I’ve recruited flight attendants for major airlines. Here are the do’s and don’ts of getting hired (and whether good looks and height will help you get the job)

Do you have dyed hair and tend to roll your eyes when you receive criticism?

Then you can forget about being a flight attendant, says Elena Carmen López, 43, from Barcelona. A former cabin crew recruiter, she told MailOnline Travel what airlines look for when interviewing flight attendants.

While this job isn’t all about looks, there are a few aspects that could help you get the job — or get a discount.

Elena explains: ‘When we talk about image, yellow or cracked teeth, unnaturally colored hair, tattoos, piercings and large scars are an absolute ‘no’, to name a few.

‘Airlines are not looking for good-looking people, but for people with a good and professional appearance.’

Elena Carmen López (pictured) is a former cabin crew recruiter who revealed to MailOnline Travel what airlines look for when interviewing flight attendant candidates

Elena (left), who worked as a cabin crew for Monarch and Emirates, notes that on recruitment day ‘you should wear formal attire and it is recommended for ladies to wear a knee-length skirt, hair tied up, stockings and nails groomed’

Your height may also be important in recruitment.

Elena says: ‘They are very focused on length.

“They need tall people to have access to all the emergency equipment in the overhead bins… and hiring managers are also looking for fit people who can cope with this fast-paced lifestyle.”

So you need to be fit and professional and avoid unnatural hair colours… but how do you dress on a job interview day?

Elena, who worked as a cabin crew for Monarch and Emirates, notes: ‘You should dress in formal attire and for ladies it is advisable to wear a knee-length skirt, hair tied up, stockings, nails manicured. Male candidates should wear a suit and tie.

‘It is advisable to follow the required formal dress code so that recruiters can form an image of you on board the plane.’

Elena notes that this is not always possible, as flight attendants are sometimes recruited on walk-in open days. If this is the case, she notes that formal attire is “not mandatory, as some candidates may not know or may have decided to go without being prepared.”

Elena, pictured, says: ‘They are looking for real personalities and people with a tendency to smile’

“Arriving late, not smiling enough or being too stiff can also be factors that can lead to direct rejection,” says the former recruiter

It’s not all about how you look, though. Elena shares her thoughts on how personality affects the application process.

She says, “They’re looking for genuine personalities and people who like to laugh.

“They are not looking for leaders, attitude or rudeness. Being late, not smiling enough or being too rigid can also be factors that can lead directly to rejection.

‘Not listening to what other candidates are saying or rolling their eyes are also common mistakes.’

Does she have examples of the best candidates she has met or coached?

Elena, seen here in Dubai, notes: ‘What I enjoyed most about being a flight attendant was travelling to different destinations and living a lifestyle that you can’t have with any other job.’

Elena notes: ‘As a recruiter, you can see right away, from the start, whether someone is a ‘star candidate’.

Their grooming is impeccable, they are polite to others, they smile often, [they’re] gentle, determined and their overall performance is simply phenomenal.’

And the worst part?

She says, “Those who don’t reflect on and do anything about their past rejections become defensive and blame others for their failures.”

The recruitment coach, who now helps people secure contracts with airlines, claims there are also post-interview dos and don’ts that airline candidates should keep in mind.

She says: ‘Some candidates change their email address after their application has been rejected online. This is a big ‘no’ that can lead to a ‘blacklist’.’

Elena adds that prospective crew members should “stay away from Facebook groups” and “consider coaching” before their interview.

According to Elena, these are the ‘most difficult’ airlines to recruit staff for.

Elena has written two books about her experiences with the airlines: Life After Dubai and The Golden Call

Above is The Golden Call (£14) – Elena’s book about the cabin crew recruitment processes of Middle Eastern airlines Emirates and Etihad

She explains: ‘I think so. It’s the airlines that are the hardest to get a spot on and because there’s a lot of demand, they’re raising the bar when it comes to the requirements for cabin crew.

‘Middle Eastern airlines want the full package: they are looking for natural skills, personality and of course a good image! Middle Eastern airlines are very conservative, so a conservative look and grooming is appreciated.’

For those looking to work for a Middle Eastern airline, Elena has some more advice.

She told MailOnline: ‘I think a lot of candidates – influenced by social media – have a slightly different idea of ​​what it’s like to live and work for a Middle Eastern airline.

‘They often have very high expectations of their job and of the country, and some of them may not be so happy about that afterwards.’

What did Elena enjoy most about her time in the air?

She says: ‘What I loved most about being a flight attendant was flying with different people every day, learning about new cultures, sharing different points of view, travelling to different destinations and living a lifestyle that you can’t have in any other job.

‘What I hated about the job was the lack of sleep and the jet lag – which I don’t think you ever get used to – and the loneliness.’

The recruiter notes: ‘After five years of flying for Emirates, I felt it was time to spread my wings. I was ready to leave cabin crew.’

If you want to hear more from Elena, you can find her on Instagram under the username @carmenlarecruiteron her website larecruiter.esor buy her books Life after Dubai And The Golden Call.