Newly minted PADI DM needs job! What should I do?

[DMDavid]

Disney has openings for DMs every so often and that would help you get a fin in the door plus more experience and a resume builder.

Edit: I just checked the NAUI job listings page and there seems to be plenty of jobs available if you're flexible enough.
You might want to check and see if PADI has job listings on their website.

 

[scubadiver888]

Man, the guy I signed up my DM with told me I can get a job anywhere in the world. I thought I'd be DM'ing on a boat and diving on my days off for free. It sounded really glamorous. I guess I'll study and get more $$ to get EFRI,IDC,etc. So long for that dream dive job in Hawaii or Thailand.

I was under no delusion when I signed up for my DM. I am gainfully employed and got my DM so I could get free dives and give my wife an excuse for me hang out at the dive shop every weekend.

That being said, I have been talking to all the dive shops in the area. Most are willing to put my DM number on file and if they need a DM they'll give me a call. I'm not going to assume they will actually call me without a little prodding.

I plan on picking the busiest shop (and the one I respect the most; probably why they are the busiest) and hanging out there on weekends. I figure if I'm handy and they need a DM there is a good chance I'll get the work. Additionally, this shop does a lot of trips. Most the guys with seniority don't want to hang around the dive shop doing DSD or filling tanks when everyone else is off to Cuba or Mexico. By willing to take the crappy time slots and boring work, I'll be building up points. Mind you, I'll let them know right up front what my expectations are. I don't want to be doing the crappy work for a year only to have the shop say, "oh, I thought you liked doing this" and never offer me anything good.

I have also been told that training doesn't have huge profit margins. In some areas the shop is breaking even. Learn to sell gear. If you are a born sales person, not a problem. If you are like me, find a shop that sells equipment you believe in and can promote honestly. Being a good mentor/leader will help because students will trust you when it comes to buying gear. They will also be more likely to recommend the shop to friends. Repeat business is good business.

This is why there is a lot of information in the DM manual on sales, presenting a good image, leadership, etc.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

Actually, I'm not sure the SCUBA guy makes more than the Cabin Boy. He gets a minimum of 70$/week per cabin just in tips, and I believe they each have something like 15-20 cabins to take care of.

However SCUBA Instructor isn't a bad job on a ship, although I'm pretty sure there's a ton of competition for it. It's unlikely they would hire a freshly minted DM.

I have worked on a few cruise ships; have you?

The majority of passengers are paying less than $100 / day, only eat the included buffet meals and smuggle their own booze. I have never heard of a cabin boy averaging $20/wk/cabin, and the salary is only decent if you are from the Philippines or Romania.

There is not really a ton of competition because multiple languages is huge and no personal possessions or relationships back on land is recommended.

DM w/70 dives is only going to find slave labor jobs, and only then would the cabin boy position look good - on knees scrubbing bowl, but room and board included.

 

[flots am]

I have worked on a few cruise ships; have you?

I've sailed on a ton of them and tipped a whole bunch of room stewards.

Currently, the major carriers charge $3.50/passenger/day for the room steward tips, and all the rooms are double occupancy or better., which means at least $7/day/room, which makes it $49/cabin for an average 7 day cruise, not including whatever he's getting in pay from the cruise line. If you're willing to stand in line at the front desk and make changes, you can do whatever you want, however most people just go with the standard. In fact, I generally hand the guy an extra $40, if works like a Ninja where I never see him and he never wakes me up.

There is not really a ton of competition because multiple languages is huge and no personal possessions or relationships back on land is recommended

That's just what I want. A SCUBA instructor with no friends and nothing to lose.

flots.

 

[marinediva]

Forget the cruise ships,
go the super yachts (white Boats)
Multiple Languages is a good suggestion. Mandarin is one where I am noticing an increase in positions.

 

[marinediva]

That's just what I want. A SCUBA instructor with no friends and nothing to lose.

I don't think Halemano, was implying that at all.
But having a fiance or wife, house, two cars and all the costs associated with them can get costly when put into storage and make one home sick.

During the period I went oversea working first time I rented the unit out, and the money earnt simply paid for the storage of my possessions each week. I lost contact with half the friends I would socialise with regularly simply because of the lack of contact. Old friends are always there for you, and the relationships seem to be able to cope with limited email contact. A couple of mates even travelled to my destination to take advantage of my presence and staff discounts.

On my second trip, I sold the unit, sold the car, gave heaps away, and got my possessions down to one car load. In January 2011 am preparing for my next stint o/s. Not sure where yet, but I will start to sell all my excess dive gear, (enough gear to suit up four people with gear weights and tanks) before I go.

It is a lifestyle choice, and high maintence friends and possessions which cost $$ over a period of time whether in use or not (car rego, rates etc) eat up the small wages from some positions. What you gain is a great lifestyle, lots of new friends, and seeing some amazing destinations.

 

[stiggy]

Dont give up you have options.

Place ad on Padi job board,show your keen to travel you mentioned Thailand and other areas.
Carry on studying , but dont feel pressured into pay more and get more certs behind you.
Some places do have Instructor internships work for Instructor rating< cairns is a good place for this.

I have seen some new Dms and dive cons get work outside there training school or LDS just recently.

Yes there is competition yes it can be quite difficult but thats the job world right now.

DMS and Dive guides in general are always needed , most become instructors then dont want to dive guide, the jobs are there.

Good luck and keep on trying something will come up.

 

[scubaswede]

You really have to want to work in the scuba industry because you love it. The pay is awful and nothing anyone can make a living on. (Well I guess you can if you think making $40K a year is liveable.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

I've sailed on a ton of them and tipped a whole bunch of room stewards.

Currently, the major carriers charge $3.50/passenger/day for the room steward tips, and all the rooms are double occupancy or better., which means at least $7/day/room, which makes it $49/cabin for an average 7 day cruise, not including whatever he's getting in pay from the cruise line.

So you are saying that your cruising experience has included you knowing that the "included gratuity" (not a tip) on your bill goes only to the one room steward for your cabin?

With NCL, my digging into the money trail indicated that "included gratuities" made up the majority of the base salary. You do not really think that the cruise lines are cranking out +$500 million dollar ships by paying a living wage to room stewards, do you?

In my eyes, a tip is something one gives voluntarily, so you generously give more than twice what I continue to believe is the average tip.

Actually, I'm not sure the SCUBA guy makes more than the Cabin Boy. He gets a minimum of 70$/week per cabin just in tips, and I believe they each have something like 15-20 cabins to take care of.

Since the typical contract for a room steward is something like 5 months on 1 month off, your low end "tips" (minimum $70/wk/cabin x 15 cabins) is $1050/wk, and $3850/mo even factoring in the off month.

My experience with both International and US Domestic cruise ships is that room stewards make less than $1200/mo, which is mostly paid by gratuities, and only a few passengers give cash tips to the steward in person. That is why there are pretty much no US citizens working that job; you can make more per hour working at a fast food joint.

 

[flots am]

So you are saying that your cruising experience has included you knowing that the "included gratuity" (not a tip) on your bill goes only to the one room steward for your cabin?

That's what the cruise lines say. They hand out a sheet that contains the "recommended" tips for the various employees, which they'll charge to your credit card unless you go stand in line at the desk and change it.

It includes $3.50/passenger/day for the room steward, and various amount for other people (kitchen staff, etc.). Unless my math is wrong, or the cruise line is flat out lying, it's not a bad living.

OTOH, they work more than 12 hours/day, 7 days/week and I wouln't take the job regardless of pay.

With NCL, my digging into the money trail indicated that "included gratuities" made up the majority of the base salary. You do not really think that the cruise lines are cranking out +$500 million dollar ships by paying a living wage to room stewards, do you?

Why not? It's not coming out of their pocket.

Since the typical contract for a room steward is something like 5 months on 1 month off, your low end "tips" (minimum $70/wk/cabin x 15 cabins) is $1050/wk, and $3850/mo even factoring in the off month.

What's the funny part? Either they're handing the room steward what they collect from the passengers or they're lying.

flots.