The agencies seem to indoctrinate new divers that they must continually advance to the next level. That pyramid scheme to which you refer. By the time you are AOW with a few specialties, you have been convinced that any "real" diver should aspire to be a DM. Then of course any DM should have the goal of being instructor.
And no one understands when you tell them no, you are perfectly happy as a DM. I like the relationship I have with students versus the one I see them have with instructors.
And every time I go in the shop they pump me to go instructor. I would love instructing (as I love DMing) but I just don't see where they have a need for me.
Same with DM's. Some shops really push you to be DM's and promise you a place in the shop...right along with the other dozen DM's they certified at the same time.
At least instructors have a chance to earn some of their expenses back. I don't know about Dallas and Austin but around Houston DM's aren't paid anything. Our expenses to and from classes as well as check out dive locations is all on us. If going to BL or WP that means an overnight stay and hotel bills, a weekend can cost us $100+ out of our pocket. The offer of keyman discounts always sound good and is great when you need that initial set of full gear but after that it isn't used much. At least I can't afford to replace gear once a year even WITH the discount. We do get a 10% discount on anything we need in the shop. At this point we have more gear than some dive shops but the savings on mask defog and snap bolts (when I can find them) helps.
As a DM, another thing I'd like to see changed is notifications of classes. It is the norm to be called on a Thursday or Friday night and asked if you can DM the pool or checkouts on Saturday. The instructors tell me it's the same way with them. When the class schedule is made, why can't the instructor and DM both be assigned to a class and be given that 3-6 month class schedule? We can then mark our calendars to know to be available that weekend or to be able to tell the shop you have a conflict. We understand that some classes won't make but we'd rather find ourselves with a sudden free weekend than upset the shop when we tell them we already have concrete plans in place....and be treated as if we let down the hole shop. Seems like common courtesy to me!
I would like to see more done to involve the new divers AND the 'old' divers in a shop. Once you've gone as high as you want or the shop sees that you aren't interested in more classes, they are finished with you. There's no effort to get divers in the water locally. I remember being a new diver and going to the old spot The Reef every weekend. The more time I spent with the local divers the more I learned about the gear they used, how it worked and the chance to try out different brands of gear. My shopping list rapidly grew! That's lots different than seeing fins hanging on the wall and a store clerk trying to tell you how well they work.
Most of us don't care if vis is only to the end of your arm, it's wet. And you have to admit diving in our local lakes make us better divers. New divers are pushed into salt water dive trips, sometimes to locations they are not trained to handle. Why not sponsor a few outings locally so those new divers can put those new skills to use. To actually practice what they've learned, especially buoyancy, rather than be thrown into currents and depths on a trip they've only seen on a screen or been told about? I guess that's why I enjoy mentoring as much as DM'ing. Being available as a dive buddy to just spend some time in the water with new divers gives them confidence and hones skills they'll always use.
Oops sorry...getting off the soapbox, I've rambled enough.
