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Every single superyacht crew member has been asked this question 1,000,000 times since they set foot on a boat. But, the answer is not so straightforward.
Jamila Garcia, founder of Starfish Crew and yachtie shares her knowledge and tips on how to get your first yacht job.
There is, of course, a general answer to this question, being:
- Get your STCW and medical certificate
- Sign up in yacht crew agencies
- Dockwalking
And so on…
However, there are more to these things than you may not know when trying to land your first yacht job:
STCW:
Do you even know the modules of the STCW that are necessary to work on a yacht? As many of you know, Jamila owns an online consultancy business for people wanting to get into the yachting industry – 80% of her clients hire her services AFTER doing their STCW, and 70% of them realise they’ve wasted a lot of money previously, for these exact reasons:
- Been sold modules that are absolutely useless to work on yachts
- Done it in schools that are not internationally recognised, therefore their certificate is worthless
- Been charged an extortionate amount for the four basic training modules, and have not even been offered the PSA
And so on…
SO, telling you that you need to do your STCW is great. But, you need to know lots of things before you invest your money in a school that may not be the best option for you.
CREW AGENCIES:
Yeah sure, there are AMAZING crew agents out there, but:
A crew agency is not going to find you a job unless you have put the work into your job searching – Simple as that.
They will help you (a lot) IF:
- Your profile is exactly what any recruiter wants on a yacht
- Have an amazing CV (DONE FOR THE YACHTING INDUSTRY)
- Have second skills such as carpentry, beauty therapist, diver, professional trainer…
So, sign up to crew agencies, BUT, the one that needs to get out there and pursue your dream is YOU.
DOCKWALKING:
It is absolutely impossible for someone to tell you (properly) all the info you need to know about how to get a job on a yacht in a simple message, or email.
Of course, like in any other industry, but especially on this one, if you do have someone “on the inside”, it’ll be much easier for you.
Any yacht crew member will tell you that, in this industry, having contacts will make things a lot easier.
But, what can you do if you do not have anyone “on the inside”?
Do all the research you can, and always make sure the information you’re are trusting comes from recognised industry professionals.
I understand it may seem a bit overwhelming, and you might not know what information to trust.
This is the exact reason why, after years of sending people in the direction of lots of different websites and blogs, some industry professionals have come together and built a platform where you will find all of the answers you need about how to get your first job on a yacht: The Crew Library.
It has taken months to put all of this info together.
Jared and Dean, managers of the Crew Library, have worked endless hours for you to have access to this amazing platform.
You will also find the most helpful information, tools, and resources from:
And, of course, Jamila
The Crew Library is an online learning platform for crew in any department. They provide the ability to connect with existing yacht crew through Whatsapp groups and offer training discounts worldwide to existing members.
This is what you will find:
- Dockwalking routines
- Q&As from Captains
- Chief Stewardesses interview tips
- Engineering qualifications questions
And much more.
Oh! You will also have access to a WhatsApp group where you will be able to communicate directly with everyone.
Depending on your needs, you will get the answer from a Captain, Chief Stew, Chef, or someone from the Deck and Engineering department.
Crew Library is the only platform you need to go to when looking for information about the industry.
You have absolutely nothing to lose joining, and SO MUCH to gain!
*Jamila has recorded a total of seventeen videos with the Crew Library so sign up now for all the info you could possibly need!
If you are wanting to get your foot in the door and begin a career in yachting, make sure to check on the crew mess section on our website for more tips and tricks.
For more of the latest yacht crew news, click here.
