24 Feb 09 How To Run A Flight Attendant Job Search

You know that it’s the job for you. You’ve done all the reading, and you understand that working as a flight attendant isn’t all glamour and excitement. You know there’s hard work and commitment involved, and that the money - well, no one becomes a flight attendant to get rich, after all. It doesn’t matter - you’ve got your mind made up, and you’re about to embark on a flight attendant job search. Here are some tips on conducting a flight attendant job search that will help you find the jobs that you want to apply for.

1. The major airlines are only 10% of the field for your flight attendant job search.

There are over 60 small and mid-size airlines in the United States - over 80 if you add Canadian based airlines as well. While the major airlines have cut back on hiring and have even furloughed flight attendants since 2001, the small airlines are thriving. If you’re looking to work with fractional operators and charter services, the flight attendant job search possibilities are even broader. The jobs are out there - you just need to expand the scope of your job search beyond the Big Six.

2. Don’t overlook traditional job hunt methods in your flight attendant job search.

Yes, they do advertise in the local paper’s help wanted sections. You’ll also find recruitment ads for the airlines in industry publications, so if you’re serious about finding a job as a flight attendant, get yourself subscribed to aviation newsletters and magazines.

3. Harness the power of the Internet to get your flight attendant job search into high gear.

Do check the usual suspects. You’ll find listings for flight attendant open houses and job openings on Monster, HotJobs! and other Internet job sites. You’ll also find listings for flight attendant job opportunities on some of the major newspaper’s want ad pages.

But don’t stop with the job listings on the job search engines. Because aviation is so industry specific, you’ll find the biggest concentrations of job openings and listings on aviation industry specific sites. A simple search for ‘flight attendant jobs’ will pull up several job search sites specifically for those in aviation. Check them out carefully and join one or two. Even better, find a discussion forum for flight attendants and join that. You can post questions, read information from working flight attendants and keep your eyes peeled for announcements of open houses.

4. Apply on the company web site.

Many airlines now have a link for you to upload your resume when you’re doing a flight attendant job search. While they may not be hiring when you check, enter your information anyway so that they can send you an invitation when they do mass job interviews and informational meetings in your area.

5. Networking is still the number one way to find a job.

Like any other job, it’s often who you know that gets your foot in the door in a flight attendant job search. Let people know you’re looking - let everyone know you’re looking. You might never know that your great Aunt Lucy’s next door neighbor’s daughter is a flight attendant if you don’t mention that you’re looking for a job working for an airline - but it just might be your ticket into the industry.

Whatever you do, do treat your flight attendant job search seriously. Look at the ads daily, and be sure to have a professional resume and cover letter ready to send out to any job openings that you find.

Tags: Big Six, Canadian Based Airlines, Charter Services, Finding A Job, Flight Attendant Job, Flight Attendants, Hotjobs, Industry Publications, Internet Job, Job Listings, Job Monster, Job Openings, Job Opportunities, Job Search Engines, Major Airlines, Mid Size, Monster, Recruitment Ads, Recruitment Agency, Recruitment Jobs, Search Possibilities, Traditional Job, Usual Suspects

12 Feb 09 How To Get That Flight Attendant Job Opening

When I was growing up, they were stewardesses, and they had a party hearty reputation that stuck despite all the hard work they did. Today, the word ’stewardess’ is out of fashion, and flight attendants are respected professionals in the aviation industry. While many in the general public see flight attendants as glorified airborne waitresses, the cabin crews and regular passengers know better. The flight attendant is the face of the airline, and her - or his, since many flight attendants today are male - primary job is making sure that all the passengers have a safe flight.

But you knew that - that’s part of the reason that you want to be a flight attendant. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, it’s not quite as hard to find a flight attendant job opening as many believe. Besides the major airlines - many of whom are not hiring - there are over 75 airlines operating in the United States and Canada, and you’ll find a flight attendant job opening at most of them. The fastest growing segment of the aviation industry is in private airlines - charters, fractional operators and company-owned airlines. There are also many mid-size and smaller airlines that run commuter flights and flights within the continental United States and Canada. Because they don’t have the glamour and cachet of the Big Boys - United Airlines, American Airlines and the others - they get far less applicants for every flight attendant job opening. And the fact is, because flight attendants bid on the flights they work based on seniority with the plum jobs going to those with the most flight hours, the flight attendants working for the major airlines are just as likely to be working the short hop flights as those working smaller airlines who specialize in them.

Finding a flight attendant job opening is no different than finding a job opening in any other industry. It takes diligence, persistence, luck and some insider knowledge. You’ll find listings for job openings for flight attendants in your local newspaper, on the job boards like Monster, and by applying directly to the airlines. Once you’ve found a flight attendant job opening, you can apply online at the airline’s web site, or send a resume by mail or over the telephone. If you’ve done a good job of presenting yourself in your cover letter and resume, you may receive an invitation to an interview, or other instructions on your next step.

Preparing yourself for your interview is just as important when the interview is a ‘cattle call’ - industry slang for open houses where recruiters prescreen applicants for a flight attendant job opening - as it is for a face to face interview. Impeccable personal grooming is important in any job interview, but it’s vital when you’re applying for a flight attendant job opening. Trim and manicure your nails, be certain that your hair coloring is not in need of touching up - be certain that every detail of your appearance is just right. After all, your competition will be dong the same thing.

Tags: Airlines Flights, American Airlines, Aviation Industry, Big Boys, Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Cabin Crews, Cachet, Commuter Flights, Fastest Growing Segment, Finding A Job, Flight Attendant Job, Flight Attendants, Flight Hours, Insider Knowledge, Job Opening, Major Airlines, Private Airlines, Recruitment Agency, Recruitment Jobs, Stewardess, Stewardesses, United Airlines, Waitresses