Friday, November 13, 2009

{Born to Fly}


I've been thinking about a past career of mine a lot lately. I always do this when I'm not actually in the career at the current moment and it rattles my brain how I miss it but when in the job I wanted a "normal job". Go figure. I was a Flight Attendant off and on from 2000-2007! I saw many wonderful places, traveled the world for free and met a lot of great people. I had always wanted to be a Flight Attendant and always thought it was such a glamorous career. On the outside it is, but when "in the job" working on planes all day, sitting in airports, sitting on planes because of delays it isn't so glamours anymore. But I didn't care, I loved what I did. Why did I quit? Being away from my family and friends anywhere from 4-6 days a week became hard to deal with and I missed out on a lot of important life events. It's not a cake walk getting hired and graduating to being employed as a Flight Attendant. You go through several weeks of long and tiring training requiring comprehension of material, quizzes, tests - all to be passed with a 80% or higher to the stress of am I going to make it or will I be sent home because of a test that I have failed? Then there are required flight hours that you have to go through to get a pass or fail to move on to being an actual "Flight Attendant" and no longer a trainee. I learned a lot and proved to myself that I can do ANYTHING!



The last airline I flew for, UNITED, I was always unsure how long I would have a job for. I was hired in May of 2007 right after the economy started to get a little better and the airline industry was picking up. I never knew if I would have a job the next month or not. After being initially based out of Washington, D.C. - Dulles and meeting my Husband, I had to make an important decision if this was a career I wanted to continue with no guarantee I would be employed for several months/years or if I would soon get married and have a family and have to suddenly quit because it would be too hard to be away from family. The decision was to make a career change. It wasn't easy, but it was for the best. My classmates from my training class of May 07 are now no longer employed with United due to the economy and this could have been me. I'm thankful for the amazing experiences I had flying with UNITED and will always cherish this time of my life.



I always have that thought it the back of my head, are any main line carriers hiring (airlines that aren't express carriers meaning no tiny planes) Flight Attendants? I would love to do it again, but the uncertainity of job stability and pay is too much to risk right now. Maybe one day I'll be in the friendly skies again, but for now I'm enjoying being on land, behind a monitor all day getting to spend time with my family and friends.

Do you have a job that you had in the past or currently have that is extra special to you?



4 comments:

  1. How in the world did you do that, lady? Haha! That is so awesome! Personally, I zonk myself out with a couple Drammamine & pray that I don't wake up before the plane lands. That really is awesome that you had an experience like that. I can't wait until I'm finally finished grad school & can get moving in a career that I really really love.

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  2. I've always loved flying! It was an amazing oppourtunity that I got at a young age and I hated College, so this was the route I went. Haha, most people don't like flying and I get this question all the time. Soon you will in the career that you really love. What is this love??:-)

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  3. Well, I definitely envy your love for flying! I totally wish I loved it! haha! I'm working on my Masters in Counseling right now. Just a few more classes to go and I'll be into my internships. I want to be a family & children's counselor :)

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  4. That is great that you are working on your Master's! My Mom has her Undergrad/Masters in marriage and family therapy, but didn't complete all of her hours. Now for her to start again, she basically has to start all over interning. She started interning I think in 1997. She was wonderful and she still is...she's my therapist! Haha! You will be a great family & children's counselor. You will definitely impact their lives in a very positive way! Good luck, good luck!!!!:)

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