Aviation Employee Competencies
To eliminate any confusion, all positions in the aviation industry are regarded as customer service oriented positions. Every second an employee spends with a customer or potential customer is critical. Most customers choose to buy, fly, or purchase based on the quality of service received. Customers may never see you, but they will remember their telephone conversation, the comfort of their flight, and the way their baggage or package arrived; safely, timely at the correct destination. They will thank you by buying, flying, and purchasing from your company over and over again.
Today's Aviation Industry requires you to possess the following Core Competencies to be successful in your job search, and on the job.
Customer Service Orientation
Successful applicants must genuinely enjoy providing caring, professional customer service. This is an expectation to provide outstanding service to customers not only to the first customer of each day, but every customer throughout the day. Customers at the end of the day should receive the same high level of service as the customers at the beginning of your day, even though you may have been on duty 14 hours or more.
Flexibility and Adaptability
Applicants must be extremely flexible and adaptable. As an employee in the aviation industry you may be required to work in many different locations, environments, schedules, with different people, and even on different aircraft types. Your work schedule may change monthly and the people you work with may change daily. The types of service provided are different depending on the company, product, service, location, flight length, destination, service levels, and customer amenities. You must also be willing to relocate to domicile to which you are assigned if it is a requirement of the job.
Interpersonal Skills
Successful applicants must be highly empathetic. Interpersonal Skills are important social skills that include a positive outlook and a sincere concern for others. It means you are sensitive to the needs and feelings of others, in other words, diplomatic. You may be asked to deal with difficult situation in a positive, non confrontational manner. Listening effectively, being polite and diplomatic to people from all walks of life and all areas of the world is essential to the interpersonal skills you already have.
Communication Skills
Applicants must be able to deliver a clear and accurate message in a manner that is appropriate for the individual or audience. It also includes the ability to share information openly and honestly in a respectful way. Actively listening and presenting concepts in an organized fashion which enables an understanding of your message is one of the keys to effective communication skills. Additionally, you should be able to communication in a calm fashion during stressful situations.
Teamwork
Successful applicants must have the ability to maintain a healthy balance between the ability to work independently and as part of a team. As a team member on a flight crew, sales organization, assembly line, or office environment, you actively contribute to the team and maintain positive working relationships with all team members, in the air and on the ground. Being part of the team means you treat others fairly and with respect, while sharing resources and information with other team members. From time to time, this means seeking opportunities to help others before being asked or required. Something to keep in mind is that teamwork means, the work of the crew isn't done until every crewmember's work is done.
Cultural Sensitivity
Successful applicants must possess a high degree of cultural sensitivity and exhibit respect for diversity of all types. This means you must be fair, balanced and considerate towards all people. Your cultural sensitivity is demonstrated by your ability to adapt and effectively manage circumstances related to cultural differences, and identifying potential problems relating to diversity and seeking out solutions.
Integrity and High Ethical Standards
Successful applicants are expected to be honest and ethical. You may be responsible for inventorying and handling valuable equipment, as well as collecting, managing cash and credit sales. You must have a high work ethic and standard. Your treatment of customers and co-workers is expected to be truthful and sincere.
Established Values System
Successful applicants must be primarily self-motivated and have the ability to work unsupervised. Self-satisfaction must be found by treating others well, since feedback will come more often from customers than from supervisory personnel. This will allow you to maintain high standards even under pressure from peers to relax those standards. You must be self-confident and take responsibility for your actions, preferring to earn rewards rather than expecting entitlements.
Dependability
Dependability is extremely important to a successful career in the aviation industry. The aviation industry requires generally greater levels of dependability than other industries. Your position may require you to be ?on call?, or to work on holidays, or even during your scheduled days off and you must arrive on-time - every time. Failure to maintain a dependable work record is the primary reason most new employees are released during the first six months of employment.
Conscientiousness
Successful applicants must be conscientious about their schedule, paperwork, follow-up for customers, sales and inventory, reporting and completion of required reading. Your training requirements and FAA required manuals must be kept up-to-date. Reports about situation occurring on the job must be filed in a timely manner according to company guidelines
Professional Image
Successful applicants must be professional and pleasant in both image and demeanor and adhere to any on-the-job uniform regulations. You must uphold the image of your company performance, productivity, public image, and branding. Some of these standards include:
- A conservative hairstyle; natural looking with no extreme shape or color.
- Make-up appropriate for daytime business wear.
- Nails are to be well groomed.
- Jewelry is to be conservative. No more than 2 earrings per ear. Men may not wear earrings. Nose, tongue, or eyebrow jewelry may not be worn.
[ad]