Why do DM in the first place? What are the rewards for work done?

[Marcus5015]

Ok so after i am a DM, what real rewards are there.
i can lead a dive, whoopy...
I can conduct a discover scuba, for free, doing the work to gain a student for the instructor, no real reward for me really....
i can do skin diver, when last did you ever see that being presented, me never...
as for stepping stone to instructor, after seeing how some instructors operate, i doubt if i still want to even contemplate of becoming an instructor...

 

[dumpsterDiver]

You can carry liability insurance for hundreds of dollars a year.. or be vulnerable to being sued during an accident and have your homeowners and liability insurance cancelled.

If you are not going to make money being a DM, not going to become an instructor and you have any significant assets, I think it is ridiculous to get a DM certification. Take the course if you want, but you gotta really want to USE the certification to make carrying it worth the liability... In my opinion..

 

[scoobydrew]

Ok so after i am a DM, what real rewards are there.
i can lead a dive, whoopy...
I can conduct a discover scuba, for free, doing the work to gain a student for the instructor, no real reward for me really....
i can do skin diver, when last did you ever see that being presented, me never...
as for stepping stone to instructor, after seeing how some instructors operate, i doubt if i still want to even contemplate of becoming an instructor...

I think you have answered your own question...

You have a negative perception of the role of the divemaster, whether that comes from your own self or from an incident which has happened in your so far short journey to being a professional diver, you have the wrong attitude.

In either case, to be a pro you have to absolutely love what you do and I would suggest that if you have been so put off so early by something you could just have easily taken in your stride or better still learned from then you are probably in the wrong game.

What kind of response do you want? As an instructor should I try to persuade you to continue your professional training? The answer is no. Being a professional diver is tough and you need thick skin. If you are this jaded this early then be thankful that you discovered this early that being a pro is not for you and knock it on the head, throw the towel in now and stop wasting your own time as any more that you spend on this venture will clearly be resented.

 

[Marcus5015]

Thanks for reply, i will finish my dm for the mere fact to finish what i started. And yes , it was a bad experience with a instructor that i am where i am. I could have taken it in my stride yes, and i could have taken a knock for the team, but when it crosses my own moral boundaries, it gets personal.As a dm you are expected to act professional at all times, yet some instructors forgot that lesson...Maybe when the dust settles i will go further...

 

[Subcooled]

Try NAUI master scuba diver instead. Lots of information. No professional liability.
And then there's the CMAS p3. CMAS is non-commercial and club based. Can't be professional there, I guess.

 

[SeaHorse81]

Maybe when the dust settles i will go further...

Or not. Whatever you do, I hope it maximizes your enjoyment of diving for a lifetime.

 

[scoobydrew]

Thanks for reply, i will finish my dm for the mere fact to finish what i started. And yes , it was a bad experience with a instructor that i am where i am. I could have taken it in my stride yes, and i could have taken a knock for the team, but when it crosses my own moral boundaries, it gets personal.As a dm you are expected to act professional at all times, yet some instructors forgot that lesson...Maybe when the dust settles i will go further...

Some instructors do forget that lesson but it doesn't mean that you should too.

Think about what you want to be and be it, don't let others pull you down to their level.

If you are going to carry on with the guys you are currently with then I would suggest that you need to get this off your chest either with the instructor or the owner if they are indeed different people.

 

[TMHeimer]

What are the rewards? Depends on what you want out of it and the situation you're in doing it. I won't get into the monetary rewards as that's been discussed to death, other than to say I get what amounts to minimum wage to assist with an OW Course and would never work for free. We get very little for the Charter work and the several courses DMs can teach--not enough to cover my gas, so I don't do these. You can get liability insurance for assisting only, which is considerably less (here in Canada anyway). One course covers insurance and PADI membership. But still, you have to be into it because you enjoy it, as no matter where you go, any real money just doesn't seem to be there. There are many instructors and DMs that seem to do way too many courses and "burn out". I have noticed some of that at our shop--with both instructors and DMs. The only thing that will burn me out will be old age. It's hard to burn out doing 3-4 courses a year, which is just nice. Depends what you want out of it.... A side benefit to doing the course is a lot of work perfecting your "20 basic skills". Of course, you can watch videos and do this on your own without all the other DM course requirements and the money it costs. Or as suggested, take that NAUI Master Diver course.

 

[ScubaDocER]

You ask a sincere but complicated question. Part of the answer may lie in why you wanted to become a DM in the first place. What motivated you to want to join the professional ranks? If you can recall that then you may have your motivation. For me, I knew I wanted to be an Instructor. I had GREAT Instructors who were motivated, focused, intelligent, and inspired me to follow in their foot steps. I couldn't wait to join their ranks!! I suppose thats what great Instructors do. As a dive leader, YOU can do the same.

There are several rewards to being a dive leader. Some tanglible, others less so. Income is a consideration. If you NEED the income to survive then being a DM can be challenging. Make an honest assessment of your finances and determine if this path is a valid one for you. The love of the sport is another and being able to have a genuine impact on the future of other divers is yet another. With the right Instructor, you can have a powerful impact on the future of any diver. You may be the reason some people continue to dive or not. Often times, students may be too afraid or too intimidated to ask the Instructor a question. The first person they will turn to is the DM. Don't underestimate the influence and power of a good DM.

The abilities and limits of a DM are well documented. Review them and decide for yourself if you should continue on your chosen path. For me the answers were easy. I enjoyed the impact I made on the students under my care. I knew I wanted to teach and become an Instructor and have had no regrets since. Use the resources around you to see if they can help you become the DM you envisioned yourself to be. Most of all stay positive!! Being a dive professional is a tremendous responsibilty but at the end of the day...you're diving!!

 

[TMHeimer]

ScubaDocER, You explained the student interaction aspect much better than I, and I experienced it today in the pool. In fact a couple of OW students asked about the pro aspect and monetary rewards (ei. can I make a decent living, etc.). Thus my emphasis on the pay, etc. It's nice to be retired and doing this to get a toe back into education.

scubydrew, Yeah, instructors sure do vary, as did the fellow school teachers I worked with. As an assistant you do your best to help them whether you think they're right all the time or not (unless of course there is a standards violation). There are numerous ways to deal with a free flow and they all work--support the instructor and be a team player.