What is an attendant and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
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An attendant provides assistance and service to customers or patients in various settings, including healthcare facilities, transportation, and hospitality. Attendants monitor patients, assist with daily activities, provide customer service, and maintain cleanliness. They must have excellent communication and interpersonal skills, as well as the ability to work well under pressure. Attendants must follow procedures and protocols to ensure the safety and wellbeing of their clients.

ScoreAttendantUS Average
Salary
2.1

Avg. Salary $27,453

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
4.9

Growth Rate 4%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
5.5
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.47%

Asian 5.43%

Black or African American 9.64%

Hispanic or Latino 19.18%

Unknown 4.51%

White 59.78%

Gender

female 51.45%

male 48.55%

Age - 50
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 50
Stress Level
4.9

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
6.7

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
8.2

Work Life balance is good

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being an Attendant?

Pros

  • Potential for flexible hours and shifts

  • Possibility for advancement to supervisory or managerial roles

  • Job security due to the essential nature of attendant roles

  • Access to benefits such as healthcare and retirement plans

  • Potential for tips or bonuses in certain roles

Cons

  • Can be physically demanding, requiring long periods of standing or heavy lifting

  • Shift work can disrupt personal life and make it difficult to maintain a consistent schedule

  • Low starting wages in entry-level positions

  • May require working holidays, weekends, and evenings

  • Limited opportunities for creativity or autonomy in certain roles

Attendant career paths

Key steps to become an attendant

  1. Explore attendant education requirements

    Most common attendant degrees

    Bachelor's

    35.0 %

    High School Diploma

    32.4 %

    Associate

    18.1 %
  2. Start to develop specific attendant skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    Cleanliness13.10%
    Customer Service7.24%
    Home Health6.77%
    Patients6.27%
    Safety Procedures5.96%
  3. Complete relevant attendant training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New attendants learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an attendant based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real attendant resumes.
  4. Gain additional attendant certifications

    Attendant certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific attendant certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

    The most common certifications for attendants include OSHA Safety Certificate and First Aid, CPR and AED Instructor.

    More About Certifications
  5. Research attendant duties and responsibilities

    • Manage events, help guests with outside reservations.
    • Manage VIP's with personal requirements and assist in their room set up and hospitality experience.
    • Manage top prize payouts, involving large amounts of funds being transfer across the gaming floor.
    • Operate POS cash register to manage cash, credit, and debit card transactions for sell items.
  6. Prepare your attendant resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your attendant resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an attendant resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Attendant Resume templates

    Build a professional Attendant resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Attendant resume.
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  7. Apply for attendant jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for an attendant job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Attendant Job

Zippi

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Average attendant salary

The average Attendant salary in the United States is $27,453 per year or $13 per hour. Attendant salaries range between $20,000 and $36,000 per year.

Average Attendant Salary
$27,453 Yearly
$13.20 hourly

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How do attendants rate their job?

-/5

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Attendant reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2020
Cons

I don't like to work all night. I don't like to drive over night runs


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Sep 2019
Cons

No reason to not like breakfast just having to get up early enough to get to work and set out and prepare


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2019
Pros

Travel and people seeing different states and cities.

Cons

Maybe not seeing family for awhile.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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