If you are anything like me, you probably like to be ahead of the game and ensure you are one step ahead of the rest. If you want to join the yachting season in the Caribbean, it’s usually the time people start to head down there. However, getting work is often quite daunting, especially for green crew. Staying focused and on track shouldn’t be a continuous tug-of-war contest with the self. The yacht recruitment process doesn’t have to be difficult though there are things you can do to make your life a little easier and to improve your chances of being picked as a candidate.
Why is it important to be one step ahead?
The one-step-ahead mentality is the key to success. Not planning and “going with the flow” makes your life more challenging in the long run. In the yachting industry, being determined, focused and savvy can separate you from the competition.
“Planning ahead and staying focused is not only an asset for myself but also for my team.”
–Amy LeBold, head of people at AdRoll Group, a growth platform company helping businesses compete online to grow revenue, with over 500 employees in six offices around the world.
How can CrewPass help you be one step ahead?
At CrewPass, we aim to allow crew to be ahead of the competition by providing them with a service that gives them a competitive advantage. Although background checks seem to not be an industry standard, since we have launched, industry professionals have seen the need for checks. Background checks guarantee better security onboard, allowing agencies to put forward fully vetted crew to employers whilst enabling Captains to feel confident about who they are placing on board. This safety feature allows everyone, including guests, crew and owners, to be more at ease knowing that the entire crew list is fully vetted.
Once a crew member has signed up with CrewPass and passed our checks (which include criminal record checks, global sanctions and ID verification), they will be awarded the CrewPass Approved accreditation. Adding another accreditation to your CV, which is globally recognised and supported by leading yachting recruiters, gives crew the edge over other candidates. If an employer wishes to have all crew member’s checked, CrewPass Approved crew can hand their accreditation over and be instantly placed onboard. No more waiting for checks conducted by every employer, as you have an accreditation to prove you are already one step ahead.
“Very easy background check! No hassle with DBS accounts etc, they handle it all for you. Support is very helpful and the features they are adding looking fantastic. Has already helped me with a recent job, saved the vessel time by not having to background check me themselves. 100% recommend and so worth doing for any crew member.”
– Austin Eszcori, CrewPass Approved crew member
What other steps can you make to ensure you are ahead of the game?
1) Make sure you are fully trained.
ENG1 and STCW are fundamental courses in the industry! There have been a few cases where crew have forgotten to train in medical. You must complete these courses if you wish to join the yachting industry. However, once these courses are out of the way, there are other courses such as PWC, PBL2, WSET, and more that are great to further your education and are more specialised for your department.
2) Increase your fitness
Working long hours with few breaks can sound very daunting, especially when crew are on their feet all day working in high-temperature countries and with intense humidity. Try and prepare yourself by training cardio and weightlifting, as this is a great way to impress your captain. Crew can maintain fitness by working out onboard, with many superyachts having gyms onboard.
3) Sign up with our partner agencies and validate your CrewPass accreditation.
CrewPass has partnered with many leading crew agencies to help crew make the most of their accreditation. Agencies such as YPI Crew, Wilsonhalligan, Bespoke Crew, Viking Crew and more have integrated CrewPass’ software into their signup process, allowing crew to validate their Approved status for all employers to see that they have passed a full background check.
4) Update your CV
Keeping your CV up to date is crucial! Make sure you have all of your relevant yachting qualifications displayed on your CV alongside relevant skills and experience. If you do not have any previous yachting experience, you can still put work experience with transferrable skills such as customer service-based jobs. Plus, if you are CrewPass Approved, you can add your unique CV badge to let all employers know that you are fully background checked and safe to place on board.
5) Get yourself out there!
Sign up for day work to build up your CV and gain experience onboard. Dockwalk and hand out your CV, this helps with getting your face seen and getting your name out there. Sign up with online job boards such as Yacrew, Dockendo, SSR, or register on crew agencies. Many crew join Facebook groups/pages to discover new roles, network with other crew and to learn more about the industry.
Summary
The Caribbean yachting season runs from late November to May, so there is still time for crew to prepare. Autumn is the time of change in the industry, and many yachts will make their way over to the Caribbean. Therefore, September and October are the peak months to find a job for the Caribbean season. Many crew rely on online agencies to help them get work on yachts that are “crossing the pond”. Travelling all the way over to the Caribbean without having a job lined up is a massive risk. If crew are relying on agencies to get a job abroad, be one step ahead of the recruitment process and kick start your CrewPass background checks in time for the recruitment process!
We offer a one-off deal that gives crew 25% off the CrewPass accreditation/background checks when they apply the code ENDOFSEASON25 at check out. Or use this link: to automatically add the discount at checkout.