I can't beleive I didn't know about this sooner!!!!!!
 

Hi people's,
I attended my VRD on June 15 and am now booked into a medical for next thursday :) :) :) ( I am a very excited)
I can't beleive I didn't know about this forum sooner, it would have helped me sooo much at the VRD, but better now than never hey :) I don't feel so 'in the dark' about the whole process now.
But STF like you I was a bit scared of the whole full brief and shorts thing!! but thankfully it doesn't sound to bad (thankyou smile for your feed back)
Keep you posted!

Bend over and cough??
 

Hi guys,

The way they check for Hernia's is bending from side to side and forwards and backwards. Then they also feel around your tummy and sides (and they use alot of pressure when they are feeling for them). :bored:

My last aviation medical that I went for they made me squat down and walk whilst squatting... if you know what I mean. They were checking for flexibility in the joints.:suspect:

I asked how long the medical would go for, and I was told roughly about an hour or so. Gee, that IS a long time, but taking into account the hearing test and the visual test, the urine test and the flexibility and hernia tests... I guess it would take that long.:uhoh: I am a bit worried, but the part that worries me the most is getting on the scales!!! OMG.

I also asked which Doctor would be seeing me, and I was told that it would be a Female Doctor (who I think I would feel more comfy with seeing that we have to take off layers of clothing!)

By the way, you guys all rock!!! Your support has been great. Gloria, did you hear anything after they called your referees?? I hope that one day we will all get to work together! What a great team we'd make! :D

Seek.to.Fly.

Hmmm.........
 

Last night I was researching courses to become a pilot online... and today, whilst working at the library, a man came up to the desk to collect and pay for his print-outs off the net. He was researching those aid programs in Papua New Guinea and I asked him what it was all for, and he explained to me that he's a pilot and wants to start another sort of flying aid (doctors I think?) to PNG..! Amazing how I met a pilot the day after researching it online... I think he was the real deal, he had some cap that had embroidered some flying school on it, and even gave me his business card from a whole stack of business cards he had. (Also I looked up his details in our system... hehehehe!) He's as old as my dad... nearing 50's.. so I felt okai to give him my email as I'm going to email him some churches that I think would be willing to fund some of his work (I used to do fundraisers etc with the church for needy children in poor countries) and also he spoke to me about possible courses/degrees I could do... interesting... fingers crossed! I WANNA BE IN THE SKY REAL BAD!! :\

Iulia do you want to become a pilot?

Anything in the sky now... I figure if I have the brains for it... which I hope I do... I dunno, I'm looking into it... I was hoping that perhaps the demand for pilots is higher and less competitive as it is for CC... it so buggers me how I can be so determined, and yet it would probably take me no where. No matter how much travel experience I have (been oversea's over five times, went to many countries; Russia, Hing Kong, Austria, Romania, Japan, Malaysia just to name a few) and eventhough I may speak a foreign language as well as know Auslan sign language, it wasn't good enough for VB.

I'm determined to and have less skills than you! Forget about them for now untill next year when you can re-apply, focus on becoming a pilot if thats what you want, if your 160cm+ apply for JQ international do as much as you can so that you are really prepared and have shown by next time what you can accomplish in order to become cabin crew for them!:ok: Lots of very young people like ourselves (being only 18) get turned down. Just keep trying!

Iulia sorry mate, but the competitiveness for commercial airlines pilots jobs is about 100fold that of cabin crew - and thats after the 3 - 7 years, not to mention all the $$$, you will spend in GA banging around up north or out west somewhere... :{

Awww...
 

I feel awful... what am I to do? I think I'll just get into the IT course I need to become a librarian, start doing that and perhaps keep reapplying to other airlines for CC positions... until maybe someone gives me a chance..! And then I guess I could put my uni course on hold and come back to it whenever, or even do it by correspondence... the posibilities are endless in life... but thats the thing, they're ONLY possibilities... it all depends on whether someone's willing to give lil me a chance... whaaa!!:\

Iulia

1. Commercial flying is much harder to get into then CC ever will be. If that is your "second/easy option" then forget about it. If you're serious about it then do some research (it's evident from your thread in D&G you need to do some) and see it it's still for you. It's a VERY VERY long,hard road.

2. I get the idea you think flying is all fun and glamour. There's a serious side to it too and it'll change a lot of aspects of your life. I know people who have been to 20+ interviews before they got a job and that was when they were in their very late 20's or early 30's. It can be a long road to becoming CC - because to preform the job you need a demostrated level of maturity, level headedness, priortisation skills and be able to respond to just about anything calmly. Essentially you need enough life experience and essential skills to get you by in the air. I'm not saying you don't have them yet, but maybe, just maybe the airlines are wanting a bit more life experience from you before they look at you again.

Don't be one of these people who turns it into "the airlines don't want me", "I'm not good enough", "I'll never get in" etc etc, we've all heard it all before. If you're serious about a career in flying then you need to look at what skills you have and what skills you still neeed and then work on it.

Finally do some research, find out what the job really involves and work out why you really want to fly.

It's competitive for a reason - theres lots of people with lots of skills going for only a few jobs. YOU have to make yourself competitive - no-one else can do that for you.

In response...
 

Actually, I have been researching it a fair bit, its the actual job I want to know about because everyone seems to be slandering it..! And I was only thinking perhaps another way of flying would be to become a pilot, I'm still in school but will have to apply to courses by the end of September and so I want to make an informed decision when I do.
Secondly, I am young, flexible, have travelled extensively for someone of my age in comparison with others, and am not tied down, have no children and don't plan to until its the last minute... I want to travel, I don't feel tied down to family and friends, I enjoy working with the public and believe that I am made for the customer service sector.
I'm not feeling 'sorry' for myself, as you seem to think I am. I am merely fustrated at the fact that airlines are wanting older people as you seem to be implying, "life experienced". If airlines want older people whom they will only be employing for say, a decade, then so be it. They have a wide variety of eager hopefuls for CC positions, and I'm just a small face in a big crowd.
I've got a question for you... whats the oldest age of a "life experienced" cabin crew that you've come across? Because you seem to say that airlines don't want em young, they prefer them older...
I have many friends that are 'life experienced' as you put it, some are complete idiots and are yet to find a full-time job, others are married and are on their way to their third, fourth kid!
What I think people need to understand is that with age doesn't necessarily come maturity.

I totally agree with you, I was (actually still am?) young and have done a lot and struggled to overcome the very same thing you are.

I've worked (I actually did my initial CC training too) with 18 year olds, no-one is saying airlines don't hire people straight from school, it's just that they are careful when doing so.

Life Experience doesn't mean someone has travelled or what not, it's about the challenges and situations they've faced and how they've delt with them. It's about whether or not they can handle 100 passengers staring at them, looking for support and being able to control them when things go wrong. It's about being able to handle a angry passenger, a out of control child and still be able to smile and get the job done - because it happens every day.

Anyway, to be honest with you pprune probably isn't the best place to be researching... you'll find a lot of bitter people here, especially in D&G.If you want to research being a pilot seriously, goto your local flying club or school and do a TIF flight and chat to the CFI - they'll be able to give you some useful info.

If you want any info on being a pilot or FA you can PM me, i've seen both ends of the plane.

I just wanted you to realise that people work for many years to achieve their dream of working for an airline, it doesn't happen overnight. If you're serious about it and that's what you want then good luck to you, I'm sure you'll get there and remember that sometimes the journey is just as important as reaching your destination.

Its just so annoying to see that there are such few positions in CC or few being offered here in Australia... in Europe many of my relatives are out of jobs due to having lived in a corrupt and communist countries, and to this day their country is still struggling... so I can understand WHY there aren't many jobs there, be it in the aviation industry, or working IN a factory... but what I don't understand is why trying for CC is so competitive? I rekon there should be another step (as the RSA, SFA etc are) so that it can eliminate those who wouldn't stand a chance. And maybe some training/course to do in 'customer service' as it seems you are describing, and perhaps more leniency when looking at an 18yr olds application. They can have their way (the airlines), I wont remain this age forever, I only feel sorry for future 18yr olds who may be in the same position as me in future years.

The airline with the red tail has employed over 1000 longhaul flight attendants over the last 5 years.

The jobs have ALL been offshore.........

Iulia, I know exactly how you feel!! I've been reading your posts, sitting here nodding my head. I too am 18 and to be quite honest feel frustrated. Being young in this industry is like having a disability! Well weve come to late! gone are the days of discriminating against older people, now its discrimination against the young ones. If only we were older maybe they would take more notice.:ugh: remember how virgin blue crew were all young? then the court case with the 50+ year olds, now they only seem to want older ones to prove a point. I can totally understand! all we can do is busy ourselves with as many jobs as we can to show "experience" untill were hired. I can't say im looking forward to a 10 year wait though :uhoh:

18 yr olds...
 

Just remember that you are up there for safety, as well as service.
In my company we have hired one 18 yr old I know of (in the last four years), a couple 19 yr olds but the majority over 21 (and while we're talking about age, the highest around 45 yrs)..
Probably because someone over 18 could have had more life experience. For example, helped in a car accident or assisted someone choking in a restaurant (for extreme examples). And perhaps they would know, before applying with airlines as cabin crew, that in these already experienced sticky situations, they will either fall or crumble under pressure... or more positively may cope better than others.
Also, customer service experience is needed for a cabin crew position. How much customer service can someone have if they've just turned 18, finished high school working 1 or 2 four hour shifts a week?
I know every one is different, but wouldn't this situation be a common one as to why some people find it hard to fly at 18ish?
Just trying to see it from a recruiter's side.

Skyshow, you have a point...
 

BUT I think when recruiting, VB should look more at the individual, and not the age... I mean, I'm been working since I WAS 15!! in customer service, thats just over 3yrs experience now, and I'm currently emloyed on a part-time contract at my lib and getting paid just under $20AUD an hour... thats amazing and unheard of, say at McDonalds for someone my age... PLUS the numerous weird requests we get, unusual situations etc the other week, a lady's vericose vein burst (I wasn't working, but this was told to me by the first aider) and a librarian there had her first aid certificate and rushed to help her and clean up the mess... other times, people ahve thrown up, requested to use the phone coz of a weird guy following them, we've been threatend or followed to our cars etc I think I've gained more experience working in the library then I had in my year of retail in my local shopping centre, regardless of age. Anyhow, I will wait patiently, continue with some other course (as I have to apply soon through VTAC) and keep reapplying to airlines, and IF I should so happen to be invited to another VBRD (or any other airline for that matter... I'm desperate to be a CC) I will gladly accept and trot my little bottom to the day :)

Iulia...
 

I said Your experience isn't a common one. You've worked earlier than many people and have experienced things other people may not have. So in three years of working from 15, you've had certain experiences and I congratulate you on doing well for yourself. But in three years of the more common person starting working around 17 or 18 yrs old, that brings them to 21 yrs old to acheive more or less of what you have by 18.
But keep in my for example that a 25 yr old may not get the job either, even if they've flown as cabin crew previously! It isn't always an age issue, of course.

I too have been working since I was legally allowed too, my dad has been very Ill and the emergency situations I have been in (serious emergencies) I couldn't even begin to count. I know I am prepared for this job, and when it comes down to it the criteria to get in seem like you need to be a rocket scientist, not customer service/safety.

DJTibby...
 

I disagree. For example, Jetstar ask you have at least a year 10 certificate. Not many rocket scientists I know have left school at year 10!
I will also say you guys seem great and well experienced. It is good to see people your age getting out there and trying. I have no doubt, somewhere in time, you will get there. FYI I started trying at 19, several interviews later I got in as cabin crew close to my 21st birthday!

Thanks Skyshow!
 

Its good to have encouragement... it seems that some are fortunate enough to get in sooner then others (say, in a year or two) while those less fortunate struggle as much as ten years... so... it'll be a while, or a long while... who knows! but thanks again.. ;)

nicely said;)
lets hope were in the skies sooner than later:ok:

Just going back to medicals for a sec... don't worry too much girls. The shorts/t-shirt thing is manly because you'll find it easier to bend/stretch etc when doing the flexibility tests... they get you to do things like touch your toes, put your arms over your head, side to side, twist around and touch your ear to your shoulders and so forth.

In my QF medical I had a male doctor, which weirded me out at first, but he was fine and so matter-of-fact about the whole thing that I felt ok. As you say he does hundreds of these things so seeing you in your frilly undies isn't anything new to him!!! :}

hey actually gave me a gown to wear over my underwear, the only time i really had to take it off was so he could look at my spine and also when I was lying on the bed so he could press my stomach to check for hernias.... they just get you to cough and when you cough they push down to feel if there's anything there... king of like when you a little kid and the doc is checking your appendix...

All the other stuff is pretty routine, I don't know of any airlines in Aus who require a pap smear or anything like that, in fact on the QF medical form it's quite clear there is nothing of the sort required so you know if the doc is fibbing... but they're professionals and they know wht they have to do for the medicals...

As for the time taken, it's mainly the waiting in between tests that takes so long!!! =D

Wrt age/experience... it can be a tricky one... I'm in my early 20's, thought I can handle stuff pretty well re: delays, angry pax, emergecies etc... have had a few things happen in the last year which have made me re-think how prepared I was vs how I THOUGHT I was when I was say, 19. Now I have been through a life-threatening emergency, known I can handle it if I have to (thoughI would have like to handle it better) but now I know for next time what I need to do and it's made me that bit more confident about my ability to do my job and help my pax should there be an emergency.

Thanks for the heads up SkySista!
I am dreading going through this whole process and get to as far as I have gotten with the medical and not get through! My blood pressure must be through the roof!!

DJ Tibby,

I think you'll find that the change in DJ recruiting has little (if anything) to do with a court case and more to do with the waythey are now positioning themselves in the marketplace.

Gone is the ultra low cost holiday carrier - you're now looking at Australia's second largest airline, looking to cement it's place in a high yield business market too. That requires a whole different mix of people on-board.

Your 18, but the world isn't against you, it's just the industry is ever changing and the window of opportunity for recruitment can be small.

While it's competitive to get a job in Australia, it's far from impossible. There is a whole lot more recruitment now with JQ and DJ then there was 8 years ago with AN and QF.

thanks overhere. I just hope to squeeze through that window very very soon, It is draining going to so many recruitment days and not getting anywhere. surely persistence must help?:cool: I know for a fact that I have been to more airline recruitment days in 6 months (since leaving school) than a lot of cabin crew have in there career and there already in the sky (meaning they got in lol). It almost becomes personal and you do start to question yourself! so far i have been to: QF link, MAM, JQ, DJ, DJ ground and had 2 nos from DJ a no from QF links, haven't heard back from MAM and haven't heard back from JQ. (I went to JQ a few times as with DJ):sad:
anyway all in all thats 6 days in 6 months!! one recruitment a month almost! Im hoping now to hear from JQ international and maybe sunstate, get another 2 shots!

I just realised... I'll be 19yrs and a half when I'm next able to apply with Virgin... rekon they'll look at me differently then? There was this other girl at my VBRD she was only 19 and already working for Ozjet, but trying out with VB and when she asked my age and I told her, she was like "you're just a baby hun!" and I felt like saying "look at yourself!" my goodness, big difference, one year..! But I'm determined :p

As it has been said in this post, Virgin are starting to head in a different direction than previous. Four years ago the oldest CC I believe was around 32 & there weren't many of them. I now think people of all ages and that includes 19 yr olds and 35 years all have equal chance regardless of court cases. At my recruitment day the ages ranged from approx 18 - 36. The mix that was invited back included both ends of the bracket. So I firmly believe the old mix of presentation and experience will now win you over than previous requirements. As I said before, the day(VBRD) was great and it geniunely made me want to work for them. By the way have had medical- no nails are left so I guess i"ll to wait!!!!! Goodluck to all. By the way regardless of the company, flying is still a great job and don't let anyone tell you different.

OMG - Medical in 14 hours!!!
 

Not that Im counting or anything... but I have my medical in approximately 14 hours for VB. :eek:

Gloria, what did they do to you at your medical and when did you have it??? I have mine tomorrow.:rolleyes:

Its good to hear that they are recruiting all kinds of people now. I thought I would never have a chance with Virgin - but maybe I just do!?! :\

wannabeVB, don't stress too much - I'm sure if your bp reading is a little on the high side they will do it again, and get you to rest for a few minutes. If you're feeling nervous, tell them. It's quite natural to feel nervous as for you, the medical is a big thing.

If the results aren't up to scratch on things like bp, lung capacity etc, they will usually try again on the day a bit later on - they're not out to 'fail' you as such... I know of one girl who was called back a week later to re-do her pee test as the sample wasn't good enough for testing (something to do with her having drunk too much water before - so don't go crazy with the Evian guys!! :} )

Also, just remember not to make a boo-boo like I did and eat anything with poppy seeds in it the night before - I was happily eating crackers with cheese when I realised they had poppy seeds, haha I ran to the sink so fast and spat the whole lot out, my family thought I was nuts!!! :O

If you're nervous about the medical, have a practise up until the day and limber up on the day (esp if going in morning) do some stretches, try 'duck-waddling' on the floor (where you crouch/squat then 'walk' along at floor level) sounds really funny and I cracked up laughing when they made me do it!!! :p It's nothing really hard, so PLEASE don't worry!!! =)

Best of luck to you all!!!

VRD all done!
 

Hi all!!

Well i had my VBRD on Wed!! Am now waiting...like you all did...
for my email or phone call!!

I got through to the role-play/final interview!

It was a great day.... did so much chatting to all the others and to the interviewers!! Lucky for all that water they lay out for you!

Not sure how i feel about it... still trying to adjust to the fact i travelled a million miles there and back... and i have to work tonight now!! EEK!

Shall keep you all updated!

Good luck for those who have just had their medicals! Fingers crossed!

Medical is over.
 

GOOD WORK HOSTEE!! WOO HOO :D - now you have to wait also... I hope you get a phone call next from one of your referees saying that they called!

Anyway, I had my medical today. It wasn't as bad as all that. The Doctor was really kind and only got me to take off my skivvy. I was wearing pants, and she told me that I didn't have to remove them ;) PHEW!!!

I had to squat and do all this other stuff. I was told that everything looked pretty good... and that they would fax the results over to Virgin Blue. Who knows?!? We could know as early as next week!!! :uhoh:

Anyway, did anyone else have a medical today? Let us know how it went. After spending $187 I hope I get the job.:rolleyes:

STF

Hi everyone!
I had my medical today as well STF and it sounds pretty much the same as yours, lots of waiting around and jumping on those dreaded scales:eek:
But it all went well, so now I have to wait and wait and wait, but hopefully not for too long :ugh:
Congrats Hostee on your VRD, I'm sure your phone will be ringing soon enough :)
Anyway back to waiting :ugh: :ugh: :ugh: :ugh: :ugh: :ugh:

Life is full of waiting... waiting for a bus, waiting for a certain date, waiting for the clock off time, waiting for a friend to come over, waiting for a phone call.... waiting...! lol But the worst waiting is for news I rekon...!

Goodonya hostee for getting through to the major interview and role play, I had the doubt about you ;)

And will be having my fingers crossed for STF and WannabeVB as they wait for their replies from VB!!!:D

VB Recruitment
 

hey guys, i just had my vb vrd this week too! i have just found this site and only wish that i had seen it b4.
i was thinking about what you were saying re: age vs expeience... but i dont remember virgin taking my DOB at any stage? did they ask anyone else? they checked the expiry dates of my certificates, but nothing else...?

My DOB was on right top hand corner of resume with addy and phone number etc. And the fact that they asked what I was currently doing, and I said high school yr12 would have given my age away.. lol did ya have fun at your VBRD? :)

REX
 

Heya peeps :)
Was just napping, and got an unexpected phonecall from REX for an interview in two weeks time! Now theres a reason to be woken up! hehe
so excited... another interview! its at the airport though... bummer, bit of a drive for me. If I were to get a job as CC I'd move anyway.
Was just curious, anyone here ever been for an interview for REX? How is their recruitment day, same as the others with registrations, spot interviews etc? Any info would help, thanks!

Iulia, congrats!! By all accounts Rex are a great company to work for!! I know a few people recently were asking questions about them, maybe a search of the CC and D&G forums will turn something up for you.

Being a regional I'd hazard a guess that interviews will be on a smaller scale, but still similar questions to, say DJ or JQ. Just remember that with Rex you'd be a solo flightie, so think about the rewards and challenges of that as well!!

I know girls (& guys!) who have been solo flighties and loved it, other people may hate it because they prefer working with more people. However, having said that, Rex would be a fantastic opportunity to see all the goings-on of an airline, some may say 'stepping stone' but I reckon it would be a great career in it's own right; some people start regional and never go anywhere else because they love it so much!!

I've worked with a regional airline before, i can say definitely you'd have a fab time, lots of laughs as well as stressful days, but the fact you can recognise every face in the crew room and you know everyone can be so great, it's like a little 'family' away from home!!! :D

Good luck!!!

REX
 

Hey Iulia, best of luck with REX, they seem to be a great crew and their CC are well respected by other airlines because they are people who are truly capable of handling themselves. There is little else as they are by themself all the time.

Seems to be a great operation at REX too! and growing nicely.

All the best for you interview, chin up and project self confidence...

Cheers.

Iulia, I didnt have my DOB on my resume coz i dont think its necessary... And u'll probably find that they don't keep it on file or anyhthing. i had a good time at the vrd... what did u think of the staff? they were so friendly i didnt feel nervous at all!

The wait is now over!
 

Hi Everyone,

I just want you all to know that