5 Transferable Skills I Mastered As a Cabin Crew
Remove customer service as your top skill and add these instead
There’s an undeniably subjective view of our role. Often, our abilities are underestimated. They see us as a ‘Beauty without a brain’ or a ‘Waiter in the Sky’ — so, anyone can do it. They are so wrong.
Whether you have decided to resign or you have to unwillingly leave your dream job. Now, is the perfect time to add these skills to your resume and make it shine.
1. Time Management
You never miss a flight. It is your job to get on these flights if you’re not on them. You don’t get paid.
There’s surprisingly a lot of calculations involved when setting your alarm.
How much sleep you will get = when your reporting time is — (The time needed to get ready + The travel time to get to the briefing + The time for a coffee)
If you do miss your alarm. You end up sacrificing your only source of caffeine for the day. And will forever be known as the B on that busy flight.
2. Relationship Management
You are surrounded by people from everywhere, every day, speaking all kinds of languages including the bad ones.
Sometimes, you wish you could reply to them in the same manner. But when you’re in a pressurised tube above the clouds. There’s nowhere to hide.
You do your best not to irritate the B (without their coffee). As you attempt to calm down the person on 23A, who clearly had too many to drink. So, you strike a deal with them.
For a glass of gin and tonic, they must drink three glasses of water.
This system works for a while until 23A discovers the other galley.
3. Situational Awareness
There’s no need for the other crew to tell you what’s going on. When you spot 23A stumbling down the aisle. You can smell the alcohol oozing out of them. You knew 23A was trouble. You can feel it in your bones.
We are trained to be hyper-vigilant for any potential dangers that would affect ourselves, the other passengers and the aircraft. It’s actually spooky how good we are at it.
Like our friend from 23A, who took a turn into the lavatory. Now, the fire alarm is going off. A Coincidence? I think not.
4. Adaptability
The lavatory door slowly opens to 23A with an e-cigarette hidden in their hands.
According to the aviation regulations and your own airline’s manual. You know, E-cigarettes are not allowed to be used onboard. If 23A was to travel to India, they will be charged for the possession of a ban substance.
The constant updates on the safety and the services of the aircraft and destinations. Keeps you on your toes.
In turn, making you are an expert in absorbing new information and implementing them. You had become an incredibly fast learner without breaking a sweat.
5. Teamwork
You and you teammate politely explains to 23A why they can’t smoke in the lavatory as you escort them back to their seat.
Now the situation has been dealt with. The B walks up to you in the galley asking if you’d like a coffee.
Of course, yes! You need to decompress and tell them about 23A. You and your team worked hard. You deserved it!
Regardless of your position on the aircraft, we all know our roles and responsibilities.
I never knew what great teamwork looked like until I started working as a Cabin Crew. As teamwork is more than working together to get a task done. It’s about taking care of your teammates too.
