The one thing your Cabin Crew interviewers DON’T want to hear!

There are many resources telling you what you should be doing in your Cabin Crew interview, and how to answer even the toughest questions. But what is the one major thing that your interviewers DON’T want to hear?!

During an interview, there isn’t anything more boring than generic answers – they’re the one thing that the interviewers don’t want to hear! This can be the final nail in the coffin for a candidate in front of an interview panel, who may have spent days listening to similar answers.

Don’t panic though – planning ahead and brushing up on your interview style and technique can make sure you don’t put your interviewer to sleep!

Make it conversational

Avoid monotone, dull answers at all costs. Saying things like, ‘I’m friendly and professional’ or ‘I work well within a team’ are predictable, and don’t set you apart from the crowd.

Present yourself confidently, be respectful yet relaxed, and you’ll be able keep the interviewer’s attention.

Try to keep up a conversational tone; you should be lively and chatty while remembering you’re in a professional environment.

Don’t cross any boundaries by starting to treat the interviewer like your best mate!

Show your personality

 It’s fine to show off what you know, but don’t waffle on about procedures or recite a lot of fact-based information. This is guaranteed to put your interview panel off.

They want to see your character and personality, not just a list of courses or qualifications.

The same can be said about any acronyms or workplace jargon you’ve used on your CV; they might sound good on paper but will probably make the interviewer’s eyes glaze over.

Make sure you explain everything rather than assuming the interviewer knows what you’re talking about!

Give good examples

 Put yourself in the situation by giving real-world examples and evidence of things you’ve actually done.

Taking a story-telling approach to the interview is also a great way of creating a connection with the interviewer, as long as everything you say is relevant to the role in some way.

Introduce the situation, set the scene, detail what action you took and then wrap it up.

For example:

‘When I was working in a restaurant, a colleague spilt something on a customer, who reacted very angrily. I noticed that my colleague was about to lose their temper and cause an argument. I intervened, apologised to the customer, helped clear up the mess and advised my colleague to remove themselves from the situation. I followed up with the customer twice more that evening to make sure they were happy with the service and that their problem had been resolved.’”

You manage to show off your strengths in customer service by sharing your experiences and therefore make yourself more memorable. It’s a win-win!

Answer the question!

After spending a lot of time going through possible questions and answers, it can seem easier to memorise certain things you want to say ahead of time, but be careful.

You don’t want to go off on a tangent, or panic and automatically deliver a memorised, robotic answer when it’s not actually what the interviewer has asked.

Listen carefully to the question and think before responding. Don’t be shy to ask the interviewer for clarification if you need to; it’s better to pause to think than to babble on about something irrelevant.

Provide details

When talking about your experience, establish the scene so the interviewer knows what you’re referring to. Explain what the company did briefly, and what your exact duties were.

Don’t assume they will know just because it’s included on your CV!

Avoid clichés

Repeating lines that the interviewer has probably heard all day is boring for them and unhelpful for you. For example, ‘I have initiative,’ ‘I’m committed and hard-working’ or ‘I get on well with others.’

Keep your answers evidence-based rather than making general statements. You need to provide real examples of your skills and abilities.

What about the video interview?

 If you’re particularly nervous about the video interview, preparation is key. Inform yourself about what to expect, and then treat it like any other interview.

The above information still applies when you’re doing a video interview. Your tone should still be chatty and conversational, with natural pauses.

Maintain eye contact with the camera and don’t rush your words simply because there’s nobody right in front of you.

Think you’re ready?

Check out our interview sample questions to make sure you’re extra prepared for the big day!