Your flight instructions guide


Sky is the Limit-after Graduation

Graduating from college? The sky is the limitkind of a supervisor or boss. Plus, working
holidays may mean having a hotel room in
Attention college seniors: I am the voice ofTimes  Square  on  New  Year's  Eve!
your not-so-distant future. I was once where
you are now, sweating and worrying about myLanding  A  Flight Attendant Job Is Difficult
future, forced to answer the never-ending
question from family and friends: "What areLanding a job at one of the major airlines is
you  going  to  do  when  you  graduate?"very tricky since the number of applicants
far outweighs the number of positions. There
The  Onset  of  Panicis good news though: most airlines are
growing and hiring more flight attendants
I can relate. But you do not want sympathy;than ever. And a college degree does carry
you want advice. The best advice I can giveweight. While no carrier I know of requires
you is to relax. You do not have to figurean applicant to have a degree, many of the
out the rest of your life in the next sixflight attendants I know have undergraduate
months. You have a lifetime to sketch outdegrees. A few have even pursued advanced
those dreaded career goals. In the meantime,degrees  while  continuing  to  fly.
take a job you can enjoy: teach in an
under-served school system, try your luck inSome airlines actually recruit on campus,
Hollywood, work your way across the world, orthough many conduct open interview sessions
do as I did, and take to the skies -- becomearound the country. Consider applying if
a  flight  attendant.you've harbored that steward/ess dream since
your first plane ride, or if the job sounds
Peace  Corps  Volunteer  or Flight Attendant?fun and you do not know what else you'd like
to do. If you are headed to grad school but
I joined the "real world" just over a yearwant a break or need to save some money,
ago, after four unfocused years of college.think about deferring. Airlines do not
The flexibility of my psychology majorrequire minimum commitments; you can fly for
allowed me to explore my many interests, froma month, a year, or 30 years. If you only
Latin-American music to the socialwant to fly temporarily or decide it is not
constructions of health. I studied abroad forfor you, no problem. You are not locked in.
a year, wrote for the college newspaper andJFK-based JetBlue even designed a limited
conducted HIV education programs. By seniorone-year  program  with recent grads in mind.
year, I was confused. I did not know what to
do following graduation -- which of thoseAs I mentioned earlier, competition for these
diverse paths to pursue. My senior year Ijobs is intense, and I recommend checking out
took the minimum course load (12 hours in theAirlineCareer.com's online resource (forgive
Fall and an awesome 8 hours in the Spring) inme for sounding like an advertisement). This
order to devote most of my time and energy towill give you the best opportunity to get
the job search. I spent most of those days inhired. Of course, you could just wing it, but
the library, glued to a computer screen,I can almost guarantee you won't get hired
combing through every imaginable online jobwithout  some  assistance.
listing. There were jobs I wanted that I
never could have gotten and jobs I could haveWhy  It's  All  Worth  It
gotten but never wanted. Graduation day
loomed,  and  I  was  freaking  out.The benefits that come with an airline job
cannot be beat, especially for those of us
All was not lost, though. I had two very realjust starting to make our way in the world.
possibilities. The Peace Corps was a definiteConsidering the work involved, the pay is
interest. I could experience some far-awaydecent. But it is the free travel that lures
place and contribute to the betterment of themany into the industry. No matter how long
world. The other idea emerged from my closetyou've worked for an airline, it is
obsession with air travel, which I finallyundeniably cool to be able to hop on a plane
managed to do something about. Along with theand go anywhere on a day off. This past year
Peace Corps, I applied for a flight attendantalone, I spent Thanksgiving in London and New
position. I know…it seems strange toYear's in Frankfurt. For fun, I vacationed in
mention being a Peace Corps volunteer and aThailand. "What are you going to do when you
flight attendant in the same breath. But bothgraduate?"
captured my overwhelming love of travel. It
was not an easy decision, but in the end, IThousands of Cabin Crew around the world
decided to put the Peace Corps on hold andenjoy having an exciting and varied career
take the job as a flight attendant. It waswhich gives them the chance to travel, meet
time to have some fun and fulfill an oldpeople and use interpersonal skills every
dream.working  day  of  their  lives.
Is  It  Right  For  Me?This is the reason why we receive hundreds of
calls and emails from people asking for
You would not be reading this article if youassistance in achieving their dream job as
weren't at least mildly interested in anCabin  Crew.
airline career. But how do you know if it is
right for you? I have friends who often getThe job entails performing safety and service
frustrated with their 9 to 5 office jobs andduties which ensure that air travellers are
toss around the idea of joining me. After weflying in a safe environment, whilst
get past the benefits (which are fantastic)receiving excellent standards of friendly
and get into the actual work, their interestservice.
sometimes waivers. It is a demanding job, and
it takes more than a "people person" to solveWith the continued expansion in the air
crises - both large and small - in such tighttransport industry airlines are seeking
quarters and with very limited resources. Youthousands of applications from good quality
must possess good self-esteem and the sensepeople with the right knowledge and character
not to take everything to heart crankyfor  the  job  of  Cabin  Crew.
passengers and crewmembers throw at you. You
have to be able to work strange hours,Finding good quality applicants, who adapt
including nights, weekends and holidays. Butwell to airline training courses and the
of course, there are many advantages: you dodemands of the job is certainly becoming
not have to go to work every weekday from 9harder. Airlines receive hundreds of
to 5, you typically get more time off than atapplications and normally few are successful.
a typical job, and you very rarely see any



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