You replied to one of the maritime jobs you found and the company called back. Most of an interview is won before it starts. A well-prepared candidate stands out from others with the same experience.
1. Read the job post line by line
Everything written in a seafarer job post can come back as a question:
- Vessel type and tonnage: be ready to describe your experience on that type.
- Trading area: visas, vaccinations and area-specific rules (ECAs, high-risk areas) may come up.
- Required certificates: check every expiry date.
- Joining date: can you really be ready by then?
2. Research the company
- Learn its fleet, vessel types and flags from the website.
- Look at the company page on Faroys and any seafarer reviews.
- Get an idea of its recent port State control record.
A clear two-sentence answer to "What do you know about our company?" shows you are serious.
Image: Horizon206 / Wikimedia Commons, CC0
3. Put your documents in one folder
- An up-to-date CV (you can print your Faroys CV or save it as a PDF)
- Certificate of competency, STCW certificates, medical certificate
- Seaman's book and passport
- Sea service records from recent ships and any reference letters
Mention documents that are close to expiry yourself; if it surfaces later, you lose trust.
4. Prepare your own story
Have short, honest answers to three questions:
- Why did you leave your last ship?
- What did you do during the gaps in your CV?
- Why this position and this vessel type?
5. Refresh the technical basics
Review the core topics for your rank: COLREG, cargo operations, safety procedures, engine systems. Part 3 of this series lists typical questions by rank.
6. Practical preparation
- The interview may be by phone, in person or by video; confirm the time and time zone.
- A quiet place, a charged phone, a stable connection.
- Pen and paper for notes.
Practical tip: before replying to maritime jobs on Faroys, update the sea service and certificate dates in your CV; they are the first things interviewers ask about.
Full series: Seafarer Interview Guide
