Pro's... how'd you find your job?

[BeachJunkie]

The title pretty much says it. Out of curiousity (and some interest for a life after the military) I've been lookin into the dive professional world. Just curious how all you DM's and Instructors and shop owners got started. How you found your job and got work at the places that you have, where they've been, and what your favorites were. I know some places have placement assistance (like prodiveusa) and so on, but how did YOU get to teach and how did/do you like it?

 

[scubatoys]

I was working at a shop.. teaching and working the counter, and the owner would constantly rip people off. I told myself, I could do a shop, treat the customers better, and have a successful shop. We set out that criteria, and I started ScubaToys 10 years ago this year with $5,000 cash.

I've grown a bit since then.

 

[BeachJunkie]

Well it definately seems you have done well for yourself. Not sure how you managed to start a shop with 5 grand, but I'm sure there are a LOT of people that are glad you did. Never hear anything but good about you and your business. Maybe I'll get that lucky some day.

 

[Don Wray]

Well it definately seems you have done well for yourself. Not sure how you managed to start a shop with 5 grand, but I'm sure there are a LOT of people that are glad you did. Never hear anything but good about you and your business. Maybe I'll get that lucky some day.

I am!

 

[BeachJunkie]

Anyone know of a "Monster" style site for scuba diving that I could check out. Google isn't doin me much justice. I keep ending up at the same three sites.

 

[del_mo]

Find a dive shop you trust and grow with them. Dive shops will always generally prefer someone who has been through DM with them as opposed to someone who got their pro status from an instructor mill.

 

[muddiver]

So what do you do for the "Big Green Machine"? Maybe you could use your current skills to cross over in to something on the civilian side that includes diving.

 

[Bubble Junky]

........How you found your job and got work at the places that you have, where they've been, and what your favorites were...........

I just pick a location, and e-mail my CV with a covering letter to every dive shop in that area. I don't expect to get a job offer on the strength of this, but occasionlly have. What I do get though, is a good idea which centres to call into first when I arrive. Most dive centres will prefer to meet you in person before hiring. I've been lucky enough to work in some great locations including Palau, Thailand, Egypt, Australia. My favorite would be Palau for purely diving reasons, but working/living on a liveaboard was tough. I keep finding myself back in Thailand though - very good diving and an awesome country to live in.

 

[BeachJunkie]

So what do you do for the "Big Green Machine"? Maybe you could use your current skills to cross over in to something on the civilian side that includes diving.

Well... I'm an 11B. Infantryman. Not exactly a whole lot of job opportunities for folks who jump out of planes and shoot people for a living. There's law enforecement. Which is a possibility. But... honestly, its like being an infantryman WITHOUT the shooting. Kind of sick of the whole uniform and excessive paperwork life, but its still an option. Someone posted a thing about Underwater Crime Scene Investigation a while back and that definately drew my interest. Only thing is, thats not exactly the kind of diving I had in mind. Still pretty close to the top of my list though. I was more intersted in the recreational sport diving side of things. Just got done talkin with my instructor for about an hour and a half about being an instructor/Dive Master... sounds pretty good, as long as you're single and like to move around a lot or have an incredibly flexible wife or one thats an instructor too. I dunno. I was just looking for options and wondered how all the instructors on the board got thier start and where they have been.

Bubble Junky,
Sounds like you've gotten some travel under your belt. I keep hearing great things about thailand. Who knows, maybe I'll end up there someday.

 

[MissyP]

Find a dive shop you trust and grow with them. Dive shops will always generally prefer someone who has been through DM with them as opposed to someone who got their pro status from an instructor mill.

Thats what I did... I've been with the same dive shop on Camp Pendleton from my first day of OW on through Divemaster... I think most dive shops are more comfortable hiring/working with the students they've "raised"... (which doesn't mean they're not open to hiring outside people).... Just gotta walk in, check out the shop, meet the employees & owner, and ask if they need DMs or instructors I suppose...? Have your credentials & work experience handy... Check out their gear as well- if you dive Scubapro gear and the shop doesnt sell Scubapro, be prepared to buy the type of gear that they sell..
Part of being a DM/Inst is "selling" the shops gear (yes I know it sucks, but its the truth), and if you're wearing something the shop doesn't use, then that might cause some problems....