After a long, hard Summer the temptation to take the Winter off for some R&R is very tempting and sometimes an absolute must to recharge your batteries before the next season. That said… it seems a shame to waste what could be a great opportunity to upskill and improve your CV whilst you are enjoying time off!
Why is it important to update your cv with new skills?
- You’ll be seen more positively by the Yacht consultants, Captains and Chief Stews! They prefer applicants who are willing to learn new skills, and can demonstrate this on their CV.
- You’ll feel more confident during interviews!
- You’ll stay on top of current trends – If there’s a new software released or dynamic new trend, you need to have that knowledge under your belt. This will make you better equipped to compete in your field!
So with that in mind, I have compiled the following list of a few ideas and places to go to…
Floristry –
A super handy skill to have on board! Many yachts rely on a florist to come on board and deliver/design all the flowers. Over time, this stacks up to huge amounts of money being spent. Often with the right training you can maintain your flowers on board with minor tweaking and a bit of know how!
Cooking –
As a Stew right through to being Interior Manager it never hurts to improve your food knowledge and cooking abilities especially for later life when you no longer have your own personal chef to cook for you!
It will often be called upon one of the Stews to cook for the crew and it’s great if you can volunteer yourself and have a dozen solid dishes up your sleeve to cook for crew.
A cooking school will also increase your food knowledge which as you move through the ranks will be invaluable when liaising with both the chef and the guests.
Wine –
As a senior member of the interior, you will be expected to have good wine knowledge across both Old & New World. You may be called upon to choose wine for your Boss or do wine pairing with the Chef. You will also need to be confident in opening, presenting and serving wine at the table as well as passing this info onto your Junior Stews.
Diving Certs –
Not only is diving an amazing, beautiful pastime it’s a great addition to a CV! It shows you are fit, active and have a passion for the ocean too!
Languages –
Yachts travel…. Having extra languages on board is invaluable! Although we wrongly assume everyone will speak English, when you find yourself off the beaten track or in need of something at short notice and you don’t have a management company to wave their magic wand, having someone with the lingo could be a life saver! I had a Stew that was fluent in French/English & Italian and she was invaluable to me!
Bootcamp –
Burn off the excesses of yachting! Whilst this wouldn’t be my idea of fun at all – (and I could certainly do with going) it is a great feel good way to spend time… although probably not on day 1.
I know a lot of crew who go do boot camps for a detox! They feel so much better for it and you’re then ready to start the next season off on a good foot
Yoga/ Pilates –
Great for mind, body and soul! (and your CV)…
The following are a few companies that have been tried and tested and come highly recommended by crew friends!
- Ashburton Cookery School – Devon – Uk
- Bangkok Thai Cookery School
- Utila Dive Centre
- Unit 27 – The Soi Phuket – She also described it as Hell on Earth but I know she enjoyed it come the end!
- On Shore Cellars – Antibes – Wine courses
- Yoga, Health & Relax retreat
