How to fail your interview

As the title suggest, this post is on the one sure way to fail your cabin crew interview. 

Yes, there are many reason why you may not get selected. You may not have the minimum requirements, do not reach the minimum required height, have terrible acne issues etc etc. However beyond this, it is really about how you show the interviewers the side of you they want to see. Beyond reaching the minimum requirement, this is the one thing you can do to totally sabotage your chances of becoming a cabin crew. 

That one thing to screw up your interview is to behave in a way that is perceived to be cocky. Read that again. You don't have to be a cocky person to be thought of that way. In fact, you may be a nice and humble person. But once the interviewers thinks that you are cocky, your chances are blown. 

From my observations, this issue is more prevalent with candidates applying for flight steward position. It could be something guys do psychologically. When they are in a situation where they feel nervous, they get defensive and tend to overcompensate. This usually cause the interviewer to view them as being cocky. The last thing you want an interviewer for a company famed for its service standards to think of about you. 

And no service orientated job will want you, especially not one that defines itself by it asian hospitality

Think about it. Has this ever happen to you? All you wanted to do was to be appear confident, knowledgeable and that you did your preparation/homework. While this is indeed what you should aim to portray, carry yourself the wrong way and you end up shooting yourself in the foot. You end up appearing COCKY. 

Tips for first timers

If you have been doing your research on the lifestyle of cabin crews, the company you are seeking to join and the interview process, I applaud you for your initiative. All too often, many candidates go for their first interview with ill preparation and get overwhelmed when they reach the venue and see the people they are competing with. They get sucked into the rumor mills during the long waits and become overloaded with excess (sometimes useless) information.  Then when they fail their interview, their confidence is defeated and their take away are the many inaccurate information swirling around the interview halls. They fail to realize that the failure is most probably due to their lack of preparation more than anything else.  Don’t be that person.

These are often the pitfalls of a first time candidate. They get too affected by what is said by the other candidates because all that they are hearing is completely new to them. Even if you have gone for the interview more than once, avoid this mistake. By all means, interact and socialize with the other candidates. After all, a good portion of the cabin crew work is PR skills. Take in all the information that others have to offer and share some if you truly have something useful. However, draw the line at believing every little thing you hear. Prevent yourself from feeling defeated even before you meet the interviewers. 

You may hear things like, ”You will never get in if you have been even one pimple.” Trust me, everyone has a pimple now and then. As long as your complexion does not resemble Mark Lee’s circa the late 1990s, this is easier to fix then a bad attitude. Another one I have heard is, “They don’t want people with tattoos because they want guai guai (demure) girls.” Again, I know many girls with tattoos who were selected to be cabin crews. You just have to ensure that they are at a part of your body that can be concealed by the kabaya and you dress appropriately for the interview. You already know the kabaya sleeve is elbow length; so if you have a tattoo on your upper arm, don’t walk into the first round of the interview in a short sleeve blouse.

Basically, what saying is,” Don’t ever assume you know what the interviewer is looking for based on hear say.” If you keep disqualifying yourself before anyone has a chance to, you will never get the job. It’s a physiology thing. If you walk into the room thinking the interviewers will not shortlist you, it tends to become a self-fulfilling prophecy.  Do your due diligence. The airline is looking for an approachable, warm, service orientated personality with a look to fit their corporate image.  As long as you have the basic requirements, you have a shot at becoming an SIA cabin crew. The rest is just preparation and smart interview skills.

Leave me a comment about your first time interview experience.