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3 Piices of Bad Flight Attendant Interview Advice Video

Febuary Webinar Show Notes

Just in case you missed it, here are the notes from the February 2014 free webinar. The March webinar is scheduled for Thursday, March 13.  Please sign up for the mailing list to make sure you receive an invite.

 (sign up on the right>>>>)

A little about me~ I’m Abbie Unger.

A wife, mother, writer, former flight attendant and owner of FACC. In 2006, I began my career as a fa with United.  I was fired after only a few weeks due to a scheduling mishap but I had the opportunity to fly to Japan, Germany and SFO before that happened. By the time I was fired, I knew I was meant to be a fa. I immediately begin to apply at other airlines and five weeks later, I was offered a job with Continental.  I later took a fa job with PSA Airline (US Airways Express) where I was promoted to Instructor. As a FA I have traveled to Barcelona, Guatemala, Mexico, NYC, England, Paris, and too many other places to name here.

About 2 1/2 years ago, I decided to hang up my wings when I had my first child, but my husband works for Southwest, so I still take full advantage of his flight benefits and other interline discounts.

I believe if you have a dream to become a fa, that’s not a mistake

 and I am passionate about helping dreams come true.

I wrote an eBook with everything you need to know to get an interview and land the job. 

Click here to buy it

 Why do I want to be a flight attendant?

This question is asked in every interview, so I’m sharing my answer with you.  This answer is different for everyone, but it should highlight what you can offer the company instead of focusing on the airline can offer you. (I love to travel.)

“I want to be a flight attendant because I enjoy being around big groups of people, the hustle and bustle always energizes me. I also enjoy the feeling I get when I’m able to solve a problem for someone.  As a fa, you have the opportunity to make someone’s day. People come onboard and they are angry or sad or afraid and I with a kind word, their whole experience can be changed.  And some people come on happy because they are visiting family or they just got a new job and as a flight attendant I can give them a high five and be happy with them."

Airline news:
Mesa Airlines has had a bad reputation over the last 10 years or so.  They have the worst work rules, their airplanes are old and they have almost gone out of business several times.  BUT, I believe Mesa is turning over a new leaf and they are worth considering.  They are out of bankruptcy and doing well finically.  They are updating their old planes and even ordering brand new ones.  They are ramping up hiring to fill up these new planes, so reserve time will be short. They fly all over the US and have some pretty good layovers.
Click here to apply with Mesa Airlines.

Three pieces of bad interview advice:
(I made a video about this.  Click here to watch and please leave a comment.)

Don’t wear a lot of make up:

This is wrong! Airlines require makeup as part of their uniform guidelines so please wear makeup to your interview.  It needs to be tasteful, daytime makeup and not clubby, sparkle paint.  And wear lipstick.  Not gloss. Not Lip Smackers.  Lipstick.

Act professional:

A lot of times people try to act professional and they come across as corporate, stuffy, stand off-ish and  buttoned-up.  This is the opposite of how you want to act.  During your flight attendant interview, please be warm, engaging and welcoming. The advice should be “use good manners” not “be professional.”

Be yourself:

No way. DO NOT BE YOURSELF. Be your best self!  Take the best parts of your personality and show them off.  You don’t need to show them everything about you.

 Did you know I offer career coaching just for future flight attendants?

Coaching is so beneficial. A FA interview is an interview like no other.  The questions are different, the style is different, the entire format is different. Each coaching session lasts about an hour and is accomplished using skype. I will ask you all sorts of FA interview questions like “Why do you want to be a FA?” or “Tell me about a difficult situation you encountered.” Or even “If you were an animal, what kind would you be?”  We will discuss your answers and I will give you valuable feedback so you will know if you are heading in the right direction, using the STAR format or if you need to think of a new example.

Another benefit of coaching is it helps me to become more familiar with your life and your story which will enable me to give you better advice as you make decisions.

 

FACC Seminar~Is It For You?

View From the Top Video~What to Expect in Training

FACC Webinar Recap 12/11/13

12/11/13 Webinar Notes

We had a great time talking, learning and answering questions during this month’s Flight Attendant Career Connection webinar.  But if you missed it, don’t worry here are a few of the things I covered.

Coaching:

I offer one on one flight attendant career coaching and I’m running a Christmas special: two coaching sessions and my eBook Looking Skyward for $45. Click here for more info.

Mergers:

Yes, American Airlines and US Airways have officially merged.  From the outside they look like they are one airline, but they are not operating as one airline quite yet.  For two airlines to operate as one they have to come together, establish new policy and procedures, operation and evacuation techniques, and the unions must sign off on new work rules, pay scales and a whole lot of other corporate stuff. So….it can take a while.  Our inside information says American and USAirways have been working together for a while to get make these changes and they will be flying together soon.

That being said, both American and USAirways are hiring flight attendants.  Go and apply with both.  Don’t count USAirways out just yet.

Apply, Apply, Apply:

We already covered why you should apply with both American and USAirways.  And Delta is hiring, too.  But where else?  Most of the regional airlines are hiring flight attendants right now.  These airlines are usually not household names and they operate as express carriers (USAirway Express, Delta Connections).  To find these airlines, go to the mainline website (Delta, American, Usairways, United) and search, within the site for express carriers.  You should be provided with a list of regional carriers.  Visit each airline’s website and apply if they are hiring.  The more hooks you have in the water, the greater your chances of catching a fish.

*****Breaking News 12/13/2013*****

PSA airlines just announced a purchase order for NEW PLANES.  They are planning on hiring 400 flight attendants.  They are a wholly owned subsidiary of USAirways which means their employees are USAirways employees and can fly for free anywhere USAirways flies!  What are you waiting for?????

Apply here.

We had a great time talking about the flight attendant world and answering questions.  I’ll host another webinar in January.  Make sure you sign up for the email list so you don’t miss anything. 

 

Do you know someone who wants a pair of wings for Christmas?

Do you know someone who wants a pair of wings for Christmas?

Show how much you support their dream with the gift of career coaching!

*******$45.00 Christmas Special*******

Package includes:

Printable gift certificate, coaching session A, B and a $10 Amazon gift card to purchase Looking Skyward!!($55 value)

(If you already have your copy of Looking Skyward you can pick out another book.)

***Hurry, package must be purchased by December 25, 2013***

Email Abbie at FACareerConnection@gmail.com to purchase.

For more information about coaching services click here

Coaching Session A-1 hour
Goal and progress assessment
Q and A
Interview question practice with feedback

 
Coaching Session B- 1 hour
Available once session A is completed 
Full mock interview 
Interview outfit styling
Interview questions with feedback
Q and A

Green Laser Pointed at Pilots During Landing

One of the first things you will learn in flight attendant training is the critical phases of flight. The critical phases of flight are taxi, take off and landing. These critical phases require total concentration from the pilots. So much concentration that they are not even allowed to talk to each other about anything that is not flight related while they are landing an airplane. For someone to think this is just a silly prank is outrageous!

 
 

Black Flyday Sale

**Black Flyday Sale**

Flight Attendant Career Connection didn’t want miss out on all the fun.

 We are having a sale, too!

All prices are good through Cyber Monday (December 2, 2013).

 The service doesn't have to take place before Monday, but must be claimed by email before Monday

Email Abbie at FACareerConnection@gmail.com to purchase at the sale price.

Resume Re-write:  Abbie will review and update your resume into an airline friendly document.  Regular price $50

 Sale price $25

One on One Coaching: 30 minutes of face to face flight attendant career coaching with Abbie. Includes mock interview and question and answer segment. 

Regular Price $30

Sale Price $25

Looking Skyward: Turn Your Flight Attendant Dreams into Reality

Available on Amazon for Kindle

Regular Price $9.99

Thursday $3.99

Once you get your copy of Looking Skyward, send me an email at FACareerConnection@gmail.com so I can add you to the special email list.  This way you won’t miss out on all the exclusive “insider” information.

Ace the Interview: 3 Characteristics of a Flight Attendant

Customer service, customer service, customer service.

It seems like the only thing airlines are looking for is a customer service specialist. Airlines are looking to staff their aircraft with flight attendants who can make a customer’s experience exceptional. You already know this and you wouldn’t be dreaming of the skies if you didn’t think you were the one to make it happen.

The problem is, you have convince an airline recruiter that you are to one for the job. There are only so many times you can say “I aim to give exceptional customer service” before you begin to sound like a broken record. 

So what are some other characteristics a recruiter is looking for during the interview?

1)      Kindness and Compassion:  As a flight attendant, you will see people at their best and at their worst. They will be having good days and bad days.  You will serve nice people and meany pants. Showing kindness and compassion to everyone you come in contact with will go a long way towards converting your enemies into allies and will make your life a lot easier. *What is an example where you went out of your way to show compassion to another person? (in your personal or professional life.)

2)      Rule Follower: Being a goody-two-shoe, rule follower may not be fun in elementary school, but on board the aircraft, it’s a must.  The airline industry is based on rules and regulations, policies and procedures.  From Federal Airline Regulation (FARs) to company specific guidelines, you will fill your day following rules.  And informing your passengers of the rules. *What would you do if the company asked you to follow a policy you didn’t agree with?

3)      Strong Values: Having a belief system that is strong and established is important.  This usually comes from your religion, but a strong moral foundation counts, too. Knowing who you are and what you stand for will prevent you from being easily manipulated. *What would you do if a friend of yours was stealing from the company?

Check back Thursday for the big Black Friday Sale!

Living the Dream: 5 Must Haves for Your Suitcase

Packing is an art. It takes a little engineering, a little creativity and a lot of trial and error to discover what the perfect suitcase looks like for you.  As you begin to discover what you want to include in your masterpiece, you will be confused.  Think about it, you are trying to pack your entire life into a 22 inch “mobile home.”

But it can be done.  After a few trips, you’ll discover what you have to have and what you can live without.

Here are my top five, tried and true, must have, can’t live without it, items.

  1)      Bathing suit.  I don’t care where you’re going or what season it is, bring your bathing suit.  It’s small and takes up no room, but unless swimming in your underwear is a real option for you, there is no good substitution for a swim suit. Your 9 hour over night in MSP could quickly become 22 in MIA and you don’t want to be  crying sitting in your room longing for the sunshine.

  2)      Baby Wipes.  These versatile “babies” are more multi functional than a Swiss Army Knife. They can: shine your shoes, get a spot out of your uniform, wipe down your hotel room tv remote, remove your makeup, polish your jewelry, and safely clean your phone or other electronics. You can also “freshen up” with a stack of baby wipes. Yuck, you say?  Just wait until you wake up for a 0530 van to a hotel with NO WATER.  You are going to be overjoyed to take a baby wipe bird bath.

  3)      Sun Screen.  I pack a bottle of inexpensive face moisturizer with at least an SPF of 15.  Face moisturizers are usually smaller than that big bottle of sun bock in your beach bag. You should be applying a moisturizer with sunscreen every morning anyway, so having a bottle of it big enough to protect the rest of your body on a surprise, sunny layover it a good idea. It’s hard enough to smile all day when you feel good.  Try doing it with a lobster sunburn.     

  4)      Gallon Zip-Lock Bags. These are great to pack things in to protect the inside of you bag from explosions.  And not just liquids.  If you’ve ever had an eye shadow crumble and coat everything you own with fairy dust, then you know the true value of a zip lock bag.  Tuck a few empty bags into your suitcase, too.  They are great for stowing your bathing suit if it doesn’t have time to dry completely.  Leftovers from dinner?  Take it out of that silly Styrofoam box and put it in a zip lock to keep it safe and dry inside your lunch box.

  5)      Triple Antibiotic Ointment.   How can you spot a FA at the pool?  She’s the one covered in bruises. No seriously, flight attendants work in a metal tube, push and pull metal carts up and down a hill, and open little metal cans all day.  You are going to get cut and scrapes.  Keep a tube of Neosporin in your suitcase.  I like the cream formula the best. You can also use it on a blemish to help it heal faster or rub it into your cuticles to keep your nails healthy.

            That's my list. So, what is your got to pack it item for your roll aboard?

Ace the Interview: Reading Aloud

Flight attendant interviews are unlike another interview you will ever experience. Most “civilian” interview are scheduled and organized so it is just the candidate and the interviewer in a room.  They usually last thirty minutes to an hour and are wrapped up with a hand shake. This is not the case for a flight attendant interview. In these interviews, you will be interviewed with 20-40 other candidates.

You will be asked to stand in front of the group and read an inflight announcement. Even though you probably read every day, if you haven’t read aloud in front of a group since the third grade, nerves can easily get the best of you.  Here a few tips to help you keep your cool and ace the reading part of the interview.

   1)      Lower your voice.  Take a second and drop your voice an octive.  When nervous, we tend to speak higher and higher until all that’s left is a squeaky squeak.

   2)      Project into the room.  Even though you will speak deeper, make sure you don’t speak quieter. Speak toward the back of the room with a full voice.

   3)      Practice, Practice, Practice. Stand up and read out loud to yourself as if you were in the interview.  You can even record yourself reading and make adjustments based on what you hear.

Here is a fake inflight announcement to help you practice:

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome aboard. Please take a moment to stow your carry-on luggage underneath the seat in front of you or in the overhead bin. The Captain has turned on the Fasten Seat Belt sign. Please be seated and fasten your seat belt. Make sure your seat back and tray table is in its full upright position. Thank you for your cooperation.  We will be on our way shortly.

We remind you that this is a non-smoking flight. Smoking is prohibited while onboard this aircraft, this does including the lavatories. Tampering with, disabling or destroying the lavatory smoke detector is prohibited by law.

What tips do you have to prepare for the big interview?

What Should I Wear to a Flight Attendant Interview? 3 Tips to Dress for Success

"You never get a second chance to make a first impression."

The first thing a recruiter will notice about you is the way you are dressed. And right or wrong, they are going to judge your clothes. If you have made it to a real one-on-one, face-to-face interview you own it to yourself to dress the part.

1) Wear a suit.

   Please wear a suit.  If you are a lady, a suit with a skirt is preferable to a suit with pants. If you are a man, you're suit won't be complete without a tie.  I know suits can be a little bit of an investment, but a good suit doesn't have to be a budget buster. If you need some personalized attention, visit Anne Taylor or Men's Wearhouse .

2) Wear good shoes.
   You don't have to wear a pair of Gucci loafers, but a pair of polished shoes in good condition will go a long way.  Make sure your shoes coordinate with your suit and you socks or panty hose. Even Walmart carries shoes that look nice and will complete your outfit.

3) Wear Make-Up.  Don't Wear Make-up.
   Ladies, please wear make-up.  Most airlines will require basic make-up as part of the uniform, so go ahead and glam it up.  Well, glam it up office style, not clubbing style.
   Gentlemen, don't.  Just don't.


I hope these tips helped.  I'd love to hear how your interview went. Please join our facebook group so we can talk more.

 If you would like more information about landing that job as a flight attendant, check out my new book!

Do You Dream of Becoming a Flight Attendant?

 

Do you picture yourself jetting around the world? Do you dream of becoming a flight attendant but you don’t know how to break into the airline industry?

Looking Skyward: Turn Your Flight Attendant Dream Into Reality was written by an airline insider with years of experience as an international flight attendant, an FAA certified instructor, and a check flight attendant.  Abbie has answered hundreds of questions for aspiring flight attendants and now her answers are available to you.  In this easy to read guide, you will find information to answer the most common questions future flight attendants ask.  From resumes, to interviews, to preparing for training, this book has tips for success at every stage of the process.

Today, a job in the airlines is one of the most sought after and dreamed about careers. Potential candidates apply by the thousands to every job opening. The competition is tough, but it is possible to rise above the rest. The airline industry is shrouded in mystery and surrounded by questions but this book has answers. With preparation, tenacity and a little good timing you can live the life you have always imagined. Here’s how you can turn your dream into reality.