5 questions you could be asked at your Cabin Crew interview

This question is designed to challenge core competencies required for the role. Take some time to think about what your best traits are and why they are applicable to the job. How will they be useful as a member of cabin crew?

For example:

This interview question requires a detailed example regarding your communication skills, namely, persuasion – it’s also a way of presenting strong problem-solving and decision-making skills too.

A good interviewer will be looking to identify when you influenced someone, the circumstances of the situation and what you specifically did, and the eventual outcome.

For example, if you previously worked in a health and beauty shop e.g. Boots, bring an example from work in to the mix like the following:

At my company, we had been continuing to work with a specific vendor for a number of years, simply due to inertia. It was easiest to simply renew the vendor’s contract rather than consider alternatives. While my manager initially objected to alternatives, I explained that it would take time to evaluate top vendors and present the alternatives, and that it would still be her final decision on who to work with over the long term. We considered a total of five vendors, including the one we dealt with now. The end result was the selection of a newer, cheaper vendor with better features for our department at a cost savings of £20,000 per year…

Here, the interviewer is looking to find out how you defused a difficult situation in the past – during a flight, you could have a very unhappy, unruly customer to deal with, so you have to show you have the skills to manage this type of situation when there’s no other alternative (after all, you’ll be 38,000 feet in the air). You must show the interviewer that you have both the people and problem-solving skills needed to help satisfy the customer.

Good points to make for this include:

For example:

At my last job, a customer came in absolutely furious, yelling at our staff. I knew it was out of frustration, so I didn’t take it personally and I made sure the customer knew their concerns were being heard. I listened carefully and apologised for the issue they were having. She was complaining about an item she wanted to return, however she didn’t have her receipt. I explained that I wasn’t able to give her a cash refund without the receipt, but that I could allow her to have the same amount in store credit. It ended up being a win-win situation for everyone, and she walked away happier than when she came in.

This type of answer shows that you possess the necessary skills to assess and fix a negative situation.

If you succeed in your interview, you’ll be a part of a large cabin crew, so you’ll need to have the ability to work as part of a team. By showing that you enjoy working in a team, but also feel comfortable working on a single task alone, you show that you can adapt to both situations appropriately. A good way to represent this at interview stage is to give an example of a time where you demonstrated a project or task where each member of your team had an individual task to complete, that would contribute to an overall team goal. Just be sure to acknowledge both independent and team work so you can acknowledge the importance of each approach.

For example:

While working in customer service, we ran a campaign on a particular product during Christmas, which required us to hit a certain cash target for the month. In addition to this, we knew how busy we would be due to the busy period, where we would be required to have a lot more face to face time with customers. Before the store opened in the morning, we would all sit down as a team and acknowledge what everyone would be working on individually throughout the day to encourage these sales, and at the end of the day we would identify where we were up to, to see if as a team we were meeting expectations. Each of us knew what we had to do individually to achieve what was expected of us as a team.

“Why do you want this job?” is a crucial question that you must think carefully about in advance. Employers want to see your genuine passion for the job and what it entails – they want to know that you have applied for this job for the right reasons, and that you are the right fit. So be honest here, and tell them why you think it’s the job for you. Here’s a good example:

For example:

I have always had a passion for customer service, because I feel that I thrive in this type of setting. While I loved working in my previous role, becoming a member of cabin crew would allow me to pair the excitement I have for helping others with another desire, which is to travel the world. I remember reading about a girl who had said it had been her passion to become a member of cabin crew, and that it took her years to pluck up the courage to apply – and she never looked back. I already knew I didn’t want to wait though, and that blog in particular made me realise that time is precious, so you should do what you love. This wouldn’t just be a job for me, it would be a dream come true.

This answer encompasses a passion for the job (which is also a demand in the individual due to the lack of time spent at home), mentioning someone who inspired you to pursue it, and showing your desire to help others.