My Boat Job: Superyacht Deckhand

Naturally, people ask me all the time about how they can get a great job like mine. And really, the process is not all that mysterious. In this article I break it down into three main activities you need to undertake to make yourself known in the superyacht fraternity. Getting yourself known in the right circles is half the battle of gaining a deckhand or other crew position aboard the boat of your dreams.

Yacht Crew Jobs - 3 Ways to Land One
By Dan Sevets

There are three basic approaches to finding and landing a crew position aboard a super-luxurious yacht. All three take effort that goes beyond mailing out resumes, but once you are hired on, you will realize that the work was more than worth it.

1. Walk the docks. Dockwalking is a centuries-old way to find a boat to hire on to, and it's even more important for finding a yacht crew job. It simply means walking up and down docks and piers and talking with everyone you encounter, from the lowest crew member to the captain and first mate. It lets people get to know you face-to-face and lets you show them that you are enthusiastic and knowledgeable about boats.

2. Use a hiring agency. Every major port, and almost every seaside resort town of any size, has offices of companies that hire for maritime-related work. If you're in a port that is a favorite with the luxury boat set, you are sure to find agencies that specialize in serving that clientele. The best procedure is to drop off your resume with the receptionist, then call or come back around the next day and ask to be interviewed. This will give them time to look over your qualifications, and - assuming they like what they see - they will be predisposed to give you serious consideration for any crew openings they might know of.

3. Make friends with working crew members. Just as in other industries, it's as much who you know as what you know. You can get to know boaties in any port in the world by finding out where they congregate during their off hours. Usually this will be some bar or club, but it could be a particular restaurant or other spot. This is much like the aforementioned dockwalking, except that you will be catching people in a more relaxed mood than when they're in working mode. This will be advantageous, as long as you don't come on too strong or act too pushy. Be friendly and get to know people before trying to feel them out about a yacht crew job.

For quickest success at finding a position as a crew member, it pays to combine all three of these approaches. Go dockwalking during the day, pop in to a hiring agency now and then, and in the evenings hit the yachtie bars and eating establishments.

All of this assumes that you have some experience aboard some kind of boat, of course. You can also take training at any one of a number of schools around the world that specialize in specifically teaching people to fill positions aboard a mega- or superyacht. They will also help you get the certifications you will need in order to work on the most desirable luxury vessels.

Yacht crew jobs will pay you to see the world. Deckhands, stewards, chefs and other crew members are living a dream that is open to you, too, regardless of your background or age. Yacht Crew Jobs is a page of free information on where to find boat deckhand jobs and how to get hired aboard a luxury vessel. With a superyacht crew job, you will rub shoulders with multimillionaires and celebrities. You will visit exotic ports of call from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean to beyond. You will have free food and lodging while afloat and you will earn a great salary. You can even find romance while working as a crew member -- it happens all the time!

Is there competition for these dream boat jobs? You bet. But there are ways to make sure that a boat's captain or the yacht crew hiring agency chooses you, even if you have less experience than the next person.

One highly recommended book that blows the lid off the insider methods for gaining a plum position as a superyacht crew member is The Dynamic Deckhand, at http://www.deckhands.info.

Dan Sevets has seen the world aboard boats of all kinds. He invites you to join him in the best job of all.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?Yacht-Crew-Jobs---3-Ways-to-Land-One&id=2398104

Despite what the headline above might lead you to think, this isn't about "visualizing" your goal of getting hired to work on a super yacht, or "manifesting" a new life floating around on the world's oceans.  I'm not putting down such an approach. If they work for you, that's great.  No, I'm talking about something far simpler and more concrete: making a decision in advance as to what type of boat you would like to work aboard.  For some people, it might not be a luxury yacht.  It might be a tour boat or a fishing vessel, for a couple of examples.  The main point is:  If you are clear about your goal, and it is more specific than merely, "I want to work on a boat," you will naturally channel your energies into doing the things that lead to accomplishing your objective -- and not waste time on activities that lead away from it. Following is an article I recently wrote on the subject:

Boat Deckhand Jobs - Which One is Right For You?
By Dan Sevets

I frequently run into people who "just want to work on a boat." They don't have a particular type of boat in mind. All that matters, in their mind, is that they love the sea and live to spend a life afloat. Any kind of boat job would suit them fine - they think.

But hold on! I've worked as a deckhand on many types of vessels all around the world. Take it from me, serving drinks to celebrities and millionaires aboard a luxury yacht is a world apart from hauling nets of crabs onto a fishing boat in Alaska. Yet both are "boat jobs."

Admittedly, this is an extreme example of the divergence in boat jobs that you may encounter when looking for employment at sea. But it's something to think about if you're one of those who is sure that they "just want to work on a boat."

For most people, working on a luxury yacht - especially one of the superyachts - would seem far preferable to the life of an Alaskan fisherman. But there are certainly some folks who would prefer battling the elements aboard a fishing  boat to having to dress in a uniform and tiptoe around all the social niceties involved in catering to a yacht owner and the owner's VIP guests.

I've worked on a fishing boat and it's an experience I wouldn't trade for anything, but it's not something I wanted to do forever. I've also worked on a tour guide boat in the Bahamas, and on a boat ferrying divers to the coral reef that lies off the coast of Belize. These are also boat jobs that you might want to consider.

The right boat job is not the same for everyone. The right one for you depends on your personal interests as well as your skills and experience. For example, if you are SCUBA certified, you would probably find your niche on a diving boat. If you have a gift for gab and really enjoy dealing with crowds of people (some folks do!), your ideal place might be on a tour boat pointing out the landmarks of a busy harbor to gawking tourists.

The best advice: First decide which boat deckhand jobs intrigue you the most, then do whatever you can to obtain one for at least one summer. If you find it's not the right job for you after all, you can go on to experience a different one next year.

And if, like me, you decide that the best crew position possible is that of being a deckhand, steward or stewardess, chef - or even, eventually, first mate or captain - aboard a superyacht, then welcome to my world.

A yacht crew job actually pays you to see the world. Superyacht crew members working are living the best dream of all. This dream is open to you, too, regardless of your background, age, or experience. [http://www.squidoo.com/BoatDeckhandJobs]Boat Deckhand Jobs is a page of free information on where to find these jobs and how to get hired aboard a luxury vessel.

Picture yourself visiting exotic ports of call from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean to beyond. Picture yourself enjoying free food and lodging while afloat and earning a great salary to boot. (You could even find romance while working as a yacht crew member -- it happens!)

Sure, there's competition for these dream oat jobs. But there are ways to make sure that a boat's captain or the yacht crew hiring agency chooses you, even if you have less experience than the next person. A book that blows the lid off the insider methods for gaining a plum position as a superyacht crew member is The Dynamic Deckhand.

Dan Sevets has seen the world aboard boats of all kinds. He invites you to join him in the best job of all.

Original Article Source: Boat Deckhand Jobs -- Which Is Right for You?