Confessions of a Hostie 3 (8 page)

Mary, study, and exams don't go hand-in-hand.
She's smart, but not focused. Most probably think flight attendant
training would be easy. It's not. It's hard; not the service side
of things as almost all of us had some hospitality skills and an
idea of what the job might entail, it's the emergency training
being the toughie. The safety procedures and terminologies were
foreign - and it was all condensed and shoved down our throat at a
million miles an hour.

I had a university background, being
accustomed to studying. I had structure; poor Mary had nothing. It
was a struggle for her, but somehow she made it through. Not
everyone did. Two people in our class who failed, being banished -
never to return. I was never going to be one of them. I won't say
that I breezed through, but I did put in the required hard work to
get myself (and Mary) through the course. I had my eye on the
bigger picture.

Most in my initial training class were more
like me than Mary. They were excited by the job, being privileged
to have the opportunity to see the world and travel. Mary was the
youngest and most carefree. The majority had life skills and some
sort of profession prior to becoming a hostie. Some had long-term
aspirations, yet some, like Mary, adopted a
see how I like it and if I don't I can leave
attitude.

One guy in our class was incredibly smart,
witty, and outgoing. From the first day of training he said he
would be in the job for two years only. He wanted to be an
investment banker, with some training already under his belt. He
would travel the world, see as much as he could, and, in his own
words: 'Two years down the track, I'm out of here!'

True to his word, two years later he
left.

I haven't seen him in years, but the last I
heard he was a multimillionaire.

I knew he would be successful; well done.

Almost half of those in my initial training
class are still flying. That's a lot. How many jobs could say that
nearly half of a training class would still be in the same job 20
years later?

Two girls in my class were already married
when they joined. One left after four or five years and the other
divorced not long after graduating - and she still flies. One of
the single girls married a pilot, a captain actually. She left the
airline to have a family. The last I heard, the marriage didn't
last and she is applying to all airlines in the hope of getting
back into industry. I've talked with a number of people who left
the job. Most are happy with their decision, yet they admit to
missing certain aspects of the lifestyle. I have the distinct
impression that several of those former-hosties regretted
leaving.

With such a unique job and lifestyle, leaving
can take major adjustments. No one would miss the jetlag, extreme
tiredness, and being away from home, however the travel, the
hotels, the shopping, the independence, and the great people you
work with and meet are key aspects which make being a flight
attendant a difficult job to walk away from.

I have no plans of leaving in the foreseeable
future. I enjoy the job and lifestyle as much today as I did 20
years ago.

I constantly state that being an
international flight attendant is not for everybody. Even in my
initial training group there were varying personality types. In my
opinion some were perfect for the job and lifestyle, some were
not.

I remember unwinding after my first week of
training and thinking to myself: It took me three attempts, and
dealing with the associated rejection and pain, to be accepted -
and I always thought I had the right personality, grooming, and
attitude, yet there are several people in my training class who
just don't appear to be right for the job - and they somehow made
it through the exhaustive interviewing processes.

I was a little miffed. It is human nature, to
compare yourself with those others when you are rejected and others
are not. If one thousand people apply for just the one position,
there will be 999 unsuccessful applicants asking: What did the
successful person have that I didn't?

I am sure unsuccessful applicants with a host
of airlines would see themselves as being so much better than the
flight attendants they see on their flights. At times they might be
right.

I admit feeling guilty having those thoughts.
I was grateful to become a flight attendant, no matter how much I
went through to get it. Even so, I am still perplexed at how some
get the job. There was a guy in my class who had so many personal
issues. He was withdrawn and lacked warmth. Within moments of
meeting him I knew he was wrong for the job. He did not make it
through training school, not because of his personality, or lack of
personality, it was because he failed emergency procedural
training.

Another in my class, a girl, also appeared to
choose the wrong profession. She did not come from a hospitality
background, was also introverted, and lacked tact. How she was
selected in front of hundreds of other applicants was a mystery to
me - and the rest of my class. She was not liked.

The training was a struggle for her. She
somehow made it through, upsetting most of us along the way. She
flew for about five years before leaving. Every day on the aircraft
must have been difficult for her. She was just not the right type
of person for the job or lifestyle.

From time to time I fly with other flight
attendants who don't really fit the personality profile of what I
think makes a good hostie. Some of those have been flying for many
years more than me. Being a square peg in a round hole world must
be frustrating. I am surprised these people remain in the job as
long as they do. As perplexed as I sometimes am, I must say that
the persons I feel unsuited for the job are very much the minority.
The vast majority of crew are outgoing, caring people, and
exceptional workers onboard.

Most of the time recruiters do get it
right.

Knowing I am meeting Helen's niece, who wants
to become a hostie, stimulates thoughts of my younger years. I
remember boasting about how I wanted to be an international
jet-setting air hostess and how deflated I was with the initial
rejections. Crew rarely discuss amongst each other how many times
they applied and with what airlines. Like most, we talk more about
our successes than our failures. I'm no different. If friends or
family ask about a trip or destination, I will tell of the exciting
things which happened or I saw, not mentioning waking up at 2.15 in
the morning to spend hours bored in a dark and dinghy hotel room.
We tend to talk about the things we think others wish to hear.

A friend of mine is a professional golfer,
having played hundreds of tournaments around the world. He is one
of the humblest people I know, yet rarely does he talk of the
tournaments where he didn't make the cut, instead he talks about
the successes. That is what people want to hear.

When talking about becoming a flight
attendant, I am conscious of conveying a balanced appraisal of the
job and lifestyle. I keep saying '
job
AND
lifestyle
'
because it is such a unique profession; working on the aircraft is
only a part of the overall package. I am sure Helen has told her
niece some of the aspects of my job. Being my best friend, she
knows the effects of the lifestyle on my body. Helen told me Holly
is 21; wanting to be a flight attendant since she was a little
girl.

I love meeting passionate people, so it is
with excitement that I walk into Helen's and my' usual coffee
shop.

Helen and Holly are already there. Helen is
bubbly; Holly also exuberant - maybe a little too much so. Holly is
pretty, outgoing, and chatty - very chatty. I almost forget what it
is like to be fresh and high-spirited, although Holly seems very
young. She fires-off a trillion statements before Helen and I have
the chance to order a coffee. Each declaration has the word
'
I'
firmly entrenched five times in
every sentence.

Holly is trying so hard to sell herself to
me. I'm not interviewing her, I'm not on any recruitment panels.
I'm here to help her; to share some of my 20 years' experience, to
maybe pass on any advice to assist her with her application and
subsequent interviews - should she be lucky enough to be 'at the
right place at the right time' to get an interview.

It was a while ago when I did my multitudes
of applications and I admit I'm a bit rusty, however I have a
hostie-friend involved in our company's recruitment and training.
He has shared many tips and stories with me. I am probably better
placed than most to offer advice. Even so, Holly is more intent on
telling me how good she is and how much experience she has, than
taking advantage of my expertise.

She already knows the job inside out, I think
to myself - being tongue-in-cheek. She's 21, been on three flights
in her life, and she has heard a couple of stories about life as an
international hostie through the eyes of her aunt.

Of course she knows it all, I sarcastically
think to myself.

Out of respect for my friend, I sit and
listen to
the world according to
Holly
. I think Helen is a tad embarrassed by Holly's
self-centered approach. Before Holly can add another 'I am...' to
the list, Helen steps in. She tries to get Holly back on track:

Maybe Danielle can give you some tips on what
the airlines expect?

Maybe you should ask Danielle about what
questions they might ask in an interview?

Maybe Danielle can help you with some
grooming advice and what to wear to an interview?

Helen really wants me to help Holly. She is
not a bad kid, she's just a bit caught up in her own importance.
The first thing to remember when applying for a job with an airline
is to be aware that they don't need you. Hundreds, if not
thousands, will apply for the handful of positions. Everyone is a
Holly. Whether she gets the job or not, the airline will go on.

I don't tell Holly this. I am not there to
annihilate her ego.

The great thing about listening to somebody
intent on telling their life story at break-neck speed is:
eventually they will run out of self-indulgent things to talk about
- or slow down to a more acceptable pace. In due course Holly heeds
her auntie's advice to ask questions about the interview processes.
I've talked before to aspiring hosties, so I know how to
respond.

I'll share my tips as I did with Holly:

The first thing about wanting to be a flight
attendant is simple: you really WANT to be a flight attendant. It
is that easy, but you need to know what the job is really about;
know it and then really want it. That means knowing the negatives
as well as the positives. What someone may think the job is (like
Holly) and the reality may be worlds apart.

Before applying read carefully the guidelines
and stipulations for the application processes. Airlines usually
have a website outlining the qualifications required and the format
of the résumés and submission forms they prefer. Don't deviate from
their suggestions. Be regimented, be professional.

If you are fortunate to get an interview,
these are my suggestions:

1) Dress as closely as you can to the uniform of the
airline interviewing you. Make sure your grooming is immaculate and
conservative. If you want to be a flight attendant, you need to
look (and act) like you belong.

2) Be early - and be 'switched on' from the time you
arrive until you leave. I've heard of instances where a 'dummy
applicant' will be amongst the many other applicants. This 'dummy'
is a company employee monitoring and reporting back on the group of
hopefuls. Rarely will you have a one-on-one interview at the
initial interview stages. Often it is a group session. Remember
there are many aspiring flight attendants with only a few
positions. Most won't make the cut.

3) Be polite and sociable with everyone, not loud
and gregarious, but pleasant and interested. By the end of the
interview you should have sore cheeks from smiling.

4) Your résumé should tell the interviewers how
perfect your qualifications are for the job. Don't say how good you
are. Be humble, be sincere.

5) If you are involved in a group session, often
interacting with other candidates, then don't be the most vocal -
and don't be the quietest. If it is your turn to talk or comment on
something; take your time, answer each question confidently and
concisely, make eye contact with the question-asker as well as the
group, and never stop smiling. The airlines don't want boisterous
know-it-alls. They want crew to follow instructions, work as a
team, and problem-solve with a minimum of fuss. Communication is
one of the key aspects of the job; you need to communicate
confidently and effectively.

6) Know the job intrinsically. There may be
questions about onboard incidences or passenger requests. There
could be any number of questions asked, however I know of scenarios
specifically designed to pit procedural or safety issues against
service matters. As a rule-of-thumb, you will employed for your
people skills and then trained in emergency and safety procedures.
Every airline has a policy of:
safety over
service
. Never forget that.

During the interviews the questions will
never be black and white; e.g. a blatant service versus safety
issue. You'll most likely get cleverly disguised 'grey area'
questions. I'll repeat: safety always comes before service. Also
remember an aircraft has a chain of command - from the captain
down. If you get the job you will be at the bottom - and you can
always ask questions, often requiring to talk to someone higher up
the chain of command. Should you be given a scenario or question
which visits one of these 'grey areas', a great response might be:
'I understand the chain of command on the aircraft, so I would
consult my onboard manager (Purser, Cabin Manager, Service
Supervisor, etc. - make sure you know the terminology for your
airline as they vary between companies) and then I would follow
instructions/recommendations, etc....'