12 Apr

How to get a job as a dive instructor ? Part 1

Part 1 – the CV

There are a lot to be said on writing a CV and you will find endless supplies of templates, ideas and advice online.

However, a dive CV might need to be slightly different than one you would use to apply for another job.

First, let’s see what should be on your dive CV:

get a job as a dive instructor

Your contact details

Nationality, situation, age (for these you will find different opinions. I personally feel it is annoying when I have to work out someone’s age from their experience, or not knowing which passport they hold and therefore whether maybe they are eligible for a job or not for visa reasons)

Web presence details: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, blog, photo portfolio, website

Education history
Previous employment history
Dive training, certifications and experience
Languages & other relevant skills

Here are a few tips that we can give you:

  • Make sure it’s spotless: when I look for new staff, I find it pretty deceiving to receive a CV full of typos and mistakes. If you are applying in a language that is not yours, we can understand that maybe your cover letter will not be perfect, but take the time to have some people you trust read your CV over and over to make sure it is perfect
  • Keep it short and sweet: someone looking at your CV needs to understand in essence what you have done and what you can do.
  • Do not lie: be honest about your skills, abilities and certifications. Eventually, lies surface and you will be sorry that you did…
  • Make it easy to read: there are hundreds of CV templates out there. Working in diving, most recruiters will be happy with a bit of fantasy, you do not have to go for a template that is all black and grey, but make sure the information that is important stands out.
  • Pick a good photo: photos of you underwater are nice, but really not super helpful. You don’t have to wear a white shirt and a tie, but maybe pick one on land where you are smiling and showing your best profile!
  • Think about your skills: especially as a new instructor, you do not have as much experience as others that may apply for the job. But any skills that you possess might be useful. Think about language skills, IT skills, marketing and social media, any technical skills for boat/equipment/compressor, etc

Crafting the perfect dive CV is not an exact science…so in the end it go with the version that you feel the most happy and comfortable with! For tips on how to write a great cover letter to go with your dive CV, keep an eye out for next week’s blog post!

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