Overlooked Careers in the Maritime Industry

Overlooked Careers in the Maritime Industry

  By

  Marvin K. Perkins

  Copyright 2012 by Marvin K. Perkins

  Overlooked Careers in the Maritime Industry

  I was lost after I retired from the U.S. Navy in October of 2003. I had no plan for the future, no training and no money. I desperately needed a job. Even more than a job I needed another career. True enough I had my retirement, but it was far from being enough to pay the bills. I had basically been in denial, thinking my ride on the Navy train was going to last forever and had not gotten my bills in the type of shape I needed to make it on the outside.

  The outside, that’s a place all retired military people have to go. It’s a place we are not used to being. I’m talking about working in the private sector as it is called. Regular non-government type jobs that your average guy or gal would work. But it is a place much feared by us, a scary place where we don’t have the government to take care of us and our families. I was no different, I had vowed to wean myself off the government tit.

  Working in the private sector was something I very much wanted to do, but how? I didn’t know anybody who was beating down my door with a job offer in their hot little hands for me. Everybody I knew was still in the military or retired looking for work the same as I was. There were thousands of jobs in the newspaper and on the internet. Most I didn’t even remotely qualify for, others said no experience necessary. They were the worst. If you apply for a job that as much says they will hire anybody, you can pretty well figure the end result is not going to be good.

  I tried a lot of different things. Got my real estate license, a notary license, took a course in income tax preparation, hoping to break the grip government service had on me. I worked very hard, but after two years of effort, I found very little success and made less than the money I needed. I maxed out all my credit cards, took a second mortgage on my condo, and generally got myself deep in debt. What was I going to do? I didn’t have a clue.

  The job I did in the military did not arm me with the skills I needed to find employment in the “real world.” The only thing I knew was being a sailor. I was a fish out of water, so I finally relinquished and decided to go back out to sea where I belonged. But how to find employment in the industry was the big question. Even though I was an ex-navy sailor I still didn’t know about the world of the civilian mariner and how to enter that world.

  I had to start from scratch. It took me a considerable amount of time to find the information I needed. Since time is money, it cost me a whole bunch of cash as well. But I was lucky, at least I knew the industry existed and there was an opportunity to have another great career. However, your average man on the street, say in middle America, doesn’t know about these lucrative career opportunities. It’s not brain surgery and many of the positions are entry level, which most men and women can qualify for, regardless of age. I will discuss health, financial and drug free issues later.

  In this day and time of 9% plus unemployment and massive layoffs, the maritime industry is greatly overlooked because people simply don’t know about it. Most people who think of jobs to pursue never even consider this industry. Why, I can’t imagine. The maritime industry employs over 1.2 million in the United States alone, and millions more worldwide. These include working on ships, boats, offshore oil rigs etc, as well as the workers who support their activities. We are talking about a massive industry and a huge number of employees.

  So why is this industry so overlooked? Most people don’t realize the opportunities and the number of positions available. It never occurs to them to apply for jobs working in the industry. They feel like it is something that they wouldn‘t want to do for living. They don’t understand how to apply for these jobs and what the requirements are. They think these jobs are done by the Navy or the Coast Guard. They are afraid they might get sea sick. They do not want to be away from home for long periods of time. Well, these are all good excuses, but not very good reasons. If the alternative is unemployment, I would say the choice is clear. Many of these jobs go to foreigners because not enough Americans either want to work in the industry or are unaware of the opportunities. This is a shame.

  I’m not going to tell you it is easy or want cost you a dime out of your pocket, cause I’d be lying to you. But anything worthwhile doesn’t come easy or always cheap. I’m talking about positions paying anywhere from $50,000 to $250,000. We’re not talking chump change here.

  There are a few things you must obtain before you begin your employment search. These items will take time and involve a considerable cash outlay. But believe me it will be worth it.

  The first thing you will need is a social security card. I know you know your number but you need the actual card. If you need a replacement card go to: www.ssnhome.com and apply for a replacement. It goes without saying, you need to have a social security number to work for most of the U.S. companies, however worldwide there are opportunities I’m sure you could avail yourself of without a social security number. I am only addressing American companies. You can do a little research online and find worldwide opportunities. I will provide web addresses later.

  And why do you need the card you ask? Well, you need it so you can apply for the next item , a passport. You need this because many companies require employees to go to foreign countries to meet the ship or just for travel. You can start the process for your passport by going to: www.travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html Of course if you already have a passport you can cross this item off your list.

  You also will need a MMC or Merchant Mariner’s Credential from the Coast Guard.. You can start the process by going to the website: www.uscg.mil/NMC/announcements/Application_Process_Bulletin.pdf . This is one of the most important items and the most difficult to obtain. There is a physical examination as well as a urinalysis that must be completed as a part of the package. This should be no big surprise to anyone who has applied for positions in the last few years. Most require you to past a urinalysis as a condition of employment, a physical as well.

  Lets have a general discussion about the urinalysis. I’m not going to address any methods of how you can beat the test. If you do drugs, and want to continue doing drugs, you do not belong in our industry. Most maritime companies conduct random tests and you will get caught, and you will lose your coast guard documents and you will be unemployed again. So long story short, no druggies need apply, sorry. Same for individuals who like to get drunk and drive. If you get arrested for DUI, you will again lose your coast guard documents and you will be unemployed. Get the picture. Once you get those documents you must guard them with your life, because without them you cannot work. Enough said.

  There are a few things to realize however that will keep you from shooting yourself in the foot and failing a urinalysis needlessly. There are things that can cause a false positive and therefore should be avoided right before the day you take the quiz. Many night time cold medications can cause a false positive. This is particularly true of the liquid cold relievers since many of them contain various members of the ephedrine family.

  Some of the weight loss products or so called diet pills can result in registering a false positive. Even some over the counter asthma products can create a result that you don’t want, a negative.

  Probably the most well know but true nonetheless is poppy seeds. They can throw off the results on a drug test by showing up as an opiate. They are often used in salad dressing, casseroles, and as an added topping on buns and rolls. So stay away from poppy seeds. Why take the chance.

  There are many companies that offer drug tests that will be accepted by the coast guard. Th
e coast guard web site at www.uscg.mil/nmc/drug_testing/default.asp will give you more details. After this is done you are ready to move on the next item, the physical.

  As I mentioned earlier there is no age limit, however you must be able to pass the coast guard approved physical. You can download the form at: www.msc.navy.mil/civmar/uscg/licenses/medical.pdf I recommends my company’s website to find out just about everything you need to know. Maybe I’m a little biased, but it is a good resource. Check it out. www.msc.navy.mil

  A couple of tips when taking the physical, more particularly the blood pressure section. Do yourself a favor and lay off the caffeine the day of your exam. Coffee will raise your pressure and if you are on the borderline it may just put you over the limit and disqualify you. Also lay off the salty snacks, they will also make your blood pressure spike and cause you to fail. I have actually did both of these stupid things without thinking and had to have my pressure re-taken, which caused me time and money.

  Finally you will need a TWIC card from TSA. This is a Transportation Workers Identification Card and you can begin the process at the site: www.tsa.gov/what_we_do/layers/twic/index.shtm You may never use this card but it is a requirement for all mariners. This card as well as the MMC require background checks. If you have a criminal record, owe back child support, back income tax or have a great deal of debt along with a low credit rating, you may not qualify. Not for me to say, just so you know.

  As I mentioned at the very beginning there are many opportunities available once you have your documents. It depends on the applicants past education, training and experience what jobs he or she would qualify for. Jobs range from the master or captain of the ship, to engineering positions as well as seaman and food service positions. There are positions on cruise ships, oil rigs, and river crafts just to name a few. Not to mention working on fishing vessels if you have the fortitude to do that kind of work.

  Here are a few resources you can begin with:

  www.maritimeemployment.com www.indeed.com/Maritime www.noaa.gov

  www.msc.navy.mil www.cruiseshipjob.com www.shipjob.com www.seafarers.org

  www.seamanjobbank.com

  This seems like a lot to do and it is. But if you are really serious about finding a job in today’s economy, give it a try. You could open up the door to brand new career. Maybe I’ll see you out there sometime. Good luck. Marvin K. Perkins [email protected] or [email protected]