Ah, the glamour of being cabin crew! You get to fly around the world, stay in Five Star hotels, strut your stuff in a designer uniform and just think of the travel perks you’ll get. No doubt, these are fantastic benefits of being a flight attendant but this question is designed to test whether your motivation goes beyond these superficial benefits.
After all, the airline is not hiring you just to stand on a plane and look good for a few hours. You’ve got to be really committed to your new role – it’s not just a job but a lifestyle.
That being said, there’s nothing wrong with saying that you’re looking forward to these benefits. In fact, the recruiter might think you’re being dishonest if you weren’t looking forward to getting paid to travel the world.
So absolutely, mention these benefits but you’ll need to follow this up. Tell the recruiter that you’ve carefully thought about the role – you realise the cabin crew job requires a lot of hard work and isn’t nearly as glamorous as how its portrayed in the movies.
Have a think about the following:
- Travel the world: You’ll be suffering jet lag and only have a limited time to spend on your layover – that time is meant for you to rest, not to go sightseeing.
- Long Hours: You’ll be expected to work long, unsocial hours – there’s no such thing as a weekend.
- It’s not all glamour: There’s nothing glamorous about cleaning toilets or being up to your elbows in dirty meal trays and rubbish. But that’s going to be your job
The other thing you’ve got to be aware of is that while 90% of your time as cabin crew will be serving customers, the recruiter isn’t simply looking for a waiter or waitress. As a flight attendant, you’ve got to be able to deal with all types of situations.
For many candidates, it’s this variety that most excites them. They want to be challenged by the training and work conditions. They’re looking forward to no one day being the same. They are open to change and relish dealing with difficult situations. It’s this type of person that recruiters are desperately looking for.
