How to get a job as a dive instructor ? Part 2

Before we start, if you need tips on how to produce a well-designed dive CV, have a look at last week’s blog post.

So you have decided to apply for this job ad you saw, or to send some emails to all the dive centres in the location that you have your heart set on? Good for you! Now that you have your dive CV ready to impress, let’s have a look at some tips to the letter you want to send along.

First mistake: not sending one at all. This sounds pretty obvious, but still seems to be happening. Just attaching your CV in the email with a title along the line of “Application for Dive Instructor position” is not really a great way to introduce yourself! If you want a job as a Divemaster or Dive Instructor, a bit more work is required!

Let’s look at two options here:

You are applying for a position that has been advertised:

Start by reading the ad carefully, wording is important. If the job requires for example a language that you are not fluent in, then you should not apply. Once again this may sound obvious, but matching the requirements for the position is important.

If you feel the job is for you, then carefully craft an email that you will send along with your CV, trying to emphasize your skills and strengths related to the position offered. Remember that for every job ad posted, the person on the other end will probably receive dozens of applications. Everyone wants to write that they are a “team player” and “professional”. However, something a bit more specific is nice. Are you good at sales? Are you a social animal and would happily take customers out after diving? Can you recite nudibranch names in Latin? Think about what makes you different and strong for the job.

You are sending out a CV when no job has been advertised:

You could send something along the lines of “Dear Manager, I will be in Indonesia soon and looking for a dive instructor position, do you have any openings?”.

Or you could send something saying “Dear Bob, I have noticed that your dive centre is 100% Project Aware/ Teaching Adaptive courses / carries a reef restoration project / etc. This is something I feel really passionate about and that I have experience with. Therefore I would like to enquire about any job opportunity you may have in the future, as I feel your dive center would be a great place for me to work.”

Which one do you think is best? Before sending out a CV blindly, a little bit of research and a personalized email can make a difference!