Create a crew CV that tells your story.

Answer the essentials at a glance

Place your name, target position, contact details, current location and availability at the top of your CV. Use this space to answer the reader’s first questions instead of filling it with a lengthy personal introduction. Check that your email address is correct, your phone number includes a country code and your profile link works. These small details make it easier for someone to get in touch.

Tailor your short profile paragraph to the role you are applying for. Focus on the experience you bring and where you want to develop, rather than a string of flattering adjectives. If you are moving from hospitality into interior work, connect your experience in service preparation, guest communication and teamwork. If you are new to yachting, be open about that and describe your strengths clearly.

Turn a list of duties into specific experience

List your experience with the most recent role first. For each position, include the dates, job title and the setting you worked in. Then use a few short points to explain what you actually did. Instead of simply writing “responsible for service”, describe how you prepared for service, tracked supplies and handled shift handovers. Any figures you include should be accurate and something you can explain.

You can describe confidential work without naming a yacht or its guests. What matters is making your role and responsibilities clear. If you are just starting out, include relevant internships, projects and seasonal jobs, but do not present them as professional yacht experience. Keeping your CV consistent with what you say in an interview will also help you speak with confidence.

Describe skills in terms of the work

Build your skills section around the duties in the vacancy. Group the tools you can use, your service or maintenance experience, language abilities and relevant training under clear headings. Rather than relying on vague claims such as “strong communicator”, show where you have used that skill in your experience section. Repeating the same information in several places adds length and makes the important points harder to find.

Be realistic about how you use each language in everyday conversation, with guests or at work. Write the names of courses and certificates as they appear on your documents, and make it clear when a programme is still in progress. Shorten long lists that are not relevant to the position. The aim is to give the reader easy access to the information they need for an initial assessment.

Create a document that is easy to read

Use simple headings, consistent date formatting and a comfortable text size. Leave space between sections instead of squeezing your experience onto one page in tiny type. For early-career applications in particular, concise and focused content helps. After exporting your CV as a PDF, open it on both a computer and a phone. Check for text that overflows, gets cut off or contains broken links.

Use your name and target role in the file name to keep different versions organised. Make sure a position title from an earlier application has not been left in the new document. Let your referees know before sharing their contact details. If possible, read the text aloud for your final check; this can help you spot long sentences, repeated words and inconsistent dates.

Keep your CV and profile in step

Whenever you update your CV, review your digital profile too. Position titles, dates, location and availability should match. After adding a new role or course, check the older information as well. Instead of rewriting the whole document for every application, maintain an accurate master version and highlight the experience most relevant to each role.