Finding a way to put your cover letter on top of the pile or make your interview stand out from the others when applying for jobs with cruise lines can be as simple as doing a little research ahead of time.
Which facts about a cruise line should you inject into your cover letter? How do you seal the deal during your interview by wowing interviewers with your knowledge?
Just as for land-based jobs, knowing as much as you can about the company you are applying to can help you get hired. This step is often neglected by applicants, so those that do their research will have a big advantage.
Cruise applicants should focus their research on five key areas.
1. Cruise Ship Fleet. You should know about the ships within the cruise lines’ fleet such as total number of ships and which ship is debuting.
2. Passenger Demographic. Who are the cruise line’s passengers? What is the demographic of the cruise line?
3. Cruise Itineraries. Some cruise lines concentrate on world cruises while others like Disney Cruise Line stay in North America with the exception of their European itinerary on the Disney Magic.
4. Latest News. Following cruise news publications and cruising websites will keep you informed about the latest in the cruising industry.
5. Contact Name. This may be one of the most important pieces of information for getting hired. Don’t assume that there is only one contact name for each cruise line. More often than not there is a different contact person for each department. You need to send your resume to the right person, or it may not even get read.
Neil Maxwell-Keys