If you happen to stumble upon the hotel convention room that’s hosting the SIA walk-in interviews, you’d think it’s an audition for Singapore Idol. The SIA walk-in interviews has a really huge scale and often spans the entire day, with a lot of waiting around in between each stage. 

Photo: The Straits Times

While you may have an idea of how an SQ girl looks or behaves, the goal of the interview is not to find someone who fits that mold, rather someone that they believe has the potential and is able to be a team player. 

Looking the part is easy with a plethora of makeup tutorials available, but the interviews are more interested in seeing what your natural skin looks like. Keep makeup light and natural, and let your personality shine through instead. 

Photo: The Straits Times

While SQ girls are mostly in their uniform, they still have to portray a professional image during training or if they have to travel as a passenger for work. This means office wear, which is your best bet during the interview. Generally, it is preferred that interviewees dress professionally during interviews instead of being clad in casual wear. It also shows the interviewers that you’re serious about your job. 

Photo: The Straits Times

If you’re lucky enough to be called back for an interview at the SIA Training Centre, there will be a  a water confidence test, where you will jump into a 4-metre pool (with a life jacket, don’t worry) and swim all the way to the other end. 

The jump is a pretty high one, from the mock up of a plane into the water. So if you have a fear of heights or water, this job is not for you. 

Photo: The Straits Times, Neo Xiaobin

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While they’re testing whether you are comfortable in water during the water confidence test, they’re also looking out for a couple of things when you walk back to the starting end of the pool – the way you walk, and your posture. 

Telltale signs of asymmetry, slanted shoulders and slouching are hard to hide when you’re in a swimsuit. Interviewees have to be conscious of their posture at all times, even when it seems that they’re not being observed. 

Photo: 123RF

Speaking of being in a swimsuit, if you have any tattoos, it would be hard to hide them and hence affect your chances of being recruited. You might come across cabin crew friends who do have tattoos but they are usually hidden underneath the kebaya. Tattoos on the wrists, lower forearms, back of neck, back of ear and an instant no-no.

The grooming guidelines regarding piercings are also extremely strict, basically you’re only allowed one piercing on each ear lobe. No septum, helix, orbital, nose, lip or tongue piercings will be tolerated.  

Photo: 123RF

The minimum height requirement for female cabin crew is 158 cm and male cabin crew would have to be at least 165 cm tall. This is not just to look good in the uniform. Safety equipment are sometimes stored in overhead compartments that would be challenging to reach if you’re shorter. Plus, compartments in the galley are often designed to maximise storage space, which means floor to ceiling compartments – another disadvantage if you’re shorter and can’t reach them easily. 

Photo: 123RF

A large part of a cabin crew’s job is being able to communicate and interact with the passengers. This means you need to speak in an audible, yet professional manner. There will be several instances where you will interact with                  

Photo: The Straits Times, Neo Xiaobin    

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