Hi fellow-posters: I've been watching this and other threads on CC appointments for a while now, and thought it might be the time to post.
A friendly tip...from an ex Captain [tech crew] - I'm not sure how much my "advice" will apply here in SIN.
Back in AU (Australia), and also the USA, there were a few must have items on the CC lists, according to an ex-girlfriend who was Senior FA by the time she and I left the airline. She left when she was 31.
I'm not sure what SIA or any of the other Asian airlines do, but all airlines have the same ideas. If you read a few ideas then this may well set you "above the crowd" - read these before your application or interview:
a. Look up CRM, and understand what it means
b. Understand, and REALLY understand, that one of your primary roles is safety as well as service. Spend time researching this.
c. Ensure your First-Aid certificates are up to date and make sure you actually know how to use these skills. Tell them, at the interview, or on your application, how
you managed a life-threatenting emergency (if you have), or, how you WILL handle an emergency.
d. Show the ability to THINK. I know this might sound harsh - but many people (at Tech Crew level) get thrown a variety of questions about "What if...". Pre-empt these questions with a NORMAL, day-to-day situation - work it into the interview application and re-iterate it at interview.
For example, with my first application to a major airline, as a pilot, I was asked "If a pax was ill on board your aircraft, and you'rebehind schedule, what decision process would you make"
Now, the key here, is what DECISION PROCESS
YOU make - i know it's different as I am ex- tech Captain and you are all going for CC roles - but if you had looked up CRM you'll see we're all in the same boat. They want you to THINK.
By the way, I got that job - and got command pretty quickly flying B737's
e. I don't want to appear rude, as I am not from Asia, and speak only a little Arabic and even less Mandarin. However, please do bear in mind that English is a very big requirement. The ICAO stipulate that English is the language of "aviation" for international carriers. From what I have seen here, and AGAIN, I am NOT being rude, but practice your English writing skills even on boards like this - Singlish will NOT work.
You will be surprised, hopefuls, that most PAX are very nice if you even TRY to speak their national language, and more often than not, will want to try and practice you native language. Remember, this is a service (and safety) business.
So practice your writing skills here - there are MANY people on this forum more than happy to help you out. Me included.
f. Continuing on language - most carriers (INTL) need a second or third language. Listen to them! It's not THAT hard - being an original english speaker my Mandarin is hopeless, but I TRY. SHOW the interviewer you are TRYING. If you don't want to study another language then forget about flying as CC or TC.
g. If you think it's glamour-bags all the way - forget it. Tech Crew get slightly better hotels and CC get slightly lower - it depends on who you fly for and which unions you belong to - none with SIA I am told.
It's LONG hours, not much sleep, crap food, and sometimes wrong turnarounds, especially these days when I catch up with my QF/UA mates here in SIN and the good old days are FAR GONE. In fact, I replied to a posting here today where I think a ground engineer wants to convert to TC/pilot - my advice was STAYbetter pay, better hours.
I wish you all the luck within me! If you REALLY want to be CC, then I hope some of my points from this old Captain are of some use for you
Happy to take PM's if you want some more info, or just post back here.
Old Capt. P.
If it ain't Boeing, I ain't going!
Waste of everyone's time. If you are not interested, why bother applying and give people like us who want the job badly a chance? grr.
