Hi everybody,
i’m a 1st Deck Officer with 10 years of experience on both carrier and cruise ships, and i’m trying to entering the offshore sector as DPO. After the induction course, i started to look for a position in order to gain the 30 days familiarization needed to get the DP Advanced Certificate, but it’s seems impossible. I sent hundred of CVs to several companies - included all those i found in other post comments here in GCaptain - for more than one year, not only as DPO but also as just officer (to enter the offshore and than pass as DP), without success.
Job salary is not an issue, to me: my priority is to gain the 30 days, i would do it even for free (but i never mentioned it in my application letters, since i think is not professional and unfair to my coworkers).
I’m starting to think that, contrary to what many says, the only way to start as DPO is to got good connection in a company, and that good PRs are better than navigation skills, at least in the beginning, in this sector: do you agree?
I need some honest advice to improve my job search for the 30 days.
Thank you in advance for your help and attention
You have to go in person. Sending CVs probably won’t do you any good. I went down for a week after quitting my cushy govt. job and applied in person. Got on with a small company for experience in a new industry. Got a call from a better company. Make sure you get the full 30 days though before showing up for the advanced. Friend of mine did a 28 day hitch and tried to get in. Was turned away. 
[QUOTE=Quimby;145840]You have to go in person. Sending CVs probably won’t do you any good. I went down for a week after quitting my cushy govt. job and applied in person. Got on with a small company for experience in a new industry. Got a call from a better company. Make sure you get the full 30 days though before showing up for the advanced. Friend of mine did a 28 day hitch and tried to get in. Was turned away. 
[/QUOTE]
Thank you Quimby, your advice is very useful, i will totally starting to go in person. Too bad now i’m in Italy, here there aren’t many DP companies. I was thinking to go in UK, maybe Aberdeen. Do you think is a good idea, or would you suggest something else?
[QUOTE=Quimby;145840]You have to go in person. Sending CVs probably won’t do you any good. I went down for a week after quitting my cushy govt. job and applied in person. Got on with a small company for experience in a new industry. Got a call from a better company. Make sure you get the full 30 days though before showing up for the advanced. Friend of mine did a 28 day hitch and tried to get in. Was turned away. ��[/QUOTE]
Thank you, this is a good advice, indeed i’m planning to visit both Aberdeen and London in order to apply in person.