Today, there are many services online offering CV creation and distribution — and their number keeps growing every day.
  We’ve put together a short checklist to help you decide whether such a service is trustworthy. Let’s go through what we believe are the most obvious points.

CV Creation:

  ❌ No QR codes — and absolutely NO LinkedIn links — should be included in your CV! Ideally, remove even the email hyperlink. 

  Why?

  ✔️ Many email providers use filters that scan not only the text of the message but also its content. These filters can easily block your email as “phishing.” This is not just spam — it’s a full block.

  ❌ A clear, structured, and easy-to-read format delivers the best results!
 

  Why?
  ✔️ HR managers receive a huge number of applications. They simply don’t have time to dig through piles of certificates, passports, and diplomas thrown together. Even if you’re a perfect candidate, a messy CV can cost you a great opportunity. A cluttered CV confuses — it doesn’t help you get hired.

  ❌ Avoid vague ways of describing your skills and knowledge.
 

  Why?
 

  ✔️ Your understanding of English level “++++” may differ from others. Use standardized measures instead. Even better if you have results from tests like CES or Marlins.

  ❌ And finally, the photo.

  ✔️ Yes, it’s not as critical as the points above, but a high-quality photo (not a photo of a photo) always looks more professional.
 

  Don’t trust questionable services with your CV. And don’t turn your resume into a “brochure.”
 

Seafarers Community Team

  It’s no secret that there are plenty of so-called “helpers” out there — people who offer to solve your problems for a fee.

“Fabricators” are just another type of them.
  These are people who will gladly invent non-existent experience and missing documents for you so that you can earn money for them (or they take payment upfront). Recently, we’ve been seeing more and more cases involving such individuals. Unfortunately, we already know of several real situations where seafarers have fallen victim to this kind of fraud.

  Why is it a trap?

  By shaking hands with such services, you’re entering a highly questionable scheme where you will be the one who suffers if things go wrong.
  If your falsification is discovered by one crewing manager, it will quickly become known within the entire crewing network — and potentially across multiple companies.
  Crewing managers are not isolated; many of them communicate with colleagues from other companies. Not to mention that they frequently change jobs and can carry your reputation with them.

  Even if you weren’t caught today, it doesn’t mean you won’t be exposed tomorrow — for example, when you encounter a manager who is familiar with the vessel listed in your fake experience.

We fully understand what pushes seafarers toward such decisions, but we strongly recommend avoiding any falsification of documents or experience.

Seafarers Community Team

  Dear friends, today we’d like to talk about the proper preparation of your document package, including for CV distribution.
  Yes, 90% of the mailing process is not your responsibility—it’s handled by the service you’ve entrusted. However, preparing for the distribution itself—specifically, ensuring your certifications are in order and that all your details are correctly included in your CV (unless, of course, you’ve ordered a professionally prepared CV)—is entirely your responsibility.

  We often encounter situations where a client provides a CV with expired certificates or simply forgets to include a medical certificate or other required documents.

  There are also truly frustrating cases. One of our clients recently experienced this:

  After the distribution, he received a very attractive job offer—urgent, with departure the next day. The company was satisfied with his document package, but he was missing the OGUK medical certificate.

  And just to be clear for those who suspect scams—the offer was real.
  As a result, another candidate was approved for the position.

  Always check the availability and validity of your documents!

  Unfortunately, even the absence of what may seem like a minor certificate can work against you. That’s why we strongly recommend verifying that you have all required certifications before presenting yourself to recruiters.

  Our doors are always open, and we are always ready to help with advice. We’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have (within our area of expertise).

Seafarers Community Team

  Here is another vivid example of a "Scam". 

  They corresponded with one of our subscribers for a long time, convincing him that he was actually already employed. 
  The scammers worked hard, even prepared a letter of guarantee as proof of their intentions. 
  As a result, everything, as always, came down to one thing, or rather, to the fact that money had to be given. 
  This time they really needed a Norwegian medical commission through a "respectable" doctor in the UK. 

  We are very glad that our subscriber did not give in to persuasion and did not lose his money! Critical thinking is our everything!

  Be vigilant and do not fall for the bait of scammers! 

  Photos and contacts of scammers can be seen in our Telegram group

https://t.me/Seafarers_Community/1842?single

  Seafarers Community Team

  Each of us at least once turned to "helpers" for help. It is no secret that among sailors (especially Ukrainian ones) there is an opinion that it is easier and faster, and most importantly absolutely without stress, to order any document from a "man".
  However, many people also got burned by such help. Some were more fortunate and did not incur financial costs, while others were less fortunate and in one way or another the person suffered financial or reputational losses.
  Actually, this is all anecdotes, and the essence is further. We present to your attention 2 cases, of course, with contacts of "heroes", because "heroes" need to be known in person!

  Story from a subscriber:

  "Two and a half years ago, when everyone had already forgotten what a Covid certificate was, I was lucky enough to work for a company that DEMANDED a Covid certificate, and according to all the laws of Covid times.
  How do you know how to find a medical center that would give an urgent test? I contacted a certain Maksym +380638160609, the certificate was made remotely, everything seemed to be normal (they also said that everything was official, to fight by QR), but when they moved the departure date for me, I asked to simply cross out the dates, to which I was told, "What are you doing? People worked! That's another 100 dollars."
  Well, when analyzing this certificate, it turned out that it was a real fake, and the QR leads directly to a website for generating QR codes. Also, later, when analyzing the documents, I remembered that I ordered another certificate from him, which cost the same as from a shopping mall, but was no more than a fake."

  Story from subscriber #2:

  "Last summer I ordered a welding certificate from Oleg with the phone number +380 98 386 1231.
  I worked out the contract, everything was fine. A few months later I was looking for a place where I could do something more decent (this certificate did not inspire confidence) and what was my surprise when it turned out that "Avant", from which I supposedly have a legitimate certificate, does not certify welders at all. After that, when I started to go into details, a lot of visual inconsistencies became clear.
  I wrote to this "helper", he apologized and even returned the money." 

  That's it, friends, and these are just two cases out of many. 
If you have encountered such "helpers in distress", we will be happy to tell your story! Just describe your story in private messages @Seafarers_Mail_Service.

  Seafarers Community team

  In our time of development of alternative energy sources and simply "horse" investments in wind power generation, GWO has long been nothing special. 
  Given the expansion of the fleet working on wind farms, for many offshore sailors the

GWO course has become as routine as the well-known BOSIET. 

  So why, what, and most importantly, why?

The main GWO package consists of 5 modules:

  - Working at height - working at height, where you will be shown and told how to use equipment for working at height and evacuating victims. 

  - Sea survival - a training course for water rescue (boat, raft, simulation of lifting by helicopter from the water). Also, this course is often taught in conjunction with boat transfer. 

  - Manual handling - a theoretical course on moving cargo manually. 

  - Fire fighting - there is nothing to add to the name here, as well as to the last point.

- First aid

  Different companies, depending on your position, may ask for both Working at height and Sea survival and all 5 modules. 

  You can take both as a package and separately. It is worth mentioning that it is cheaper in bulk! And it is also important to say that the certificates are valid for only 2 years. 
Prices vary from 750€ to 1700€ for a course of five modules, depending on the training center. 

  A short list of training centers in Europe can be viewed in our article
https://t.me/Seafarers_Community/544
  Yes, many companies cover the training of their employees, but do not forget that in order to find a good job, you should be well prepared. 

  Seafarers Community Team

  According to statistical studies, the activity of offshore projects in the winter period drops to 30% in general, and in some regions and areas to 70%.
  The main regions in which "freezing" occurs are, of course, the North and Baltic Seas, which, according to rough estimates, account from 35 to 50% of the entire offshore industry.
 

  A natural question: how to protect yourself from "downtime" in the winter period as a freelancer?

  1. The surest way is to shift your focus to regions that do not suffer from the arrival of winter (USA, Asia, South America, etc.).
However, this option requires preliminary preparation in the form of visas to such regions.

  2. Experienced freelancers also try to work more in the "season" so that in winter you can not think about work at all.
 

  3. It is also a good practice to determine a temporary rotation, albeit with a decrease in earnings. 

  There is also a positive moment in winter - this is the pre-New Year period. It is at this time that you can get a hold of an offshore or a good unit, there are many examples of such a start. 

  We recommend not to neglect sending out your CV on the eve of winter. This tool will help you reduce the time of job search even in the "dead" season.

  Seafarers Community Team

  I think every sailor has at least once received an incredibly generous offer with a permanent two-year contract, paid vacations, family visits at the company's expense, and, of course, a salary that will make your head spin.
  Naturally, any such story ends with a financial issue. Whether it's a visa to the UK that needs to be paid for or a medical certificate that needs to be obtained "yesterday," for a certain amount, "our" doctor will get out of bed on a Saturday night and do everything perfectly.

  Of course, there are people who fall for this scam (otherwise, these scammers wouldn't exist). The question is, how can you distinguish a real offer from a scam?

Let us offer some advice on this topic:

  - The simplest and most obvious thing is to check the domain name of the sender of such an email (the domain is the part of the email address that comes after the "@").
Naturally, no vroon or vanoord would write to applicants from @gmail.com. 

  - More sophisticated scammers use a domain similar to the original. For example, this might be @vroon.io. Therefore, if you're unsure, check the original source: on the employer's website, you can find, if not an HR email address, then at least a phone number you can call to find out if there's a vacancy and whether they employ such a person.
  - Payment for visas, medical care, etc.
If you need a visa and need to pay the consular fee, this must be done strictly through official portals and into official accounts.

Here's an example of one of the most recent fraud cases we're aware of:

  "Procedure for Applying Your UK Non-Immigrant Joining E-Visa Via Email

1. Sign your contract letter if you agree to the terms and conditions
2. Attach a copy of your passport
3. Print out your visa form, fill it in with your information, and send it to
(Visa immigration UK) Via Email = (info@ukvimmigration.com) and also
forward it to the company HR Via Email = (serviceinfo@aceshippinglimited.com).
Once Visa Embassy Limited UK receives your documents, they will provide
you with the details of your E-Visa payment of £500. Your visa
process will take 5 to 8 days to be ready, and they will send it to you
via email."

  Regarding medical examinations, don't fall for people offering to "get a quick medical examination."
  Firstly (even if you ultimately receive some kind of document), this is a scam that will be quickly exposed if verified by the insurance company.
  Secondly, offers of work in emergency medicine, which "our doctor" can make, often end in funds being transferred and blocked by the "crew manager."

  Carefully check job offers that involve any financial obligations on your part. There are numerous online communities of sailors for this purpose.

  Seafarers Community Team