How to Make a Great First Impression at an Aviation Interview
Nov 25, 2022Before the Interview
Research about the company beforehand:
Make sure you study about the company before attending the interview. Go to their website, social accounts, news, etc and have a thorough research. Apart from standing out, this will also help you to be aware of the possible bankruptcy or scams the company might be into.
Furthermore, having thorough research will help you in preparing your interview questions such as “Why do you want to work for the airline?” “What makes it different?” “What makes it special?” “How do you fit in?” “What will you bring that makes you such a good match?”
Prepare unique answers to common interview questions:
There are many common interview questions and they vary depending on the role you are applying for. For instance, here are some of the common cabin crew interview questions:
- Tell me about yourself
- How long were you employed with your last employer?
- Do you enjoy flying and why?
- How do you handle stress well on the job?
- Describe your customer service skills
- How long are you willing to work with us?
- What skills according to you are important for flight attendants?
- Why do you want to work for our airline?
- What are your strongest skills?
- Describe a time when you had a conflict with a coworker and how did you handle it?
- Why do you enjoy serving people?
Make sure to prepare unique answers to such common questions. In other words, make it personal and perhaps, create a story. The honesty that comes out of your personal answer will surely stand out from the rest of the candidates.
Prepare questions for your interviewers:
After researching about the company you might have a few queries in your mind. Save these queries for your interviewer. Interviews are usually a two-way session and at the end of the interview, the interviewer would expect you to ask questions. This is your chance to ask those queries. Apart from that, it is one of the ways for them to find out if you are really serious about the job. So do make sure to prepare questions for the interviewer. Here are some of the questions to ask your interviewer.
- How do the day-to-day responsibilities of the role look like?
- What does success look like in this position, and how would you measure it?
- Who will I be working most closely with?
- What do you see as the most challenging aspect of this job?
- Is there anything in my background or resume that makes you question whether I am a good fit for this role?
- What do you think where the company is headed in the next three years?
During the Interview
Arrive early for the interview:
Arriving late for the interviews will ruin your chances of making a good first impression. Make sure you arrive way before the scheduled time. Reaching early will not only give you time to get familiarized with the environment, but also the opportunity to build your network. In other words, you can also get to know other candidates by reaching early. Furthermore, it boosts your confidence to attend the interview.
Follow the Dress Code:
Make sure you are well and properly dressed. The dress code might differ from company to company and the role you are applying for. Make sure to check and follow the dress code before arriving for the interview. Apart from the dress code, make sure your hair is well-groomed and your nails are neatly clipped.
Take Care of your Body Language:
During the interview, remember to smile, sit up straight, avoid crossing your legs and arms. It is important to note that over 50% of our communication accounts for body language and posture. For instance, if you keep on crossing your legs and arms, slouching, then it is a very bad first impression.
While sitting, do not slouch. Comfy sofas and couches can be tempting to lean and slouch. Sit straight, smile and avoid crossing your legs and arms at all times. Also, do not make a fist. Rather, place your hands on your lap or a table. Also, for males, avoid manspreading.
Smile and make eye contact. Maintaining eye contact shows honesty, confidence and openness. However, do not overdo it or else, it would turn out to be creepy.
Act Interested:
The reason why it is important to research the company and ask questions to the interviewer is to show them how much interested you are for this role. Make eye contact and listen carefully without interrupting the interviewer. Make notes if necessary. This will make a great first impression.
After the Interview
Ask about the next steps:
As soon as your interview gets over, do not forget to ask the interviewer about the next steps. This will show how genuine and interested you are for this role and will surely leave a good impression. The next step is likely to be a follow-up email with the results. However, sometimes the interviewer would declare the results then and there.
Send a follow-up thank-you Email:
Send a thank-you email to the recruiter perhaps on the same day the interview took place. This unusual practice will definitely make you stand out from the rest of the candidates.