02 Mar How a job in customer service can help you become cabin crew?

Most airline companies don’t require people to have experience in aviation, but they expect that candidates have a series of qualities and skills that fit with the cabin crew requirements. Some of those are communication, teamwork, fast adaptability in emergency situations, client orientation, good time management, diplomacy and strong attention to details.

Furthermore, any previous experience in customer service it’s a big advantage in any candidate’s CV. That’s why we always advise our readers and students to gain some professional experience in this field. Jobs such as customer service support, sales, communications, social assistance, volunteering etc are a plus!

Practically, how could a job in customer service can help you in becoming a more valuable candidate for an airline company?

1. You already know how to talk to clients, how to react in stressful situations and how to solve customer complaints.
2. Recruiters see you as a responsible, mature person, who, although is young, wished to gain experience, to be financially independent and to exceed their limits. Just think about the difference from a person aged 20+ who already has in his CV a series of activities and experiences in the field (from part-time jobs or project-based jobs such as hostess, promoter, direct sales etc) and a person that has an empty CV. Which one will have more chances to be hired?
3. You develop professionally and personally, you learn useful things; these kind of jobs usually come with certain training and communications courses which will teach you how to talk, how to look in a certain way, overcoming emotions, how to sell etc. So, you can have access to different development tools. Any course and access to new information are extremely important when you’re just beginning your career.
4. You’ll be more confident when you’ll go to an airline interview. You’ll know how to smile more and how important posture and attitude towards the client are; a person who has worked as a promoter/hostess understands that smiling is the best way to gain client’s sympathy and the importance of a proper body language. All become part of your job, so it’ll be much easier to highlight these skills at the interview.
5. During the final interview, you can easily come up with a series of examples from your professional experience. During the hiring process, recruiters will test you in order to see if you have the qualities you claim you have on your CV and how do you talk and act around clients. They will ask you to detail each situation in which you had to solve a customer complaint or when you had to exceed expectations. Some of the most common questions are:

Tell me about a time you dealt with an angry/unsatisfied client?

Tell me about a time you solved a conflict at work?

Tell me about a time when you worked very well with your colleagues?

Tell me about a time when you went the extra mile for a client?

So, because you have dealt with this kind of experiences, you’ll have what to share with recruiters. You’ll be able to offer them relevant details and information on the management of the issues.

IMPORTANT: any work experience in customer care is extremely useful. However, hostess/promoter jobs come with a flexible program which will allow you to finish your studies and to have a decent income. It really depends on your current situation which job you will choose.

Therefore, plan your aviation career step by step. Because…

STEP BY STEP YOU’LL GET TO FLY!

We prepare you to pass any airline interview:

1. Join our two days course in Madrid, Chișinau or London in which you’ll find everything you have to know about aviation, the interview and the stages of it. We will make sure you go prepared to your Open Day or Assessment Day! Also, we will also make you a perfect cabin crew CV and we will be with you during your entire journey to the skies. Details and registration here.

2. If you want to have a broad overview of the role and duties of cabin crew, airline companies profiles, stages of each airlines’ interview and how to pass them, we are waiting for you at our courses. We make your perfect cabin crew CV & pictures, we help you gain confidence and learn how to speak in public, so you will have a flawless performance at your cabin crew interview. Details and registration here.

3. If you cannot attend our courses, regardless of where in the world you are located, we can work together privately. Through coaching sessions via web video (Skype or Google Hangouts), our trainers can work with you to improve your performance at the cabin crew interview and supporting you every step of the way to get you where you want to be. More details here