How to Get a Flight Attendant Job

So you're thinking about becoming a flight attendant, but you aren't sure where to start?

You don't need any special education or training to get hired, but there are some very specific qualifications you must have before you will even be considered for a job.

Flight attendant jobs aren't easy to get. The field in extremely competitive, and there are few open positions at any given time.

Although the need for more flight attendants (or stewardesses and stewards, as the positions are sometimes called) is expected to grow in the future, especially if the economy begins to pick up, competition for these jobs will still be fierce.

Qualifications for a flight attendant job

There are basic requirements that need to be met for almost every flight attendant position. Although these requirements may vary from airline to airline, the basics still remain close to the same.

A high school diploma is almost always required, although some airlines will accept a GED. The more education you have, however, the better off you will be in securing a position.

Customer service skills are also important. This is what will make you or break you in terms of getting hires as a flight attendant. You have to be able to interact with the public, and be pleasant, while also being authorative and professional, is what the hiring personnel are looking for in a candidate. Any customer service experience will look good on your resume, but how you act in your interviews is the most important aspect in getting hires. If you don't have any previous experience working with the public, don't fret. Sometimes it will be obvious in your manner that you will be right for the job.

English fluency is another must for work as a flight attendant. Having fluency in more than one language is even better. If you have a couple languages under your belt, you may be offered better paid positions.

Being a U.S. citizen, or at least a registered alien, is going to be a requirement for all the airlines. You must have a valid social security card, and in most cases, a current passport.

You must be willing to relocate when the airline need you to. It's just part of the job. You will also have a background check that you must pass, and pass a physical and drug test.

Lastly, there will also be grooming requirements, with the basics being the same at most airlines. You must have a pleasant, neat and professional look, with no weird piercing, hairstyles, or visible tattoos. You don't have to be a beauty queen, but you do have to look nice and well groomed, with excellent hygiene.

Applying for a job as a flight attendant

So how do you apply for a flight attendant job? The interviews can be grueling, sometimes in a group setting, where you have to speak in front of the rest of the group, or in front of a panel. These types of group interviews are usually done en masse, at a hotel or other meeting place near the airport. Sometimes you will be able mail in a resume, have a telephone interview, or turn in a resume online, but you will always have some type of rigorous personal interview at some point of the process.