To find the right fit, it’s important to set honest expectations when interviewing greenies.
The reality is yachting is a high-turnover industry. For many, it’s a job for a few seasons but, for some, it becomes a career choice.
Those of us who choose it as a career and reach HOD positions soon find ourselves hiring to replace the green positions on board. Crew salaries — especially on high-end programs — aren’t cheap, and high turnover makes them even more costly.
If we can curb this trend and hire more infrequently, it’s a great indication we’re doing our jobs not just competently but exceptionally. It’s our responsibility not only to find the right crew, but to keep them for as long as we can. Many forget we’re not just hiring for a job, we’re also hiring someone to live with us 24/7 in a confined space, working, resting or playing together. The rest of the crew is relying on you to make the best hire because they’ll be living with them too.
Interviewing is where it all begins. Always start the interview with light chat — topics such as “What did you get up to before having this call,” “Where are you coming from,” even just “How’s the weather where you are?” The five to 10 minutes spent doing so will warm up the often-nervous green candidates. An interviewee who doesn’t respond well to this is already conveying a message.
From there, break down the program in greater detail. Basic itinerary, DOE salary range, leave/rotation should have already been covered by the job posting and crew agent. Now’s the time to be extremely clear about the full details of the program, especially elements which might deter a hire. These might include:
- Current challenges on board (a liveaboard owner, demanding charters, minimal shore time, etc)
- A typical workday on and off charter
- Crew vibe (age and nationality of the current crew, shared interests — are they fitness-orientated, for example)
Setting clear expectations attracts the right crew and repels those hires that will end up being a bad fit.
The key is to talk very honestly. It might seem counterintuitive to mention the negatives because you want to “sell” the position, but no program is perfect. If you’re only talking about your program’s highlights, you’re doing everyone a disservice and wasting time and money on a potentially disillusioned wrong fit.
Next, focus on the candidate and ask the classic “why do you think you’re the right fit?” and “is this what you’re looking for and why?” Don’t forget to ask the usual showstoppers: dietary concerns, visible tattoos, smoking habits etc., even if the agent has already asked them. Ask about non-yachting work experience too as this can provide valuable insight into why they’ve chosen to enter the industry. Yachting is not a technical job for green positions and it’s extremely teachable, so look for that ability in your candidates.
As the saying goes “every boat is different,” so it’s up to you to find what that difference is and hire accordingly.
Video interviews are best. These days we all have Starlink; WhatsApp is great for video calls and allows for the highest degree of communication, aside from actually talking in person.
- Good lighting and audio go hand in hand with this. You want the process to be as clear as possible with no room for miscommunication. Consider buying a $10 phone stand; it will free up your hands and enable you to take some notes.
- Be undistracted, as best you can. Don’t try to multitask. Interviews are among the highest-priority jobs on board so don’t give anything less than your undivided attention. The candidate will appreciate this too.