"Don't spit in the water": Kateryna Kyslyak on forging success as a charter broker  By Georgia Tindale In the latest in our 'ship to shore' articles, we meet the Ukrainian-born charter broker Kateryna Kyslyak. A former crew member, and now working as a Senior Charter Broker at Contact Yachts, in Turkey, we discover how Kateryna made the transition from crew to shoreside, how much you can really make as a charter broker in 2022, what to do about challenging clients, and her top tips for getting ahead in this highly competitive field. How did you first find your way into yachting? I initially worked as a hostess on board a gulet in Turkey. I didn't have any experience in service at the time, but they hired me because of my personality. ...

  For Every Size: Rethinking Crew Uniform with Deirdre Colgan  By Georgia Tindale One accusation which is sometimes levelled at the yachting industry in 2022 is that it is somewhat old-fashioned and slow to adapt to change.  Although there are many aspects of the business which can be pointed towards that demonstrate the total opposite – just take a look at recent technological advances in yacht building for example – when it comes to crew uniform, there is plenty of work left to be done. To find out more, we speak to Deirdre Colgan. Originally from Ireland, Deirdre is a former charter chief stew and founder of the clothing brand Nautilus Yachtwear, based in Palm Beach County in the US.  Using her own experiences as crew as a springboard, Deirdre&rsq...

How to nail a yachting job interview  By Georgia Tindale  When it comes to the job application process, there are few things that are liable to prompt more mixed emotions in candidates than an email informing them that they have successfully secured a job interview. On the one hand, they are one step closer to landing that dream job, but on the other, they will now have to convince that recruiter that they are the best thing since sliced bread – and the best possible candidate for that position. But if this is you, never fear! The trusted team at Yotspot have your back. Here, we catch up with Paul Robson, Chief Operations Officer at the boutique head-hunting agency, The Crew Hunter, and discover the biggest pitfalls to avoid in a job interview, what recruiters are loo...

Beyond the sea: How to find a job after yachting  By Georgia Tindale  Thanks to our network of over 89,000 professionals who are currently using our platform, at Yotspot, we are very much aware of the fast-paced nature of the job market. Although some will, of course, enter yachting as a life-long profession, there are many who will look to move from a crew role across to a shore-based position, whether in the industry or outside of it – a transition which can initially seem to be a daunting one.  Here, we catch up again with Gemma Hulbert, Sophie Wells and Rachael Avara. All former chief stews, and now Company Founder and Online Trainers respectively, they are just some of the expert team behind 'The Yacht Stew' which is one of the world's...

Everything you need to know about yacht hospitality roles    By Georgia Tindale  To the uninitiated, a job working on board a superyacht can seem a thousand miles away from the everyday reality of working ashore in other hospitality roles, thanks, in large part, to its perceived glamour, incredible travel opportunities and competitive salary.  Although this can, of course, quite literally be the case – depending on whether or not you fancy tackling a trip in the middle of the Pacific Ocean – the story is a more complicated one.  Here, we speak to Gemma Hulbert, Sophie Wells and Rachael Avara. All former chief stews, and now Company Founder and Online Trainers respectively, they are just some of the expert team behind 'The Yacht Stew'...

Ship to shore: Meeting Gulf Craft's Quality Control Manager Patricia Caswell By Georgia Tindale  In our latest 'ship to shore' interview, Yotspot catches up with Patricia Caswell, a former yacht captain, who is now Quality Control Manager for the UAE-based shipyard Gulf Craft. Patricia speaks candidly from experience about the highs and lows of life at sea, how to successfully navigate the transition to dry land, and what it really takes to get ahead in this unusual and ever-changing industry. First, give us the potted history. How did you end up in yachting?  Like many people in the industry, I fell into it! I had finished high school and was visiting my mom in the Whitsunday Islands in Australia. She sent me out on an old Maxi racing yacht for a day...

By Georgia Tindale Looking to blend in seamlessly at yacht shows? Want to hide your greenness when you're walking the docks or trying to make an impression at industry networking events? Here at Yotspot, we have the ideal solution: a guide to yachting jargon to make sure you can talk the talk with the best of them, as well as giving you the edge in those all-important job interviews. If you can get your head around these key terms, you'll be safely aboard in no time!    Anchor: A method of 'parking' a yacht, often for a lunch break in a quiet bay. Or a chain or line, with a weighted hook at the end that attaches to the bottom of the seafloor and stops the yacht from floating away. Aft – Also known as the 'afterdeck'. This is th...

  By Georgia Tindale  At the time of writing in May 2022, it is certainly a thought-provoking time to be part of the yachting industry. With attention-grabbing headlines hitting the media about yacht seizures, Ukrainian crew attempting to sink Russian-owned vessels and more, the industry is currently having its moment in the spotlight as it comes under scrutiny from the outside world.  That said, however, this need to confront yachting's public perception is not a new one, and the current moment can be seen as offering a valuable opportunity to do precisely this, and to offer a more nuanced perspective back. All we need is the people to offer this well-informed point of view.  Step in our next interview subject, Jenny Matthews. Currently working as a chief ...

By Georgia TindaleWhen it comes to sectors that have been drastically impacted by the pressures of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is safe to say that the hospitality and other service industries have shouldered their fair share of the burden. The mass closure of restaurants and bars around the world, combined with the restrictions on both domestic and international travel, has led to countless individuals within these sectors losing their positions and facing uncertainty about the continuation of their entire sector going forwards. Speaking now from the second quarter of 2022, with something closer to 'normality' having been restored across the hospitality and service industries, it is the ideal opportunity to reflect on the realities of these roles, and the opportunities wh...

By Georgia Tindale If you know anything about the yachting industry, chances are, there will be some onboard roles that are familiar to you: deckhand, chief stew, captain, chef, and so on. One role which may not immediately spring to mind, however, is that of a superyacht purser. Here, we chat to Andrew Roch, Founder of The Crew Academy, which launched the industry's first-ever purser training course back in 2010 – that has since received full IAMI & GUEST accreditation – to discover all you need to know about the realities of working in this challenging and fulfilling position, as well as getting the lowdown on how to break into it as an outsider. In a nutshell, what does a yacht purser do? There is not a simple answer to this: there are six differen...