Advice on looking for a deckhand position

You're mid-season now. Most sailing vessels will be found in the Carib. now, but most should have their crew. So you can go to Lauderdale to start making connections with the agencies in hopes of landing a transport in a couple of months or head for Europe for the same purpose plus that's where you'll be pounding the docks or wait a few months and head for Newport. Another thought is to follow the shows where you may be able to find work while making connections. Good luck.

This is an important information

If I understand well, to find a job, you go in the locations where they are Crewing agencies? You can get a job on the internet?
For this reason I try to get a job from those offered by agencies Crewing, but without any results?

Hi,

YF Member VICKY- I see the same posts all over the forum here looking for work. This is not the way to win friends and influence people especially the big bad mods.

Two things you have not mentioned anywhere here is your age and gender.

Both of these might be working against you in your search for an entry level position into yachting.

If you are around 40 or older and female your chances of breaking in by remote control ( Internet, Agencies) are almost nil.

The age thing is something that has had a good airing on here on several occasions.

Vicky,
Getting a job in this industry is much like any other except a lot more restrictive. The key is to be where the job is, at the time the employer is looking, being the person they're looking for, looking the part, having the right qualifications and presenting yourself in the way that appeals to them. Easy . In other words there is no magic formula, but the more you know about the job the better your odds. I once met an owner at a boat show and asked for a job. He asked what I get and I told him what my last job paid. He said he'd call. I met him again a few weeks later as he was getting ready to leave the dock and asked him again. Again he asked what I get. I said that today I work for free and we can discuss it again later after he sees what I'm worth. He paid me very well.
What I can tell you won't work is to send him a note cursing him for not responding to a job request, sitting on your hands waiting for replies or using the same idea that hasn't work before on the next prospect. It's all sales. You may have to talk with a thousand people before landing a job, but remember: You only need one. The rest that don't respond to you really are just practice. Tomorrow is a brand new day.

"So you can go to Lauderdale ..."

Not that the immigration folks have a reputation for enforcing or even knowing the the law but casually suggesting a foriegn worker simply show up and look for work could lead to some serious implications for that person.

If any "less than truthful" statement is found to have been made when crossing the border that could be the last time young Mr. Collins would be permitted to cross it southbound.

I think that as hard times fall on US workers, the immigration folks will start looking closely at jobseekers and "visitors."

http://www.immigration.ca/us/work.asp

I'm totally agree, thanks !

Hi,

The simple answer to your questions is ---YES.

I myself was told by an agency bimbo when I was 40 yrs old and with 19 yrs at sea and a Merchant Navy Chiefs Ticket that I was too old to be a Chief Engineer.

I was flabbergasted to put it mildly. Several years later I helped a guy who was 40 with a Combined Chiefs Ticket get into the business, I didn't know the guy personally but he was recommended to me by two guys who I have sailed with and they had sailed with him who I have a lot of respect for.

This guy has taken to it like a duck to water and I am happy to be able to report that he, the Captain who took him on and the owner who took a chance are all very happy with the arrangement.

I am afraid to say that your applications to agencies probably get no further than the Inbox.

You could try turning up in one of the yachting centres and trying for daywork to get yourself established but be aware you will have a lot of competition from backpackers and the such like.

I would echo MARMOTS statement about not fronting up in the US and looking for a job. Things are just going to get tougher and tougher for the foreseeable future.

As a Romanian can you travel freely in Europe?

Yes ,I can travel freely .