If you’re applying to become cabin crew, you’ll likely be asked why it’s your dream job. It’s important to have a good answer ready, as this is one of the most common questions interviewers will ask.
But, it’s not always an easy question to answer! And, if you haven’t given it any thought before your interview — it really shows!
Having conducted several new entrant cabin crew interviews, I’ve found that many people have a very superficial understanding of the job. Others, simply haven’t given this question enough thought. With answers ranging from: I want to see the world, to I like the uniform and even I’m not sure really, I’ve seen plenty of wannabe flight attendants fail at the first hurdle!
In this article, we’ll give you five great reasons why becoming cabin crew is everyone’s dream job.
My advice is to use this article as a guide, to get you thinking about your answer, rather than picking an answer and repeating it verbatim. Everyone will have differing reasons and personalities, and, as an interviewer, it is easy to spot when someone is insincere.
(The obvious one) A love of travel
The first reason why becoming cabin crew is a dream job is the opportunity to travel.
As cabin crew, you’ll have the chance to see the world and visit remarkable places that you might not otherwise have had the chance to go to.
However, it is a clichéd response, so if this is your answer be prepared for several follow-up questions, and having to justify it.
Top tips
If you intend to base your answer around a love of travel, make sure you tailor it to the specific airline you are applying to! For example, some shorthaul airlines only operate return flights, with cabin crew never planned to stay overnight in hotels or abroad, so this answer is less relevant here.
Equally, ensure you anticipate the next question. Most interviewers will respond to “I love to travel” by asking where you have previously been, or where you would really love to see.
This can be a great opportunity to show that you’ve researched the airline and their route network. It can also be an opportunity to show the interviewer you haven’t got any idea where your future company actually flies to!
Many airlines also offer their staff discounted travel perks. You could always mention that this job will help you to travel in your leisure time using these perks. For airlines that don’t have overnight trips, or operate in a different part of the world to where you want to travel, a love of travel can still be a valid answer.
Working as part of a close-knit team
An often overlooked answer to “why becoming cabin crew is your dream job”, is the people you’ll meet! While I still love travelling, after years of flying, the main reason I still love my job as cabin crew are my colleagues.
As a truly international role, flight attendants have the opportunity to work with a great team of people from varying backgrounds. You’ll be working with a group of people who are all passionate about their jobs and committed to providing the best possible experience for passengers. This team atmosphere can be really rewarding and is a great way to make new friends.
Expanding on this answer
- While airlines may have thousands of employees, when you’re up in the air we only have each other to rely on.
- Things you’ll deal with as a team include; medical emergencies, dealing with drunk passengers, and even getting stuck abroad together for several days due to broken aircraft.
- It is no surprise that these shared experiences mean cabin crew bond together quickly. Many form lifelong friendships.
Every day is different
Working as a flight attendant can quite literally be a dream — sometimes you’ll even sleep on the plane!
But, in all seriousness, escaping the monotony of a 9–5 job is one of the best things about working as cabin crew.
Every so often your working day will be 5 hours long, sometimes it could be 15. Because you’ll be working on a plane, your hours will be dictated by the flights you’re working on.
No two days are the same. Every day, you’ll be meeting new people and experiencing different things. Bad weather, inflight emergencies — occasionaly there are even easy days with blue skies and quiet business passengers!
Daily changes
Learning about different cultures
One of the best things about being cabin crew is the opportunity to learn about, and be exposed to, different cultures. This is a great way to broaden your horizons and develop a greater understanding of the world we live in.
Career progression
If you’re looking for a challenging and rewarding career, then becoming cabin crew is definitely for you! The job offers excellent opportunities for career progression, and there are always new things to learn.
As you progress in your career, you’ll have the opportunity to take on more responsibility and move up the ladder, eventually progressing to becoming a senior cabin crew member and leading the cabin crew team onboard.
Advanced first aid training, basic firefighting and of course customer service skills are all areas that are covered in initial training to attain a cabin crew attestation. There are often opportunities to expand on these skills, furthering your personal development.
Many airlines also offer their cabin crew the opportunity to work in different parts of the airline via secondments.
These insights can lead to differing roles, such as becoming a cabin crew trainer, helping to improve the customer provision by working in the airline’s product design department, or even learning to fly and becoming an airline pilot!
Summary
These are just a few of the reasons why becoming cabin crew is a dream job for so many people. If you’re thinking of applying for the job, then we hope this has given you some food for thought as to why it’s a great career.
Equally, we hope it has got you thinking about cabin crew interview questions and what to say if you’re asked this question during the recruitment process. Always remember to personalise your answers, and anticipate likely follow-up questions.
However, it goes without saying, this is not an exhaustive list. There are plenty of other great answers as to why cabin crew is a great job. In this article, we haven’t mentioned strong customer service skills, or the desire to help others — as cabin crew, you’ll be responsible for making sure that passengers have a safe and comfortable journey after all.
And, in surveys of cabin crew, one of the most common reasons cited for loving their jobs is the sense of satisfaction that comes from knowing you’ve made someone’s journey more enjoyable.
Regardless of your individual motivation for applying to your dream job as cabin crew, I wish you good luck.
