Networking in the yacht crew industry

From a deckhand to a captain, finding a job as superyacht crew is not always an easy one. One of the leading superyacht crew recruitment companies, YPI Crew, has provided some top tips for finding a yacht job. Read on to see what the leading recruitment specialist had to say about helping potential crew score a job that best matches their profile and qualifications.

Today one of the keys to achieving great success in the yachting industry is networking. When a crew agency puts you up for a crew job, you are more likely to be accepted for a position if the captain has heard of you. Therefore, it is crucial to meet people within the industry and to make yourself known. Networking is not always easy, but stepping outside your comfort zone in order to meet potential employers will pay off in the long run.

Always communicate in a charming and professional manner and always follow up after meetings. Writing down a few notes after important meetings will be vital if you need to jog someone’s memory about where you met before, or remind them of some interesting aspects of your conversation.

To give yourself great visibility in the industry, the first thing you should do is register with a reputed yacht crew placement agency. It is vital to keep your CV up to date with all your experience and expertise, while making sure it stands out and is interesting to read. Previous employers are a valuable source of potential future employment, so keep in contact with them and send them your updated CV regularly.

Make goals and decide what you would like to be doing in one, five and ten years’ time. Think about what position you would like to reach and how long would you like to take to get there. It is very important to have clear career goals in order to plan all the smaller steps you need to take to get yourself there.

Research thoroughly before any job interview to get as much knowledge as you can about the people you are meeting with and companies involved. This will give you the edge at the interview and will help you connect with the recruiter. A thorough research will also help you see if you have got what it takes to be successful at this job. It is very important to not overestimate your capabilities as this may lead to disappointment from both parties.

Another great way to network is to look for interesting industry blogs and forums and actively participate on them. Sign up to some of the best yacht crew newsletters to stay on top of all the latest yachting news and events around the world.

Make sure you keep your LinkedIn account up to date and keep a variety of clean and professional social networking accounts active. In the meantime, we recommend reading “The Start-Up of You,” a practical and very useful book written by Reid Hoffman, the co-founder and chairman of LinkedIn, who has some great tips on networking and building your career profile.     

For more information, visit YPI Crew.