A flight attendant represents a great job that could potentially earn you a 6 figure salary, yes you read that right. The salary range for a flight attendant is $48k all the way up to $113k.
There are some great aspects to this job, such as travel, networking, pay, benefits, and most of all, it’s a pretty accessible job when it comes to qualifications.
There are approximately 120,000 flight attendant jobs here in the USA, so based on population, it’s actually got a limited amount of opportunity and because of the qualification requirements, it may be competitive when it comes to applying and successfully getting a job.
How Long Does It Take?
Did you know that you can apply to be a flight attendant without any experience at all! If you get the job, you then do an intense training course for 3-6 weeks afterward to prepare you for the role. You must be hired by an airline before you can move forward with this.
This is a fantastic route to getting the job in the fastest possible way, with the minimum amount of risk. So, if you see a Flight Attendant role, take the time to read the job requirements and feel confident about being able to apply.
Education Requirements:
No college degrees needed here, which is pretty impressive when you consider the 6 figure opportunity on the top end of this job role. A high school diploma or an equivalent level of education is required.
If you do happen to have a degree in Hospitality, Communication, or Tourism, these are seen as major advantages to the airlines when it comes to hiring you.
What Skills Do You Need?
You need to be great with people and have a good customer service attitude, as that is what you are there to do. You may have to work long hours and may even be slightly sleep-deprived if you are working ‘red eye’ flights for the airline.
You need to be tall enough to reach things like luggage holdalls and you need great eyesight as part of the physical requirements for working in this role.
Attention to detail, professionalism, and a constant thought process around safety are also critical elements of the role. Flying is one of the safest ways to travel, but the normal day to day of managing thousands of passengers into their chairs, their luggage, refreshments, and all other aspects of travel with the general public offers up lots of safety hazards and issues if you are not ‘on the ball’.
Positives and Negatives of the Job:
You get to travel and you get to see the world at either the expense of the airline or at a greatly discounted rate. If seeing parts of the world is your thing, then being a flight attendant is certainly the job for you. You will need to make a decision, however, which are you looking to be, a regional or international flight attendant? Are you happier traveling around the US or are you looking to see the world whilst you work? That preference comes down to you but makes a big difference when it comes to ticking the ‘love traveling’ box.
Flight Attendants are subject to a lot of sexual stereotypes, with most airlines insisting you have makeup and hair done in a certain way for women, and in some cases, you have to wear high heels whilst working.
When you say that out loud, imagine that requirement in another industry or job, it would almost be laughable and certainly unacceptable. In this case, the industry is still somewhat in the gender dark ages, so for now you will be required to accept this or being a flight attendant is not for you as a female.
You are also paid hourly on the plane itself, so for the time you spend in security and in the airport itself, that can be time away that you do not earn money for.
The Final Word
Being a flight attendant for a domestic or international airline sure does come with its perks. It’s a glamorous job that can take you to so many parts of the world. The role is not without its challenges, but with its relatively low entry requirements, and potentially very high salary opportunities, we think that this is a fantastic job for both young and older people. So what are you waiting for? Check out all the amazing flight attendant opportunities at job.com and we hope to see you on the airplane soon!
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