The two threads running have been a fascinating insight into the industry and from the perspective of a member of the SLF community for many years, it certainly is fascinating to understand how organisations operate, for good or for ill.I have been reading these threads and feel ill equipped to comment on much of the content, being a relatively infrequent flier these days but one area where I have something to add, hence this post, is that I am what is politely known as a 'headhunter' and so have some inkling into how organisations actually recruit in practice.
As an earlier poster pointed out, they were aware of a member of cabin crew who hat left their employer and was having difficulty securing employment. A suggestion was made that age 45, this was a major issue. I beg to differ.
The undue emphasis on 'what I had before' can certainly be a factor but it rarely affects the ability to get an interview - but it certainly allows an individual to blow an interview spectacularly well.
The issue is of skills and transferability between business sectors. Without knowing the full background of the individuals concerned it is possible to definitive regarding their case, however in my opinion, the real reason is that the individual has very little to offer that discriminates he/she from the other candidates.
To join another business sector, the sort of skills that employers will look for a demonstrable track record in;
- IT skills
- A good educational background (recent or distant plus higher qualifications)
- References from comparable levels of seniority in a different organisation
- Market relevant 'technical' skills demonstrating the ability to make a difference to the company
Now the following bit is entirely subjective and I apologise if I oversimplify the job that cabin crew undertake, and underestimate the abilities of certain staff who have chosen a cabin crew career after working in another business sector.
IMO, there are virtually no business related skills that cabin crew possess which differentiates them from a new starter in the role.
Doing the role is hard and tiring and means you have to put up with a lot of hassle - but it gets you no qualifications, no transferable skills (except maybe patience for which business does not pay), and nothing more than this 'seniority' of which you talk.
It is in essence, not a career - it is a job. Much like brick carrying - skills wise, you are at the end of your career as you went into it, from the perspective of outside employers.
Yes, there are things like improved life saving skills, but it does not automatically make you a doctor/nurse/midwife/paramedic. You would start off as a day 1 Intern.
You would never be a firefighter - you would never have the stamina to pass the entrance exam unless you actually trained for it.
Just doing a cabin crew job is not enough. So, to address another persons point, it is risky leaving any job without skills. A 40 year old with no desirable skills is probably worse of than an 18 year old in the same situation. It does not mean that doing it is wrong, but it is risky. This is why so many people are gaining degrees, MBA, MA's etc while working in their jobs, and this is wherein the problem lies for well established cabin crew.
The employment world has moved on and having certain qualifications is regarded as minimum and many mature staff simply do not have them. If you are going to leave, get some relevant qualifications first, as being a member of the hard working cabin crew is practically irrelevant in most professions - particularly if you are used to what some regard as 'over- generous' benefits. I make to comment on the veracity of these.
Something to think about folks when you are at work - next time you need an accountant, an engineer, a mechanic, a shop worker, a medical professional, a gardener - ask yourself what skills a long standing member of a cabin crew has which qualifies them for these roles.
Thank you for the opportunity to comment.