For about thirty seconds, I’m hopeful.

Then I ask when they can start.

And every time, I have to remind myself to stay calm.

Let’s Talk About What’s Actually Happening Out There

This isn’t a one-off. Every single season, without fail, I have some version of these conversations:

“I’m on holiday right now, but I’ll be back in two weeks.”

Right. The position closes Friday. Come on.

“My STCW needs renewing — I’ve booked South Africa to do the refresher.”

So you knew your certificate was about to expire. You’ve planned the trip. You’ve bought the flights. And now — now — in May, at the start of the European season, you’re applying for positions with an urgent start. I don’t know what to do with that.

“I can start in about three weeks; I just have a few things to sort.”

Three weeks. During peak season. That’s not available, or even optimistic — that’s a chancer who thinks the hiring manager will change their mind and their timeline for you.

“I don’t have a green card, but I have a B1/B2 & a C1/D — does that work?”

No. It does not work. Not even a little.

If a job listing states that you must be legally authorized to work in the United States, that means you must be a US citizen, a green card holder, or someone with a valid work visa. It does not mean a B1/B2 tourist visa. It does not mean a C1/D or B1/B2 visa for a crew member. Those visas do not give you the right to work on US soil or in US waters in an employed capacity — and no hiring manager, no matter how much they like your CV, has the power to change that.

This isn’t a grey area. This isn’t something we can work around. This is the law.

If you are not legally authorized to work in the USA — don’t apply for US-based positions. You are wasting your time. You are wasting the captain’s time. And you are wasting mine. Apply for positions in jurisdictions where you can actually work. There are plenty of them.

I do want to place you. I genuinely do. But I can’t send a captain a CV that comes with conditions attached — and I certainly can’t send one that comes with an immigration problem attached.

Here’s the Part Nobody Wants to Say Out Loud

This industry moves fast. When a captain tells me a position is urgent, they mean 48 to 72 hours. Not after your holiday. Not post-South Africa. Not once you’ve sorted your “few things.”

The hard truth is this: if you’re applying for positions you can’t actually take, you’re not job hunting — you’re browsing. And browsing wastes everyone’s time, including yours.

I’m not going to pretend I don’t notice. I do. And after enough years in this industry, I’ve learned to ask the questions that most people are too polite to ask upfront.

What Ready Actually Looks Like

Ready isn’t a feeling. It’s a checklist.

When I’m putting a candidate forward, I need to know:

• Your STCW, ENG1, MCA, and flag state endorsements are current—not almost current, not booked for renewal. Current.
• Your passport has at least 12 months on it.
• You have no flights booked, no holidays that can’t move, no personal commitments standing between you and a start date.
• You can be on a plane within 48 to 72 hours of an offer.
• Your references are reachable and they know what you’re looking.

If any of that isn’t true right now, that’s fine. Genuinely. Sort it, then come back. I’ll still be here.

But don’t apply for a position starting next week from a sun lounger in Santorini and expect it to work out.

What This Costs Captains and Owners

A delayed placement at the start of season isn’t just an inconvenience. Departures get pushed. Guests get let down. The captain is left managing a short-handed vessel while fielding apologies to an owner who is already frustrated.

That’s the real cost of advancing an unavailable candidate. It damages trust, and in a relationship-driven industry like this one, trust is everything.

This is why I ask uncomfortable questions before a CV ever reaches a captain’s desk. So, they don’t have to.

To the Candidates Reading This

I want you working. That’s the whole point of what we do.

But if your certificates are lapsed — fix them before you apply, not after.

If you’ve got something booked — go, enjoy it, and call me when you’re back and genuinely free.

And if you’re sitting on a beach somewhere applying for a position that starts Monday — put the phone down. The season will still be here when you land.

When you’re ready — actually ready — so are we. Check out the web portal

Following Seas Recruiting specializes in superyacht crew placement and luxury estate staffing. We work with a deliberately small roster of clients because quality of placement matters more to us than volume. If you’re a captain who’s tired of chasing down certificates and availability windows — or a candidate who is genuinely ready to work — let’s talk.