8 COMMON QUESTIONS IN A FLIGHT ATTENDANT INTERVIEW

1. Can you tell me a bit about yourself?

Tips to answer:

- Don’t tell about your life story because no one is interested in that. Unless you are
specifically asked to give your life story. Stick to your current situation and career and
your most recent job.
- Don’t give your interviewer your complete personal or employment history. Give only
one example; be concise to show why you are the perfect candidate for the job.
- Keep your answer short and sweet, keep on point and don’t talk about personal life,
hobbies or dislikes.
- You can begin with 2 or 3 accomplishment that you have earned from your previous job
and you want your interviewers to know about it and finish the introduction by talking
about how your previous job have prepared you well for the job as a flight attendant.
- Only give positive statement, sell your skills, experiences
Step to answer:

Give a brief introduction about yourself like name, age, education, major and grade (if you
want), then talk about 1 or 2 of your most recent jobs and what are the benefits of those job
that could help you to benefit the new role as a flight attendant. Sell them your skills, your
qualities that you have. Do not expect that the interviewers will find out them self

In case you don’t have any working experience and you just graduate or you’re still a
student. Tell them about your extracurricular activities

You can also mention about your dream to become a flight attendant since you were a child
however I’m pretty sure that 70% of your contestant will say the same thing so it’s not going
to be an useful way to present yourself.

Instead of that, tell them a story about your good memory with the flight attendant when you
were travelling years ago. Make up a story!

Sample answer:

Good morning sir/madam, I’m Linh, I’m 24 years old and I’m currently working for IDG
Vietnam as a sale executive. I graduated 1 year ago from National Economic University, my
major was commercial English. With the experiences from my current job I have learnt
myself necessary skills like communication, problem solving and teamwork which I do
believe that it helps me lots for the job as a flight attendant for your company.

Or

Good morning sir/madam, I’m Linh, I’m 24 years old and I’m currently working for IDG
Vietnam as a sale executive. I graduated 1 year ago from National Economic University, my
major was commercial English. At the age of 17, it was 1st time travelling by an airplane
with my little sister. I remembered my little sister at that time she was so nervous and scared.
She was creaming when the plane is about the take off. My parents and I were hopeless to
calm her down however at that time there was a flight attendant came to us and started
talking to my little sister, she was kind, pretty and very polite, she used sweet words to calm
my little sister down and she’s definitely my inspiration to become a flight attendant.

2. Why are you leaving your last job?

The interviewers ask these questions to find out that are you going to stay long enough in the
company after you have been trained and also to get a clearer picture of who you are.
Tips to answer:

Tip 1: Never get tricked by talking bad about your company or your employer

Tip 2: Don’t mention about money at this part (The paid is poor)

Tip 3: If you already have a job then say that it’s about developing career and yourself as a
person

Sample answer:

I always dream to become a flight attendant since long and I know that I would have that
opportunity here and it would be my great honor to be a part of Vietnam Airlines team.

I’m looking for a job that has more responsibility and also I love travelling and meeting new
people to extend my knowledge about culture and languages therefore I do believe that
becoming a flight attendant can help me to do things that I always want to do

3. What are your weaknesses?

We all have weaknesses. Just be aware of choosing the right weakness to tell the
interviewers and how it will affect to your impression in front of them.

Tips to answer:

Tip 1: Never deny that you don’t have weakness. Everyone has weaknesses and if you refuse
to admit that you have weaknesses to your interviewer, then they will most likely write down
that you lacking in self-awareness, arrogant or untruthful

Tip 2: Be completely honest but end on a positive note, show how you have turned your
weaknesses into strengths (eg: education or training) and use your strength to reduce the
impact of your weaknesses

Tip 3: Explain that you are happy to take on more training to develop your skills

Many career books will tell you to pick strength and present it as a weakness like “I work
way too much or I just work until I get told to stop”

This is a big no no because it misses the whole point of the question so how should you
answer?

Sample answer:
I had a trouble with my short term memory. I used to not remember well all the tasks I need
to do in one day, it caused me trouble couple of times at work and with my personal life.
However, I found my own solution for that by taking notes of things I need to solve in a list
and follow that list. With this way I’ve improved so much my work results/ studying result.
Now it becomes my habit to note everything in a list and it supports me so well at work as
well as my personal life.

4. What are you strength?

Think about the job requirements and compare with your skills, abilities, experience and
personality. Where they match you have to consider them as your major strength.

Tips to answer:

Tip 1: Choose strengths that are targeted to this job

Tip 2: Give specific strength and true strength

Tip 3: Follow up with an example of how you have demonstrated your strength in a
professional setting and that brings a good result for at work.

Sample answer:

I was told to be flexible enough to handle changing environment. When I started working in
the hotel, I have to adapt myself with the new working schedule that can begin from
midnight and finish by next day in the afternoon. However, I’m always on time at work and
perform well my task that supports my team to win the team of the month.

5. What do you know about the job of a flight attendant?

Show them your real knowledge about the job. Don’t stay too much on a dreamy or
glamorous side of the job. You have to divide clearly to side of the job: the beautiful side and
“not very beautiful side”

 Tell about the positive side:

+ You dress beautifully, wear a perfect makeup and walk confidently in airport all around
the world. Everyone’s eyes are on you, people respect you and want to be like you.
+ You have chance to travel to so many destinations that you will never think of going
there.
 + Chances to meet and talk with people all around the world and have a good paid when
you’re young.
 However flight attendant is a job full of responsibilities:
+ You have to be there and take care of customer with issues related to service, safety and
medical or emergency situation.
+ Cope with time changes when flying, lack of sleep leads to fatigue.
+ Can’t have a normal life like other people, scarifies summer vacation or national
vacation even weekend.

6. What is the most popular social issue recently?

They ask this question to test your personal knowledge about society and they also want
to hear your own perspective about the problem so be sure to enrich your knowledge
before going for the interview.

Some ideas I can suggest are:

+The movie Kong Skull => And the way to promote Vietnam with friends all over the
world, take advantage of the movie itself do boost the tourism development.
+Pedophilia which indicates someone who has sexual feelings directed toward children.
Speak up your idea against this problem and protect the right of children that needs to be
guarantee by the government and the society.
7. Tell me about the time when you have a disagreement you’re your boss or your
colleagues and what did you do about it?

Remember as a flight attendant you will have to work in a team and with international
airlines you might have to work with total stranger on every flight so keep in mind that
teamwork is very important for this job.
+ Acknowledge that everyone is different and toward a problem, everyone has a different
way to solve it however being in a team means you have to bring all the differences into
one agreement and come up with best result for the work.
 Tell them 1 specific experience that you have and have the disagreement with your
colleagues when doing a project together. You respected your colleague’s opinion
however you patiently explained the right way and collected more evidences to
persuade your colleagues to go in a team decision and finally it went well.
Remember never say any negative information about your colleagues or your ex boss.
Always find a good way to communicate and deal with the problem.

8. What would you do if a customer complains about something that is not your fault
and has a negative attitude to you?

In any company the winner is the one who can attract as more customer. Customer is
always right (even it’s not true sometimes :”>).

Tip to answer:
Tip 1:
Make it clear the answer, put it follow this order: problem – ways to solve the problem –
result (how customer feel after that and benefit for the company)
Tip 2: Show that you always listen to their needs and problems and offer them solution.
Tip3: Never try to defend that it is the fault of the customer for not understanding about
the service, you will lose customer if you want to prove that.

Sample answer:
I was working as front office officer in a hotel. With this job we have to deal with so
many customer complaints every week. Once I remember a lady called from her room
and yelled at me that why our hot shower is not working, she accidently showered with
 the cold water and she was freezing at that moment. She complained that she never had
this problem in any hotel and my hotel was the worst one she has ever stayed.
In order to solve that problem, firstly I did sincerely apology her for the experience that
she had. I listened carefully to what she complained to be fully understood her issue.
Then, I offered her solution that we sent the technician to her room to fix it. She agreed
with that and then when the technician came, he found out that she hadn’t turned on the
hot water side yet, that was the reason why the hot water did not come out. He explained
her how it worked and she was happy again after that. Finally, I call to talk to her again
and asked if she satisfied with our service and thanked her for staying with us.
She was really happy with the way I deal with it and she now becomes our frequent
customer.

END

P/s: I hope that you enjoy reading this document and it could help you with your next
interview to become a flight attendant.

From Ms. Lan Anh with love