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Frequently Asked Questions
Crew
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How does it all work? |
| Once you’ve Registered for Placement, we interview you in person, whenever possible, and check your work references. We will then call you to speak to you about the positions that are available that you may be suitable for. If you are interested in the position, we will submit your resume to the Captain or owner of the vessel. If they are interested, they will then contact you directly for a personal interview. Because you actually live on board, with the rest of the crew, and with the owner when he is on board, most positions are filled after a personal one-on-one interview with the crew member. Therefore, it is in your best interest to be in the south Florida area, Newport, Rhode Island area, or south of France area for interviews, as this is where most yachts are based. There are many “crew houses” in each of these areas that you can stay in, with other crew who are looking for jobs, and that are much more affordable than a hotel. (Generally $125-$150/week, all inclusive except food) However, it is not impossible to be hired from a telephone interview. Once hired, the owner is responsible for paying your placement fee to us, as well as your salary. The salary is usually direct-deposited into your bank account monthly, and you are usually given a percentage of it in cash so that you will have spending money. Taxes may or may not be withheld, depending on the corporate structure of the vessel’s owner. |
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Is there anything else I should do? |
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Just keep in touch with us and let us know how we’re doing. |
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How do I register with you? |
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Our registration form is available on-line. Just click on “Crew,” then click on “Register for Placement.” Enter your contact information, and the type of job you are looking for. Then upload your digital files into your Portfolio, ie. your resume or CV, head and shoulders photograph, scanned reference letters, license, etc. Once all of your information is entered and uploaded, a Crew Unlimited Placement Coordinator will contact you for a preliminary interview.
We will then call or e-mail you when we have a position that we think you may be interested in.
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Then what should I do? |
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Stay in touch with us via our website. Keep your Registration Information correct and up to date. Check the Job Listing pages as often as possible. This is a real-time listing of all the jobs we are currently working to place. The Job List is the most efficient and thorough way to check in, as calling in and speaking to someone on the phone, while it is a good idea to keep your name fresh in our minds, it’s not that effective for finding out about all the jobs that you may be suitable for. When you see a job that interests you on-line, ‘tick’ the box next to it, then click ‘submit.” Your name will immediately show up on our list of candidates who are interested and would like to be submitted to that yacht. If your resume matches the criteria designated by the client, we will forward your Portfolio and contact information to him/her so that they can contact you directly for an interview. Each time you Log-In to the site, we are notified that you are ‘checking-in’ and are available for work. When you find suitable employment, please update your availability by Logging-In, go to My Information, and change your “Availability” to “Not Seeking Employment.” This will take you off our Search Lists until you are looking for work again. Please note, if ever 60 days passes and you have not checked in or Logged in to the website, “Availability” will be automatically changed to “Not Seeking Employment.” You can reactivate your job search by simply changing your “Availability” to “Seeking Employment.” Your name will then be included in our search list again, and we will be notified that you are available for work. |
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Once you have my resume portfolio, how do I get in touch with the yachts? |
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Crew Unlimited is a referral service, and we receive a “Placement Fee” from the owner of the vessel. We search for and find candidates who match the criteria designated by the yacht owner or Captain. When we receive a job order, we submit only the candidates that meet or exceed the qualifications that the yacht has requested. If the client is interested in your resume, he will have all of your contact information so that he can reach you directly. Therefore, we usually do not give out yacht names or telephone numbers unless the Captain or owner has asked us to specifically. |
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What else do I have to do after Registering? |
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Just keep in touch with us! Keep your contact information current, your license, ideal position, etc. accurate. This is the most important thing you can do. We use this information every single day to search for crew for the jobs we are trying to place. For example, if the position requires someone who has completed their STCW certification, and who speaks Spanish, and you have completed the STCW, which shows on your resume, but you have not noted this in your “Information” on-line, then your name WILL NOT SHOW UP in our search. Therefore, you will not be considered for that position. So it is very important to keep your Registration Information up to date and accurate at all times.
Also, when we submit your resume to a yacht, they will receive your contact information so they can contact you directly if they are interested in interviewing you. Most of the time we hear from the Captain or Owner to tell us who they are interviewing, and who they subsequently hire. This is how we know to invoice for the placement fee. However, occasionally, they may forget to let us know that they have hired you. That’s where we need your help. We rely on your honesty to PLEASE let us know each and every time you receive an offer of employment from one of our clients, whether it is for one day or for a permanent position. We charge the owner of the vessel for your placement fee, a percentage override of what you earn. If we don’t know that you have worked for them, then we don’t know to invoice. As this is how we stay in business, and how we are able to provide job opportunities to you, we need to be kept informed. As well, when we have a position that is suitable for you, we will usually speak with you about the position first to confirm your interest and availability. If you have already heard about the position from another source, please let us know, to avoid any possible discrepancies later on. We realize that when you’re looking for work, you may be using many different methods to find the right job, so don’t worry that we will be upset with you. We will be more upset if we submit you to a job that you have already been submitted to by another agency, and we end up in a discrepancy as to who is due the placement fee. Generally, the agency who gets your resume to the Captain or Owner first is who charges the placement fee. |
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Do you also place crew on cruise ships, or in the commercial sector? |
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Both cruise ships and commercial vessels have their own Human Resources Departments, so to find work in that sector you will need to contact them directly. However, we do have a contact in the commercial sector, a commercial crew agency, and we will be happy to put you in touch with them if you like. Most commercial positions are for US License Mates, Captains, and Engineers, and the pay and rotation package is usually very attractive. |
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How long do most of the jobs last? |
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Most of our positions are long term, permanent positions, where you will live aboard and travel with the boat. However, occasionally we receive an order for delivery crew and/or daywork help. Because there are so many people registered for permanent positions, and always fewer jobs than crew, we call those crew that are seeking permanent work first for the temporary positions. This often opens doors to future positions for the crew member, and keeps him/her busy earning money to help fund their job search. Therefore, registering with us only to find short term work and/or deliveries is not really worthwhile. |
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Will I have to sign a contract? |
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Many of the larger yachts do require that you sign a ‘crew agreement’ like you can find on our Helpful Info page. However, most yacht positions are confirmed with a handshake. In all cases, you are hired ‘at will’ and can be let go without notice if you are not working out in the position. Likewise, you can terminate your employment at any time, although 4 weeks notice is standard in the industry. Either way, the vessel is legally required (by the Jones Act) to provide transportation back to your port of hire, regardless of the terms of your leaving the vessel. |
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