Ideal Hire

[RikRaeder]

To all Dive Ops...
I'm thinking of taking the long, impoverished road towards being a dive professional. Currently I am nothing...a blank slate. What kind of experience, training, etc. would influence you towards hiring a guide or instructor for your business? How about a few degrees south of ideal, but still desireable? You get the picture, yes? Thank you. :god:

 

[Scuba Brad]

What I'd suggest is to just go visit your LDS (Local Dive Shop) and tell him you want to learn more about becoming involved in the dive business. I bet he has some job or task that you'll be able to do. That will get you familiar enough with the business to stay in school and get your law or business degree........go out into the world.......make a ton of money........and then get into the dive business when you can afford to lose a ton of money.

Just a thought.

Happy Diving

 

[www.scubamazing.com]

Scuba Brad that is some great advice!

 

[RJP]

To all Dive Ops...
I'm thinking of taking the long, impoverished road towards being a dive professional. Currently I am nothing...a blank slate. What kind of experience, training, etc. would influence you towards hiring a guide or instructor for your business? How about a few degrees south of ideal, but still desireable? You get the picture, yes? Thank you. :god:

Depends on where you want to work, but I can almost assure you that - assuming that your profile is correct and that you speak Japanese and English - you could get a spot with a dive op in Hawaii that caters to Japanese tourists pretty easily with "standard issue" training.

 

[ChrisA]

To all Dive Ops...
I'm thinking of taking the long, impoverished road towards being a dive professional. Currently I am nothing...a blank slate. What kind of experience, training, etc. would influence you towards hiring a guide or instructor for your business? How about a few degrees south of ideal, but still desireable? You get the picture, yes? Thank you. :god:

Entry level professional is called a "Dive Master" around here they a "paid" by barter. For example if you work on a boat trip you get a free boat trip where you can dive and not work. Also they get to buy equipment at a good discount. Out of this huge income they have to pay for their own insurance. None of them make a positive cash flow. You do it because you like it. If you want money you'd make more at Mcdonald's serving burgers. Instructors can make more and actually turn a positive cash flow but if you do the math the hourly wadge is near minimum. Again all of them have other jobs to pay the rent. You could work in a dive shop but retail sales is not diving and it pays like a retail sales job.

 

[nolatom]

Got some boating experience? A passenger boat captain's license from the Coast Guard will greatly enhance your employability in the diving business, whether you're teaching, DMing, or something else, like maybe taking divers out on your own boat. You need plenty of underway time to qualify for the exam, but you can get it if you start working on a boat regularly as a deckhand or DM. Having a license would put you ahead of all the good DMs who don't have one. Google "Coast Guard license" or maybe "6-pack license" and you'll get more info about the requirements, and the schools that help you get a license.

 

[cerich]

captains license, compressor experience, PADI instr and one other major (NAUI/SSI/TDI), scuba equipment repair experience, sunny attitude.

 

[RikRaeder]

Thanks Nolatom, thanks Cerich.
RJP: My profile is current. Saw a post the other day about a guy who was trying to get hired on in Hawaii but was having problems (he was bi-lingual), but I'd thoughts along that line. It's an asset in more than one local, I'd wager.
For those who are unsure...impoverished means poor, or having no money.
LDS part time is also a good idea, but around here I doubt they'd have me. They tend to hire attractive young ladies (oh what a pity). Sales, right?
Thanks for the comments everyone.