American Airlines, Inc., abbreviated AA or AAL, is the world’s largest airline by fleet size, revenue passenger mile, and by the number of scheduled passengers carried. Headquartered in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, Texas, American Airlines is well-reputed and successful, overall a great corporation to apply to. Here are some of the American Airline Interview Questions.
The interview process at American Airlines is varied and requires dedicated preparation from the candidate who has applied for a position. The average time to hear back from the company is anywhere between 1-4 weeks. It will do you good if you research the company history and look into the company policies beforehand so that you are quick on your feet if you are asked something about your potential workplace. The interview process can include group interviews, a one-to-one interview, or an interview via phone call or video call.
- A Remote Call – A scheduled phone is usually the first step after you submit your application. Someone from the company would call you and you some basic questions about your previous experience and qualifications. In a screening process, the results of the remote call would determine if you would be called for the group interview.
- Group Interview – This is not a necessary process and rather depends on the position you are applying for. Several people (4-6 depending on the applications) are interviewed together. Group interviews also include group discussions on a hypothetical problem that may or may not pertain to the company. Group interviews assess your ability to lead and to work efficiently in a team.
- One-to-One Interview – Chances are that there will be some kind of screening process or the other before you are called for a one-on-one interview. This is the final round you need to get through to get hired. It would be beneficial if you do your research and arrive on time. The technical questions asked in a personal interview depend on the job description as well as on the candidate’s qualifications and previous experience if any. American Airlines has been known to ask their candidates several questions in personal interviews that are based on soft skills.
Following are some interview questions you would possibly be asked for an American Airlines Interview:
American Airline Interview Questions
- Tell us a little about yourself.
If you are even a little aware of the interview process in a professional setup, this is a pretty standard question to be asked. The key when you get asked this question is to turn it to your advantage.
What to say:
Begin with your current occupation and give a brief overview of your previous employment and your educational qualifications. Do not go into details because the interviewer has it all in their file. After the practical skills, it is time to let the interviewer know some skills you have. The more relevant they are to the position you are applying for, the better.
Once you have researched the company, you can mention skills that are related to the core values and work ethic of the company. A great way to end this answer would be to ask the interviewer where the skills you have would be better suited in the company. This would put you in a position of understanding just how you can approach the questions that will follow this one.
- What has been your greatest accomplishment in a professional sense so far?
Listen to the question carefully. The question asks for your greatest achievement. You are therefore required to pick just one achievement and not go on to talk about every little accomplishment you have had so far.
What to say:
The best answer to this question would be picking an achievement that is the most closely related to the position you are applying for. It would do you good to anticipate this question and prepare an answer beforehand. Make sure you have an anecdote along with your accomplishment to make the answer more engaging. You can also add a sentence mentioning your second accomplishment to your answer in case you find it relevant.
- What are some of your weaknesses? / What is your biggest weakness?
This is another question taken from the interview handbook that most panels like to ask to get to know the mindset of the candidate better. The approach towards this question would be, to be honest, but not too honest.
What to say:
The interviewer does not want to hear how hard-working you are and how you are addicted to perfectionism. Choose a weakness that has challenged you before and one that you are now trying to tackle. Add a short anecdote about how you are doing so.
Do not, under any circumstances, choose a weakness that directly relates to your job and translates to an inability to do the job properly. For example, it would not do you good if you say you falter at public speaking when you are applying for a position in customer relations.
- If you had the choice, would you work in a team or individually?
This is a question that can make or break your interview if you do not word it right. You do not want to come across as a person who hates collaborating with people. Neither would you want to come off as wholly dependent on support from third parties. Balance is key.
What to say:
Think of how well you work in teams and how you can complete projects independently as well. Be honest with your answer, include instances where you can work well in a team, and mention other situations where working by yourself is best. There is no right answer to this question but the way you phrase your res[onse matters.
If you do your homework before the interview, you would be somewhat informed of the company’s practices. Read the work experience of current and previous employees, read up on the mission statement and core values of the company to understand just how they approach working every day. Understanding the work culture of the company is important to tone your answer accordingly.
- What type of worker are you?
Another question that does not have a specific right answer. However, in questions such as these, the originality and honesty of your answer would distinguish you from other candidates. The reasoning behind asking this question is to understand how well you would handle your day-to-day responsibilities.
What to say:
The answer should be honest and tailored to the job you are applying for. Depending on the workload, your answer can include that you are great at multitasking and always respectful to deadlines. Let the interviewer know that you are professional through the skills you choose to mention in answering this question. Do not exaggerate and follow your words with actions when and if you are hired.
- Are you open to relocation?
This is a question that would highly influence your chances of getting hired if the job is remotely located. More often than not, you would know before you apply whether the position demands relocation. In such cases, you can reply in the affirmative and express your excitement at having to work in a different locale.
What to say:
In case the possibility of relocation is not included in the job description, this might be the interviewer’s way to check if you are flexible and committed enough to the position you are applying for. You do not have to answer the question right away in cases such as these.
Take time and counter-question the interviewer on the factors on which your decision would depend. Ask them how long the relocation would be for and if the company would financially support the transition. Also, consider if you want to change your day-to-day routine and uproot your entire life for this job. If you think that this job would be perfect for you, there should be no qualms about letting it be known.
- Share an experience when you resolved a disgruntled customer’s issue.
Whether or not you are applying for direct customer interaction, a question like this might pop up in the interview. While all questions in the interview will be important, the purpose behind asking this question is to get an idea of the candidate’s people skills.
What to say:
There are chances that during your previous employment you might have come across situations like this. If you haven’t, you can talk about an experience you witnessed and express that you would have done something similar. If you can handle a disgruntled customer, you will be an asset to any company because the customers are the lifeline of any organization.
You can add to your answer by putting yourself in the position of the unhappy customer. Think about how you would wish to be treated in such a situation and what needs to be done to make sure the complaint the customer has is resolved.
Understanding how the company sees its customers, you can put your ideas in a relatable context.
- Tell us about an experience when you faced a difficult challenge and how you overcame it.
While this question can be answered by strictly sticking to the professional realm, you can also include how your personal life was impacted by this challenge and how you managed to maintain a balance between the two.
What to say:
Recall an instance where you had to put in long hours at work and how it disrupted your daily routine and impacted your personal life. A challenge can also be a conflict you had with a fellow employee or with a disgruntled customer (the answer to the above-mentioned question could be given here in case it wasn’t asked). Talk about what motivated you to resolve the issue and overcome the challenge.
You can mention how you would like your ideal work environment to be and how a supportive workplace culture helps in overcoming difficult situations. Talk about resilience and how finding a solution added to your experience.
- How would you handle a situation involving a disruptive person (colleague/customer/supervisor)?
An extension of question 7, this question can include a colleague or your supervisor as a disruptive person. Whether it is with a customer or with your fellow employees, your people skills would always come in handy. If you have come across such a situation, it would do you good to focus less on the disruption and more on your problem-solving skills.
What to say:
Some elements that will remain common to the diffusing of disruptive situations. These include first asking the person what is causing such a drastic reaction. After listening to their grievances, you need to accept their predicament and apologize if an apology is necessary for the situation. In case, an apology is not the right approach, you can admit that a resolution needs to be achieved through some other means and then work towards it.
While a real-life experience would be preferable, in case you haven’t experienced it, do not leave the interviewer hanging and answer how you would resolve such a situation hypothetically in case it arises in the future.
- Why do you want to work for American Airlines?
The true test of your researching abilities should come with this question. This is a question that will most definitely be asked in a personal interview. The interviewer would like to know why you applied for a position in American Airlines and what made you pick this company instead of its rival corporations.
What to say:
Understand the work ethic and the core values of the company. Your answer should portray your passion for the company and the job you are interviewing for. Do not show that this is a job that would be a pathway to bigger and better opportunities. Give a brief description of your skills and why you would be a good fit not only for the job but also for the company.
There are several other interview questions you should be prepared for based on the type of job you are applying for. For American Airlines, the above-mentioned questions were the most commonly asked. As a candidate, you must understand that the employer is looking for a wide range of soft skills to go along with your technical ones. Understand how the company functions and see how you would fit in the professional dynamics. Listen to questions carefully and keep a level head while you are answering them.
