Are you ready to embark on the next adventure in your career?
If you hope to land a varied and rewarding role as a deck cadet, then you need an impressive application that’s bound to get you noticed.
We will help you to write a standout application with our expert advice and deck cadet CV example in the guide below.
Use this CV example as a guide to formatting and structuring your Deck Cadet CV, so that busy recruiters can easily digest your information and determine your suitability for the role.
It also provides some insight into the key skills, experience and qualifications you need to highlight.
Recruiters and employers are busy, and if they can’t find the information they’re looking for in a few seconds, it could be game over for your application.
You need to format and structure your CV in a way which allows the reader to pick out your key information with ease, even if they’re strapped for time.
It should be clear, easily legible, well-organised and scannable – check out some simple tips and tricks below:
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Divide your CV into the following major sections when writing it:
Now you understand the basic layout of a CV, here’s what you should include in each section of yours.
Make it easy for recruiters to get in touch, by heading your CV with your contact details.
There’s no need for excessive details – just list the basics:
Grab the reader’s attention by kick-starting your CV with a powerful profile (or personal statement, if you’re a junior applicant).
This is a short introduction paragraph which summarises your skills, knowledge and experience.
It should paint you as the perfect match for the job description and entice recruiters to read through the rest of your CV.
How to write a good CV profile:
Dedicated Deck Cadet in my final year of merchant navy officer cadet training at Warsash Maritime School. Highly skilled in deck maintenance, GMDSS safety protocols, and efficient team collaboration. Qualified medical first aider and experienced lifeguard with 15 months of shipboard experience, working towards an FdSc in Nautical Science.
Quick tip: If you are finding it difficult to write an attention-grabbing CV profile, choose from hundreds of pre-written profiles across all industries, and add one to your CV with one click in our quick-and-easy CV Builder. All profiles are written by recruitment experts and easily tailored to suit your unique skillset.
Next, you should create a bullet pointed list of your core skills, formatted into 2-3 columns.
Here, you should focus on including the most important skills or knowledge listed in the job advertisement.
This will instantly prove that you’re an ideal candidate, even if a recruiter only has time to briefly scan your CV.
Navigation – Maintaining knowledge of maritime navigation, including the use of navigational charts and electronic navigation aids.
Ship Handling – Understanding the fundamentals of ship handling, manoeuvring, and steering.
Maritime Safety – Maintaining proficiency in maritime safety procedures, including the use of life-saving appliances and firefighting equipment.
Rope Work – Handling ropes, wires, and cables, including knotting, splicing, and rigging.
Radio Communication – Maintaining knowledge of maritime radio communication etiquette and procedures.
Cargo Handling – Understanding the basics of cargo handling, stowage, and securing techniques.
Seamanship – Deck maintenance, painting, and cleaning.
Environmental Compliance – Maintaining knowledge of environmental regulations in maritime operations, such as MARPOL.
Emergency Procedures – Understanding and executing emergency procedures, including man overboard, fire drills, and abandonment.
Navigation Rules and Regulations – Maintaining familiarity with international and local maritime navigation rules and regulations.
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By this point, employers will be keen to know more detail about you career history.
Starting with your most recent role and working backwards, create a snappy list of any relevant roles you’ve held.
This could be freelance, voluntary, part-time or temporary jobs too. Anything that’s relevant to your target role is well-worth listing!
The structure of your work experience section can seriously affect its impact.
This is generally the biggest section of a CV, and with no thought to structure, it can look bulky and important information can get lost.
Use my 3-step structure below to allow for easy navigation, so employers can find what they are looking for:
Outline
Provide a brief overview of the job as a whole, such as what the overriding purpose of your job was and what type of company you worked for.
Key responsibilities
Use bullet points to detail the key responsibilities of your role, highlighting hard skills, software and knowledge wherever you can.
Keep them short and sharp to make them easily digestible by readers.
Key achievements
Lastly, add impact by highlight 1-3 key achievements that you made within the role.
Struggling to think of an achievement? If it had a positive impact on your company, it counts.
For example, you might increased company profits, improved processes, or something simpler, such as going above and beyond to solve a customer’s problem.
Outline
Completing practical training onboard commercial vessels as part of the merchant navy cadetship programme, participating in deck operations, maintenance, and emergency response procedures.
Key Responsibilities
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At the bottom of your CV is your full education section. You can list your formal academic qualifications, such as:
As well as any specific Deck Cadet qualifications that are essential to the jobs you are applying for.
Note down the name of the qualification, the organisation at which you studied, and the date of completion.
Although this is an optional section, it can be useful if your hobbies and interests will add further depth to your CV.
Interests which are related to the sector you are applying to, or which show transferable skills like leadership or teamwork, can worth listing.
On the other hand, generic hobbies like “going out with friends” won’t add any value to your application, so are best left off your CV.
Once you’ve written your Deck Cadet CV, you should proofread it several times to ensure that there are no typos or grammatical errors.
With a tailored punchy profile that showcases your relevant experience and skills, paired with well-structured role descriptions, you’ll be able to impress employers and land interviews.
Good luck with your next job application!
