Part 1 · Your CV
How to write a yacht CV captains read
Captains and chief stews sort CVs in seconds. Here is what they look for first, and how to make yours the one they call.
A captain recruiting for a season can get hundreds of CVs for one job. The first look takes seconds. If the basics are missing or hard to find, the CV goes on the "no" pile, however good you are.
Put the facts at the top
- Your name and the job you want, in large type
- Where you are now and when you are available
- Phone number with WhatsApp, and an email you check
- Nationality and visas, including B1/B2 if you have it
- ENG1 and STCW with their expiry dates
The photo matters
Yacht CVs carry a photo because it shows how you will look in front of guests. Head and shoulders, recent, plain background, daylight, plain polo or shirt and a natural smile. No selfies, sunglasses, hats or holiday shots.
Three lines that sell you
Under your name, write a short profile: who you are, what you have done, what you are good at and the job you want. For example:
Deckhand with two Mediterranean seasons on 40–55 m motor yachts. Confident tender driver (RYA PB2), strong on detailing and water toys. Looking for a long-term deckhand role.
Duties with numbers
"Responsible for guest service" says nothing. "Served breakfast, lunch and silver-service dinners for up to 12 guests on charter" gets you a call. Use strong verbs and count things: guests, metres, tender size, days.
The mistakes I see most
- Old certificates and expired dates
- Three pages of school history and hobbies
- Heavy colour and graphics that print badly
- Spelling mistakes and dates that do not add up
- A file called "CV final final 2.docx". Name it Firstname_Surname_Position_CV.pdf
Send it properly
Paste a short cover letter into the email body, attach one PDF, and make the subject line do the work: Deckhand · Your Name · Antibes · Available now · STCW, ENG1, PB2. Then answer your phone: speed wins day work.
Part 2 · Finding the job
Find a yacht job: agencies, groups and dockwalking
There is no single place yacht jobs are posted. The crew who get hired use four routes at once. Here is each one, and how to use it properly.
New crew often register on one website and wait. Captains and chief stews fill jobs through agencies, job boards, word of mouth and the people who turn up on the dock. Use all four, every week, until you are hired.
Before you start
- STCW Basic Safety Training and an ENG1 medical: see guide 06
- A one-page CV with a good photo: see guide 01
- A phone with WhatsApp that you answer
- Copies of every certificate saved as one PDF
1. Crew agencies
Agencies are free for crew. The yacht pays the fee. A good agent knows which boats are hiring before the job is advertised.
- Choose three to five agencies that place your department in the area you want to work.
- Register online and fill in every field. Incomplete profiles are not searched.
- Ask for a call, or go in person if you are in Antibes, Palma or Fort Lauderdale. Dress as crew.
- Update your availability every week, even if nothing has changed.
- Answer every call and message the same day.
All 13 agencies in the crew directory →
2. Job boards
Build a full profile, because captains search them. Set alerts for your role and area, and apply within hours: the first good CVs get the calls.
3. Crew groups
Facebook groups are where crew share day work, last-minute jobs and port advice.
- Read the group rules before you post
- Post your availability once a week: role, location, certificates, available from
- Check a job post against the yacht and the agency before you reply
- Never send your passport or bank details to someone you have not checked
A real job never asks you to pay for a visa, a medical or a "placement fee" up front. If it does, walk away and report the post to the group admin.
4. Dockwalking and day work
Day work is still how most new crew get their first job. The mate who sees you work hard on Tuesday is the one who calls when a deckhand leaves.
- Check which yachts are in port on MarineTraffic the night before.
- Start early, when crew are on deck. Speak to crew, never to guests.
- Do not step aboard unless invited. Shoes off on the passerelle.
- Ask if they need day work, hand over a CV, say thank you and move on.
- Dress ready to work: polo, smart shorts, clean trainers, hair tied back.
- Go back to the same yachts every few days. Keep it friendly.
- Ask for a reference after every day of work and add it to your CV.
When to go
- March to May: Antibes, Monaco and Palma before the Mediterranean summer. Fort Lauderdale is busy in spring too
- October to December: Antigua and St Maarten as the Caribbean season starts. Some Mediterranean jobs open again
Check each marina's access rules, and your visa position before you take paid day work.
Want the full kit? The 40-page Get Hired booklet, 12 CV and cover letter templates, wording banks, interview questions and the agency list. Superyacht CV Pack, €19 →