Took 8+ months. Over the 8 month period, I received 2 e-mails telling me that I hadn't been forgotten and that they were just going in order of how the applications were received. Thanksgiving week, I got an e-mail asking for more information. The next day, as I was traveling through West Virginia with my boyfriend, I received a call from a contractor of SWA wanting to set up a phone interview. The next day I had my phone interview, it was great, the only thing is KNOW your background history. It will make things a lot easier. Know when you lived where, when you worked where. Month and year you started/stopped. They will continue to make sure you have everything provided throughout the entire process. It is no joke! A week later, after the phone interview, I received a call from a different SWA contractor wanting to set up a face to face interview in Dallas. Super sweet, I wrote down all the information I could, even though she would be sending me an e-mail. Thank goodness I did, because I knew to have 3 copies of my resume, recommendation letter, etc. So that I was able to give each of the interviewers a copy. I had them in separate folders, so I looked very prepared.
I read a lot of comments on here as to what to expect and it all helped so much. Do your research! Other airlines don't usually give you the time to do your research in between getting the call for a face to face and your actual interview. I made flash cards with possible questions. I read the magazine on the plane which I ended up quoting during the interview. Smile. Smile. Smile. Have questions for the interviewers. Also know, that you are being watched everywhere! Your actions are being watched everywhere.
The interview didn't seem like an interview, it was more of them just getting to know me. When I first got there, they took us into a room and told us what it was REALLY like to be a flight attendant. We each read a statement on a piece of paper they passed around. Then they dismissed us until it was our interview time. In that time I waited, I filled out my paperwork, got my fingerprints done, and talked to others that were waiting on their interview to begin. Finally I got called back by one of the SWA employees who was in the meeting. Upon entering the room, I realized the other SWA employee that gave us a briefing also was an interviewer, as well as one other guy who didn't speak much but was super nice. The interview was amazing. Even if I hadn't been offered the job, I would still hold SWA as my favorite airline because of the way I was treated throughout the entire process.