Did you know that the flight attendant job is one of the most desirable professions in the world?
That’s right.
And in many countries, it is considered the most prestigious job to have.
Impressive, right?
Yes, but it’s also one of those jobs people have most perceptions about but don’t really know the whole truth.
Behind the scenes of glamor, beautiful scarves, and spotless grooming, there are hours and hours of sleepless nights, crazy working hours and schedules, and absence of a healthy life routine. Not that other professions have it but this one by its nature of shift work and irregular hours is especially challenging.
So, if you’re one of those curious souls interested in knowing more about this profession and potentially want to apply to work for an airline, you’ll find our five essential tips useful. They might appear simple and obvious but they’re taken out of over twenty years of experience working for a prestigious international airline at different senior positions as flight attendants and recruiters.
So, let’s dive in.
1. Smile
Smile is the only language everybody understands no matter where in the world you are. It opens doors, melts hearts, and just shows your friendly nature that every flight attendant should display on board. Plus, it is scientifically proven that smiling relieves stress, elevates mood, and boosts your immune system. So, you can say that it not only helps when you’re around people, but also contributes to your well-being and longevity.
2. Have amazing grooming and hygiene
Always remember when you’re flying as a passenger how you look at flight attendants. Most of the time they have immaculate grooming. Remember your favorite airline and their crew members? Why do you like them? What is it that makes you smile every time you see them and think, WOW! Let them be your role model. You don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars on new suits, makeup, and shoes. It’s enough that you are clean, tidy, and presentable and that you take pride in your appearance. Show them who you are and why they will be honored to have you as their employee.
3. Be kind, friendly, and approachable
Just think of a time when you went to a restaurant where the waiters were approachable and friendly. You probably enjoyed your meal more, recommended the place to everyone you know, and became a regular there. Be. That. Person. This is exactly what is expected from you on board, of course respecting the boundaries of the profession. Recruiters love to see your friendly nature and how you interact with others. We notice everything even if you think we’re not looking. So, make sure you’re aware of your posture and gestures. Your body language says a lot.
4. Believe in yourself
We don’t need to tell you this but sometimes it is so easy to forget how amazing you are. If you really want to become a flight attendant and this has been your dream, you must believe that it is going to happen for you. Have unwavering faith in yourself and know that anything you set your mind to, you can achieve. As Henry Ford said, “Whether you think you can or you can’t, you are right.”
5. Don’t give up
If you do not make it at first, do not give up. We feel your pain. Nothing hurts more than rejection especially if you put so much effort into something. But rejection often means protection and the best thing to do is to take a moment to look at the whole experience and reflect. Write everything down and think about the things that you learned. Ask yourself: What can I change? What can I improve in? How can I do better?
So, there you go. Five amazing tips to study and implement the next time you go for an interview.
Now, you may be wondering how we know all this.
Let’s just say we’ve been there, done that.
We’re Tee & Nena, two curious globetrotters and former flight attendants with over 20 years of experience in the aviation industry, who have been across the Earth 400 times.
After so many years filled with moments of joy, sadness, happiness, fear, longing, and personal growth, we decided to put our inexhaustible experience into a book that is slowly changing the world and how people see this profession. Our book, Call Me Skybabe™: The Unfiltered, Laugh-Out-Loud, Empowering Guide to Finding Your Way to Health, Love, and Joy While Flying is a perfect guide for active and wannabe flight attendants and it is available worldwide. Please click here to find the best marketplace for your location.
We’d love to hear from you! Get in touch via email if you’d like to share your story with us (the details are in the book) or come say hi on Instagram and tell us more about you.
Tee R. is a writer, certified life coach and teacher. For several years, she’s helped women access their full potential, make transformational changes, and create balanced and fulfilling lives. As much as she loved coaching, she decided to give into her passion for writing and immerse herself in the world of fiction. Under a different pen name, she writes feel-good romance novels with zing, swoon, and a guaranteed happily ever after.
Having worked for a decade in different capacities for a renowned international airline, Tee knows what flying does to the body and how difficult it is to maintain a healthy lifestyle while changing time zones and hopping continents. As an international scholar and teacher who’s lived on four continents and has peeked into various corners of this majestic planet, she found an exceptional sense of freedom and self-appreciation while wandering.
In between parenting, traveling, and plotting her next novel, Tee is an avid reader and researcher who is passionate about protecting Mother Nature and preparing yummy vegan dishes.
Nena O. is a certified Holistic Health and Fitness Coach whose purpose in life is to inspire people to move better, lead a healthier lifestyle, and find happiness and beauty in the smallest of things.
From a true language lover and teacher who turned flight attendant with the entire world under her belt, Nena switched careers yet again and dedicated her life fully to wellness.
A devoted coach and a multi-passionate person, Nena lives and shares her passion for well-being. From teaching babies to swim, coaching women how to move, accept and love their bodies, instructing Zumba, yoga, breathing techniques, and fit box—to working with the elderly with various health issues—Nena covers it all.
Having the privilege of being exposed to such a diverse group of clients of different generations led her further to research the Blue Zones, secrets to longevity—a topic she’s been excited about for the last few years.
When she’s not coaching, teaching, dancing or organizing new travel adventures around the globe, she’s playing tennis on the beach, making delicious juices in her kitchen, or snorkeling with turtles along the pristine beaches of Mexico’s Isla Mujeres.
By writing Call Me Skybabe, Tee and Nena connect health they often struggled with while flying and the world of aviation, where they spent over two decades of their lives together. They believe their unusual experiences and funny stories can serve as inspiration and a guide to other Skybabes who are already flying, have retired, or are yet to spread their wings in the sky.
Whether gorilla trekking in central Africa’s rainforests on the slopes of the Virunga Mountains, sipping bubble tea in Singapore’s Gardens by the Bay or hugging giant sequoia trees along the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada range, California, Tee and Nena continue to travel and hope to never retire their vagabond shoes.
