New instructor having trouble finding work....Need Help!

[DiverJim242]

I'm a new instructor having trouble finding work, and would like any input.

After 17 years as a professional mariner, I decided to finish out my working days doing something I love.....dive, and teach people to dive safely. But, I have been getting really discouraged in my quest to find a job.
As with everything I do, I went all out with my IDC, OWSI MSDT EFRI NITROX O2 instr, the works.
So, with that, and my past professional background, I believe I have good deal to offer any dive operation.
But after four months of sending out resume after resume, I have gotten little response.
Just for one example, I had one offer from a major liveaboard company, they wanted to pay me peanuts, and after looking the vessel over, which was a real junker (after 17 years working on ships, I know one when I see one), I had to say no.
I'm really getting the notion that this industry is not looking for professionals, just people thy can take advantage of, somebody please say it's not so.

 

[josimccu]

where do you live?

 

[El Orans]

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A ScubaBoard Staff Message...

Moved to Seeking Employment.

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[ReefHound]

You probably should have taken all the money you spent on training and invested it in a municipal bond, the return on investment would be better.

If you're going to depend on instructor income to support yourself, seems to me you should have researched the industry pay scale and job opportunities better. I see lots of demand for instructors but at peanut wages. I don't think you're going to find one with a fat salary, paid vacation, group health, and matching 401k.

You could always open a dive shop.

 

[Ber Rabbit]

I'm really getting the notion that this industry is not looking for professionals, just people thy can take advantage of, somebody please say it's not so.

DING DING DING DING DING We have a winner!

It sounds like you can actually offer added value to an operation, imagine what someone without your experience would have been offered (peanut crumbs instead of peanuts). Good luck in your search but don't be surprised if you need a second job to make ends meet in this industry.
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[ReefHound]

I'm not an instructor so I can't say firsthand, but I've always had the perception that this is an industry where you get most of your jobs by referrals or talking to people, not sending out resumes.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Either that or creating a job and customer base. I have cards, flyers that I put up at my gym, work, and other places. Right now I can only do refreshers, guided dives, and discover scuba's. But hopefully this will be the beginnings of a customer base for when I take my instructor course in the spring.

 

[TheBrazilNut]

For one thing. It looks like you have less then 200 dives are pretty green. The biggest ripoff IMO are these Instructor Development "Colleges" which bang out Instructor after Instructor with NO REAL help in job placement. I have worked in The Dive Industry for 12 years now right after College. I worked at very large Dive shop around DC and made a fair living $40-50K, but the cost of living is expensive. We got a small salary and such and made most of out income on commissions and Teaching Scuba after we worked for 8hrs.

I wanted to be in this business because of not ever having to get a "real" job. One of the benefits I got was going on three large group trips every year. So most of the Caribbean and some of the Pacific has been explored by me and I was getting paid. Now I do Independent Instruction with really no problems of finding students.

My best advice would be to not limit yourself in terms of jobs. Just like any job if you can get your foot in the door, and become friends with "High ranking Scuba Officials" there should be no problem climbing the ladder. In this business it seems you have to KNOW people to get ahead.

 

[Otter]

Its so....for a lot of reasons. Some is supply/demand...lots of people want the lifestyle; its not that tough to be certified as an Instructor; retail dive industry is a low profit business. I once had a CD tell our instructors, "instructors are a dime a dozen". My guess is that the average O/W student will generate about $2.50/hr for you. ConEd is better, done right you might actually get minimum wage (per student).

 

[offthewall1]

There isn't a dive Instructor in the world making a living teaching diving... well, at least not in the USA... and if they are, their working 60-80 hours a week to make 40K somewhere in Florida.

You teach Scuba because you love it. I don't know anyone personally who makes more than 15K a year teaching Scuba... there is some basic math vs time that can show you what I mean.

Most scuba students learn nights and weekends and very few places have students every night and every weekend.. but lets say you work at an extremely busy place

You teach every night of the week and every weekend for an entire year. (WOW - what a life)

In this scenario you have lets say 8 students every night of the week... of course the classes usually involve at least 3 classroom sessions and 3 pool sessions, not to mention 2 days of open water (5 hours each). Using this scenario... maybe a course takes 30 hours to complete.

So lets say there are 4 hours available 5 nights a week and 10 hours available on Saturdays and Sundays... that is a total weekly availability of 40 hours a week. You work them all.

This means that there are 52 potential 40 hour weeks in a year... like any other job... however nearly 3 of the weeks all come from the same course fee (3 classroom nights, 3 pool nights and 1 weekend.) The math can get a little fuzzy here... but stay with me

Lets say the shop (or you) charge $450pp for open water and you fill every single class for the year. Basically say 10 students per class for 18 classes per year.

If you work in a shop, you'll likely get about $60 per student to teach the course. That is $600 per class X 18 classes = $10,800.00 for the years work... and you'll have worked an amazing 2080 hours earning believe it or not... $5.19 cents per hour... or less than minimum wage!

Lets say you're an independent Instructor and you go it alone... (nevermind gear and advertising expenses, insurance etc...) but you charge the same $450 rate... pay yourself everything other than the materials costs and pool rental time (maybe you have your own pool,) but in essence you pay just $60pp for materials ($600 per class and $500 per month pool rental / $6000 year)

Your total outlay without all other expenses is 10,800 + $6000 = $16,800. So $450 X 10 students = $4500 per class X 18 classes = 81,000.00 - $16,800 = $64,200. Now start deducting expenses... Insurance $500 per year, Equipment purchases for 10+ students & $1500 each + annual maintenance on each set $75 each annually, if not at home, rent to teach classroom portions somewhere... you get the idea... with an initial outlay for equipment of more than $15,000, annual maintenance of $750 ore more, classroom rental space for 10 students... etc..

You're driven into the $40K range and you are working your hump off... mind you the 40 hours a week didn't include driving time to and from classrooms, pools, checkouts, etc... figure an easy 60+ hour week... prepping gear for students, record keeping etc...

So what does all this mean... work for someone else for $10,800 a year 60 hours a week... or work for yourself the double the hours for $40,000. Bottom line, stop looking for an Instructor job at hit the local McDonalds. Their managers start at $40K plus and work far less hard.