Just got back from Glasgow and checked my inbox. That is when I tripped over Mohammed’s mail, firstly because it’s probably one of the few emails that was actually written with real words, avoiding the Text message lingo I usually get (ie : “wotU up 2 l8r bro ? fanC a \_/ @ Long’s bar? tel me wotU tnk !”). Trust me it’s refreshing ! This chap is 16 years old and already planning his career which is surprising for me as I can remember being a total couch potato at that age. All I could think of back then was party on weekends, doing all sorts of nonsense, being a total donkey at school and generally being the laziest twat ever. Fortunately, after a few years, I got my act together and it turned out quite well. I started to work and enjoy what I was doing with my life.
As for Mohammed. It’s quite the opposite. He’s still at school and is an avid reader of EK blogs. Since he flew with Emirates, he pretty much decided to land a job with us. But, as realistic as he comes across, he knows he’s got some miles to run before that can happen and has sent in this really sensible email :
Hi Sodwee
How are you? It’s cold in Manchester too!
I am a fond reader of your EK cabin crew blog, by God, it’s the best on the web. All the graphics and widgets. I’m impressed. I enjoy seeing your account of daily life with Emirates.Don’t be suprised – I am 15 years of age, coming to 16 living in the UK ,where I will have to decide my choices for a career. I have a true passion for travel, snap, just like you. Ever since I first flew on an Emirates flight, it left an impression on my mind, heart and dream. I always wanted to work for this airline and that’s why I am emailing you.
What advice would you give to me? I have research the role, looked at plenty of blogs and read up to 12am to see how exciting you guys live your lives.
What college courses did you pick and what did you study at university? Also what should I do till I am 21 years old?Thank you,
Mohammed
And this is the reply I sent him. I published this here because I thought it was interesting to see young people working it out for their future. Not in a thousand years did I think I was going to become a Cabin Crew for Emirates. At 16 I was probably thinking I would be some kind of rock star or a biased artist relying on Sotheby’s for my monthly income.
Hey buddy, appreciate all the feedback and comments ! Kudos to you ! It’s fun to see how determined you are at that age, I can remember being the laziest back in those days.
The advice I can give you is to work hard for what you want, make the most out of what you think will help you. Make it happen for yourself, you’re working towards a goal. No one but you can make the right decisions in what will help you out for your career. That was the first advice.
On a more specific point, I strongly recommend working on another language (if you haven’t got two already). If you can speak arabic already that is a definate bonus for you. Also orientating your remaining academics towards something involving customer service/tourism will greatly help you. Pass your A levels as they will be a key criteria to get in any airline. They often require a high school diploma.
Also when you get the chance, I do not know if you can start doing jobs during summer at that age in the UK, but land a summer job in restaurants, any kind of restaurants or bar business will get you hands on with customer service (ie, how to deal with certain situations, deal with customers etc etc.). That’s what you could do until 21.
Also a very good prep is to try as much as possible to get a year abroad in another country, you’ll learn a lot by getting out there. There’s so much school will not provide. Getting to know people, interact with foreigners and that sort of thing is true gold, not only for your career but for you mainly.
As for me I did a general study in France, got my A levels and did 6 months of geography at uni in Paris. I ditched that to work and get money in my pocket (not the best advice lol). But I got to learn a lot in management, team leading and stuff because I gradually got promoted to run bar shifts and what have you. Very interesting and again I learnt many lessons. Then moved out of my parents and worked away, came back to Paris, worked in more restaurants and bars then applied for Emirates.
You have plenty of time to think about what you want to do. But planning ahead is very good. All I can say is work for want you want to earn, might it be cash, knowledge or fun.
I think I said everything I wanted to say. Any other questions are welcome. Don’t hesitate !
Ben.
He finally replied with this :
Bonjour, mon ami!
I appreciate your advice and it means a lot for me to take your time out to reply.
I am studying French GCSE, and also doing a vocational double GCSE on Leisure and Tourism which covers customer service. So in effect I speak English, Urdu/Punjabi, a tad bit of Francais.I just have the passion of Emirates, and I aim to work for the airline and make my way through. The only thing I am worried about is on the blogs, website and forums I just see “g.a.d’s are hard” “impossible to get through” “got rejection letter” “i dont know what they are looking for” ” i did everything right”. I am just put off and am scared that I won’t make it pass stage 1. I know I have a long time but these things do set you back.
I bought a book recently called “How to become Emirates Cabin Crew” by Caitlyn Jones, do check it out.
I hope to take Travel and Tourism which is equivalent to 3 A Levels, then perhaps carry on to University. Work to gain some customer service experience and hopefully apply to Emirates.I will definetely find a good job which will boost my experience with customer service, perhaps in a restaurant or bar etc.
I often do go abroad, and I suppose Emirates do want people who are ‘people’s people’ so to speak. I mean, someone who is good with all sorts of people. All over the world.
I wish you the best of luck in your career. I hope we can keep can keep communicating via FB, or any other means. Once again, your advice is much valued and appreciated.
Mohammed
If you have any other kind of advice for Mohammed, please do use the comment section below. The more the merrier ! He’d greatly appreciate your input so don’t be shy !
Otherwise I have 2 hours before I jet off to Jakarta ! Good times ! Speak to you soon ! And here’s some Galley snaps from various trips….
This is a WPSimpleViewerGallery
Thank you for the post. I would glady accept any advice from crew.
INSPIRING! You go Mohammed! Very impressed indeed. I just fell into this career myself with little preparation but I believe if you put the amount of effort into moving in this direction that have already you are more than halfway there buddy.
Awesome stuff!
Hey Mohammed, when I was your age I really did not have much to look forward too having lived in a third world country, but fortunately I moved to Canada where anything you want with hard work will happen, my dream was (and probably still is) to be a commercial airline Pilot, and trust me it is very rewarding, I had the chance to work on my private license (flew a cessna), but this takes a lot of money and time which I did not have or could not provide, the next best think obviously was to work in the air as a flight attendant. I only got to do that at the age of 32 (which is borderline in this business), and this was this year, unfortunately that airline folded, but still got in 2 other airlines + Emirates which I will be joining this year. My advice, UK has a lot of airlines, Europe for that matter, try to get in the charter ones, as they are always looking for seasonal Flight Attendants, and once you have experience flying, trust me, the recruiters will definitely think twice before letting you go. At my Interview with EK, they saw I had experience (less then a year !) and they were all happy because I could relate to the position offered. But most of all be yourself and have an open mind. Good luck.
this is impressive, i remember when i was 16 i was full of passion for architecture and design. well, now i’m almost 20. and clueless what i’m gonna do next.. haha..
keep the passion up Mohammed!! you still have long way to go!!
sodwee!! jakarta huh.. i’m so jealous of you! i wanna go homee sooo badly!! i’m stuck here in sydney.. dude, jakarta is not a regular tourist place! but DO explore the city.. you’ll love it!
Mohammed,
What a great ambition to have… I remember knowing that I definately wanted a job in the Travel Industry from a young age, and I didn’t particularly plan on being Cabin Crew especially. Keep your options open to begin with, and if you can get a job with any airline as Ground Staff (they often will employ you at a younger age) back in the UK, it will give you a great basis for an understanding into the industry, so that when you go and apply for a job for cabin crew, you will be able to apply all of the skills you have gained and have great examples for the interview! …also don’t be put off by other people who don’t get in. They just might not have what that particular airline wants on the day. The interview is the ONLY chance an airline can have to see what you might be like when interacting with its customers, and so FIRST IMPRESSIONS are the biggest key!
Good luck!