On Becoming a Flight Attendant...

Oh, Facebook. You are the social media platform I love to hate, wish I could delete, but can’t seem to live without.

Facebook is my least favorite social media application, but I keep it around for two reasons, one of them being memories.

I go between laughing hysterically and re-sharing my status, to the ol’ standby, the cringe and (sometimes) delete.

While I am not big into Facebook (Instagram is more my jam), the last few months have been chock full of reminders of my first few months as a flight attendant. I cant believe it’s already been over a year since I went off to training and started this new career. I couldn’t be more cliche but time really does fly when you are having fun.

If there is one question I am really good at answering, it’s how and why I went from a desk job to flight attendant. Keep reading for the extended version.

From a very young age, I knew that a traditional 9-to-5 office job was not for me. With a strong love for fashion, I always dreamed of working in the fashion industry in some capacity. Editor? Designer? Stylist? I had no idea what would be the right fit but I wanted it to take me from Milan to Paris to New York (the city I would still call home) in any given month. Because I not just loved fashion, I also absolutely loved planes and to travel. Achievable? I had no idea. I just knew one thing was for sure: my job would have me in a different city/country often, out of the office and on the go.

Could you tell that I had a very vivid imagination as a child? As I got older, it all felt completely aspirational, especially considering the fact that I came from a very traditional household. Traditional in that you go to school, you graduate with your degree (or two) and you get a job with benefits. Once you’ve advanced and built that 401k, when the time comes, you happily retire and pursue your passions (that were maybe hobbies before) full-time. Oh and travel? You reserve that for 1-2x a year.

The dream.

I was never told outright that this is what I had to do, but it was certainly implied and encouraged. Even though it never felt right for me, it was the path that I set out on so ultimately, I did as I was “told.” I pursued a degree in a field that made my parents happy I could make a lot of money in, went through the motions (and struggles), only to graduate in 2012 and enter one of the worst job markets in history.

A small part of me felt a sense of failure. How could I graduate and work so hard only to be unemployed? This was not part of “the plan.” But at the same time, I felt a sense of relief…

To break up the monotony of college, I started blogging during my Freshman year about fashion and style. I continued blogging through much of college and created a pretty successful blog. In the summer of my Junior year of college, I started designing and selling jewelry through my blog and on Etsy. (Smartest thing I ever did as nothing drives sales like your fellow collegiates.) When I graduated and saw how successfully the job search was going (sarcasm), I turned these hobbies into full-time gigs with a monthly income. I couldn’t be happier- my schedule was whatever I wanted it to be, I was developing content/a product that meant something to me and I was living my best, creative life while still utilizing that Business degree. I was living my dream at my pace and out of an office.

My parents didn’t really understand the potential in my businesses and worried that this non-traditional career path would be more struggle than reward. Worried about failure (aka lacking confidence), I thought seriously about their concerns and decided to set out on a serious search for a “real” job. I wrote all about how well (sike) that played out here. TLDR: I worked for three years in two different positions at a company that left me completely miserable. Lesson learned? When you ignore your dreams and passions, you suffer.

There were very few people at my old job that were happy with the company or what they were doing. Turnover was extremely high and almost everyone was actively pursuing employment elsewhere, my first boss/mentor included. We would often have lunch together, and during one of these lunches, she gave me some very valuable advice for my job hunt that has stuck with me to this day:

Be specific with your wants. Put it out in the universe exactly how you want it to be. You want better pay? A more qualified boss? A company with potential for growth? Say and ask for it exactly how you want it to be.

Fast forward to the summer of 2016. I logged in to my computer at exactly 8:35am (as I did every morning) and began responding to emails. Typing the same “Please confirm,” message I would write at least six more times for the day, I found my first “want:” non-routine.

From my commute to work to my actual work day, everything was the same, sometimes down to the minute. When the train would arrive, when I would swipe my badge into the office, when I would log in to my computer, when my boss would show up two hours late… so on and so forth.

It was all so routine, so boring. I wanted something that was different everyday. I craved variety.

After I realized my first “want,” I started to realize others. I hated sitting at a desk all day, so I wanted a job that was more active. A career where I could interact with people face-to-face as opposed to behind a computer screen, 10,000 miles away.  A company that I could grow in. A career that gave me the flexibility to pursue other interests and that allowed me to pursue my love of travel and not punish me for it. Most of all, I wanted to work for a company that cared for people.

In August of that summer, I would find myself on vacation in Europe.  While sipping wine on a farm in Sorrento, Italy, the lush country side and the island of Capri in view, I made the decision to quit my job once I returned to the States. I could not bear the thought of returning to this job that I hated so much. This job where I was severely underpaid, underutilized, discriminated against and completely miserable. It was time for me to move on and find my happy elsewhere.

As we boarded our flight home from Barcelona, American Airlines flight 67, I was holding back tears. Fueled by a lack of sleep, I was feeling a bit of fear and uncertainty about the decision I had made and what the future had in store for me. As I settled into my seat, I couldn’t help but notice the flight attendant in the aisle. She exuded grace and poise. Her interactions with the passengers she came in to contact with was genuine. Even with a long flight ahead of us, she radiated a genuine happiness. It was obvious that she loved what she was doing and that where she was was exactly where she wanted to be. As I watched her, I became completely inspired and the light bulb went off.

I wanted to be a flight attendant.

My fear suddenly turned into excitement. The more I thought about it, the more it made sense. It checked off all the boxes in regards to my “wants,” and even before fully researching this new role, this potential new career just felt like the right fit. This was the career for me.

That one time we had 15 customers on a plane that seats 150. LGB-SJC

 

When I returned to work the following week, I pulled one of my coworkers aside to discuss my potential career change. His partner worked for the airline I was interested in and I figured he could offer some insight and direction. Before I even finished my sentence, he exclaimed:

“Alyssa, you would be PERFECT as a flight attendant. You need to do it. This is totally for you.”

I would officially resign a week later. In the two months following, I applied, interviewed and was offered a job at my dream company.

I have now been flying for a total of 14 months, with over 300 hours flown this year already. Adjusting to this new job lifestyle took some time (actually, still adjusting), but ultimately, it has been worth it. I couldn’t be happier with where this career has taken me already, from all the new places I have been able to explore and the people, wether fellow Crew or Customers, I have and continue to meet along the way. Not to mention the flexibility this job allows me to pursue the things that mean the most to me. I’ve always had an idea of what a dream job would be, and this feels pretty close to that.

This may seem a tale of a career change. But for me, it’s a lesson, on taking a leap of faith. In trusting yourself and your dreams and ambitions. But most importantly, in pursuing the one thing that truly matters most: being happy.