deadly_risk
Contributor
My girlfriend decided to get certified, and in an effort to make choosing between the two local shops a little easier I searched these forums, did a little thinking and compiled a list of questions to print out and go into a interview with.
I don't take credit for these, most of them I found here (unfortunately I did not have the foresight to site my work) and just tweaked for my area.
Hopefully these will come in handy for others.
I don't take credit for these, most of them I found here (unfortunately I did not have the foresight to site my work) and just tweaked for my area.
Hopefully these will come in handy for others.
SCUBA Instructor Interview
Personal:
1. Whats your name?
2. How long have you been diving?
3. How long have you been certifying divers?
4. What kind of diving do you personally enjoy?
5. How often do you dive outside of classes?
6. What do you enjoy most about teaching? (Watch body language here, eyes light up? Etc.)
7. What is the most difficult aspect of teaching? (Watch body language here, eyes light up? Etc.)
8. Do you ever dive for fun with past students?
9. Have you ever failed to certify a student? Why or why not?
10. If I dont choose you, who is the second best instructor in the area?
11. Why should I learn here rather than Copelands/Ascuba Venture? (Personal attacks? Professional answer?)
Teaching (General):
1. Which certification agency?
2. Do you teach the panic cycle?
3. Do you work on buoyancy?
4. Do you work on trim?
5. What method do you use to properly weight your students?
6. Will I be learning skills kneeling on the pool bottom or mid-water?
Pre-Class:
1. What equipment do I need to provide for class?
2. What books or materials do I need to purchase?
3. How large is the average class? Is there a maximum?
4. What happens if I need more time on a particular skill than the class average? (For example breathing through a regulator without a mask on.)
5. What fining techniques do you teach? (Modified Flutter, Frog, etc.)
Class Room:
1. When and where are the class room sessions?
2. What happens if I miss a class room session?
3. Will there be any discussion beyond knowledge reviews?
4. Will any computer basics be covered in class?
Pool:
1. Where will the pool sessions be held?
2. How many pool sessions will there be?
3. How long is each pool session?
4. How deep is the pool?
5. Will there be any assistants with the instructor?
6. Will there be a lunch break?
7. What happens if I am congested and cannot equalize?
Open Water Checkout:
1. Where are open water checkouts held?
2. If multiple places are possible, what is the deciding factor?
3. Will checkouts be with the same instructor as the class and pool?
4. Whats the average number of divers attending open water checkout?
5. How many open water dives will there be?
6. How long does each dive normally last?
7. About how deep do the dives go?
Non-Verbal:
1. Is the instructor patient?
2. Did the instructor seem offended, or put off by any question?
3. Did the instructor side step, or seem uncomfortable by any question?
4. Would I be happier learning from a man or woman?
5. What kind of feeling is Mr. Gut giving?
6. Were you asked what kind of diving interested you?
7. Were you asked why you wanted to dive?
8. Were you reminded that diving is a sport with risks?