New DM Considering Career Change from Corporate World

[jlevine]

Hello,

I am not sure if this is the right place to post this...so here goes! I completed my PADI DM approximately one year ago. Now, the diving bug is biting a bit more. I am thinking about whether diving should have a greater role in my life, perhaps in either a part time or full time scenario. I am looking for a place where I could perhaps work on a trial basis in early 2006 to learn more about the dive industry and hopefully determine whether to pursue becoming an instructor. I've been in the corporate world for a long time but feel I need to try this. I appreciate any info any of you have. I am a US citizen. I am primarily looking in Florida, the Caribbean, or Hawaii. Feel free to PM me or e-mail me (Jeffrey_Levine@jhu.edu) if you have any questions or insight.

Thanks!

jsl

 

[surfbummer]

Hello,

I am not sure if this is the right place to post this...so here goes! I completed my PADI DM approximately one year ago. Now, the diving bug is biting a bit more. I am thinking about whether diving should have a greater role in my life, perhaps in either a part time or full time scenario. I am looking for a place where I could perhaps work on a trial basis in early 2006 to learn more about the dive industry and hopefully determine whether to pursue becoming an instructor. I've been in the corporate world for a long time but feel I need to try this. I appreciate any info any of you have. I am a US citizen. I am primarily looking in Florida, the Caribbean, or Hawaii. Feel free to PM me or e-mail me (Jeffrey_Levine@jhu.edu) if you have any questions or insight.

Thanks!

jsl

I just left a $140k per year job to be a scuba instructor. Couple of things you need to know - first, being an instructor (at least for me) is essentially a means to support my habit - it's not something you are going to get rich doing. Between equipment, insurance (my insurance to be a scuba instructor was three times as much as it was to be a healthcare practitioner, believe it or not!!), fees that make your certifying agency rich, there's not a whole lot left for you. An average instructor working full time will only earn between $12k and $20k per year.

Bottom line - you've gotta do it because you love it - and have a VERY supportive spouse......

 

[mnj1233]

Bottom line - you've gotta do it because you love it - and have a VERY supportive spouse......

Or one with a nice 401K balance!!!!!

 

[kareny]

let me know how it goes... I'm considering the same move in the future