I thought it might be interesting to hear a bit more about how things generally go when it comes to being a flight attendant in the United States. Today I’ll share a little bit about how becoming a flight attendant generally works. It is pretty surprising!
Step 1: Apply.
Yes, I know this seems obvious. But, the application process is actually a bit complicated. First of all, the most desirable airlines typically only open up applications a few times per year. If you know that you want to be a flight attendant, it’s best to watch for openings. One of the best places to check which airlines are hiring is at Abbie Unger’s website. Once the applications are open, they’re often open for 1-7 days, so it’s best to apply right away.
Resumes/applications are reviewed via a computer system, so it’s important to doctor up your resume to align with the airline’s goals. This will probably mean emphasizing ways that you’ve worked to keep people safe in previous jobs, and emphasizing customer service in previous jobs. It also means learning airlines values and adding words related to their values to your resume.
Another thing that can be confusing to people is that in most cases you don’t apply to a specific airport. You apply to an airline and they will assign you to an airport during training. That means you’ll either have to move to base, or you’ll have to fly into your base to complete your work (which can cause a whole host of difficulties). You CAN look at airlines that have bases where you’d like to be, and you will be able to transfer to your preferred base as you gain seniority, but depending on the airline and the base you want, the transfer process could take from a month to years. YEARS. (Side note: I am starting training next week at an airline that does have a base at my local airport. It is highly likely that I will get based here, but it is not a guarantee. I don’t actually know for sure where I’ll be based yet!)
Step 2: Complete an Assessment.
At most airlines if your resume “passes” the computer system they’ll send you an online assessment. These assessments can range from asking about your personality to asking about what you’d do in certain customer service situations to asking you about your opinion on things. (Fun Fact: I was swiftly REJECTED from a major airline after completing an assessment! I was surprised because the assessment portion of the application process was the part I least thought would get me rejected!)
Step 3: Video Interviews.
Okay, virtual interviews can vary widely. Sometimes they’re individual live interviews with a recruiter. Sometimes they’re group live interviews with a recruiter. Sometimes they’re actually just questions popping up on your screen and you have to respond as if there’s someone there whom you’re talking to, when no one is there listening; you just record your answer and send it in! I applied to 4 airlines and completed 2 video interviews. One airline rejected me before I got to the video interview, another airline invited me straightaway to Step #4, and two airlines had me complete video interviews. One was a group interview in which I got to talk for a total 120 seconds. The other was the recorded video interview in which no one was there and I was just talking to a screen. I actually really liked the video interview in which no one was there! Because of the pandemic I’ve been forced to talk on video a LOT. In real life it’s hard to balance looking at the other person so you can see them and their facial expressions with looking at the camera so they feel seen. For a pre-recorded video interview with no-one I was able to look straight at the camera and because of all my experience on camera, I felt confident and collected. Most people HATE these pre-recorded interviews, but I thought it was great! (Note: For some regional airlines, a video or phone interview is the last step before a job offer).
Step 4: Face-to-Face Interviews.
This is in many ways the “standard” job interview that many are used to, except it takes place in a group setting in which you’re interviewing with a whole bunch of other flight attendant hopefuls. For an extrovert like me, it’s pretty much a dream come true and I had a great time meeting other candidates!
Step 5: Conditional Job Offer.
If the airline likes you after Steps 1-4, they’ll give you a Conditional Job Offer. What’s conditional about it? Well, you have to pass a background check, you have to pass a drug test, you may have to pass a physical exam, and you definitely have to pass training. (Training is reviewed below in Step #6). That’s right y’all. I’ve told everyone I’ve been hired as a flight attendant, but the reality is that I only have a conditional job offer. I still have a ways to go before I’m actually officially hired.
Step 6: Flight Attendant Training.
Every airline in the US requires that flight attendants attend and pass a 4-8 week intense training program that is approved by the F.A.A. Apparently it’s pretty intense. In most cases, it’s unpaid. In my case, I’ll be staying at a hotel for 4 weeks and attending class every day from 5:30am-2:30pm (I lucked out, some people have to do 3pm-12am). In the afternoons, when training is “finished” for the day, I’ll have homework and studying to do. There will be many tests during these 4 weeks and I will be required to pass all of them at 80% or better (some airlines it’s 90% or better). I’m allowed to fail and re-take one test, but if I fail a second test, I’ll be immediately sent home. I’ll be sent home if I’m late for any meetings during training. I’ll be sent home if I break any rules. I’ll be sent home if the trainers have any concerns about my ability to complete the job. Essentially, I have 4 weeks to prove how responsible and reliable I am and to prove how good I am at following directions. (I am mildly nervous about this, but I also know that I am genuinely reliable and good at following directions). Part of training will also include me going on a flight and proving that I can do all the skills that we learned in class. I’ll also get to do cool stuff like slide down the rescue slide and get on a life raft. I suspect that training will be fun but stressful!
It is also during training that flight attendant trainees find out where they’ll be based once training is complete. Yes, that’s right. You quit a job, start unpaid training that lasts at least one month, and only after you’ve committed and begun training do you find out where exactly you’ll be working. This is the flight attendant world!
Step 7: Probation.
Following training, airlines typically have 6 months of probation in which their flight attendants must perfectly follow rules, be on time, etc. If you mess up during probation, it’s very easy for the airline to fire you. I’m most worried about getting sick during probation, because calling in sick could get me in trouble annnnnnd we’re in the middle of a global pandemic. In Washington state the mask mandate has been lifted but I’ve been wearing my mask in indoor spaces away from home anyway because I don’t want to get sick and miss flight attendant training. I plan to continue to mask with a KN95 until my probation is complete.
And, that’s it! The crazy world of getting hired as a flight attendant. I can’t wait! Thanks so much to Saign for supporting me in this venture!
Adventure Fam 
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