What yacht is good for you?

Many times you see or hear of a yacht and you just wish you could work there, but sometimes the picture behind the scenes is not as rosy as it looks like from the outside. The question here is how to sort out on what kind of yacht one is suitable to work on?

Wally yachts

Schopfer yachts

First one needs to figure out what personal strengths and ambitions you have:

1) Leadership;

2) Willingness to do various jobs, some maybe not in your job description;

3) Special skills (fishing, diving, etc.);

4) Salary requirement;

5) Contract length;

6) Age and "face-factor";

7) Your certification required for said yacht.

These factors determine what you are ready to do and where you might not fit into.

Origami

Some yacht Owners do have very specific requirements for the crew, I have come across following requirements:

- Gender;

- Sexual orientation;

- Age;

- Nationality.

One have to remember that this industry has no unions so there is no equal opportunity policies applying.

Why not?

Lazzara yachts

Few questions you can put to yourself when reading about or being offered a position

- Do you want to work on a yacht with Owner's onboard all the time?

- Do you want to do a year long contract?

- Do you want to work on a 40yr old yacht?

- Do you want to work for all nationalities and with multiple nationalities?

- Do you like the traffic area?

- Do you like the size of the yacht?

- Do you want to share a cabin?

- Do you like motor or sail yachts?

- Do you like a private or charter yacht?

These questions are very important and I can elaborate on every answer if required.

Sail yachts

Lastly, when we are talking about positions where the crew is likely to be in close contact with the Owner (e.g. Captain and Ch. stew) we come to the last hurdle - the "face factor". It is the compatibility test, if the chemistry is not there you won't get the job. It is the first meeting with the Owner himself. There is nothing one can really do about it, we show our sunny side and hope for the best and fear the worst.