| I work as a flight attendant for a regional airline. In a | | | | She told me she was going the following week for an |
| couple weeks, I will celebrate my 3rd year at my job. | | | | interview for an up and coming regional airline. I asked |
| To be honest, that 3 years has just flown (no pun | | | | if she'd mind if I'd go with her. She was totally shocked |
| intended) by. I guess the old cliche is true about finding | | | | and asked "Are you serious???" I quickly answered |
| something you love and do it and you'll have a rich and | | | | YES. I figured that after a month of unemployment, this |
| rewarding life. I've been lucky enough to travel the | | | | would be perfect. I could earn a living better than |
| world and meet many interesting and exciting people. I | | | | unemployment comp, get travel benefits, and have |
| love it so much that I am able to fly about 120 hours | | | | flexible time to interview for jobs. I interviewed and |
| per month consistently with no threat of "burn-out" | | | | was quickly hired. |
| anywhere on the horizon. | | | | I showed up for my first day of flight attendant training |
| I think that what's most exciting is that in spite of the | | | | and something shocking happened. As the training |
| media's best efforts to bash and demean the industry | | | | continued, I found myself more and more drawn to |
| we all love, the flying public (for the most part) is still | | | | aviation. As each week of training progressed, I found |
| fascinated by the aviation industry. When working and | | | | myself more and more passionate about the industry. I |
| deadheading, I still come across people on the jets | | | | exceeded all expectations during the training. Once I |
| who are interested in entering the airline industry. My | | | | easily passed all of my training, and went for my final |
| article is intended to help those who are interested in a | | | | test IOE (that's the inflight on-the-job exam). After |
| career as a flight attendant. | | | | spending 4 days on the line, I was hooked for life. I |
| My entry into the aviation industry happened by pure | | | | realized that aviation was in my blood and I wanted to |
| accident. I grew up loving airplanes and the industry | | | | spend the rest of my life associated with aviation. |
| and enjoyed every time I entered an airplane. | | | | After a 20 year search, I had FINALLY found my |
| However, I heeded the reasonable route and went to | | | | passion. I loved it the first time I worked a flight on my |
| college for business. After college, I went the business | | | | IOE and I love it as much 3 years later. |
| sales route. I worked in retail to support myself through | | | | Now, many are probably saying "This story is warming, |
| college. After college, I moved up to retail management | | | | but doesn't give me direction towards an aviation |
| and eventually to corporate sales. I did quite well in the | | | | career." You couldn't be more wrong. Don't worry, I will |
| industry, but economic changes in the early to mid | | | | be providing you with specifics about what's required |
| 2000's caused me to jump from sales job to sales job. | | | | for an aviation career in later articles. My current point |
| Well, my professional life changed in Feb 2007. The | | | | is that a career IS possible especially if the drive and |
| company I worked for unexpectedly downsized me | | | | passion are there. Right now, the economy won't |
| and I found myself looking for a new job. My room | | | | permit you to charge into a Mainline airline and begin |
| mate had a friend who worked for a regional airline | | | | traveling the world. However, the regionals are a good |
| and she was interested in being a flight attendant. | | | | start (and the only ones hiring at this time |
| After my down-size, I had some fun for about a | | | | domestically-and a good indicator if an aviation lifestyle |
| month enjoying my time off. However, I've always | | | | is right for you). Also, don't worry about the myths of |
| been a work-a-holic. Eventually my desire to work and | | | | age limits. I've worked with people from 19 to 60. It also |
| my need to make money became intense. After a | | | | serves to tell you that it doesn't matter what your |
| month of unemployment, I became bored. Her | | | | work back ground is. If you possess an intelligence to |
| excitement for being an FA, my life-long fascination | | | | learn and (most important) a passion for aviation, you |
| with aviation, and my desire to get back to work | | | | can also realize your dream of entering the world of |
| served as a catalyst for the perfect storm. We had | | | | aviation. |
| worked together in one of my previous sales jobs. | | | | |