About Virgin Atlantic
Established in 1984, Virgin Atlantic is a British airline. From its hub at Heathrow and secondary base at Manchester, the airline flies to destinations across Asia, North America, the Caribbean, the Middle East, and Africa.
Virgin Atlantic was founded by business magnate Sir Richard Branson and is part of the company Virgin Atlantic Limited, along with Virgin Holidays.
It operates a mixed fleet of Airbus and Boeing aircraft, with three cabin classes – economy, premium and upper class.
The airline employs thousands of people across its global network and prides itself on a culture of inclusion and diversity. The security, safety and contentment of its customers is at the heart of Virgin's service, as it strives to deliver the best possible experience.
With nearly 40 years of experience, being part of Virgin Atlantic means belonging to an established and passionate community.
Virgin Atlantic Application Process
Virgin Atlantic offers employment opportunities in customer service, cargo, engineering, and operations, as well as positions for pilots and cabin crew members.
There are also roles in Information Technology, Sales & Marketing, Finance & Procurement, HR & Training, Commercial, and Customer Experience at its Head Office in Crawley, UK.
Current vacancies can be found via a Virgin Atlantic careers search.
The recruitment process differs depending upon the business area and role to which you are applying. It usually involves an online application, assessments (in the form of group discussions, role plays, ability tests, and presentations), and an interview.
Virgin Atlantic Online Application
The first stage of the application process is submitting an online application. The application form requires you to upload a CV and covering letter.
Your cover letter should be clear and well-structured, conveying your motivation for applying to your chosen role and briefly highlighting your relevant skills and experience. The recruitment team wants to hear how you can add value to Virgin, so make sure your own voice comes through.
Ensure this is accompanied by an up-to-date CV that is tailored to the role. List your educational qualifications and relevant experience, along with the responsibilities and skills involved. Be honest, but don't shy away from highlighting your achievements.
Both your CV and covering letter should be carefully checked for any spelling mistakes. Double check that your personal details are up to date.
Virgin Atlantic Assessment Centre
The exact assessments encountered during the recruitment process depend upon the role in question, but most applicants will be asked to attend an assessment centre. This may be virtual, or in person, depending upon the circumstances.
Assessment centres explore a candidate's strengths and potential through tasks such as ability tests, presentations, role play exercises, and group tasks. They also often feature an interview.
The different assessments encountered are explored in greater detail below:
Virgin Atlantic Group Discussion
As teamwork is at the core of Virgin Atlantic's business, the assessment centre may include group discussions. You will be placed into a group of your peers and given a topic to discuss within a given time.
The recruitment team will observe and monitor your contribution, alongside the effectiveness of your team working skills. Remember that listening and encouraging the voices of others is just as important to teamwork as allowing your voice to be heard.
Virgin Atlantic Role Plays
The role play exercises involve scenarios that may be encountered whilst working in the role. You'll be given a scenario and some time to prepare, then asked to enact the situation alongside members of the recruitment team.
The aim of the role play is to assess your behaviour when dealing with the given situation – namely how well you cope with unexpected challenges under pressure.
Virgin Atlantic Ability Tests
As part of the Virgin Atlantic Assessment centre, you may be required to sit some online ability tests. These tests assess your aptitude across different skills and must be completed within a given time limit.
The test types vary depending upon role, but you may encounter a numerical reasoning, verbal reasoning, abstract reasoning and/or logical reasoning test. All the tests will be in a multiple-choice format.
You may also be asked to complete a personality questionnaire and situational judgement test, so the recruitment team can get a better idea of your character and behavioural preferences.
There will be a couple of untimed practice questions to complete so you can familiarise yourself within the interface but, once the test begins, you'll need to answer the questions quickly and accurately to secure a high score.
If you are applying for a pilot role, there will also be motor skills, coordination, and simulator tests.
Virgin Atlantic Presentation
For certain roles, you'll be asked to deliver a presentation as part of the assessment process. You'll be given a topic – which may feature a case study – and asked to prepare a short presentation.
Your presentation should carefully analyse the options available and make clear recommendations. Speak confidently and be prepared to justify your convictions, as the panel will likely ask questions on the material you present.
Virgin Atlantic Behavioural/Biographical Interview
All Virgin Atlantic applicants will be required to complete at least one interview.
During the behavioural interview , you'll need to evidence your skills and behaviours using examples from your job history. The recruitment team wants to know how you deal with workplace situations and challenges.
Use the STAR (situation, task, action, result) technique to ensure you from strong, well-structured responses.
A biographical interview is based around the information on your CV – your experience, achievements, and career choices. It will also touch upon your motivation for the sector and for applying to work for Virgin Atlantic.
The interview(s) may be in person or via video, depending upon the circumstances. Either way, be confident, conscious of your body language, and convey professionalism.
If you're asked to attend a video interview, choose a quiet location, free from distractions, and check your internet connection is stable.
Remember, an interview is an opportunity to meet and talk to a member of the recruitment team, so come with your questions. It is a two-way process - and a chance for you to get a feel for whether Virgin Atlantic is the right fit for you – so don't be overwhelmed by the process.
If you take time to prepare relevant examples to evidence your skills and competencies, you'll show up ready to display your motivation, enthusiasm, and potential for a career in aviation with Virgin Atlantic.
