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Interviews are meant to be tough. It helps companies select the best possible candidate, an especially difficult task given the number of applicants pursuing an exciting aviation career.
It pays to have answers prepared for the most difficult questions that crop up in aviation interviews. So, it might be worthwhile considering the following:
Are you willing to relocate? Aviation is a global industry with most airlines having offices and operations outside of their home base. Be ready to discuss where you’re willing to move to, if that’s necessary for the new position.
How would you handle working in a different culture? Related to the first question is the different cultures you will face in aviation. It may not just be a question of adjusting to life if you’re asked to move countries either. Even aviation employees based in their home countries may deal with colleagues based elsewhere. Understanding their culture, perhaps just knowing their office times, could be crucial to successful communication and a more efficient operation. Have a story to share about working with people who have different ideas and mindsets.
Can you deal with difficult people? If you want to be in the front line of customer service, you’ll need to be confident in answering this. Travel can be stressful for many people and you’ll need know how to calm people down with clear instructions and relevant advice.
What do you know about our airline? Always know as much as possible about the company and position you’re applying for. What is the business model, for example? Airlines no longer fall into neatly defined categories like legacy or low-cost carrier. Understanding how the airline has developed and its forward strategy may make the difference.
Why do you want to work in aviation? IATA has masses of information about aviation’s global appeal available on its website. Take time to learn about the industry’s considerable social, economic, and humanitarian benefits as well as its pro-active approach to managing its environmental impact. You may also want to mention aviation’s reputation for innovation or new technologies. Or it may just be the fact that this is an industry like no other!
Do you work best in a team? Aviation is a team effort. Aircraft don’t fly from one side of the world to the other without a huge number of people involved. It’s not only pilots, cabin crew, ground handlers, and maintenance technicians either. Revenue management executives might have the data that determines whether a route can be a success, lawyers will work on the contracts involved, and leaders will need to make the final decision.
How well do you communicate? The industry crosses borders and cultures and touches on partners from caterers to civil aviation authorities. Are you comfortable in both formal and informal communication? It’s not just about communicating verbally either. Carrying out your duties in a professional and highly-skilled manner—thanks to IATA training, of course—sends out a very clear message.
Why is collaboration essential in aviation? Questions can be very specific about the role for which you are applying or can test the degree of your overall knowledge. Aviation is an interdependent system that requires the optimized efforts of several partners to get passengers to their destination safely and on time. Weather information, the status of the various ground support activities, a late arriving passenger—there is a huge amount of information that needs to be communicated effectively in real-time. Because every aspect of aviation is multi-faceted, you can never know enough, and you can never have too much training.
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