We’ve all got our own ideas of what makes a good flight attendant – for me, I think someone who can bring their own personality in bucket loads really sets your average flight attendant apart from a good flight attendant. But what do the crew at American Airlines think makes a really good flight attendant?
The popular AAStews Instagram page recently asked that very question of its 20,000 members – many of whom are serving flight attendants at American Airlines. And there was one answer that really stood out… Patience!
I’ve got to agree with that sentiment – no matter how much of a people person you think you are, there are going to situations or interactions that are really going to require a lot of patience. And let’s be honest – that’s not a quality that everyone possesses.
There were also some other really important qualities that cropped up again and again:
- Empathy
- Kindness
- Flexibility
- Friendly
- and Compassion
I also think other qualities that were mentioned like having lots of stamina, being resourceful and adaptable to change are definitely good points that every flight attendant needs to have.
I’d also say that all of these qualities are the things you need to prove you possess in or CV or resume. These are the qualities that cabin crew recruiters are looking for in new hires and it’s so vitally important to provide tangible examples of how you have demonstrated these qualities.
Simply saying you possess these qualities just won’t cut it – what did you actually do in a real-life situation that shows off these qualities. For example, I meet a lot of flight attendants who completely lack empathy – they fail to put themselves in the shoes of the passenger and struggle to understand why they are upset or annoyed. Having the ability to listen and feel what someone else is experiencing is the best way to actually help and make that person feel better.
Don’t think any of these qualities aren’t important. Delta Air Lines says fewer than 1% of applicants are successful in being offered a job as a flight attendant so you need to think about every opportunity to make your resume stand out.
And that doesn’t mean using bright colours or bold fonts on your resume – strong real-life examples are what will make you stand out from the crowd.
