How many "no letters" before you received the "Yes Yes Yes Letter"?

[cloud nine]

How many interviews have you gone for before being succesful? If your still clocking them up like me, what are you up to?

[flyblue]

When I was 21 I blew my first interview with an airline <img src="frown.gif" border="0"> It was a blow, but being quite pugnacious I worked hard and got prepared for the next to come during the years...you know, after Gulf War, one bankruptcy and finally after my previous company falling in the hands of people previously running a booby hatch. I had to undergo a few.
I learnt the lesson so well that I never blew one after (maybe my fantastic skills and my fabulous looks helped! :) yeah...)
But the one who should write a book about it is Xenia...ask her <img src="wink.gif" border="0">

[cloud nine]

Ive been to TWO only, both in 2001 <img src="tongue.gif" border="0"> <img src="tongue.gif" border="0">

[bella75]

Howdy Miss22,
Good on you for having the courage to ring HR, and great to hear the lady you spoke to was friendly and happy to answer your questions, I can certainly say i'll be looking forward to that letter coming in the mail...it certainly has been a long hard slog!!!, I wish us both luck as well as others waiting that YES letter.

Best of luck
Regards Bella75
PS by the way how did u scam the QF HR number <img src="cool.gif" border="0"> <img src="cool.gif" border="0">

[snowbound]

i got two knockbacks from virgin when i was 19 which in retrospect was a bit of a good thing.

[bella75]

G'day Miss22...
Woops meant to post my last reply on the 'wanna b qf Flight Attendant'...
As for my self this is the first time i have applied for any airline, even though most my family work in the industry...eagerly waiting outcome, fingers crossed.

[euroboy]

How many interviews have you had so far?

If it a few perhaps you aren`t saying the right things or you don`t have the experience at the present time.

I was lucky and got into my first airline first time, but then you hear and see what happening at other airlines and I applied to them, I got the same no letter as you do. Yeah, I`ve moved on now, but once in the business it just as hard to move around.

[cloud nine]

Wow...first go Euroboy?? Thats great! :)
I think that this must be the only career that experiance in flying will not help you get into another airline. <img src="confused.gif" border="0">

[Iguanahead]

Cloud Nine,
Thats not always true.
When I first got in to the industry I was employed by Ansett as a short haul F/A. A year later Qantas long haul advertised and I applied for them as a joke with my friend as I thought there was no way they would want me ( only 21, no second language, never been overseas in my life) - and they did. <img src="eek.gif" border="0">
Maybe I was just lucky getting in first time for both airlines. I put it down to the competition on the day. Now people are so much more prepared when they go for the interviews the company's have a greater selection of candidates.
And also I think it's a good idea to be keen but not too keen. I remember they asked us what we would do if we didn't get in. I told them I already had a great job and that I would return to that happily. The others all said they wouldn't know what to do as this was their dream job and nothing else would do.
They didn't get the job!
Persistance is the key. Stay motivated and positive and keep improving your skills.
My cousins husband tried for 7 years to get in to Qantas. He'd get to the last interview and then nothing. He's now been flying 10 years and is a CSM.
:) :) :)
Go for your dreams but keep living your lives.

[dumiel]

There is nothing stopping you from asking where they felt you went wrong so that you could try to improve for when you next apply. The data protection in UK actually now allows anyone to apply for their notes that were taken during an interview (if you have the nerve that is!)Dont worry any HR professional will welcome giving constructive feedback.

Best of luck in the future <img src="tongue.gif" border="0">

[Mr Seatback 2]

Well - It was on my 11th flying interview that I eventually got in...

Walk in interviews, applications, endless mailouts, photographs, photocopies, on and on and on...With some I didn't even get a letter stating the rejection - just a card saying "we may call you back in 6 weeks time"...those that have been thru the QF Cattle Call will know exactly what I mean!

After falling over the last hurdle at Eastern (medical and security check - and they STILL said no - 2nd time around!) - I hung round like a wet jumper for 3 months before - wait for it - Sunstate, Impulse and Virgin Blue wanted to see me...Impulse were the quickest and I was still to be interviewed by Sunstate as Impulse offered me the job!

Prior to this, I applied (and GOT) every single job I went for - except flying! You might say bad luck on my part - sometimes it's simply the interviewer on the day! But it was my own efforts that got me thru - persistence is the key!!

3 years it took me - and I am just soooo relieved I'm there at last!

[Confirmed Must Ride]

It took me 9 months before I changed tack and went the ground crew way first. Then worked towards aircrew that way.

[Simonjknightuk]

Hi guys.. at BA the buzzword for knockbacks is "feedback". It worked in the foreign office,pilot(ba) and cabin crew(ba)interviews although I got cabin crew first time luckily. Really though, get in touch with the "no" letter writer and ask, ask, ask. Why, where when(even)did I go wrong. And what did i get right! Get all the answers and prepare for the next go. Make sure you do got back for another go as well! And check they got it right. I applied for Virgin and Ba on the same day. Applic. form to BA and a letter of introduction (as it was in 1997) to Virgin. Heard nothing from V, and passed finals on Oct26th 1997 for BA. A day AFTER the offer I got a letter from V telling me id FAILED the ASSESMENT TESTS that I didn't even attend. So watch out, there are gremlins about!

Good luck everone cos being inside looking out is much finer that being outside looking in! See you all in Beunos Aires some time.

[ 11 January 2002: Message edited by: SJKheli ]</p>

[CheerBear]

I lost count! I've been to JAL, EK, BA, UA, MI(Silkair, sister airline of SIA) and SIA over a span of 3 years.. .. .My first two years, I only attended MI and SIA's interviews. I was fresh out of school then and I didn't know that foreign airlines hire locals too until a girl I met at the interview told me that foreign airlines do place ads in the local papers.. .. .My first interview with a foreign airline was JAL. And I got in on my very first try! I was so . .excitied about it. Unfortunately, I failed their medical tests. Their medical checks were really tough. I went through several x-rays, a top-to-toe check, hearing tests and even had to do some mini exercises in the doc's clinic!. .. .I've always been in the pink of health and I failed due to some minor issue. I was told by the doc that the failure rate of the medical checks were really high. Usually JAL will send in 30-45 girls for each recruitment exercise and half of the girls don't pass the medical. The doc consider it good if there were only 10 failures out of 30girls. He said that JAL has got really strict medical requirements.. .. .Anyway I got over it, and went on with my witchhunt again. Defintely no luck with SIA and MI. I'm always just 1 step away from joining them for various reasons. And finally I got in SIA on my Nth try.(definitely more than 10times). I was so worried about failing the medical again. To my relief, I made it! You can guess what a happy woman I am..I feel so lucky to have finally landed the job of my dreams, I'm treasuring every moment of it.This coming June, it will be my 4th year flying with them.. .. .I say to everyone out there, Don't give up hope! Do carry on trying as long as you still do meet the airlines' requirements. A lot of my crewmates told me that they've tried more than once too. And a lot of them have tried over 10times too. . .. .Hang in there, alright?

[Cart_tart]

I went through 3 interviews before I finally got a job with someone! First go was with Ansett - one interview & no further. I think I was too young - only 18. Then a zillion thanks but we're not recruiting letters. Then I got a job as ground staff with a small GA airline. Then Qantas - got through & had medicals and everything & got a no. Don't know why. Tried to find out & they wouldn't tell me - which I think is crap. I know it wasn't my medical because I rang the dr and he sent me a copy of the report which was all ok. . .Then an interview with National Jet who I finally got a job with after sending them a ton of letters but always getting the sorry not recruiting. I've never looked back since I got a job! I LOOOOOOOOVE flying!!! I can't see myself doing anything else now! I hope I can do it until I'm so old that the cart is my walking frame!. .I'm STILL trying to get into Qantas though!!! Went to the last cattle call but didn't get past the 1st stage - got the 12 week card. ******. I'm not going to ever give up there! I want long haul SOOOOO bad!! . .At the end of the day - don't give up! Keep trying and it will all come true one day! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="biggrin.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="biggrin.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="biggrin.gif" />

[vdd]

Dear Cart Tart. .Enjoyed reading your post - very motivating. Anyway, I'm still out there trying like many others after not getting very far at Qantas interviews (although I'm determined - like yourself). The other day I asked National Jet to send me an FA application form. Do they have an age limit and where are you based with them? I'm in Adl. Where are their bases, besides Adl?. .Thanks

[Cart_tart]

Hi E-ticket,. .I'm in Perth. They have bases all over the country. In Adl they have a charter base. They also have charter bases in Per & Drw. Qantaslink (Airlink) bases are Cns, Mky, Rok, Bne, Drw, Per. I think thats it but i'm brain dead today!. .Bne & Per QFlink bases are hard to get to as there is a waiting list of current staff who want to go there but all the others can be direct entry if you choose to go there.. .I'm pretty sure there is no age limit. A couple of the new FA's have been approaching 40. Just as long as you've got what they're looking for you should be ok!. .Good luck!. .CT