Helpful tips you can use on your next cabin crew walk-in interview

Airlines are in need of more flight attendants amid the continuous rise in air travel demand. As such, airlines have been hiring more flight attendants through different means, and one of them is through a walk-in interview. This is where applicants can get hired on the spot. I was able to not only witness, but to closely observe a cabin crew walk-in interview event. As such, here are some tips that may help you on your next cabin crew walk-in interview.

Just recently, AirAsia Philippines held a cabin crew walk-in interview event. Close to a thousand applied (around 980+) but only 32 were chosen.

AirAsia Cabin Crew Walk-in Interview Experience

Last June 11, I was not only allowed by AirAsia to cover their walk-in interview event at the NAIA Terminal 3. They allowed me to sit at one of the panelist’s desks to closely observe the recruitment process. This was such a great opportunity to learn and further understand how airlines choose their cabin crew. As we were going through the process, one of AirAsia’s panelists, Frederick, would explain everything to me. He shared how they observe applicants even when they are in line.

He also shared how cabin crew recruiters would communicate with one another on who among those in line have great potential just by observing them. As I had mentioned in the past, recruiters already observe each and everyone from the moment you enter the venue.

Based on this experience, allow me now to share you a few helpful tips for your next interview for a cabin crew position.

Know the branding and core values of the airline you are applying at

Knowing the core values and the branding of the airline will basically tell you what they are looking for in a cabin crew. AirAsia is known for having this very professional, yet, fun and friendly vibe. Hence, AirAsia cabin crew have to carry out these important core values during every flight and even outside the aircraft. According to AirAsia flight attendant Mhea Salvador, “we are looking for flight attendants who are fun and friendly, they should have a high level of social skills, and they need to have a high level of safety consciousness.”

Fun and Friendly

“Our passengers spend hours with us onboard and we want them to feel at home. This is also very important for us as we interact with each other and make sure that as one team, we succeed in our mission of giving our passengers a world-class but fun and friendly experience,” continued Mhea.

Exceptional Social Skills

Airi Asada, also a current AirAsia flight attendant, reiterated why it is important for their cabin crew to have a high level of social skills. “We always look for potential cabin crew with a natural way for dealing with various types of people. An AirAsia Allstar cabin crew must love interacting with people and being able to give them a fun experience,” Airi said.

High level of safety awareness and consciousness

However, we must never forget that the primary job of flight attendants is to ensure the safety and security of passengers on board. As such, the AirAsia cabin crew must have a high level of safety consciousness. Let us not forget that safety is paramount in the airline industry.

“Safety is of importance at AirAsia. We have stringent safety emergency procedures to make sure passengers get to their destination safely. Our pilots, cabin crew, ground staff and everyone involved in the operations see to it that there is no room for complacency in following these standards. Anyone who wants to be an AirAsia Cabin Crew must have this high level of consciousness with regards to safety,” said Mhea.

Know that you are already being observed the moment you step in the venue

Cabin crew recruiters do not only stay in one spot. They mostly move around. You might think that they are just busy fixing things but most times, they are moving around observing you. During the AirAsia event, a lot of the employees were moving around. Some were checking you and they were taking mental notes on who may be a strong potential.

So while in line, smile more often and feel as though it is your day. Go talk with other applicants. Greet everyone! I noticed that a lot of those in line were greeting the AirAsia people, including me! Many were smiling at the same time! Stand up straight and look your best. Fix yourself before even entering the venue. Avoid frowning, avoid being snobbish. Again, AirAsia people were checking who among those in line may have that fun and friendly disposition.

Lining up a long time is not a guarantee that you will make the cut

Regardless if you line up at 3:00 am or 4:00 am, it is not a guarantee that you will get in. Airlines will not choose based on who line-up the longest, but based on certain standards. As for the case of AirAsia, some of those who made it in line-up as early as 5:00 am and some who lined up at 10:00 am made it in the magic 32. Indeed, what matters is how you performed during the interview and screening process.

So please do not think “sayang ang tagal ko pa pumila at di naman ako nakuha”, no! Regardless of what time you lined-up, be ready for anything.

Even if you know you do not make some of the qualifications, it is still okay to try out

A perfect case of this is height or arm-reach requirement. While majority are really strict with height, there are some who still give special considerations, especially if you have all the rest of the qualities they are looking for. On top of that though, the experience of trying is priceless, regardless if you get accepted or not. There were some people who asked me “I am only 5 feet 2 inches in height. Should I still try it out at AirAsia even if I am below the height requirement?” I always tell them to still go and try. There is nothing wrong with doing so. The lessons we get from the experience are priceless.

I admire those aspirants who still went to the recruitment even if they are below 5’3″ in height. No regrets. The lessons and experience will make them better people.

I cringe however at those people who blames the airlines for having high standards. Duhhhhhh! They will not lower their standards for these people.

Do not slouch when you are seated

Fred of AirAsia shared to me that he constantly observes all those who are seated as he calls applicants for the pre-screening stage. “While I am doing this, I am always looking at those seated. I check if they are slouched or not.” I am sure the other panelists and recruiters were doing the same thing. I understand how tiring it can be to stand up long but please do avoid slouching when you are seated. Sit with a straight back and with confidence. Sometimes, slouching can give the impression that you are lazy and not fit for the job. So please do avoid slouching while seated.

Dress to impress and be properly groomed

You have 2 minutes to impress your panel. This was what Archie, also a cabin crew of AirAsia, kept reminding the applicants. The first things recruiters and interviewers will notice from you are your clothes and grooming. The moment you stand in front of them, they are already taking notes on your grooming. Make sure your clothes are well pressed, your hair is fixed, and you don’t have oily skin. Do not also overdo your make-up.

If you will attend AirAsia recruitment, I do suggest not bun your hair. Leave it down and fixed. If you will color it, make sure it fits you and the red uniform.

Please also be conscious of pimples, zits, warts, and other visible marks. If you need to see a dermatologist to fix these, please do. These are all being checked. As for braces, they will consider if you can remove them the soonest time possible and at any time. Of course, your teeth have to be straightened up already.

Confidence is key

The way you walk, sit, and talk, will tell a lot about your confidence. During the AirAsia recruitment, applicants had to walk going toward the panelists. Now they were not after if you can walk like a model. They are checking your confidence level. On board the aircraft, the cabin crew should not only look confident but look assertive since they are the board authority. This can already be seen by the way their cabin crew walks.

Do not slouch when you walk and do not drag your feet. Stand up straight and do not stand on one leg. When you talk to the panelists, you may bend over but maintain an appropriate distance. Do not put your hands in your pockets and do not even cross them. You may keep them clasped if you are more comfortable but don’t forget to use little hand gestures when talking, especially when stressing a point.

If you will be seated for the interview, do not slouch again. Straight back is a must. Do not lean on the back rest and cross your legs. For the ladies, the S-position will do.

If you want more tips on how to look confident during your interview, watch this video where I interviewed Vanessa Peronilla, a cabin crew and image consultant at the same time.

Get ready for the group dynamics

Some airlines like AirAsia still hold what we call group dynamics as part of the recruitment process. Now group dynamics can be done in different ways and means. However, you have to know why group dynamics is being done. Some think that the airlines want to see your talent. They think of it as a “talent portion”. In reality, airlines are trying to check the following:

How you are as a team player. Being a team player is very important if you want to become a cabin crew because you work as a team on board the aircraft.

• Social skills. Just like what I said earlier, AirAsia is looking for candidates with a high level of social skills and they observe this through the group dynamics. They check how you deal and talk with your fellow group members.
• Leadership skills. Little known to many but airline recruiters try to check who can be potential leaders, those who can act as a good lead crew and purser on board.
• Confidence. Yes, they also check how confident you are. Airlines like AirAsia have no room for candidates with a flat or “no personality” at all.
• Self-expression. AirAsia encourages their cabin crew to express themselves and their unique identities when at work while always following necessary parameters and work ethics. Hence, they also try to check who among the candidates can express themselves well. So be yourself and be confident.

Watch the way you talk to the panelists

Sometimes or maybe most of the time, panelists are not after your answer per se. They want to check how you can carry out a conversation. This is very important, especially since the cabin crew faces and communicates with passengers most of the time. As the authority inside the cabin, passengers have to respect you while maintaining a very high level of professionalism. Be confident but not cocky, be humble but not too much self-pity. They also check your integrity. Make sure what you say is what you have written on your application forms and resumes. They have a way of catching if you are lying or not, or if you are hiding something.

Communicate clearly. Avoid eating your words. You have to be well understood as it is important that you can communicate all safety instructions clearly to the passengers.

Be confident when you talk. Stand well and proper. Your body language can say a lot about you. This is very important during a cabin crew interview event.

Always smile!

A smile is part of the uniform of a cabin crew. Never forget to always smile. Even if you are in a face mask, recruiters can tell if you are smiling or not. Once you are asked to remove your face mask, you have to smile. I noticed that some applicants would only smile once in front of the panelist. Nope! You have to smile and seize the moment.

How to do this? Enjoy the moment. Don’t allow nervousness to ruin everything. Feel as though it is your time and that this is the opportunity. Have a happy disposition once you enter the venue. I know it can get tiring but that is exactly what happens once you are flying. You have to keep that warm and genuine smile even after 4 legs.

What does it take to be an AirAsia Allstar cabin crew?

So what does it take to become an AirAsia Allstar cabin crew? First, we have to know what these unique traits make an AirAsia cabin crew different. According to flight attendant Airi, “one of the unique traits as an AirAsia cabin crew is that we are guest-obsessed, as this is one of the core values of AirAsia. We want to make sure that we leave a pleasant and worth remembering experience to our passengers and guests – from boarding to deplaning.”

I then asked Mhea why aspirants should become an AirAsia cabin crew, here’s what she had to say:

“As well as the world-class training, we are one of the biggest airline networks in the ASEAN region. We also have the privilege of training and learning under some of the region’s best flight professionals. Our manuals and workshops are based on more than 20 years of stellar experience across 147 destinations internationally. After all, AirAsia is the world’s best low-cost airline for 12 years now.”

So I hope these tips would help you on your next walk-in interview! These are applicable for all airlines, and not only AirAsia. Oh, don’t also forget to prepare all your requirements early.

Thank you so much also AirAsia for allowing me to be part of this experience! From a thousand applicants down to 32 who made it in, hindi talaga madali maging flight attendant. Oh let’s not forget, there is still the grueling training process!

Good luck on your next cabin crew walk-in interview! See you in the sky soon!