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We surveyed our Chief Stews to ask "If your little sister were interested in working on yachts, what do you feel is the BEST and MOST IMPORTANT advice you could give her?"
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don't get emotionally or physically involved with anyone on board, neither guests, the Captain, nor crew (at all, right away, etc. the answers varied) |
15 |
keep to your job/keep your head down/stay focused on the job/mind your own business/stay out of the drama |
13 |
stay professional at all times |
8 |
be polite and courteous to your fellow crew members, and respectful of your superiors, as your reputation will follow you. |
8 |
be prepared to work extremely hard around the clock/pull your weight |
8 |
don’t talk badly about people/gossip |
6 |
listen and learn - save your suggestions until you have earned the right and respect to give your input. You won't be 'heard'. |
5 |
don’t drink/fraternize with the guests - they won't appreciate you as a professional |
4 |
take time out to smell the roses/take time in port/have fun |
3 |
keep your mouth shut / saying less is best |
3 |
develop a thick skin/don't take things personally |
3 |
always ask questions if you don't understand |
3 |
respect the chain of command |
3 |
stay away from drugs and the people associated with them - if people see you with them they will assume you, too, do drugs. |
3 |
there is no such thing as complete privacy while working on boats |
2 |
know your place/don't get too friendly - you are not a friend of the owner, you are an employee |
2 |
take pride in what you do |
2 |
save as much money as possible - and don't spend it like you're an owner! You will want something someday to show for your hard work! (like a house, or a business) |
2 |
talk to the person you're having a problem with - solve it like an adult, don't take it to the Captain, or worse, to the Owner |
2 |
remember it is a small industry and what you did in Antigua, they will know in Antibes the next day. |
2 |
stay positive |
2 |
work hard, play hard, be careful |
2 |
don't chase the money - it's a hard job, so you must really want some aspect of the job - just doing it for the money will never be satisfying |
2 |
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always persevere |
be attentive to safety in all aspects |
be careful WHAT you say, and to WHOM you say it |
be careful while drinking - many cases of date rape and muggings - and NEVER get sloppy drunk - it will ruin your reputation |
be honest |
be organized |
be responsible at all times |
be spatially aware |
choose a great crew over higher pay |
clean up after yourself |
develop an eye for detail and have a high standard of cleanliness |
don't eat everytime you see something delicous |
don't get star struck over celebrities - every guest is a VIP and should be treated as such |
don't take shortcuts to gain success |
get on a charter boat - you are spending your time, you may as well make as much money as possible |
keep a smile on your face |
know your responsibilities/duties and research if you don't |
learn to drink like a fish |
list your top 5 priorities in your ideal job - if the offer only has 3 of the 5, keep looking for a better match |
look out for yourself and your friends |
never be late |
never let a hangover impede your job performance |
open an off-shore bank account |
put away your cell phone during work hours |
respect your chief stew, don't challenge her |
say good bye to your old life and hello to your new one |
sleep on breaktimes when guests are on board - you need it! You can walk around port another time. |
smile |
stand up for yourself to same level crew or they'll walk all over you |
stay in touch with friends and family outside the crew -keeps you out of drama and maintains sanity |
stretch or exercise every day |
turn the boat around as soon as guests leave, then REST |
use common sense |
write down every little like, dislike or miscellaneous on your guest preference sheet, no matter how trivial it seems at the time. Very valuable info! |
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