Dear Anita,
After a recent holiday where we learned how to drive 18-foot sailboats, my husband and I have decided to start a new career together in the yachting industry. He is 35 and I am 34, and we have worked as accountants our whole lives. We will be seeking a team position only, as we can’t bear to be apart. We have both travelled so we’re more than suited to work on yachts. We don’t have any yachting experience, but it looks like fun! I haven’t worked in hospitality either, what do you think our chances are?
Sue & Bob
Slimmer than slim. Anorexic. Stay in your office jobs and book yourselves a ticket back to reality.
Seriously. For one, you’d be competing with fresh faced youngsters fresh off their zero to hero deck/stewy courses with more enthusiasm and energy than a herd of Duracell bunnies armed with cans of Redbull. Secondly you have no experience at all whatsoever that’s even slightly relevant. Thirdly you will be hard pressed to find a captain naïve enough to hire two newbies who’ll probably get seasick on the dock, and fourthly, if the chief stew and/or mate are younger than you, they won’t hire you. End of story. Next question.
Dear Anita
I like your hard-ass approach. I am concerned my crew agent isn’t doing the best she can for me so I want to register with you. She’s a nice person but after the interview she contacted me through Facebook and was a bit over friendly. I’m a captain of a 35m and although I’m always up for a laugh, I have to maintain my professionalism and keep things on that level. What would you suggest?
Bin the bitch and register with me. If there´s one thing I can’t stand it’s a lack of professionalism. We run a crew agency, not a dating agency. You’re not going to find a job with some soppy old tart making doe eyes at you and, no offense, but maybe you’re not the first guy she´s been gooey over. Does she have a reputation? Maybe she does but not the kind of reputation I’m talking about…If she’s got hundreds of “friends” on Facebook my guess is she mixes business with pleasure. So anyway, cupcake, call my office; we’ll do lunch. A business lunch. I don’t date the bait.
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