I know I know, don’t pay for a job. Man I have applied from Oregon to Africa and cant get a call or email back. Pretty bad when college graduate with a mmd and a passport willing to travel cant even find a job chipping paint. I just want to get on the deck and do my time so that i can get upstairs sooner. AB is the most attainable short to midterm goal. I’m not picky, just broke and cant wait any longer for work (nor am I scared of work). So this is what it has come down to. I sure there are plenty of “bad outfits” when it comes to recruiters. It would be great to have a heads up as to if there are any good ones that have the mariners best interests in mind. Help a brother out. Thanks.
100T NC
OS
passport
STCW-95
equal time be fine as far as rotation
I am with you XpatBubba. I have applied all over the US and nothing. I am not a college graduate but I have upgraded my license every time I have had a chance. I spent a long time running Sea Tow boats a couple years on a Casino boat then ran some little center console boats taking scientists out looking for oil after the BP spill. I used the money I made from the spill to upgrade to a 500ton master NC and now I am running in to a brick wall. I am looking for anything running a boat or an AB position. So what recruiter to use is the next step. The threads on here talking about recruiters are vague as to any recommendations but one commonality is to use one based in LA since they can not make you pay them if you get booted before the 6 or 10 pay periods that they take their cut out of. If anyone has used one and had an ok experience please let us know.
500Ton NC
AB Unlimited
Passport
Equal Time or 2 for one works for me.
Tom B,
Good to know about the LA based folks and the obligation to pay if you get your walking papers. Yea, I am looking forward to getting some info on this subject. Sucks you cant find anything as an AB. I talked to a lady recruiter, Progressive Marine Services, and she said she never has any tug pilots or engineers looking for work, FYI.
Nope,
My understanding is that I have plateaued until I can find work on a bigger boat than the 91’ boat I have my time on. I think AB special is the next step (after finding work).
I know you can atleast get an ab special. I have to admit all my time is on vessels under 100gt I have a lot of it and was able to get an AB unlimited. I bet that 90ft boat was over 55tons.
If you are looking at recruiters then try C-Mar and Oceanwide. Neither of them will charge you, they will charge the company which is how it is supposed to work. It is illegal according to international law to charge a seaman to find them a job! All that aside, most people eventually have to use a recruiter (myself included). I would recommend John Davis with Northstar in Houston and I have heard good things about Kelly Sweeny in Seattle area.
Good luck
A good friend of mine used sweeny, he was very happy with what he found for him. ive talked to him a few times and he seems like he is a straight shooter. but you’ll have much better luck going to his website and emailing him than you will calling him. very hard to get on the phone.