Recently I wrote a blog post focusing on how important attitude is, when considering
what makes a good dive professional. I concluded that a good attitude is the most
important attribute you can have. This is true, but having additional useful skills aside
from your PADI Divemaster or Instructor rating is also important.

As global travel and the internet make the world smaller, more people are learning
to scuba dive, meaning that there is certainly more work out there for Divemasters
and Instructors. Of course there are many more Divemasters and Instructors as well.
Working in a busy dive resort I know how many CVs we receive both in person and
via email on a daily basis. So how do you make yourself stand out?

Gain Equipment Technician Qualifications and Experience

A great way to increase your employment potential as a PADI Scuba Instructor
or Divemaster is to gain some equipment technician certifications and experience.
Everything from equipment servicing, to operating and repairing a compressor,
to blending gas makes a more well rounded and valuable PADI Divemaster or
Instructor. Equipment certifications and experience will look great on your CV and
increase your skill set in the workplace.

Additionally being able to work on boat engines is a highly desirable skill in
the scuba industry.

Become a Licensed Boat Captain

In many areas the dive crew operates the dive boats. Many dive operations seek
employees who are licensed to captain their boats.

Become an Underwater Videographer

Underwater videography is an excellent skill to have, either in addition to your work
as a Divemaster or Instructor, or as career path in itself. Look out for an interview
with one of the members of our videography team in an upcoming blog post, to find
out what is involved in the life of an underwater videographer.

Promote Previous Retail Experience / Business Management Training

Being able to effectively promote and sell dive trips, courses and equipment are vital.
On your CV promote any experience you have in these areas, whether they are
directly related to the diving industry or not.

Media Production, Website Development and Marketing Skills

As a trained graphic designer, I know how valuable these skills can be in the diving
industry. In every job I have had, I have not only used my skills a great deal, but they
have also definitely helped to get me the job in the first place. Being able to create dive
centre newsletters, brochures or other marketing materials, or knowing how to update
the dive centre’s website or social networking sites, are beneficial.

Speak More Than One Language

The ability to speak more than one language, particularly German, French, Italian,
Spanish and particularly now Russian, Japanese, Korean and Chinese, will make
you much more attractive to potential employers. If you have a basic level in a
particular language(s) or maybe you speak another language(s) but are a little
‘rusty’, take the time to brush up. In particular read the PADI Manuals in that
language(s) so that you understand the diving terminology.

Continue Your Education

We are always encouraging our customers to continue their diving education, and
so should we. If you are a Divemaster consider continuing your education to become
an Instructor, or at least gain Instructor level qualifications in Underwater Digital
Photography, Oxygen Provision and Emergency First Response. If you are already
an instructor, gain specialty instructor ratings to gain your Master Scuba Diver
Trainer (MSDT) rating and then your Staff Instructor rating.

Spend Time Writing a Good CV

Having these extra skills does not mean anything, if you do not promote them
effectively. Make sure that your CV is easy to read, and that it is easy to find the
information employers are looking for. I have lost count of the number of times that
I have looked a CV and it has taken time to find out whether the dive pro is a Divemaster
or Instructor! It should not really be more than a page long and definitely not more than
two. The different sections (personal information, qualifications, skills, previous
experience etc) should be short and to the point and clearly indentified. If you are applying
for a job via email, take time to research the dive company you are applying to and write
a good covering letter explaining who you are and why you want to work for this company
in particular.

Build Your Own Website!

The World Wide Web has increasing importance in our daily lives. Make it easy for
potential employers to find out about you and also for past students/divers to keep up
to date with what you are doing.  Free and open source content management system
such a WordPress and Joomla, make it relatively easy to do this without previous web
development experience or knowledge.

On the flip side be careful what image you present over social networking sites –
potential employers are increasingly checking out potential employees’ profile pages!

Sally Powell PADI Master Instructor

Professional Scuba Diver Training

September’s PADI Instructor Development Course and Instructor Exam were again cause for
celebration in style. 9 students from Buddha View 5 Star Career Development Centre on Koh
Tao begin new lives as PADI scuba instructors. Jenny, Kelly, Penny, Anne, Shameless
(aka Seamus), Ash, Niall, Tjbee and Cariss are pictured above just after they had finished the
Confined Water teaching presentation for the 3 day instructor exam. After they all received the
great news that they had passed the exam, they all jumped into the jacuzzi to relax before the
closing ceremony.

All the candidates excelled throughout the exam, which involves being tested through written
exams on dive theory and standards, and through teaching presentations in the classroom,
confined water and open water. However, the Instructor Development Course at Buddha View
does not just prepare candidates for the Instructor Exam, but for teaching in the ‘real’ world
once they pass. All candidates are now continuing their PADI education or walk straight into
jobs. The real advantage of training on Koh Tao is the amount of work available for PADI
Scuba Instructors and Divemasters.

All the best for the future guys!

After recently hosting a PADI Go Pro evening at Buddha View, I was inspired to write a blog post
about what is involved in becoming a GOOD and employable dive professional.

When we are looking at employing dive professionals, we look for two things. What can the diver
do, i.e their skill set and qualifications, but just as importantly how do they do it? What is their attitude
like? This blog post will deal with the attitude side of things, and I will follow up shortly with the skills
that make you a good and employable dive professional.

There are countless websites (mine included) telling you what an amazing life changing experience
it is to become a dive professional, but what is it really like to turn the passion into a career?
And how do you really succeed in the industry?

Well I would have to say first and foremost that attitude is the most important attribute of a good
dive professional. Skills are secondary and it is our job as dive professional trainers to teach you
the necessary skills, but without the right attitude a diver will never be a GOOD dive professional.

So what do I mean by a good attitude? Well to start with you should have a positive approach to life,
a good sense of humour and have the ability to operate under busy conditions and still have a smile
on your face. You should also have the ability to concentrate on the job in hand despite personal
problems and importantly a strong work ethic.

A dive professional’s primary role is customer care. Dive professionals have an obligation to think
about people other than themselves, that is what makes you a professional – this is a character
attribute more than something that can be trained into a person. Your job is to ensure your
customers have enjoyable and safe diving experiences. A dive professional should be a good
listener and a good organizer.  If you listen to your customers, you will also hear what interests
them and be able to tailor your dive plan to incorporate what they want to see. You are also there
to make sure that there isn’t a logistical angle that hasn’t already thought of and prepared for.
You should be planning for events that have never happened and events that you ensure will
never happen.

Being a dive professional is seen by outsiders as an automatic key to paradise on earth where
you are well paid, well respected and blissfully happy all the time. Unfortunately this isn’t
always the case everyday of your working life. The average professional diver is definitely
not well paid (in monetary terms), and you will have hard days when hard choices are required
to be made that will make a difference to people’s lives, and possibly their wellbeing.

However, as a career path it beats the hell out of sitting in an office or working in a factory,
and the feeling you get when you sign off a proud diver is amazing. There is also a real sense
of accomplishment from scaling the PADI ladder and overcoming each challenge as it is
presented to you. I love being a PADI dive instructor and don’t regret it for a minute.

Sally Powell PADI Master Instructor

www.proscubacourses.com