Skills Needed to Work Flight Attendant Jobs
As a former flight attendant, I think I have a fairly accurate idea of the skills needed to work this position.
When I first started interviewing to see if I actually could be hired by one of the airlines, I realized just how tough the competition was. I ended up working for a smaller airline, but the interviewing process was lengthy and stringent. I was invited back for three interviews, and for the last one they flew me to one of their bases where I was one of about 100 or more women competing for a very few jobs. I believe our class ended up with about 15 young women, after all.
One of the first areas that isn’t really a skill but was of much importance was appearance. Glasses weren’t allowed at that time, so I quickly was fitted for contact lenses. I remember being extremely careful as to wardrobe selection for the first interview, and it must have worked because I made it to the second without any problem. So grooming and appearance were crucial in that early phase. Later on, after I was hired and actually making my living flying, I remember having supervisors show up on flights and check our uniforms, makeup, and even fingernails. It was a punishable act to not have your nails painted. Can you imagine?
During training, we were taught all of the basics about the various aircraft, together with safety rules and first aid instruction. Those areas, of course, are all extremely important to the position of flight attendant. We took many tests to make sure we were well aware of what needed to be done in emergency situations and were expected to perform to perfection if we were so unlucky as to have an accident.
We were also required to memorize the announcements we would be making on the flights. Of course, it was expected that we would speak clearly and loud enough to be heard by everyone throughout the plane.
In classroom training, we were taught makeup application (again grooming!) and how to mix cocktails, which was really a joke because all liquor came out of those little bottles and was served straight up or mixed with one of about three types of soda in the galley.
Serving skills were important. We had to be efficient, as well as look good, which was sometimes difficult when trying to feed a cabin of 100 hungry businessmen on a 35 minute flight. It didn’t help when the pilots worked hard to beat schedule!
Probably the most important skill for working as a flight attendant, though, is being able to remain calm in all situations and act graciously toward the public. That's sometimes difficult when people can be rude and demanding. But, no matter what, you need to be able to hold your tongue and not give them back what they've given you, even if you're dying to scream at them.
So as you can tell, at least back when I flew, the skills needed to become a flight attendant were quite varied. However, a lot of it had to do with appearance and demeanor, as you would never want to do anything to represent the airline you worked for in a negative way.
