging their coat or handing them their meal to appear professional and be a representation of the airline. Wrinkled uniforms make the statement that a person just doesn’t care.

Where to Apply?

There are a number of factors that should be considering when thinking about what airlines you should apply to. Factors such as the details of the aircraft that will be worked on, the city where you are going to be based and where you will be flying are all important.

It is not uncommon for a person to work for a number of different airlines during their career. This can result to a number of factors, but something a person should be aware of.

Creating a Targeted Strategy

Applying for a flight attendant position will require a bit of research on your part. It is essential that you have a bit of information and background about the airline you would like to work for. This will also help you determine what airline is best for your work preferences and lifestyle.

Prior to sending in an application for your first job as a flight attendant, be sure to ask the following questions:

• What type of travel benefits are offered by the company?
• Would you prefer a job based on a cold or warm climate?
• Do you want to be close to family?
• Does the company offer any type of medical benefits?
• What are the routes that the company flies?
• What is their initial salary offerings?
• What is the top wage?
• What are the current number of flight attendants who are employed by the airline?
• Would you rather work on a large or small plane?
• Do they offer a pension plan?

When you have created a targeted strategy, you will have a clear picture of what you want and where you should concentrate your efforts. Remember, you don’t control the hiring process and having a targeted approach can be quite beneficial.

Creating Your Airline Resume

It is important to create a resume that outlines your desire for a role as a flight attendant. Some of the elements of an effective airline cover letter and resume are found here.

Research: Take some time to research the company that you are applying to so that you will have a better chance of being called for an interview.

Company Lingo: Use the common language of the company in your cover letter and resume, which may require you to visit their website to get a feel for their personality or vibe.

Work history: Be sure to list all your work history and how it would apply to the role as a flight attendant.

Personality: Be sure to let your personality shine through your resume and cover letter.

Beneficial skills and abilities: What will make you an asset to the airline?

Remember, when typing up your resume, you should keep it short and sweet and stick to the facts. This will help ensure you provide only the vital information.

If your efforts are successful, you will be called in for an interview. Be sure that you look professional and that you exert yourself as being competent and able to complete the job. There is no way to guarantee you will land the job, but when you use the tips here to prepare, you will have a much better chance to finally get the job you want as a flight attendant.