Advance Preparation for Cruise Job Applications!
Neil Maxwell-Keys
Getting a job on a cruise ship can be made easier if you do some advance preparation. In fact there are a few simple things you can do to speed the process up. The first and probably the most important one is to make sure that you have get your passport in place - valid for at least 12 months! There is no way you will ever get hired by a cruise line without having a passport regardless of how great you look on paper or how well you perform at the interview. In fact often one of the first questions on a typical cruise line application form is "Do you have a valid passport?" If you answer "no" then most recruiters and cruise lines will pass you by, though you know you can easily obtain one. Get your passport in place now and to avoid any future problems. The next thing you can do is research! Many candidates seem to take quite a lax attitude towards applying for cruise ship jobs and most people just don't do enough research on a potential employer before they apply. You can use this to your advantage by ensuring that YOU have researched the cruise line you're applying for in-depth. Study their website, read their press releases, know what ships they have at sea and think about their main target market i.e. who are their typical passengers? young couples, families, wealthy, retired, etc? Knowing exactly who the cruise line is and what they do will enable you to walk into an interview with confidence. You'll be able to confidently talk about their company and have a good understanding of what type of person this cruise line is typically looking to employ. Perhaps more importantly, you'll also have a very good idea of the kind of 'answers' they'll be looking to hear from you. Finally, be sure that you have prepared for the interview as you would for any other land-based job interview. It always surprises me that so many people assume that because it's a cruise line they can be all casual and relaxed and walk through the door with an unkept look and a casual air about them. I hope you realize that this will not get you the job!
As any hospitality business cruise lines want people who know how to present themselves and handle themselves with paying guests. They want people who know how to be SERVICE professionals. So to recap, get the basics in place, do your research, prepare for the interview, present yourself and be confident!
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