What's the best way to get a job?

Hi guys

I'm a new instructor and I was wondering the best techniques for hunting down that job.

Blindly sending off emails seems to be a little cold and unrewarding but a good way to get your message across that you're looking for work. Searching the dive company websites gets a bit depressing after a while as the place you want never turns up or the employer asks for loads of experience and thirteen different languages.

The best way it seems to me is to locate a place you'd like to dive, ask around the shops in the area and hope something comes up. However, I think this can be a risky strategy as funds for most of us are limited and if you don't find a job relatively quickly, then a certain amount of stress on yourself and wallet my ensue.

Have I just found a reality check as an instructor? What do you guys think? Any comments would be appreciated.

Cheers

Ben

Well, it's like anything else. If you want something, you have to ask for it. There is nothing wrong with sending out professional inquiries indicating that you are seeking employment. Just don't be ridiculous about it

As a new instructor, or new anyone else embarking on a career, I'd look locally and get some experience before looking at more distant places.

Good luck!
nd

Personally I have found that diving instructors are a dime a dozen in warm places, I did it for a year and met a lot of wonderful people but didn't make a living at it, it was a 1 year sabatical from my real career, so no big deal.

I was told by my Course Director to make a short video of myself in action while teaching with a blurb about myself ect... I guess posting it on YouTube would ideal, maybe you can search YT an see if someone else did the same for some creative ideas.

Going to a dive center and paying to dive was also suggested, don't make a big deal about looking work and maybe something will become of that. I sensed, if you walk into a dive shop with one thing on your mind a "circle the wagons" mentality will appear from the staff.

Hopefully you have secondary skills that make you attractive, webpage managment, biology, grease monkey, boat driver ect.

Languages are a big deal... to the point that buying your additional credentials as an English only speaker is a waste of money, except being able to teach Nitrox.

Do you care to share the places you want to work??

Thanks for your replies.

I thought about going to the Philippines. But with over 7,000 islands, hundreds of dive centres spanning hundreds of miles, I wondered how I would cover that area. Maybe go to the tourist hot-spots and hang out? I don't like the idea of appearing too desperate that's for sure but sitting on my arse in one area and phoning and emailing seems too casual.

I guess luck plays a big part in getting the job. But as they say, you make your own luck, huh?
As I don't have a second language or know how to fix engines, it looks like I'll have to try twice as hard.

I like the idea of putting myself on YouTube though... watch this space.

A lot depends on what your agency is and where in the world you want to teach.

Things like the PADI site sometimes work, other times blindly emailing dive centres help. In busy areas like Thailand, Red sea etc its nearly all done by walk-in instructors visiting the centres and getting freelance roles.

Obviously if you can speak 3 or 4 languages it'll help massively. New instructors who will work for next to nothing are ten to a penny - they're everywhere. So without the extra qualifications such as specialities, boat handling, service and most importantly of all, languages you will always struggle.

trying to find a job online is pretty much a waste of time, and discouraging to boot. even if you get one, its often not one you are going to want. if you go that route, check out the operation carefully, and dont be fooled by a fancy website. i always check diveproinfo.proboards25.com. its geared toward pros only, and has a section people post reviews with their experiences at various shops. i have only gotten one job online, and i only lasted there for a few weeks before quitting. in any case, even with online jobs, they are often going to want to meet you.

really the best way in warm climates is to pick a place and go. when a shop needs an instructor, they usually need one now, and whoever is front of them gets the job. if you go this route, do research on the area first, and timing is everything. if you show up during slow season, you will be in competition with locally known instructors needing work too. even in busy season, youd better have funds to support yourself for a month or two at least. and of course youll be competing with the hordes of instructors who are multilingual, pretty much a prerequisite nowadays. freelancing can be a good option, i lived in the youth hostel during my first slow season, and i was the busiest instructor in town, cause i got the customers before they went to the shops. also look into doing dsd's especially if there are cruise ships coming in. be creative.

as a new instructor, with no experience, no languages and no additional skills, you will have a tough time competing. are you at least drop dead gorgeous? dont laugh, it makes a huge difference, and that alone can get you a job, more for women tho.

best bet is to get some experience close to home first, and take advantage of that to save some cash, and more importantly, get some training. nitrox is absolutely necessary. beyond that, learn to work on compressors or gear, that will make all the difference, as this stuff needs to be maintained constantly. if you can, learn to work on boat engines, learn some boat handling, better yet, get a captains ticket. these will almost certainly get you a job. learning this at your lds will be much easier than at a destination, where they wont have time to train you.

most important, dont get discouraged. diving is a small world, and once you get your foot in the door, it gets easier.

btw the penalties and fines for working illegally in the phillipines are insane. again, do your research....

hope this helps

Things like a captains ticket depend where in the world you go. Step outside the USA/Caribbean and a US captains ticket is fairly worthless. Likewise the internationally recognised boat handling quals valid elsewhere aren't recognised there. So specialise for areas.
Lots of the popular destinations (red sea and thailand to name 2) only employ locals to cox the boats, partly for legal reasons but mainly because they're far far cheaper.

Rather than learning that over the winter i'd STRONGLY recommend learning a language instead. It really is THE most important thing to get a dive job in large parts of the world.

Turning up 4-5 weeks before peak season is useful - gives you a chance to learn the dive sites, the centres and get your face known by them so when the time comes to contract someone in they are familiar with you.