Unemployed

[Unregistered]

I qualified as a deck officer about 6 months ago, and have been unable to find work.

My sponsor does not employ officers, so I did not have any opportunity to work for them.

I have applied to literally every position available and sent my CV to every company I can think of, but still nothing.

It becoming quite depressing that I did a whole cadetship for nothing.

How much would it hurt my chances of finding a job if I was to take some time out, have a bit of a gap year or something then try and apply for jobs again next year? It feels like there isn't anything left to apply for.

[Faust]

Which types of ships did you serve on as a cadet?

I know of a few companies currently looking for a lot of junior Officers.

Carnival are doing a big recruitment drive.
Vroon are taking delivery of a lot of new ships this year and next.

[Clanky]

Sorry to hear this.

I'm really not sure how employers would view you if you took a year out, my gut instinct is that they would understand, but I really don't know.

The only thing I can think of is to keep phoning the agencies on a weekly basis and hope for the best, but in the mean time certainly look at what other opportunities are available elsewhere.

Good luck.

[EH75]

Maybe get someone to look at your cv? I also qualified recently and everyone I have spoke to so far from my class has now been able to find work so there are definitely jobs out there.

[Unregistered]

Already been rejected by carnival.

Just applied to Vroon, but the jobs on the website are DP jobs.

I did most of my cadetship on container ships, with one trip on a general cargo ship, so no relevant experience.

Just seem to spend my whole life checking job websites with no success. I really want to work at sea but it just doesn't seem possible.

[Lewis]

Have you tried as a deck hand seems to be a common way to get foot in the door these days

[Crawf121]

Have you tried as a deck hand seems to be a common way to get foot in the door these days

I mean this with all due respect- especially as i have no ideas nor suggestions myself!

But i would be pretty p**sed off if i had spent 3 years training to be an officer to then go work as a deck hand!

[EH75]

It is something I've known a few folk to do and almost did myself until I got a better offer. Often just for one trip to make sure you're not a total idiot. Beggars can't be choosers and all that.

[IFHP]

Agree with the whole deck hand thing - I would also be very hacked off at having to do it but a job is a job. I am glad that I never had to as I would have been a crap deck hand; how do you tie a bowline again?

I was on a course with a guy who had just qualified (he was paying the course himself) and he was off to be a deckhand on a supply vessel with the hope of getting a Deck Officers job out of it, as Lewis says its a foot in the door.

Good luck.

[laura]

Have you signed up for agency work- often a first stamp, lot of friends started off like this. Clyde marine? Get your name in the books? Are you phoning or just sending off emails/ applications- if you email/ apply online/ via post follow it up with a phone call. Are you applying to companies who aren't recruiting? Try everyone! Go onto the MNTB website, find names of companies and get in touch, go onto ship spotter/ ais- find names of ships and find out who owns them and phone them up! Can you afford another course that would help: DP, tanker endorsement, FRC ticket? Where do you want to work and what will give you an advantage to get your foot in the door?

Have you got a good CV together- can you improve it, get some help to look over and update it.

As for the gap year- how about Ocean Youth Trust/ Tall ships- take a gap year but keep your hand in?

I hope you get something soon, but don't give up! Good luck!

[Unregistered]

Thanks for the replies.

With regards to working as a deckhand do I actually need a AB certificate or is that covered by my COC?

Doing extra courses it was my understanding that DP, or tanker courses were useless without the seatime to go with them, or am I missing something?

Laura I was thinking of doing some offshore sailing, and some sail training stuff, so still sort of related just not what I want to long term. I just feels that I have applied to all of the companies already and being ignored by them week in week out feels like a bit of a waste of my life. I'm just worried about making my chances of getting a job even worse.

[alistairuk]

I just feels that I have applied to all of the companies already and being ignored by them week in week out feels like a bit of a waste of my life. I'm just worried about making my chances of getting a job even worse.

Not to be over critical here as I haven't seen it, but if you have applied to them all and not even had an interview before being rejected then there is clearly something wrong with your CV. It might be worth having someone read over it or asking to have a look at some of your fellow course mate's CVs to see if you can improve yours.

If you have made it to the interview stage before being rejected - did you enquire with any of them why they turned you down?

As others have already said everyone is in the same boat as yourself when they complete their cadetship - that is they have a CoC and no qualified experience - yes some will have experience as a cadet on certain types of vessel which doesn't hurt their chances but generally it makes no difference at the junior level. To reiterate the others; Take any position you can get at first on any type of ship to get the first few stamps in your discharge book, then when you get some experience apply to the companies you actually want to work for.

[Dosedmonkey]

Don't be self ritious, if you do a deckhands job for 6 months, you will get a officers job over a normal cadet leaver instantly, as you would be the more experienced. BUT that is a last resort, as there is plenty of jobs going.

Any chance of you sending me your CV? In confidence of course, as I have a suspicion that this might be the problem.

Are you British/European? If not, you might be applying for the wrong companies.

[Unregistered]

I wasn't meaning to be self righteous, just curious as to whether my OOW ticket is enough on its own or if I need a separate AB COC?

There might be plenty of jobs going but they are not in sectors I have experience in and candidates with experience seem to be favoured.

Thanks I will send you my CV.

[Hatchorder]

As said before the problem is probably with your CV and you need to revisit it. I have heard that many people have ben able to get jobs recently.

I personally do not think that you should try to get other types of jobs. You need to keep at it.

Regards

Ian