One thing I see on a lot of CVs is the infamous ‘Qualified Deckhand’ which, in my opinion is an entirely made-up phrase. I’ve never once been asked by a client for a ‘Qualified Deckhand’, but I am often asked for an experienced one.
And I am afraid that this is an adjective that is incorrectly used on CVs for green crew. The basic essentials to work as a seafarer are an STCW and an ENG1, and even if you add a PWC and a PB2 into this mix, this doesn’t say qualified or experienced to me. It just shows you’ve done the bare minimum to secure your first entry level position.
Getting this far is great, and I am not saying otherwise, because we all have to start somewhere, but you need to be careful when describing yourself as an experienced Deckhand when you are not.
Something I’ve always been a big believer in is ‘relentless forward progression’ and I cannot say this enough, you are your biggest investment.
So, when it comes to investing your valuable downtime and hard-earned cash it’s always good to have some kind of career development plan. If you want to be (or already are) in yachting solely for the lifestyle, the £££s and a few Instagram shots then this blog probably isn’t going to be for you.
But if you are serious about becoming a decent green Deckhand candidate or attractive, more experienced Deckhand, then there are things you can do to set yourself apart from the rest.
Getting Green ‘certified’
You can’t say you’re experienced in any deckhand responsibilities when you haven’t even stepped onboard a yacht. You can, however, say you are experienced in some similar activities or beneficial secondary skills if you have them.
Watersports instruction, personal training, carpentry, security, and medic backgrounds, for example, are highly sought-after. If you’ve shown a keen interest in yachting or related sectors in your employment history, that can be good too.
The aim as a green Deckhand is to showcase commitment, work ethic, a genuine desire to work onboard and where possible, transferrable skills.
Additional skills also give an insight into your personality, demonstrate commitment, and to a certain extent, what your character can bring to a crew culture. It might not always be transferable.
Perhaps you were a professional frisbee player which, aside from being super cool, shows you were dedicated enough to take your hobby to the next level. Not everyone can be a professional athlete, but as the saying goes, ‘if you can’t do it – teach it’ right?
When does a Deckhand become experienced?
After a year in the industry, you should not only have a decent stint of longevity on one boat – but also your Yacht Rating or Navigational Watch Rating. You can do this onboard; it doesn’t require a classroom or any study. You just need to be switched-on and pro-active enough to log your sea time, demonstrate you have acquired the various skill sets required, fill out some forms and ask the Captain to add on the boat stamp.
It’s a straight-forward process. If it isn’t, you need to be asking yourself if you’re surrounding yourself with the right senior team.
Next is where the real go-getting starts. A lot of clients I work with ask for candidates to have their Yachtmaster in hand. It’s not always essential but it is advantageous. This will help bring your CV to the top of the pile. If we think about what that really means, it doesn’t just qualify you to drive tenders under the vessel’s insurance, but it shows your character too.
It says you’re in it for a career, you’re prepared to put in the time and the effort and that you’re committed to working towards something. Assuming of course, it isn’t a zero to hero course completed prior to ever setting foot on a yacht. Whilst that is admirable, it isn’t as desirable.
If you’ve got two years on your CV and don’t have your Yachtmaster, it poses the question of why. I get it, it’s hard to line up courses, not everyone has rotation and sometimes it’s hard to just find the time to sit down and reply to your grandma’s WhatsApp from three weeks ago never mind organise a course – but there’s also an element of laziness to it.
The sooner you get this done, the easier it’ll make your job search and then we can start looking at progression – because the reality is, you aren’t going to become a lead deckhand without it.
I won’t start ranting about your OOW, I’ll leave that to my colleague Tom, because to be entirely transparent with you – I never made it that far. But that’s also ok, not everyone does. So instead, I’ll stay in my lane and let’s talk about other qualifications that can really make your CV stand-out.
Standing out
A lot of boats offer a training budget – usually towards something beneficial to the programme. I was very fortunate to work onboard a yacht that supported personal development to the extent that I completed my ‘British Mountain Leader’ course. Ironic really, I couldn’t get any further from sea-level.
My point, however, is that sometimes you need to think outside the box, especially if your interests align well with the owners and the boat’s programme.
Practice Yoga regularly? Go ahead and do your YTT. Owner likes to Kitesurf and the itinerary lines you up to visit some pretty epic locations? Do your IKO. Always been big into your fitness? Complete a Personal Training Course.
There are some fantastic carpentry courses available in the UK. You name the secondary skill and there is a course you can do to add these skills.
Try and avoid those week-long courses that cost lots and are just a piece of paper at the end. A good rule of thumb is to do courses in things that you already have some level of competency and experience in.
Opportunities are everywhere, good luck!
