(Last updated on: 26/12/2020)

Many people are unsuccessful in their Cabin Crew job applications because their CV is inadequate. This is, however, a simple fix! All you need to do is spend a little bit of time tailoring your CV to the job that you are applying for, matching up your skills and qualities with those required and there you have it- the perfect Cabin Crew CV! 

I have worked as Cabin Crew myself and taught Cabin Crew courses for over ten years. I also specialise in employability skills and have helped hundreds of my students to write amazing CVs and get a job as Cabin Crew! I will give you lots of tips in this post but if you’re not sure where to start it might be also helpful for you to download a Cabin Crew CV template here.

Top tips to make the perfect Cabin Crew CV

Make sure personal details are accurate and clear

Most CVs will start by identifying the personal details of the applicant. This will usually include your name, address, phone number and e-mail. Making this bold or a different colour can be a good idea to make it stand out.

The employer may well be reading hundreds or even thousands of Cabin Crew CVs, so you don’t want yours to blend in with the crowd. Having said that though, you don’t want to stand out for the wrong reasons either so no fancy fonts or bright colours that look unprofessional! Probably best to leave nicknames off too… 

Grab the employer’s attention with an interesting personal statement 

Include 3-4 lines to outline who you are and what you are seeking. You might also include some of your main ‘selling points’ such as being ‘experienced’ or ‘highly qualified’. You will then elaborate on these points later on in your CV. 

Match skills and qualities to the job description

Some people will choose to add a section on skills and qualities, other people will simply embed this within the rest of their CV. Whichever you choose, make sure that it matches up with the employer’s requirements.

If it states in the job description that they are looking for a person with excellent teamwork skills, for example, then mention in your CV that you have excellent teamwork skills! It seems obvious, but applicants make this mistake all too often. 

Tailor your CV for each job application 

Sending out a standard Cabin Crew CV to lots of employers can be tempting, but it is not recommended. Employers like to see that your application is personalised and that it has been written especially for the job that they are advertising. You can mention, for example, why you are interested in that particular airline or mention the name of the company. This will demonstrate that you have tailored your application to the individual job that you are applying for. 

Check, check, check and check again 

One of the biggest problems with CVs is the amount of mistakes that people make! This does not look good and will often result in you being added straight onto the ‘reject pile’. 

Proof read for spelling and grammar errors and ask a friend or family member to take a look for you too- we often don’t see our own mistakes! 

Also make sure that there are no errors in details such as employment dates. This can be particularly problematic when applying for airline passes, so accuracy is very important! 

If it doesn’t look good, leave it off 

Not everything has to be included on your CV. If you didn’t get the grade that you wanted for GCSE history, leave it off- sometimes including low grades can do more harm than good! 

It’s great to include all of your work experience, but if the list becomes too long you might want to narrow it down to relevant work experience or recent work experience. 

Keep it short 

It is recommended that your CV does not exceed 2 pages. Long CVs lose the employer’s attention and probably contain irrelevant details or are poorly formatted. 

Don’t be the same as everyone else 

Most people will include a short section towards the end of their CV highlighting their personal interests or hobbies. This is your chance to stand out!

Everybody says that they like to socialise or go to the cinema…. Boring! Try to include something interesting and unique that better demonstrates your character. For example, stating that you enjoy meeting new cultures through travelling the world or taking on new challenges such as climbing a mountain can be great things to mention here. 

Hold back on reference details for now 

When applying for a job as Cabin Crew the airline will need to do rigorous checks on your references in order to obtain your airside pass. You won’t be able to fit all of the details onto your CV, so for now it is better to simply state that references are available on request. 

Photo or no photo? 

In the UK we do not tend to use photographs on our CVs. There are, however, many other countries around the world who do. Think about what airline you are applying to and where they are based. The Asian and Middle Eastern airlines, for example, often require a photograph as part of their application process, so it would be a good idea to include on your CV. 

When choosing a photograph, make sure that it is appropriate. You will want to make sure that you look professional. It will usually be a head and shoulder shot.  

Keep your CV up to date 

It is a good idea to regularly update your CV as you never know when you might need to hand it to somebody at late notice! 

Is your Cabin Crew CV ready to go?

Remember, only 5% of people who apply for a job as Cabin Crew are successful…. so you want to make sure that you’re CV is the best of the bunch to give you the best chances of getting a job!