Why can't you make a living as an Instructor?

[Carl_Fallon]

G'day everyone,

I have worked as a PADI Instructor for 9 years now. I am currently 27 and instruct in Sydney, Australia. What i make out of diving (Money wises) is 'ok' ... i have my own appartment near the beach in Cronulla and a shiny new car.

But honestly... Of course you dont become an instructor for the big pay packet at the end of the week. We do it because the job rocks! I love my job... And every minute i am out on the water! :cool2:

We do make a living, but the main reason is because we are living! This is why I do it...

Today i had to drive into the city to pick something up, and i was bumper to bumper with every other person travelling into the city going to an office job. It took me over 1 hour to get into the city and over 2.5 hour return to where i started from. I could never go back to doing that 5 days a week.

I wake up and go swim with Weedy Seadragons, Blue Groupers and enjoy life.

If anyone is umming and arring about becoming and instructor... then go for it!

 

[Bronson]

Good luck with your journey. Why not give it a try and do something a but different, learn new skills (marketing yourself) and see how it goes. You can always transport those new marketing skills to work elsewhere when you are ready. I am doing the IDC to learn how to be a better diver and it has been a wonderful learning experience. That is life is all about..learning new things and trying new ideas. I say jump in and give it a while while you are young and can take a chance.

 

[Bronson]

To Carl. I have been in those traffic jams most of my professional life (30 years) and i am envious.

 

[Scott L]

If you really want to differentiate yourself from the typical instructor and be seccessfull do two things that virtually no other instructor accomplishes.

1) Return phone calls and e-mail is a timely fashion. I realize the industry attracts those individuals who are less structured than others but my god. From the most technically accomplished instructotrs in the world (GUE) to TDI and on down the line I have never encountered so many people in one field that are extremely deficent in this area.

2) Be proactive in calling your former students in order to keep them diving and work toward further certifications. Please check a similar reply by myself a few days ago in another thread.

Post number 78. http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ba.../309367-hi-its-your-instructor-calling-8.html

 

[bfw]

G'day everyone,

I have worked as a PADI Instructor for 9 years now. I am currently 27 and instruct in Sydney, Australia. .....We do it because the job rocks! I love my job... And every minute i am out on the water!

Smart money bet is that 10 years from now he won't be diving at all. He sounds just like several of my friends 10-15 years ago, before doing it for a living got old.

Unless you have some talent or ability that will put you above 95th percentile of dive instructors, find another career doing something you are more able or willing to do than most other people, and exploit that advantage to make lots of money, which you spend on opportunities to dive on your own terms, not the terms of the obnoxious tourist who's paying you this week.

By the way, if you're wondering if you have that something to be 95th percentile - if you have it, a good instructor will recruit you. If you're asking about it here, you should think about another career.

 

[Jun Lao]

If you really want to differentiate yourself from the typical instructor and be seccessfull do two things that virtually no other instructor accomplishes.

1) Return phone calls and e-mail is a timely fashion. I realize the industry attracts those individuals who are less structured than others but my god. From the most technically accomplished instructotrs in the world (GUE) to TDI and on down the line I have never encountered so many people in one field that are extremely deficent in this area.

2) Be proactive in calling your former students in order to keep them diving and work toward further certifications. Please check a similar reply by myself a few days ago in another thread.

Post number 78. http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ba.../309367-hi-its-your-instructor-calling-8.html

just like any other business or profession, after sales service is key to bigger rewards. I'm still more or less a newbie but from my experience, while the instructor knows anything and everything to know about scuba, they tend not to know anything about their student, or spend time figuring out what they really need/want.

And yes, doing 'work like' chores such as answering emails and calls will keep you in business longer vs instructors who believe reputation and skills alone will keep them going. (I recently chose an operator and paid more for their service because of the prompt response and sound options provided...rather the cheaper alternative which had no one at the opposite end of cyberspace and the phone) to answer queries.

I appreciate the dm's/buddies/instructors who keep in touch, offering invites, shares promos, the little things. One time, at band camp, my original instructor called me for an msd course after 2 years (after learning I dive almost every week), I simply didn't answer back, thinking, why only now.. (while there were attempts on my part to stay in touch from the start)

There is an abundance of clientele out there, take care of them (beyond the water) and they'll take of you (long after the course is over).

 

[Jun Lao]

Yeah I do understand that it is a lot different being a customer to actually working in the dive centres. Obviously i got the easy side of things, it just seemed to me a much better way of spending life rather than sat at a desk 10 hours a day, being kept busy doing pointless tasks.

Corney, but it reminds me of the film the Matrix.

not so, I can relate (reason why am so hooked to this thread), am also thinking of swallowing the 'blue pill'.... giving up a an average career for ...as this thread sees it.. sea slave labor,

the grass is always greener on the other side... much tending needed for sure once youre on perceived greener grass..., knowing if you want to stay on that side, only time will tell

 

[AquaExplorer]

I really have to reply to this. I own and manage a dive centre and believe me it is not easy. When we opened, I worked for nothing for almost 6 months. (Lived off my savings) After more than 5 years we are now working reasonably well. Although, we do remain fragile as we are always at risk of bad weather and unfair competition. I think that the first problem with this industry is the number of instructors who are happy to work free of charge. Does anyone know of another industry where people pay so much to earn an instructor rating and then go off and work for the fun? Personally, we do not take on young inexperienced instructors, even free of charge, as our diving tends to be a bit difficult and if we were to have an accident, under the local law, I will be held responsable. Also, I consider that I have a moral obligation to keep my divers safe regardless of the cost. However, not all of the companies think like me. We have an ongoing problem with retired military who move from France into the tropics. These guys are relatively young with a good retirement and their idea of creating a business is just to cut the prices until the competition gives up! When you already have an income, it is a lot easier.

On the positive side, I never get bored with diving. Someone said that the pros get bored with diving the same sites every day. Personally, I do not have this problem as there is always something new or an unknown behaviour of a well known creature. I am always fascinated how the same sites change according to the seasons, time of day and tides. And then I course every now and then we see what I call a "gift" from the sea. Recently, I dived with a whale shark and then mantas rays on the same day. Also, many of my customers have become good friends. This is certainly a very tough business. To survivie you must really love the sea and its creatures.

Sounds a lot like flight instruction....the similarities are scary.

 

[drbill]

I think "making a living" involves a lot more than being able to cover your basic day-to-day expenses. For example, can you afford medical insurance on what you make? Very few dive ops offer such insurance as part of the compensation package. Will you be able to retire? Is there a retirement plan? The generally low wages most instructors receive would not qualify one for much in Social Security benefits here in the States.

I speak as one who 10 years ago decided to follow his passion rather than continue in a job situation that was not enjoyable. Fortunately I had many years of working at jobs which did provide some security (health insurance and retirement).

Many who join the instructor ranks are young and aren't as concerned about such long-term issues. It is possible to survive in reasonable comfort re: the day-to-day expenses in locations where diving is a common activity (such as my home, Catalina Island or perhaps a nice tropical resort where people visit and the cost-of-living is low). However, as most instructors age and see the long-term needs, the drop out rate increases.

 

[Crowley]

I was talking the other day to a fellow instructor. He has been doing this for 7 years, straight out of college, and has had no other career. He is turning 30 and contemplating a return the the "real world" (aha) and getting a career back in Europe. I, on the other hand, turn 36 next month, and after a 10 year career in the IT industry, I packed it in to do the exact same thing in reverse.

Funny how life works out. I live comfortably, I am certainly not rich but I have a nice (rented) apartment and I am never lacking for beer funds.

Most instructors don't last a year - although for many that is a pre-determined decision: a gap year from university or a sabbatical from work or the miltary. Many do indeed "grow-up" and realise they need to get back to their homelands.

Me, for now, I'm happy to continue on this path. I do, of course, have concerns about the future, but whosoever amongst you does not, please feel free to start casting stones!

Happy diving, however you choose to do it,

C.