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Basic Information

A general job application form is not suitable for seamen. There is no space to add or to include STCW-95 (International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watch Keeping) required points in a way so that the recruiting agent can easily see them. For instance, my own fire fighting course STCW-95 designation is: "Section A-IV/3". Other courses and examinations have different codes. Neither is there any standard format for a ship job application. Almost every agent have their own.

Same documents can have different names in different parts of the world:

• C.V. = Curriculum Vitae, comes from Latin and basically means "Life History" is often used (in USA) instead of résumé (UK). Both are the same document, i.e. a list of your schools and work experiences (always the last first).
  
• CDC = Continuous Discharge Certificate, commonly called "Seaman's Book". This is a list of all ships you have worked on with data on each ship's size and trading area. The time period you served on each vessel is noted together with Master's, Agent's, or shipowner's signature.
  
• COC = Certificate of Competence, sometimes also called "ticket" (licence).

The Seamen's Book ( CDC ) is issued by the Maritime Authority ( sometimes Coast Guard ) in the country of your residence and where you have attended your Seafarer's Basic Course.

Also note: Regular school or academic examinations have different abbreviations in different countries. What is used in US is different from UK, and what's used in UK is definitely different from India. Only STCW-95 abbreviations are internationally recognized. If you for instance say you "have passed CODRAM with honours", nobody outside your own country will have the faintest idea what you are talking about.

Example Application Form Details

I suggest you open a new Word document on your computer, then copy the example form to the new document (excluding the banners). That way you will be able to write in your data and also delete points not suitable to you. The example form is a combination of job application and résumé ( C.V. ) to ensure both stay together after downloaded into agent's or employer's computer.

To copy a text from one document to an other you put your mouse arrow at the very start of the text you want to copy. Then you make a "normal" click and hold it down. Now you drag the arrow / cursor towards the bottom of the screen until you come to the end of the text you want to copy. If the text extends below the screen move the cursor slowly back and forth over the screen boundary (just a few millimetres only). The text will scroll down, if it goes too fast move the cursor a millimetre or two upwards. All the time you hold the click down.

When you hold the click down and drag it over the text the area turns dark, it's "highlighted". Once you have covered all text you want to copy release your click and press "Ctrl" + "C" keys (both at the same time = copy ). Now open the document where you want the text to appear and click on the place where you want the text to start. Press "Ctrl" + "V" (= paste ) keys - again both at the same time. The text now appears in the document.

If there is more text to be copied from the same document give a normal click first so that the "highlighting" disappears before you take a new copy. Otherwise you will paste the same copy twice.

Note: Do not send this example application form when the agent have their own on-line application form.

Parts of the Application, for instance: "education", you will need several sub points, i.e.:

1. Course/School:
   
2. Course/School:

Every examination and course should have its own point. You can, however, by "copy" and "paste" add as many points as you want. Same goes for "Seagoing experience" (i.e. every ship its own point), "Languages", etc.

When you save your CV documents on your computer, always use your name as part of the file name. For instance: Brown, James - CV.doc . When the employer searches in their data bank for your name all your documents will come up together.

When you send your C.V. ( résumé ) by e-mail be aware every e-mail system doesn't render e-mails and/or attachments the same way. The more complicated or fancy formatting you use the bigger the differences can be. To be sure the agent / employer receives the attachment and/or e-mail in the way you want it to look, use as simple text formatting as possible, preferably no formatting at all.

Diplomas and certificates you should scan as pictures, (.jpg format); check print size, so it doesn't get too small or too big, use 256 colours. Use a resolution of 150 dpi (dots per inch). Before you send as attachment, be sure your prospective employer or agent accepts attachments. All companies do not.

If you intend to send your C.V. by e-mail you can write your e-mail address in the usual way. But if you intend to put your C.V. on the net, then be careful how you write your e-mail address. If you write it in normal HTML (see: Don Pedro's How to Hide my Email Address), then you will start getting a lot of dirty email advertisements to your email box.

Remember to give clearly necessary references to STCW-95 points for each document you have and which is specified in the rules. It is very much possible, that the person examining your documents in the ship owner's or agent's office doesn't understand anything about the documents themselves. It is very possible the office person only have a list of those STCW requirements a person for a specific rank on a specific ship has to fulfill.

When you are employed on a ship, it's not because of the kind of person you are or because of the skills and the experience you have. It's solely because of the documents you have.

When you use this example form, delete banner at top, what's not applicable to you, and the banners at bottom.

Using Agent's Application Form

Whenever the recruiting agent or employer have an on-line application form, you have to use that. Most big companies are using computer screening (see below) of the forms to faster find the kind of applicant they need at the moment. Of course it's faster with the computer to check thousands of forms instead of manually. If you in such a case send your own application form instead of the on-line form, yours goes straight to the waste basket.

There is no standard format for seamen CV's, almost every agent want it their way.  Do not use your own when on-line form is available.

If or when you send your own application form, keep it well below 100 KB. The reason for this is that a virus message is often 100-200 KB or slightly more. I have myself even received a couple of viruses and worms in the form of job applications. See Don Pedro's Computer Viruses and Worms.

When you fill in the on-line form, fill in only what is asked for. Don't add anything extra - if something isn't asked for, then it isn't relevant. Note however that many companies use the same forms for officers and crew. Of course, officers have a lot of work experience and many more courses to list, and they are all necessary.

If you are applying for a job as AB or motorman and you have been on just two ships before, then you don't have very much to list in the form. But for those positions very little is also required. Be very careful you don't add something irrelevant because you think the form looks so "empty".

You must be especially careful not to include, for instance, computer training, when it's not required. Educated people are never employed for manual work, are they now?

As AB you spend most of your time cleaning, chipping rust, or painting; as motorman your time is spent cleaning in the engine room - you are not expected to even look at the ship computer. Once you are an officer, it's a different story - then you are suddenly supposed to be computer literate and then you can include all that computer training you left out earlier.

Don't give the impression you are "over-educated" for the job you are applying for. If this causes an empty time gap in your "history", then you can give a rough time period and state, for instance: "Studied computers while waiting for job". That is OK - you have used some "dead" time purposefully but at same time you show you know it's not important for the job you are applying for now.

If your native language isn't English, don't write too much "to show how good it is". It will never be as good as the British employer's. Use on-line form as much as possible, write only what is applicable to the position you are applying for. The employer doesn't want your whole life story.

How to Get Entry Level Job

To get the very first entry level job is the most difficult thing you will ever do in your life - because by definition you have no experience. Workers in entry level positions are often called manpower and can in many cases be employed "from the street" ( walk-in interview ) - except for ship jobs. Many offshore roustabout positions, for instance, can be filled straight in the employer's "downtown office".

Very often it helps a lot if your "cousin's uncle's friend" is in a management position, start with using every such contact you can think of.

Because there are no standard application forms in the maritime sector, there's neither any single answer to "how to do ?". Whether you apply for an entry level or professional position, there's only one rule you must follow:.

Follow the instructions on the agent's / employer's website exactly.

For instance:

• If the agent - employer wants a hard copy of your CV, then you print out your application / CV and send it by regular mail. (Via the Post Office, you know!).
  
• If there's an online application form on the website, then that's what you must use.
  
• Only if it's very clearly stated on the agent's / employer's website e-mail applications are welcome, then may be you can send an attachment. If you do, use a plain text version without any fancy formatting The majority of recruiting agents / employers accept a simple Word document - to be sure check that on the agent's / employer's website first before you send it.

Do not use Excel. Too often Excel documents contain viruses so you are at risk of having your application deleted straight away.

I have received through e-mail some applications with a lot of formatting. Sometimes my Windows XP cannot open the attachment. If the receiver of your application cannot open it, all your work with the beautiful application is completely wasted.

For most agents and employers listed on my job links pages, I have included the requirements with the listings.

How to Really Apply for a Job

Whatever you learned in school, never send an "open job application" over here and there. May be the last time your teacher applied for a job was 20-30 years ago - for his/her current job.

If you use an "open application" it has to be written in such a general way it doesn't fit any specific job description at all and you are at a disadvantage from the very start.

It's always better to apply to a specific job or position. Don't tell the prospective employer you are honest and hard working. Everybody is that, at least when applying for the job. Instead show the employer what in your experience makes you especially suitable for the position in question.

The employer doesn't want to know the whole story of your life, who the in-laws are, and what they have done. The employer has may be received over a hundred applications for the same position, and he has to decide within one hour whom to employ, because he has to attend to a meeting or something else more important for him/her.

A personnel officer / recruiting manager spends on average only 10-15 seconds deciding whether to reject or short list a C.V. / application / resume. Sometimes less than 5% of applicants are called for an interview. You have therefore only about 10 seconds time to catch your prospective new employers attention.

The only way to grab his/her attention is to point out - whenever applicable - "I already did this job before", but I'm underpaid so I'm looking for a new employer who can appreciate my capabilities and my experience. Do it, however, without complaining about your current employer.

To save money most employers look for people with skills that clearly match job requirements - those applicants doesn't need training. It's therefore useless to apply for a position when the job description doesn't fit your skills. On the contrary, when you have the skills, experience, and/or education / training asked for, it's very important to point out this fact very clearly to the employer.

When you apply only to vacancies you can match with your skills and experience you save yourself from experiencing unnecessary frustration. It also means that a successful C.V. / resume is slightly different for each employer - every single one you send has to be tailored ( adapted ) for each employer / agent specifically. It's a hard work to apply for a job. But you want a job, don't you?

To increase your chance, be selective with applying - carefully match your capabilities, experiences and ambitions with the requirements. Before you sit down and start writing your C.V. / résumé, take a break with these mistakes you shouldn't make.

To apply for a specific job always try to use employer's or agent's online application form. Then there are less possibilities for you to go wrong. Study those on-line application forms you find on the Internet. These give a very good indication of what information the agents or employers want. Adapt your own application according to that, but use it only when there is no online form available.

Remember, nothing in life is for free - ever. To be successful with your application, make it look and feel the application is written especially for the person receiving it personally. Often you can see the personnel officer's name with the e-mail address in connection with job listings. Use it and address yourself specifically to that person.

Of course, it's a hard job to do that, but if the person receiving your application feels it's a personal application, may be he/she will feel good by the personal touch. In any case you will get merit for making a greater effort than other applicants.

One can sometimes see a website with an invitation to send an open "speculative" application. Be aware, this is very seldom intended for inexperienced applicants. In such cases the employer is very likely "fishing" for experienced professionals, who are exploring the current employment market.

For your privacy and protection, when applying for a job online: Never give your social security number to a prospective employer, provide credit card or bank account information, or perform any sort of monetary transaction. Especially if the agent asks for advance fee it's most probably a fake agent. If you are offered a very high salary, like 10.000 USD or more per month, remember you can win on the lotto too - but it's highly unlikely.

Before you call your résumé ( CV ) "complete" and send it, you can test it for free or you can use free resume test. If you are called for an interview get these tips how to prepare for that interview.

Summary - What Goes Into the C.V ?

So, what exactly should be included in your C.V. / résumé ? Concentrate on what is relevant and required for the position you are applying for - always apply for a specific position only. If you don't know what is relevant, then you are not competent for the job either, isn't that so?

1. Personal details: Full name and all contact details, date and place of birth, when you are available, nearest airport and expiry dates for your seamen's medical and passport. Other details only if specifically requested.
   
   
2. Your skills: A summary of your education, training, skills, and work experience. This point must be specific and adapted to each employer specifically. Keep education / training separate from work experience, include certificates in education or as a separate point.
   
   Seamen must include list of STCW documents, including expiry dates and STCW code / designation for each document. Always reverse chronological order, i.e. last / current one first and the oldest details last. Only if your religion imposes special dietary restrictions, then you need to include it.
   
   If you have graduated from High School there's no need to list your elementary school. If you have Captain's exam, likewise no need to include seamen's basic training or Chief Officer's exam.
   
   
3. References: Include references only if they are requested. If not requested just add a short comment "References will be supplied on request" or something similar.

Effects of Computer Screening

All big recruiting agents and employers use computer screening of applicants' documents in their data bank. Imagine something like a "Mini-Google". Because of this you have to adapt ( customize ) your CV ( résumé ) according to each job to be sure your documents can be found when searched for.

If you don't use the right words in your job application, the employer cannot find your application in the company's data bank.

First it's possible a secretary will download the job applications into the data bank. The result is the person who will decide whom to employ hasn't seen neither your e-mail nor your application before. Don't think it will be printed in the employer's office, that's very unlikely.

When the personnel officer searches for applicants for a certain job in the data bank, he/she will use same words as in the job description. In other words, if the job requires experience as "crane operator" and you write you have three years experience as "crane driver" your document may be won't come up at all. The computer doesn't "know" both expressions mean the same.

You must therefore adapt ("tailor it") according to what terms the employer or the agent is using in the job description. Because your documents will be read on the computer screen, those words should appear at the first screen the personnel officer sees when opening your document. As that person probably only scans the document you write those words in bold. Then just may be, the personnel officer will continue reading the rest of your CV / Application.

Do not insert your photo in your application or C.V. (résumé) if it's not specifically asked for. If you think it's good to include the photo, considering the kind of job you are applying for - may be a purser or a waiter on a luxury cruise liner - then attach it separately to the bunch of documents you are sending. When you save the photo on your computer use your own name as file name, for instance: Brown, James - photo.jpg . Always send pictures or photos as .jpg .

Of course you also use your name in the same way in the e-mail subject line, for instance: Brown, James - Job application, Crane Operator. All your documents should come up by your family name and clearly by file name show what each document is about. If you use your given name first, for instance "Peter", may be somebody with the same first name applies to the same agent or employer and your application is overwritten and completely lost.

Avoid any fancy formatting of your CV. Many big companies today use some kind of Content Management System to achieve a constant layout and "look" of all their internal documents. When your application is downloaded in the company's data bank and incorporated with the Content Management System may be all your formatting is lost. Try to copy your CV and paste it into Notepad. Is it still readable and easily understood?

Do you have problems pasting your CV into web forms? If you have experienced such problems - delete your formatting. When you have corrected all spelling errors and you think your document is ready to be sent off print it out for yourself. Read the print out and correct those "new" spelling errors you find. A print out is easier to read than the computer screen and the computer recognizes only spelling errors that turn a word into an non-existing one.

A on-line application form is sometimes also called "electronic C.V.", as it is submitted electronically in plain text format. Electronic C.V. is usually scanned electronically and the on-line form is already adjusted and adapted to that company's content management system. This simple text format C.V. - resume you should prepare by using Notepad, as such a document can easily be copied and pasted into the online form.

Cover letter

When you send a ship job application you should keep your cover letter very brief ( maximum one print page ). If you attach your CV as an attachment to your e-mail, then even shorter - max. 2 short paragraphs. In the e-mail Subject line you write: Your name (family name first) - Application for (position).

When writing your e-mail message / cover letter, you can start with a short explanation why you are suitable for the job. This is, however, not needed when applying for an entry level job. Address the items listed in the job advertisement / description ( specification ) - in other words apply only to specific open / available vacancies.

Follow the application instructions on the agent's / employer's website exactly. When you are asked, for instance, to send your CV as a MS Word document, don't try to be "clever" and send it as Excel. You do that and your application is deleted without ever been read.

When you attach your C.V. to your e-mail, don't leave the email itself empty. It's so easy to delete an empty message without noticing the attachment.

When the recruiting agent have an on-line application form no cover message is needed or expected. Either your documents are up to STCW-95 requirements or they are not.

When you apply for a crew job you can mention how many years experience you have onboard total and what kind of ships you have been on ( tankers, container ships etc. ). In addition you should mention when your passport and your medical expires. These two dates are important.

If you have "oil tanker endorsement" and like tankers, mention this, in one sentence only. If you are applying for a third or second mate's position you can mention you are computer literate (only if you really are), but that's enough in the cover message.

Keep the cover letter or message as short as possible, let the application form speak for itself. Always remember the recruiting agents are very busy people.

One important point you should not leave out. That's when you are available and can leave for the ship. Do not state "Now" or "ASAP", there's always something that must be done at the very last moment - you are not sitting at the airport waiting for your ticket, are you now?

May be your wife or mother wants to iron your best shirts first, or may be while you were on the Internet she put your favourite jeans in the washing machine. It's much better to say straight away: on 24 hrs or 48 hours notice. That shows you are a very well organized person. Include the name of your nearest airport. This is suitable as the last sentence. Overall the letter or message should, of course, be polite and accurate.

If you are applying for a shore based job, note that you have to change your approach completely. The conventions in different business sectors and countries or cultures means people in different cultures do expect completely different style applications.

For instance, if you use a style common in India or Philippines when you apply to a British or American employer it's probable your application won't succeed. The result will probably be the same even if you use British style or conventions in an application to an American employer, although the differences are not so great.

If you are an Indian national - recently graduated - do not use the work "fresher", that's a specific Indian-English expression neither used nor understood anywhere else. Instead say straight away you graduated this May or June or whenever it was.

Always use the style expected by your prospective employer. When you are not completely sure of the style you should use, please keep your cover letter as short as possible. With a short text there are fewer possibilities for you to go wrong.

You cannot just translate an application you have in your own language. Changing language is not enough, you must change style also. Get CV examples for specific countries.

Get advice on cover letter writing (PDF). Just remember: applying for a land based job and applying for a seaman's job require completely different approaches.

When applying for a land based job with a British employer get Alec's free advice on CV writing, resume writing, job search and interview questions. If you are applying with an American employer, then you should naturally choose an American résumé writing service.

Always keep your C.V. as short as possible, the employer doesn't want to know everything about you. Stay with what is relevant to the job you are applying for.

Points to Remember - Land Based Job

• Keep education and work experience separate.
  
• Keep shore work experience separate from ship board ( sea experience ).
  
• List possible earlier shore work experience first and in detail.
  
• Keep sea based work experience short, for instance only periods in each rank, types of ships and trading areas, as well as listing employers.
  
• List all education and work experience with start from present and backwards. ( reverse chronological order )
  
• Give STCW and other training certificates with details in your education section.
  
• Don't ask for too high salary, but not too low either.
  
• Give a reason why you want come ashore for work.
  
• Don't send copies of your certificates before you are asked to do so.
  
• If you are onboard, arrange with a friend to continuously monitor your email. The prospective employer won't wait long for an answer from you.
  
• If the position requires relocation, discuss with your whole family first before applying.

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Legal advice to seafarers in form of answers to real asked questions. Both concerning contractual (work related) problems and questions of liability under ISPS with details as applicable under British Law. The legal page is updated every month.


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