Writing a CV for yacht crew jobs can be a stress-inducing task, especially if you’ve never written one before. Most prospective applicants tend to be fresh out of school, so they may not have any experience in creating a CV. Luckily, these types of CVs are distinctly different from CVs for land-based jobs, so we’ve gathered some crucial information for crafting an interview-winning CV so you can kickstart your career at sea.
1. A Professional Photo
Most hirers usually don’t expect a photo in your application, but a CV for yacht crew does. It’s important to include a photo of yourself in a neutral setting with neutral-looking clothes (but not too casual). Make sure you are looking at the camera head-on and that you are in a well-lit area. Basically, you should look like you’re taking a passport-ready photo but with a bright smile.
2. Contact Details
You’ll want to have all your relevant contact details (phone number and email) displayed in a way that’s easy to find, like at the top of the page as a header, or at the bottom as a footer (the top is usually a better option). Be sure that your phone number has the international dialling code included.
3. Personal Details and a Relevant Headline
Recruiters want to know who they’re dealing with before they’ll consider reaching out for an interview. Here’s a list of what you’ll need to include for your personal profile:
- Your name, surname, and nationality
- Your date of birth and age
- Your position headline – This will be the name of the position you’re applying for, such as “Deckhand”
- Your spoken languages – Working on yachts will often involve working with international crew, so if you speak more than one language, that’s a huge bonus!
- A short list of your hobbies and interests – Try to list what’s related to seafaring in general, such as watersports and travelling (if applicable)
4. A Summary of Your Qualifications
It’s often advised that you write out a short summary of all your relevant qualifications for yacht crew work. Try to keep it short and to the point – don’t include information that doesn’t directly relate to your qualifications and skills for working on yachts.
You should put this summary close to the top of your CV for yacht crew – this will likely be the first impression you will make on a recruiter, so make sure it’s relevant and impactful!
5. Education and Experience
Now that you’ve got the skeleton of your CV down, it’s time for the most important part – listing your previous experience and education.
If you don’t have any previous work experience, don’t worry! The most important thing to include in your CV will be your STCW qualification (since you can’t work on yachts if you don’t have one) so make sure that it’s prominently displayed. We offer STCW courses in Cape Town, so consider enroling if you don’t yet have a certification.
If you do have previous work experience, include every job and qualification that has directly transferrable skills and responsibilities relating to the position you’re applying for. If you’re applying to be a stewardess and you’ve previously worked at a hotel, include it! And try to list only the duties from that position that are directly relevant to the yacht crew job you’re applying for.
6. Keep it Short and Sweet
Since anyone with a computer can apply for a job online, recruiters often have to deal with dozens, if not hundreds, of CVs during a hiring cycle. This means that your CV for yacht crew will just be one of many CVs that they will see in a day, so it’s very important to keep it short and relevant. Try not to write more than a few lines (3-5 is usually ideal) per job entry and limit your overall document to a max of two pages.
Don’t spend valuable CV space extensively detailing things that aren’t relevant to the position you’re applying for – this may turn off the recruiter from wanting to give your CV a proper look through. Display what’s important, and cut out what’s not if it’s going to make your CV too long.
7. Personalise and Update Every Time
Now that you’ve finished your CV for yacht crew – you’re all set to start applying for your dream jobs!
But not yet actually. One of the most crucial steps you can take to make yourself stand out from the sea of competing applicants is to personalise your CV for every job you apply.
If you just take a few minutes to look over the language used in job listings and adjust your wording to fit what’s there, you will instantly make it known to recruiters that you are exactly what they are looking for. Just never lie – you will only make it harder for yourself if you say things about yourself that aren’t true.
One awesome benefit of personalising your CV regularly is that you’ll likely think of ways to improve your document the more you engage with it. Maybe you’ll finally remember that one extra skill you could add after looking at enough job listings. You’ll also give yourself opportunities to identify any spelling or formatting errors – these can be instant turn-offs for recruiters, so it’s important that you always check for any mistakes.
Now that you have all the tools for writing a killer CV for yacht crew, it’s time to start applying!
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