If only we could tell the future. Each of us wishes we could fast forward our lives to find out the results of our hopes and dreams. For those of you in the middle of the application process, awaiting that coveted call to interview or having interviewed already and waiting to find out your acceptance, I feel for you. The anxiety, the longing to know, the impatience we all must suffer for it…believe me I know. I’ve been through it all before.

The answer to this question, “What will happen to me?” that we all have in common, isn’t as important as what we do in the meantime. We waste our time and energy worrying, fretting, doubting, hoping and praying over something we have little control of. Wouldn’t our time be more purposefully spent concentrating on the things we DO have control over. (And trust me, this is just another training period that will only prepare you for the career you are hoping for). 

When you become flight attendants, you will be subject to the scheduling of the airline you work for. Your flights may cancel, divert, delay or other such occurrence that will inevitably remove you from your original trip rotation and you are left with the question, “What will happen to me?”

You will have two options: you can worry, and fret and wonder about whether you will be able to do everything you’d planned on your layover (or what-have-you), or you can accept that you don’t have control of the situation and maintain a positive, empowered feeling because you know it will work out somehow and it will all be ok. 

While that may comfort you given a hypothetical situation as this, you may be wondering to yourself, “well yeah, but what about now?” 

I know, you can hardly take the waiting, but waiting is very much a part of the airline industry and definitely part of the FA career. You will wait to build your seniority, to finally be able to hold a line of time, to see your bid award, etc.  So, while you may be going stir-crazy sitting around waiting for someone else to determine your future for you, you can be comforted knowing this is just more training for this wonderful career you are pursuing.

Okay, now…having said that, and if you are at all like me, which most of you probably are seeing that we have all been attracted to the same profession, you’re not about to take this sitting down. So I am going to tell you what you can do about your situation as it stands – and again, if you are like me, just taking an action, any action, toward your goal is enough to satisfy your hunger for success and closure.

Since your employment isn’t sure yet, it is safe to say the answer could go either way. It is my suggestion to prepare yourself for either answer. If they say yes to you, then what? You are on your way to an interview! or training! ….and then what? You have invested so much just to get where you are, invest in yourself further. Prepare, prepare, prepare! I can’t stress it enough. 

If they say no to you, then what? What will you do? Will you give up or go on? I say go on! it is average for an applicant to get 2 or 3 rejections before getting the job. If you get hired by the first airline you interview for, consider yourself lucky. But if you are like most others, what can you do differently for the next interview and/or airline?  

Prepare! Prepare! Prepare!

So how can you prepare?

Well, depending on what stage you are in should determine your next action. If you are awaiting an interview, prepare for your interview. There are a zillion questions you could find to practice. Practice your answers by writing them down, practice them out loud, get your brain and your voice in sync with what you want to say by making it very familiar. Practice answering without looking at your written answers. If you don’t pass the interview, you will have to wait 6 months to reapply, so don’t get too confident that you’ve got it in the bag. Do you know how to answer the questions? There are certain tactics you can use that will practically ensure you a job offer – and if they don’t offer the job to you after using these, well then, it probably has nothing to do with you.

If you’re waiting for training, what can you do? Prepare for a successful training! There is no need to buy anything from anyone, unless you just want the convenience, you can do everything on your own. Go to your company’s website and learn their destinations – memorize the airport codes and cities. You will be tested on this. Go to your local Red Cross and pick up a manual on first aid and CPR and actually read it. You will be tested on this also.

The only other thing you can prepare for is your customer service skills – even widening your knowledge and appreciation on the topic can offer you insights that will make not only learning about it easier, but the transition to the job when it comes time for you to go out on the line will be much easier and more enjoyable. All other things will be taught to you specific to the airline you work for and will have to wait until you get to training to learn.

…and in the meantime. Prayer is always good!

Learn more about how you can prepare at www.skyhighcareers.com or email me your questions at carlin@skyhighcareers.com