If there was one thing I could relay to the HR departments at most airlines, it is this: Please stop it with the personality tests to weed out introverted candidates! While the typical scenario is that pilots tend to be introverts, and flight attendants tend to be extroverts, I am here to bust the belief that introverted flight attendants should be weeded out of the applicant pool. I will speak from my experience as a ISFP personality type, as to why we are uniquely equipped to shine in a flight attendant career.
So what is an ISFP personality type? An ISFP personality type is one of the 16 personality profiles derived from the Myer- Briggs personality test (you can take a free test here to find out your type). This type is often called the “artist”, “composer”, or the “adventurer”. ISFP stands for Introverted, Sensing, Feeling, Perceiving. You can learn a great deal of additional information about the ISFP type here , and here, but for simplicity’s sake I will write with the assumption you already know you fall into this personality type.
I am a classic ISFP, and I have met many other long term, and still happy, flight attendants who are also ISFP types. Though we are introverted individuals, It is my belief we are perfectly suited for a flight attendant career. Let’s explore why that is.
Credit to Photos: Carla Bruni and Meghan Douglas photographed by Ellen Von Unwerth for Vogue, October 1994
1.) ISFP’s Thrive Alone in Hotel Rooms
Because ISFP’s are strong introverts, we gain energy and recharge during our alone time. As a flight attendant, you can find yourself with long layovers in hotels, sometimes more than 24 hours. Some individuals get very depressed because of the alone time, and eventually quit the career. However as an ISFP I absolutely love long stays in hotels. I do not get tired of hotels. I like how they are always essentially the same with slight differences, and they are usually clean and look nice. While I do occasionally meet up with the crew to do something social, I am also perfectly happy exploring alone. If I am located in a downtown, or near a river walk, I will typically explore it alone with pleasure. I feel ISFP’s are perfect personalities for these long hotel stays.
2.) ISFP’s are Uniquely Wired for Keeping Peace & Avoiding Conflicts with Others
ISFP’s strive to keep their environment in peaceful harmony. They are strongly adverse to conflict, and will avoid conflict at all costs. While some may argue that a dislike of conflict is a reason this personality type is not suited for the career, I strongly disagree. In my experience, there are two types of flight attendants. Those who sternly bark with authoritarian attitude at passengers to correct them (a “me vs. them” attitude), and those who thoughtfully address passengers with gentle kindness and an easy-going vibe. One of these approaches tends to start escalation because the passenger does not feel respected. The other approach, commonly used by the ISFP, tends to get positive results without heightened emotional response. Sure, sometimes there are unique passengers who raise conflict nonetheless, but it is not that an ISFP can’t succeed at de-escalating those conflicts, we just don’t like it. Our strength is that we strive constantly for creating harmony in the plane through our tone of voice, choice of words, problem solving ideas, etc. We avoid creating turbulent emotional situations.
3.) ISFP’s are Natural Humanitarians and Imaginative Problem Solvers
There will be times as a flight attendant when you hear in great detail about the reasons for which a passenger is traveling. Sometimes it is a happy reason, other times it is because something terrible has happened. As an ISFP you are naturally wired to feel connection to the feelings that others are expressing, and you are able to have genuine kindness, and compassion. ISFP’s are excellent listeners. Additionally, ISFP’s are creative problem solvers which of course lends well to a career as a flight attendant. They have no problem consulting others for input to solve problems in unexpected imaginative ways.
4.) ISFP’s Have a Passion for Discovery, & Adventure
Of all the personality types, ISFP’s are one of the most adventurous, passionate, and fiercely independent types. If you are not fiercely independent, content in your own company, and adventurous, a flight attendant job may not be ideal for you. But ISFP types are perfectly suited for this lifestyle.
5.) ISFP’s Go with the Flow and Live in the Moment.
ISFP’s live in the moment and can handle unexpected changes in plans. As a flight attendant, your plans can change quickly during a trip, and if you are an adaptable free spirit, your attitude will be greatly appreciated by your crew. Additionally, if you are using your flight benefits (outside of work) to fly standby, you must have a very easy going and flexible attitude since you may or may not get a boarding pass for the flight you desire to take. I think ISFP’s might be the best non-rev personality type!
6.) ISFP’s Appreciate Aesthetic Appeal of Uniforms and Grooming Standards
It is no secret that ISFP’s tend to be artistic types who like to surround themselves with aesthetically beautiful and pleasing settings. They tend to appreciate fashion, beauty, and cohesiveness. Given the long history of flight attendant uniform style and grooming standards, it is likely that an ISFP will appreciate and enjoy the flight attendant classic aesthetic of tailored uniforms, nicely done make-up. chic updos, and scarves tied “just -so”. While some flight attendants don’t care about ill fitting uniforms, snagged tights, or frumpy styling, chances are and ISFP will give it their all each day to look the part, and with delight in doing so.
7.) No Constant Supervision? No Problem. ISFP’s Love Not Being Micro-Managed.
ISFP’s value autonomy in the workplace. One of the worst types of workplaces to an ISFP, would be one in which a supervisor is constantly looking over our shoulders, telling us what to do. Thankfully Flight Attendants are trusted to be their own bosses most of the time (apart from a Supervisor you rarely see). You must be self disciplined to show up on time, to be ready with your required items, to do all of your safety and work duties. Each trip you have a Captain who is in charge, and you are responsible to your crew, but overall you are an independent entity in this career, making it quite attractive to an ISFP.
8.) Aviation is a Lifestyle and Not a Traditional 9 to 5 Job. Perfect for ISFPs.
One thing we know about ISFP’s is that they tend to despise typical 9 to 5 desk jobs. They often times seek out careers with alternative work schedules. Well look no further for an alternative schedule than that of a flight attendant. This career is not just a job, but an entire lifestyle. I think this lifestyle is highly desirable to many creative ISFP types, and it is another reason those in HR departments for airlines should certainly consider the introverted, creative, highly feeling ISFP personalities for the job!
9.) Extreme Flexibility with Schedule Allows ISFP’s to Have a Creative Side Project
There are so many artistic types I know personally who are flight attendants. There are those who illustrate books, get paid for voice-over work, create music, paint pictures that appear in art galleries, create art for products sold online, perform music as a side gig, do hair or nails as a side gig, design a clothing line, etc. I can’t express enough how great a flight attendant career is for those who want a creative side job. Once you gain some seniority, you can create a schedule with close to half of the month off, or more. During that time, you are free to have multiple days in a row to devote to any creative hustle you desire. This is the ideal career for an artist from that point of view. Not to mention, many creative activities you can bring with you and work on during long layovers.
10.) Just Enough Social Interaction
As ISFP’s we are introverts and gain energy from alone time. Having said that, introverts are not UNABLE to be social. It is a huge myth to believe we cannot be social beings. To the contrary, a flight attendant job is a great way to interact with passengers, to assist them and thus feel a genuine connection when we can help them, and the career is an opportunity for us to be among people . We are able to meet many fellow crew members who become good friends. Some of these people we may never see again, but we make a connection during the trip. As a true ISFP I can attest to the fact a job as a flight attendant is just the right amount of social interaction to make me feel connected to the world, yet balanced with hotel alone time to feel fully recharged. I think this is the perfect career for ISFP personality types.
I hope in the future many of these airlines using personality quizzes to weed out introverts such as ISFPs will realize their folly, and accept the “artist -types” with open arms. We creative problem-solving, adventurous, fiercely independent, humanitarians are perfectly suited for this career.
