You can have decent experience, good vessels, and voyages, but still not get any responses.
And more often than not, it’s not the market or “bad luck,” but the way your CV looks.
Let’s look at the main mistakes 👇
⏺Mistake 1: Lack of structure
The CV looks like a continuous text.
No clear division:
— Dates
— Vessels
— Positions
— Responsibilities
❌ A crew manager won’t dig into it. They need to see the key information right away.
If they need to search, they simply move on to the next candidate.
⏺Mistake 2: Lack of specifics
“Responsible, experienced, stress-resistant”—this adds no value.
What’s more important:
— Vessel type
— GT / DWT
— Equipment
— Real-world tasks
— Which companies have you worked with?
✅ Facts sell. Generalities don’t.
⏺Mistake 3: One CV for all openings
You’re sending the same file everywhere, but each opening has different requirements.
The employer isn’t looking for a general overview, but for a specific person.
❗️Without onboarding, the response is always weaker.
⏺Mistake 4: No Introduction Letter
A very common problem 👇
Your CV doesn’t make it clear what position you’re applying for and what you’re currently looking for.
🙅 The recruiter is forced to guess, which they won’t do.
At the beginning of your CV, there should be a short and clear description:
job title + relevant experience + objective.
⏺The bottom line is simple:
even strong experience may not sell if it’s poorly packaged.
✉️ If you want real feedback on your CV, send us a private message @Seamens_Club_Ukraine. We’ll help you package your experience so it really works.
Seamen’s Club 🇺🇦