Notes

What are your weaknesses?
Do not give information which could hurt your professional image or decrease your chances of getting the job.
Disclose a weakness only when you have already taken steps to compensate for it.
Describe a challenge a how you overcame it, stating what you learned during the process.
Do not say that you have no weakness.
SAMPLE ANSWER
ʻI feel that my attention to detail is my weakness. I want everything to be perfect. Sometimes I get so caught up in small details that I forget to see the big picture.It was pointed out to me and I was able to improve myself. I am now constantly finding ways to balance both the details and the overall situation.ʼ
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Tell me about a time when you had to deal with a co-worker who wasnʼt doing his/ her fair share of the work. What did you do and what was the outcome?
Keep your answer professional, short and clear.
Focus more on what you did to deal with the situation, rather than how much you were bothered by your colleague not doing their work.
Turn your answer into a positive experience.
SAMPLE ANSWER
ʻSofia was my shift colleague. During lunch service I saw her being slow to take orders and attend to the new customers. I had to step in her area and do part of her work. After the service was over I asked her what was happening. I learned that her grandmother was gravely ill and she just received the news that morning. I helped her out for the next days until she felt better. She appreciated my willingness to do something for her and we are now working very well together, taking extra work from each other whenever is necessary.ʼ
YOUR ANSWER
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Tell me about a time you misjudged a person.
Use an example where you underestimated somebody, rather than an example when you thought that somebody was trustworthy and in the end they disappointed you.
End your answer with a summary of what your learned from the experience.
SAMPLE ANSWER
ʻOur office boy was a very shy and reserved person. One day I started to talk to him and I found out that he was actually an engineer in his country, but came here to provide a better future for his children. He was doing the job to learn the language better and understand our culture. We became friends and he was even giving me advice with some of the projects I was working on. I told to my manager his story, and after 1 year he was given a chance to interview. Now he is working in the planning department. I learned to never judge somebody just by the job they are doing.ʼ
YOUR ANSWER
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Tell me about a challenge at work you faced and overcame recently.
Talk about the complaints you solved, issues you had to organize, conflicts that you had to resolve.
Focus on the problem-solving, not on the problem itself.
Do not put anybody else in a bad light.
SAMPLE ANSWER
ʻWe received a new computer software that would take not only the reservations for the day, but also the customer details, the orders and the home-delivery schedule. It was taking a long time to input all the data while the customers were waiting. I asked the manager to get some training from the IT Company. In only 30 minutes they taught me all the shortcuts and I managed to be efficient when operating it.ʼ
YOUR ANSWER
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Tell me about a time you resolved a conflict.
This question is asked to showcase how you deal with possible issues.
Talk about a specific example when you excelled at solving a conflict.
Do not talk about personal relationships with bosses or co-workers.
SAMPLE ANSWER
ʻTwo of the sales associates in my team were having a hard time getting along. The work has been delegated at the beginning of the week and Anna was in charge of the inventory, while Karen had to re-arrange the display. Each of them was interfering in the other oneʼs work. After I talked to both of them I found out that Anna was really interested in the artistic part of the job, while Karen was studying accounting and was fascinated by book-keeping. I explained to each of them how their issues were affecting the business as a whole. They understood and apologized to each other. I also realized that delegating tasks like these might not be the best approach. Since then, I ask the associates to volunteer for the specific duties. I found that this way people are more motivated to do the job they love and are interested in.ʼ
YOUR ANSWER
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Have you worked with someone you didn't like? If so, how did you handle it?
This is a trap question!
Speaking negatively about other people will show you as an unreliable character.
Stay professional and be diplomatic.
SAMPLE ANSWER
ʻNot really. I believe that when disagreements occur, the matters can be taken up with the concerned person and be immediately solved.ʼ
YOUR ANSWER
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What is the kind of person you refuse to work with?
This is a trap question!
Airlines are multi-cultural, multi-lingual, multi-national companies. Stay focused on how you are capable to learn something from everybody and on your willingness to be part of such a team.
Never admit there is a type of person you will refuse to work with unless that type of person is a detriment to the company and its policy.
SAMPLE ANSWER
ʻI can work with all kinds of people. I believe that everybody has an interesting story to tell and something to teach me.ʼ
YOUR ANSWER
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Would you say that you can easily deal with high pressure situations?
Explain your ability to work under pressure, without describing with too much detail why you thought a specific situation was stressful.
The cabin crew job is a high pressure work environment, so do not say that you canʼt work well under pressure.
Do not spend too long discussing the amount of high stress in everyday life.
SAMPLE ANSWER
ʻYes. I have been dealing with busy times in the restaurant where there is time-pressure for the service to be completed. It actually motivates me to work faster and more efficient.ʼ
YOUR ANSWER
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What do you expect from a supervisor?
Be specific and give couple of traits that you appreciate in a manager.
Focus on team spirit and integrity.
Do not start talking negatively about your previous supervisors.
SAMPLE ANSWER
I expect him/her to offer guidance and support. I also appreciate a supervisor who is fair, honest and encourages the professional development of each individual in the team.ʼ
YOUR ANSWER
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What motivates you to do the best on the job?
This is a trap question!
You want to show the assessors that you are self-motivated when it comes to your work.
Do not answer that salary, travel benefits or cabin crew lifestyle are your motivators.
SAMPLE ANSWER
ʻI always felt that it is important both for me personally and for the company to provide excellent service and have extremely happy customers every day.ʼ
YOUR ANSWER
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How will you be able to cope working such long shifts?
You will be rostered to operate flights that can be up to 14 hours long. Your duty can start at 2AM or 9PM.
Focus on how you generally deal with tiredness and stress.
End on a positive note.
SAMPLE ANSWER
ʻI like that even if sometimes the shifts are long, there will be enough days off to recover. I started working out 2 years ago and found that it greatly improved my resistance. I have been working 6 days a week from 9 to 5 and I am looking forward to have more flexibility with my time.ʼ
YOUR ANSWER
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How long do you expect to work for us if hired?
This is the moment to talk about beginning a career with the airline. Talk about your career goals and your long-term plans.
Do not discuss about planning to work with the airline just until you get enough experience to be hired by a bigger airline.
Keep it short and do not be specific, otherwise you put an expiration date on your career plans with them.
SAMPLE ANSWER
ʻI worked for my previous employer for 5 years. This demonstrates that I am a loyal person. I plan to continuously grow, learn and improve myself and I will be happy to work as long as possible in an environment that keeps me challenged.ʼ
YOUR ANSWER
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What did you do to prepare for this interview?
This is a perfect opportunity to tell them about the concerns youʼve had and what have you been doing to address them.
You want to come up as somebody who has researched not only the job, but also the airline and the aviation industry in general.
Nobody wants to hear that you just rolled out of bed and showed up at the interview hoping for the best.
SAMPLE ANSWER
ʻI have been reading the aviation news online and I subscribed for your airlineʼs newsletter. Iʼve also done some research on the life in Dubai and the work life of flight attendants.ʼ
YOUR ANSWER
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Are you applying for any other airlines? What if more than one airline offers you the job?
Make sure that your answer stays professional.
Be honest, but keep it short.
Keep your focus on the airline you interview for and what you can do for them.
SAMPLE ANSWER
ʻI will consider all the factors in my decision making and I will chose the employer which best fits my career aspirations. Your airline seems to be such a place for me.ʼ
YOUR ANSWER
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24. Why should I hire you?
This is the time to sell yourself! It is all about how you fit into the position, not how the position fits with you.
Talk about your skills and strengths that will benefit the company.
Do not be general or desperate and answer with: ʻBecause I need a jobʼ or ʻ I think it could be a nice to travel for freeʼ. This question is not about you, it is about what you can do for them.
SAMPLE ANSWER
ʻYou should hire me because I have the expertise and experience in the area of customer service. I aim for excellence in everything I do, and I will give my full energy to achieve outstanding service for your customers. I have reached and exceeded all my targets and customer expectations in my previous job by offering personalized care, attention to details and upbeat energy in my work.ʼ
YOUR ANSWER
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25. Do you have any questions for me?
This question is asked because the interviewers want to see you showing interest in getting the job with them.
Once again, the key here is researching the airline beforehand.
This is also a good point to ask for feedback on your performance, as well as contact details of the recruitment team.
SAMPLE ANSWER
ʻI would like to know what does the airline value the most?ʼ or
ʻWhat is the most important thing that I should do to contribute in my first months of flying?ʼ or
ʻWhen your top performing crew leave the airline, why do they leave?ʼ or ʻHow do you think I performed during the assessment?ʼ
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© Flight Attendant Central 2011
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