It may seem an impenetrable industry to infiltrate, but for those of you wondering how to get a yacht job without experience, take h...
It may seem an impenetrable industry to
infiltrate, but for those of you wondering how to get a yacht job without
experience, take heart. It is possible for a virgin yachtie to find employment
as a yacht crew.
Although seemingly few and far between, a number
of entry-level positions such as a junior deckhand, stew/stewardess or cook are
available at the beginning of each season for worthy candidates.
But there is understandably much competition for
these sought-after junior yacht jobs, so if you want to find out how to become
a yacht crew, we suggest you read
our top 10 tips on securing that perfect position.
How to become a yacht crew: A newbie’s guide
1. Get qualified
One of the first things the crew agencies will
tell you is to get all the basic crew qualifications that you need to work on a
yacht. The first piece of paper to get is the STCW certificate, which consists
of four parts (fire prevention and firefighting, personal survival techniques,
personal safety and social responsibility, and first aid) and takes a week to
complete. You’ll also need a national seafarer medical certificate, such as the
ENG1, which you can get from an approved doctor.
2. Get your crew CV ship-shape
While you may not have prior experience in the
yachting industry, previous experience in the service and hospitality
industries will also go a way toward securing an interview.
The important information to get across in your
crew CV is that you are a team player who is used to hard work. Make sure there
are no grammatical errors or spelling mistakes, as the experts in how to get a
job on a yacht will tell you that yacht captains are looking for fastidious
people with great attention to detail. Ensure that you add a recent photo in
which you are looking smart and smiley!
3. Brush up on your skillset
To stand out from the crowd, it is important to be
able to offer something extra, which is where specialty skills and additional
qualifications come in.
Yachts typically have a maximum number of crew
allowed onboard, so if crew agencies can find one member with multiple skills
to put forward as a candidate, then they will likely choose that person.
Perhaps you have qualifications as a masseuse, a beauty therapist, or a
qualified scuba diver? All these additional skills will ultimately make you
more employable as a member of a yacht’s crew.
4. Be in the right place at the right time
There’s no good applying for yachting positions
from the comfort of your own home, especially when that may be far from the
beating yachting track. You need to be where the yachts are, which is in the
Mediterranean in springtime, or Florida and the US East Coast in the Autumn.
Walk around the ports and talk to people - you never know who might be
desperate to fill a position to set sail that very day.
5. Register with crew agencies
There are a number of crew agencies in the major
international yachting hubs around the world, such as Antibes in the South of
France where you can get advice on how to find work on a yacht and register for any positions that come up. Staff are
friendly and a font of knowledge when it comes to how to become a yacht crew,
so it really is advisable to check in and sign on as soon as you arrive.
6. Get online
In our increasingly digital age it is vital that
you also follow crew agencies and other yachting websites with job
opportunities on social media. Jobs will often be advertised here so make sure
you get alerts set up and are ready to go.
7. Build references with day work
If you ask many yachting industry old-timers how
to become a yacht crew member, they will say by dock walking around the ports,
enquiring about day work. This is a fantastic way to get to know the yachts
moored there, to get vital experience and to secure some references for
permanent work when it comes up, but it is not recommended in all ports around
the world. Where dockwalking is the norm, it is often a case of first come,
first served, so make sure you are at the dock bright and early with a smile on
your face!
8. Network, network, network
There can’t be many jobs where you might well bump
into your prospective employer in a bar! But in the yachting world, this often
happens. Yacht crew including captains tend to head to the same restaurants and
bars when the owners are not on board, so it is recommended you socialise in
these crew haunts. Make sure you stay on your best behaviour though, as you
never know who you might be standing next to!
9. Keep your phone on
Captains often need to fill positions very
quickly. A member of the crew might have fallen ill just hours before the owner
turns up, for example, and if your phone is off, you’ll miss the call. So how
to get a yacht job? Follow up all the contacts you make, and be persistent.
10. Never give up attitude
Never give up. Working on a yacht is a wonderfully
fulfilling job but it takes commitment, hard grind and determination. Good
luck!