Registering with a crewing agency is a great way to kick-start your career in the maritime industry.
Building up a good rapport with a crewing agent, will ensure that the agent remembers you when a suitable role comes across their desk. So please make sure that you always keep all your personal information, experience and details up to date and keep in regular contact.
At Viking Crew, we know our clients well and what their requirements might be, therefore working closely with one of our agents throughout your career ensures that you will be the first to know when a particular job role may be a great fit for you.
Your CV/Resume is your chance for you to make a great first impression, selling yourself to the client. Working with Viking Crew gives you the added benefit of using our team’s knowledge and years of experience to guide you in making your CV an appropriate and concise summary of your qualifications, skills, and experience. We can also help ensure that it includes any attributes that you have that will be relevant for the job role that you are applying for. We will ensure to provide you with hints and tips before you have any client interviews.
Working with maritime companies and crew every day, gives Viking Crew a great insight into current industry trends along with crew salaries and leave packages so we can offer you helpful advice when you are starting to look for a new position.
Once your details have been registered and a profile has been created at www.vikingcrew.com, this will give you access to apply for a number of available positions within the maritime industry, including those found here http://staging.local/job-search/ You can also set up job preferences to receive alerts via email – ensuring you get an instant notification when a new role becomes available that matches up to your requirements.
Viking Crew, and the Maritime Skills Academy, can guide you with any training advice that you may need when it comes to starting or advancing in your maritime career.
We are MLC compliant, giving you that extra peace of mind. Regular audits are undertaken to ensure crewing agents continue to remain compliant when it comes to assisting you in finding your next position.
Register your details at www.vikingcrew.com or contact our friendly team today!
An efficient crewing department is the backbone of many vessels navigating the seas worldwide. But what is the role of the crewing department? And how do professional crew find their way onto vessels where their expertise is required?
As a renowned maritime crew services provider, Viking Crew wants to guide shipping operators with answers to questions they might have on the role of crewing departments.
Since 1988, Viking Crew has been at the helm – literally and figuratively – of catering to the diverse needs of shipping vessels, whether in the cruise, commercial, or superyacht sectors.
Viking Crew is part of Viking Maritime Group, which includes the Maritime Skills Academy This sister company provides maritime training, helping to build experienced maritime crew. Viking Crew offers Crew Placement, Crew Management, and Crew Deployment services. As a group, we can pair educated and trained crew members with ship operators who will benefit from their expertise.
Let’s take a closer look at the role of the Crewing Department and how crucial they are in the daily operations of a ship:
The Role of the Crewing Department
As an MLC certified crewing services provider, Viking Crew helps coordinate, place, and manage crew members onboard vessels. We pride ourselves on sourcing qualified candidates, placing them on appropriate vessels, overseeing crew rotations, and ensuring compliance with industry regulations and client requirements. As part of our crew management services, we offer employment and payroll, meaning a complete crew service package is available.
At the heart of everything we do, we create a culture of professionalism, ensuring crew members possess the required skills and knowledge to excel on board.
Smooth Sailing: Partnering with Viking Crew and Benefitting From Our Crew Services
Shipping companies often turn to us because they need a service provider to coordinate sourcing and maintaining a professional, efficient, and experienced crew.
With over 35 years of experience, our decades-long reputation is why companies seek us out; it is also why we’re able to source – and train – the best crewing seafarers possible.
If you want to know more about the roles and responsibilities of a Crewing Department, here’s an additional look at what we offer:
1. Access to a Global Network of Crew
Viking Crew has extensive networks that span key maritime hubs worldwide, providing our clients with access to a pool of qualified applicants for their crewing requirements.
2. In-Depth Expertise in Laws on Compliance and Regulation
Maritime law, regulations, and compliance standards can sometimes be as challenging to navigate as the choppiest seas – but they also play a big part in ensuring safety, efficiency, and staying on the right side of the law across all jurisdictions that your company’s vessel might end up in. Our crewing department offers clients a deep understanding of industry regulations and ensures full compliance.
3. Solutions Tailored To You – Always
Every vessel and ship operator’s needs are different. Viking Crew offers tailored crew management strategies to get precisely what you need for your unique vessel or fleet. This means your crew management package is bespoke to you, servicing your requirements on your terms.
Learn More About Viking Crew’s Services
As Viking Crew looks ahead to the future of crew management, we look forward to helping more clients streamline their services and ensure a smooth operation on board.
If you want to learn more about Viking Crew’s services, please get in touch services@vikingcrew.com
Date of Issue: 10th June 2024 Last Edited: 16th August 2024
Whether you’re new to the maritime industry or are deciding to apply for a new role, it’s fundamental that you’re well prepared and know what the recruiter is expecting of you.
We asked our Yacht Recruitment Manager, Rebecca Adams, for five key things she looks for in candidates when applying for roles that help them stand out from others and secure their next dream role on board.
Having worked in maritime recruitment for more than 18 years, Rebecca’s experience solidifies her as an expert when it comes to hiring the correct candidates, and following her advice will certainly lead to better chances of acing your application.
1. Confidence in interviews
Being confident in the industry is a must. Someone who can speak comfortably and confidently to the recruiter will demonstrate a desire for the position. You need to be able to hold conversations with new crew members, your head of department, and your Captain. You may even be working directly with owners and guests and must be able to always show confidence and professionalism.
2. Enthusiasm
In such a competitive industry, if you see a position you’d like to apply for, demonstrate your interest by calling the recruiter. Explain why you are the right person for the job and highlight the skills and experience you want to elaborate on. This is also your opportunity to ask further questions and learn more about the role, so we can ensure it’s a good match for you. This also shows the recruiter that you are interested and have read about the position for which you are applying.
3. Honesty
The industry can be surprisingly small. Where reputations and trust are everything, honesty is always the best policy. It won’t take long to determine if someone is stretching the truth on their CV or omitting key details of their past experiences.
4. Realistic expectations
Being such a competitive industry, your job expectations must be in line with your experience. For example, a third officer wouldn’t be able to apply for a Captain’s position or a stewardess for an engineer without the correct qualifications and experience.
5. Respect
How you treat your recruiter matters. It can be frustrating whilst job hunting, and recruiters are there to support you in your search, so be sure to treat them with respect. Working in yachting is a high-pressure, close-knit environment, and how you communicate gives us a good insight into your attitude and professionalism towards your fellow crew members.
What is the best way to prepare before an application?
Before applying for a role, ensure that your documents and certification match the criteria outlined in the job advertisement. We advertise the hiring criteria as per the client’s requests or as outlined in the minimum manning document.
For example, if we have requested that a B1/B2 visa is in hand, it will be because there is no time to apply for one prior to the position starting, and it is essential to the vessel location.
Or when we are advertising a specific licence, this will be due to the regulations set in the Minimum Safe Manning Document. Therefore, if you are only working towards it, this will not be enough; it needs to be in hand.
If you are in need of maritime qualifications or refreshers, the Maritime Skills Academy have a wide range of courses on offer. Browse them here.
How to create a CV for the yachting industry?
Tailor your CV to the position you are applying for, tweaking and elaborating on different aspects where necessary to match the role and job description. Cover letters can also be helpful.
Attention to detail-make sure that the CV is well presented, spell checked, and contact details are all correct, including references. If you are looking for advice on creating a CV for the yachting industry, read our guide here!
Including a professional photograph is a great way for recruiters to see you are a genuine applicant. However, it is important that this photograph is both professional and recent.
If, for example, you are using an image that is five years old, and you have had face or neck tattoos in the meantime, then you could be disappointed when you reach the interview stage.
Yachts can be specific about certain appearance aspects such as tattoos and piercings, so it is essential that these are both visible in your photograph and disclosed in your CV.
Yacht Job Vacancies
Although the yachting industry is highly competitive, it is also fast paced. Job opportunities come and go quickly so keeping track of the current vacancies will give you the best chance of success. If you would like to keep track of our current listings, visit our job search page.
We hope that putting Rebecca’s tips into practice will give you the best chance of success and wish you the best of luck with your applications!
