I have been finding that most cruise ship Human Resource Department personnel I know, are still much more happier to receive your CV/resume the old fashioned way - through the mail. The reason is because anyone can send along a thousand emails from their laptop whilst never ever getting out of bed...copy paste, copy paste - ad nauseum.
Snail means you have composed a work of art - resume, photos, dvd if available, sourced out the correct person to receive the package and walked to a post office and paid money to ship it off.
A contact hiring person I know in Europe, receives 400 - 500 email resumes PER WEEK!! He cannot possibly read let alone answer them all. He is too busy hiring people. So, it's delete, delete, delete. He receives less than 5 by traditional mail per week, but, he reads those over a coffee.
For this approach you require up to date addresses for each person and /or line you wish to contact. The information package should be as follows:
* 1 page, neatly typed cover letter - never hand written - standard ARIAL font and use spell check!
Never write Dear sir, maddam, to whomit may concern - use the first name of the person who will be receiving this employment inquiry - Dear ______ ,
This cover letter has 3 short paragraphs only :
-1) who you are and what you want
-2) brief overview of your experience and why you are right for this position
-3) when you are available, addtional info available, you will follow up with a phone call..."thank you for your time" is how you end the letter!
Note: 3 weeks after you've mailed it, call the person from a quiet area only! Use a land line only! NO cell calls! When the receptionist/gate keeper answers the phone, you say this:
My name is ____ , and I am following up a Cruise Staff position with ______ .
Your CV/Resume should be focused and relevent to the job your are applying for:
IE If you want to be part of the Cruise Social/Staff, you will include recreational activities, theatre, team sports, summer camp employment, carnival experience, marketing and promotional work, but the most important aspect of this job? You must be comfortable with a microphone hosting events in front of hundreds or thousands of passengers! You must be absolutely over the top, cheesy, almost annoyingly so - outgoing!!!! And, look as good as you can, meaning clean cut, fresh and professional - show them your own your million dollar smile!
If you can, include a video of good quality, well edited, of any hosting experience you have. All envelopes should include professionally printed labels - never handwritten. Use a large 8 1/2 inch white or brown kraft envelope, so you do not fold any of your papers.
And don't be cheap...send it Special Delivery only!
