Applying for jobs on Super yachts is highly competitive, particularly if it's your first season. Compass Rose Crew (CRC) can receive hundreds, if not thousands, of CVs per week. Needless to say, standing out amongst the crowd is not easy.
This post aims to give you some inside information on the recruitment process from the perspective of the recruiters within our team, highlight Do’s and Don'ts of the job application process and help you stand out amongst the crowd.
Compass Rose Crews’ Recruitment Process
CRC does things a little differently to a lot of the recruitment agents. As a smaller recruitment business, with personal past experiences in the yachting industry we like to take a more specialised and in depth approach where we focus on quality over quantity. The primary goal is to match the right candidate to the right boat in order for both the crew member and vessel to be happy. Every boat has different requirements when it comes to crew, and there is a boat for every type of person.
The first step in the process is to get as much information from the yacht about what they are looking for in their new crew member. This ranges from crew culture to work work environments, experience and personality traits among much more. Most people would be surprised at how in depth this initial process can be. Once CRC has all this information , we will post a job outlining the position and some basic information about the vessel and expectations. The yacht is protected by client confidentiality so a lot of information is not included in the job listing. This is important to understand because sometimes you may think that you are perfect for a position but then you don't hear back from the recruiters or can’t fully understand why you have not made the final shortlist - it's probably because there are other criteria which you don't meet.
A short list of candidates will then be formed and contacted by the relevant recruitment consultant at CRC, who then conduct interviews to get a better feel for how well the candidates may match the boat. After the full screening process, the strongest applicants will be passed onto the boat with the consent of the candidate.
The candidates whose CV’s have been passed onto the boat will have the full support of CRC throughout the interview process. I encourage you to use this support. When offered feedback, take this on board and learn from it.
The whole process is time consuming and requires a lot of focussed effort from the CRC team. This in depth process is extremely important for finding the right candidate, the time taken is well worth the end result of a happy yachtie and a happy boat.
Unfortunately, there are a lot of applicants out there who don't take the application process seriously. Yachting is a professional industry and requires professionalism from all parties. Coming across as unprofessional will ruin your chances at securing a job.
I've outlined some Do’s and Don'ts of the application process to help you come across professionally, and help you nail the application process.
Do's:
Stand out with a well presented CV
Often the very first point of contact is your CV. This is the first thing that boats or recruitment agents will see about you. Put time and effort into it and make sure it is well presented. That means a well taken recent photograph of you, make sure you look clean and tidy in the photo and we want to see your smile. Ensure your grammar is correct. Grammar is an absolute basic for coming across professionally.
If English isn't your first language, then it is completely understandable to have a few grammatical mistakes in your writing. This is where CRC can offer help in improving your CV.
Keep your CV concise, particularly if you don't have much experience in the industry. CRC has a great CV toolkit which will teach you the skills you need to write a professional CV for the yachting industry.
Highlight relevant skills and back it up
Many job applications include a cover letter or an introduction email with your CV attached. This cover letter or email is an opportunity for you to reply directly to the job listing.
If a job listing says it is looking for a ‘experienced yoga instructor’ include in your cover letter that you have your yoga teacher training certification as well as a reference from previous work about your work ethic. This goes for any skills or traits, give some sort of proof for the skill or trait. You could even use a short quote from a reference letter you have from previous employment which highlights your skill.
Interview Preparation
Interview prep is vital in any industry. This simply means you practise answering common interview questions, do your research on the boat (if you know the name), and get your story straight about why you think you're a good fit for the boat or the industry as a whole. It is very easy to find common interview questions online, practising this will help you come across better during an interview.
Another important part of any interview is asking questions. Interviews are not just a one way street, you should be asking questions too. You could ask about the itinerary, is there a high or low crew turnover and why? What does the crew like to do in their spare time? What is the package on offer if not fully explained?
Ask questions about things that are important to you.
Professional Presentation and Punctuality
So you've sent in your CV which is looking good! Now you are contacted by a boat or an agent. In messages, emails or video calls you want to come across professionally. Make sure your messages/emails are polite, concise, and grammatically correct. Avoid using slang or emojis - you are applying for a job not sending a message to the family Whatsapp group.
Video Calls are commonplace in the yachting industry. If you have set a time for a call with an agent, be prepared for a video call. Make sure you look neat and tidy, with a decent outfit on. Audio calls are just as important. Make sure you answer your phone especially when you have scheduled a time in advance.
It is preferable to be somewhere quiet and private to take the calls. Have a notepad with you to take notes and ask questions from so you can remind yourself which jobs you are applying for/being interviewed for.
DON'TS
Don't Use Slang
When communicating with recruiters, or boats , be professional. Don't use slang, emojis, or speak to them as if you are long-time friends. Be polite ,respectful and keep messages concise. It is worthwhile proof reading everything before you send it through, from your CV to whatsapp messages, ensuring there are no grammatical errors and that you are presenting yourself accordingly.
Over time it is likely that you will develop a good relationship with recruiters (if you follow the steps in this post), at that point it may well be acceptable and encouraged to use emojis and speak a bit more casually. Knowing how to ‘read the room’ is an important skill here, and also in yachting in general.
Don't Over Apply
Don't apply for the same job listing multiple times. It is time consuming enough for recruiters to go through all of the CV's from a job listing once, don't make them do it again. Apart from wasting their time, if you do it continuously you will be remembered, and this probably won't work in your favour.
If you haven't been contacted about a job listing, it is because you don't match the criteria. Remember not all criteria are included in the job listing. Refrain from sending rude or blunt emails to recruiters. They too have their own lives and will get back to you when they can.
Don't Ignore Job Listing Requirements
Another thing that can put you in the bad books of recruiters is applying for jobs that you are not qualified for. All this does is waste the time of the recruiter. Please read the listing carefully, and make sure you match the criteria listed before applying.
Take into consideration that your time is also valuable. While you are applying for a job which you do not match, you could be missing out on dock walking, networking or searching for a more suitable role on platforms such as Yotspot and Facebook.
Don't send generic emails/cover letters
Taking the time to read through a job listing and using this information in your cover letter or emails, shows that you put in extra effort. Especially when you apply for multiple jobs with the same recruiters, it will become clear if you are copying and pasting the same emails and cover letters.
Conclusion
Yachting is an industry where presentation is vital, if you are new to the industry the sooner you learn this the better. Your presentation is being noted from the second you hit send on your CV.In conclusion, pay attention to the finer details of grammar, use of language, and punctuality.
I know it can be frustrating if you are looking for your first job and nothing seems to be coming about. All of us at CRC are yachties or ex-yachties with many years of experience under our belts. We know exactly what it feels like to be rejected so take our advice and we promise you will see a difference. You have to be patient, resilient and remain positive - your time will come!