WHAT ADVICE CAN YOU GIVE TO STUDENTS WHO WANT TO BE A FLIGHT ATTENDANT?
50 to 100.
That is the daily average number of messages that I get to send to individuals who would like to learn more or would like to talk about being a flight attendant. There are even days that those numbers would double, triple or even quadruple. And that is no exaggeration.
And I make sure that I reply to all of the inquiries if I can. I even answer posts on Facebook groups that I am a part of for in my own little way, that is how I can help out aspirants. Every private message to my personal account and page is replied to unless for some reason Facebook does not allow it. (Due to various limitations like privacy settings, not found within a specific network, etc.) I have been doing such for over a year now and of course, there are days that it would be tiresome. So I thought of ways of making it a bit easier by creating templates for most of the questions are redundant. This helps me answer them effectively and efficiently.
Majority of these conversations are with students. Those who are in their teens, from 13 to 18. And there are even a lot of kids who are around the age of 10 who are already sending messages of inquiry.
Study now, fly later
I admire them for at a young age, they are already conscious of what they want to be when they get older and are finding ways to achieve their dreams. And they want to learn about the industry as much as they can. But unfortunately, for some of them, the more things they discover about the job, the more they worry. They become less confident about their look, their physique and even the most miniscule thing from a mole on their shoulder to a scar on their tummy. Interpreting them as reasons to make them believe that they are not good enough.
Like what I said, I am very much impressed with how aware the youth are but I have a slightly different view on such. Life comes in moments, chapters if you will. Yes, it would be nice to be informed and be prepared for the industry, but don’t concentrate too much on it yet.
There are still more important things to focus on, like your education, your health, your growth. And instead of motivating them, to some, learning about the career brings them apprehension, it gives them self doubt, it makes them insecure. And it is sad to see them lose hope over something that as of this moment, they have no control over. Some of them give up already without even trying. I love seeing how passionate they are but right now, their opportunity to apply is going to be after 6, 4, 2 years? And to some, 10 years? A lot can happen. So what are they to do? Should they stop thinking about it? No. But prioritize and work on those items that are important now. And putting the spotlight on that will lead and help them achieve their goals.
These are the top 3 things I say to students:
1. Study hard. That is your responsibility as a student. Focus. Learn. Grow.
2. Get a 4 year college degree if possible. Any course. There are no specific courses needed to be a flight attendant but you can apply to more airlines if you have a 4 year college degree. Better opportunities in general.
3. Learn to be confident in communicating in English. There is no easy path to this. Practice! Practice! Practice! It is not a requirement but you will be working in the customer service industry wherein English is used often. If you sometimes encounter passengers of different nationalities on domestic flights, imagine if you will be applying to an international airline. So start mastering it as early as you can. Your confidence in communicating in English will be seen during your interviews.
So if you are a student reading this, go ahead, research. Be inquisitive. Ask questions. Prepare. But prioritize working on those 3 things. And realize that whatever you are doing now, will lead you to where you are supposed to be. And hopefully that is to be a flight attendant in the future. Study now, fly later.
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