How to nail your instructor job interview

Congratulations! You made the cut and bagged yourself the job interview! They've seen your CV and know your credentials, now its the time to you sell yourself and prove you the one they're looking for! Follow these tips to get yourself from applicant to employed!

Do your homework

• Research the dive centre.  Know their diving conditions, and style of diving (muck, walls, mantas, wrecks). Be ready to show genuine enthusiasm for their operation.

• Know the location; know where in the world you are applying and research the area.

• Look around their website, find their social media and assess the type of company they are, what they offer and what their values are.

• Find out who will be interviewing you, what's their name and their role in the company.

Don't forget to smile

Be professional but personable

• Dress neatly, even in a tropical dive shop — board shorts and a tank top aren’t interview gear. That also needs to be assessed with maybe a bit of research: if on all social media photos all the staff are wearing matching polo shirts, you old t-shirt is probably not adequate.

• Smile, make eye contact, and show your passion for diving and teaching.

• Speak confidently and clearly - make sure you're in a quite place with no distractions.

Showcase flexibility

• Dive shops value instructors who can adapt to changing conditions, different students, and sometimes unpredictable schedules. Be clear you’re a team player and willing to pitch in beyond just guiding dives.

• Tell them about other assets you can bring to the job; equipment maintenance, social media and working with different cultures.

Share stories, not just skills

• Prepare examples before you start the interview. Find times when you showed patience, when you had to overcome difficulties and when you had to adapt your teaching to suit the student/conditions.

• Employers love to hear real stories and will always ask for you to back up your claims; Instead of just saying “I’m patient,” or "I can adapt", recollect a real moment when you helped a nervous student take their first breaths underwater or adapted your teaching/schedule to achieve success.

Ask good questions

• Always have a few good questions prepared!

• Show genuine interest in the dive center by asking about their peak season, team culture, or conservation projects. It shows you’re invested in being part of the community, not just looking for any job.

• Ask them about their boats, their current team, their maximum ratios and their daily schedule.

• Ask them what they are looking for in this position or what qualities they value most in their instructors. You can also ask what they offer opportunities for professional growth - this shows you are interested in developing your skills and shows ambition.

Final Thoughts

Landing a great dive instructor job is about more than ticking boxes — it’s about showing no just who you are as a dive instructor but who you are as a person. A sharp CV highlights your professionalism and qualifications, while a confident, warm interview shows you’ll make a good fit with their team and their students.

So polish up that CV, prepare your best dive stories, and remember: the ocean may be vast, but the dive industry is small. Make a great impression, and the opportunities will keep flowing your way.