Hi all cabin crew wannabes and fans of Fly Gosh, I have been benefiting from this awesome website and thought that this would be the perfect opportunity to contribute back! So I will be sharing on my latest experience in the cabin crew interview for Qatar Airways that I have recently attended at Ritz Carlton Kuala Lumpur on the 15th of June 2014.
Pre-interview
Before attending any interview, it is always an advantage to do your research on the company you are applying for so you will know what their latest development is and it also shows the recruiters that you take the initiative for the job and really do want to work with them. You can also Google for any past interview process to be more prepared so you’ll know what to expect on the day itself. For most Middle Eastern airline (MEA) interview, they will have a presentation on the open day about the company and the city you will be based at and then some Q&A session.
This is where you can put your knowledge to good use and leave some really good impression for the recruiters to remember you. But of course this is just a suggestion and you don’t necessary have to do it. How you present yourself during that few minutes of CV submission matters the most. The day before the interview, make sure you get enough rest as the open day will be a long waiting process.
Interview Day
Most airlines divide their interview into a few days. For MEA, they have the first open day for just the CV submission, second day for assessment and the third for the final interview. This time Qatar Airways only made it a two day event and not three days like the Emirates Airways interview the week before. So let’s get to the juicy part of my experience, the interview process.
First day: Open Day
I am really happy because my bestie, J has decided to accompany me for the interview. She’s such a sweetheart! The interview starts at 9am and we were there at 8.45am. It is always good to arrive earlier especially for any MEA interview because they are very particular in punctuality as cabin crews have to be on time for their duty.
But it also depends on individual airline such as Singapore Airline; their registration time is from 8am to 2pm so you can arrive anytime within that period. After that, you cannot register at all even if you beg them. So better make sure of the timing. I went to touch up on my make-up and fix my hair with the extra time I had. Some people were already there at 6.30am due some confusion in the timing.
So early! Thank God I was well informed and was spared from the unnecessary wait! You guys can always check Fly Gosh if there’s any uncertainty as it always gives out accurate information about most airlines’ interview or maybe the official website of the airline if it is posted there.
There were already a lot of people inside the hall waiting. J and I quickly take a sit in the first row as there were the only seats available. (Not on purpose okay! ^^ )
I have read online that some will purposely sit in front to give a good impression to the recruiters as they usually notice the first row but of course that wasn’t my reason. Sometimes overdoing it may be an overkill. The recruiters came in shortly and told us to prepare the necessary documents which are our CV, full length photo, passport photo and a copy of our passport to submit to them. We were then told to proceed to another room, 10 at a time starting from the first row. I was really fortunate that I was one of the first few to go. No presentation was conducted on the first day.
When submitting the CV, the recruiters asked a few simple questions. Just keep smiling and show a pleasant personality. She then took a paper, wrote my name and told me to read it at home. If you are shortlisted, they will either give you a call or send you an email to notify you the details for the assessment day. My call was through that piece of paper. I was just too curious and anxious to wait till then. So I opened it the second I left the room. Shhhh. =P It says that I’m shortlisted and was asked to attend the next day for assessment.
YAY!! 20% of the interview done, 80% more to go! There’s a number on the corner of the paper which will be our candidate number from then on. Mine was the lucky number 8, “fatt”. It means prosperity in Cantonese! The whole process was really quick and short. Oh ya, J was shortlisted too. Double yay!!
Second Day: Assessment Day
The assessment day starts at 8am. J and I left my house at around 6.45am just to avoid the KL jam and also to find a parking nearby the hotel to avoid the expensive hotel parking rate. Always calculate in unforeseen accidents or jam into your travelling time as it is stated on the paper that “failure to arrive on time will result in the withdrawal of your application”! By hook or crook, I forced my sleepy ass up despite the calling of my bed.
I wore a formal sheer coral top with black pencil skirt that day and added a blazer for that extra professional look. It was going to be a long day so instead of a bun, I just tie my hair up into a ponytail. If you see a pimple emerging the night before (It is always lurking there somehow and waiting to come out at the most inappropriate time everrrrr!), apply some Aloe Vera gel to sooth it or some mask to give u that awesome complexion! I’m sure you will want to look your best, fresh and not grouchy like a panda. Although I do think pandas are the cutest!
For the ladies:
i) Wear a formal dress or business attire. Nothing too casual or skimpy please.
ii) As long as your fringe is not covering your face or having lots of baby hair sticking out everywhere, it really doesn’t matter a bun or a tail. However most of the female candidates there were in a bun.
iii) Put on a bright red lipstick for that extra ohm! Mine was bright pink (Not the Nicky Minaj type but a really sweet shade). Make sure your make up looks natural as the recruiters want to see your original self.
For the man:
i) Just have a clean shave look and a professional hairstyle.
ii) Please do not go there with an afro hair, Elvis Presley’s sideburns or apply too much gel to have that so called “wet look”! It may be appealing to your girlfriends but definitely not to the recruiters. They want someone who can represent their company and country, not someone who is stylo milo enough to open a concert.
iii) Put on a suit and a striking yet simple tie to give u that outstanding look that says “I’m serious about this job and I’m here to nail it!”
There were two recruiters; both were experienced ex cabin crews of Qatar and now a recruiter for the company. One is a lovely Malaysian lady and another Sri Lanka lady. They both told us about their past experience and what they did which led them to be part of Qatar’s HR recruitment team. Both stories were so inspiring!
First stage: English Test
The first stage of the day was an English test. Usually only MEA will give such test to find out your ability to comprehend during their training. We were given 50 minutes to complete it. Those who have done some research beforehand will know what to bring for the day. I brought my whole pencil case with me, a bit “kiasu” (Scared to lose =P) I know but you may never know if one pen decided to die on you while halfway writing! So I over prepared myself for this and am glad to be able to help others that didn’t had any pen. The paper consists of 2 parts with 4 sections, multiple choices and essay writing.
Section A: Answer questions based on the passage given
Section B: Fill in the blanks with the correct words
Section C: Interpret the meaning of the instructions given
Section D: Essay Writing
All are MCQs for the first 3 sections. Don’t worry. I’m sure all of you have done an English test some time in your life before but for those who are not so confident for it, its time you start doing some reading now before any upcoming interview! =) The topic given to us for the essay was “The story of my life”. In this section, you can write about anything under the sun, even your turtle pet but make sure you include stories and qualities that relate yourself to the job and will enable the recruiters to have a better impression of you to be chosen.
I wrote about my passion of being a cheerleader as it requires lots of discipline and team work and also why I aspire to be a cabin crew. The key in writing the essay is to present it in a simple manner and straight to the point. They are not here to test your essay writing skills. We waited for 30 minutes for them to grade the papers. J and I felt like we were back in college waiting for our results all over again!
Second stage: one to one interview
The next stage is very different than their usual normal process and I really like what they did there. After the papers were graded, we were told to go for a one to one interview with the recruiters following the order of our numbers. I was really confused as no results were announced for the test. For the interview we were told to reach for the 212cm mark with our heels off, we can of cause tip toe to reach it. For the guys, they can have their shoes on but no tip toes were allowed. I always thought that guys can just cheat that extra 10cm by wearing a giraffe shoes!! (Google it.) Haha. But of cause you can’t wear those shoes after you are employed so please don’t do it!
I’m not here to give Fly Gosh a bad name. =P I was told to have a sit and choose a folded paper from a glass bowl which consist of a word and we were given a minute to talk about it. I got the word “charming”. So I talked about what it meant and how nice it is to have that trait. Others were not as fortunate and gotten words that they don’t understand. It’s always alright to ask the recruiters politely if you do not understand something.
Always keep in mind that the interview is not to test your knowledge but how u can adapt to a given situation and come up with a solution. J got the word “Auspicious”. Imagine if I have gotten that. Gone straight. Haha. They will also ask if you have any tattoos or scars and maybe some other random questions.
The wait after that was really really REALLY long. I kid you not. I was feeling hungry, sleepy, tired and agitated as we don’t know how long more of waiting we have to endure. So like any typical Asian girls, J and I ended up taking lots and lots of selfies with different expressions. =D Sometimes these interviews are made for us to wait in order to see how patience we are so please maintain a calm emotion and keep that smile on your face at all times!
It’s hard I know but when you start flying, that’s what you will have to deal with. Maintaining that smile on your face for the passengers no matter how unhappy or tired you are. Even if your turtle pet died, you have to smile! It’s part of the job. Bring a book and some snacks to help you get through the day.
Oh yes! Sorry for the long winded detour, so the reason why I like this process is because they don’t eliminate candidates straight after the test but also give us a chance to proceed to the next stage and talk to them personally. This is so they can further screen through everyone and not leave any potentials out. It’s like a second chance that all candidates hope to have!! J and I were able to proceed to the next stage.
We were given an application form to fill in and they had a presentation on the company and the salary and benefits for the employees. We were given 2 days to send them another full length body picture according to their specifications which needed to be in a light blue background. Not many photo studios have white background or at least in my country so good luck finding one and send to them on time.
These pictures will be sent to the HQ in Doha so give them a good picture of yourself as selections will be made by HQ based on first impression. Next, we proceed to the final interview which is usually held on the third day.
Third Stage: Final Interview
It has been a long day, don’t forget to touch up on your make up, if your eye liner has smeared and reapply your lipstick. This is the last stage for the recruiters to select you so present your best self. Guys are really lucky not having to wear any make up but please ensure you still look pleasant.
During the interview, they asked me questions based on my CV. You can always check online for some samples of final interview questions as a rough guideline so you won’t stutter when answering them. They asked me “what am I currently doing and the responsibilities I have.” Do take note of your tone and the way you present yourself especially your body language as it shows a lot about you and after all that you have gone through, I doubt you would want to waste this chance on something as minor as that.
The recruiters were really nice and friendly, I felt like I was talking to a friend but of course maintaining my poise at the same time. So after that, FINALLY J and I were done for the whole Qatar interview process and we were more than happy to leave the hotel and head back home!! 80% of the interview done and 20% left. YESSSSSS!! All we need to do now is to wait for the golden call!! *Hands together in a praying position*
So here you go the most recent Qatar cabin crew interview process. I’m sorry if it was too long winded and you were expecting just a glimpse of it. But I really do want to help others have a better understanding of the process and if my experience through Fly Gosh can help others to achieve their dreams of being a cabin crew, that would make me the happiest girl EVERRR! =D For those who have tried any cabin crew interview more than once, please don’t feel discourage and lose your confidence.
Take it as an experience to better yourself and who knows one day you will succeed in the next interview. Don’t give up. Winners never quit, quitters never win! If J and I get our GC, maybe one day I’ll write about my life as a Qatar cabin crew to let others have more insight of working with Qatar Airways.
Who knows! Life is just too short, take every opportunity and look at it positively as Andy has always encouraged me to do so. Pray for us people as we will pray for every one of you wannabes out there! Thank you for reading. =)
See you up there,
Flying Panda
You can view the cabin crew interview process of other airlines by clicking here
Above article written by my PAID guest writer. If you are interested to contribute your experience to FlyGosh, please check out Get PAID to be a guest writer for FlyGosh.com
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Above article written by my PAID guest writer. If you are interested to contribute your experience to FlyGosh, please check out Get PAID to be a guest writer for FlyGosh.com
As you may already be aware that I have max out my facebook 5000 friends limit therefore to continue to get updates on latest news and jobs opportunity for both pilots and cabin crew, you can LIKE the Fly Gosh Fan Page by clickingHERE