The interview for cruise ship photographer

Having heard about P.&.O cruises through a friend who is working as a cruise ship photographer I quickly became interested in the prospect of traveling the world and getting paid to do what I enjoy however getting ship ready has not been easy, firstly the decision to actually apply for the role took me a few weeks of contemplation and consideration towards my current life and people around me.

Once I had made the decision to apply I contacted a friend in the know who provided me with the direct contact details for the Princess Cruises recruitment office. Contacting Maureen Murray Maureen.Murray@carnivalukgroup.com with my portfolio and covering letter and also filling out he online application form on the company website http://www.princess.com/employment/index.jsp I soon received a reply of acknowledgement, something which is hard to come by when applying for jobs.

I was asked to complete the attached application form and provide 2 passport photos then return in the post to which I received a phone call a few days later requesting me to attend a group interview the following week. The interview took place on a Monday from 9am to 5pm so I travelled down the night before and stayed in a nearby hotel. When arriving at Carnival House I was greeted by its huge scale of operations that look down into a central courtyard where me and 4 others met Maureen.

The interview consisted of an introduction to the company including its history and key aims, whilst also being informed about the range of ships they operate. At first the interview seemed a little bit like a sales pitch to the interviewees however it all became relevant as the day went on. I appreciated the time Maureen put into explaining about our roles within the company as all four of us were applying for different jobs, it was interesting to hear what the other candidates had expected of them. This was followed by a written exam which lasted around 40 minutes asking questions on my technical ability relating to photography ie list 4 common f stops, explain depth of field and when would it be used whilst also asking questions about the equipment I have used previously.

On completion of the exam we were provided with a meal ticket to use in the atrium of the building. The central courtyard of Carnival House gave us an insight into the wealth of the company and a feeling of excitement, a large and luxurious space filled with suited workers selecting their meals from a wide variety of choices whilst being over looked by hundreds of buzzing offices. Myself and fellow interviewees were able to share our experiences of securing the interview and journeys to Southampton. One lady came from the north of Scotland who was originally from China working as a TV producer and now looking to be a film maker on the ships who are entering into the Chinese market, Talking to these people I realised we had been carefully selected and brought a wealth of skills.

After lunch we were invited back for some group discussions and informed more about the finer details of what to expect whilst traveling and then we prepared for our one to one interviews with Maureen. Fortunately the recruitment team had been shipped out to Scandinavia to interview more candidates out there so we only had to impress lovely Maureen and not a full panel.

I feel my interview was very successful as I answered every question confidently with plenty of emphasis on my customer and technical skills as a photographer. I was also fortunate enough to show my portfolio and explain the achievements i have gained in such little time which seemed to impress her!

Following the interview I was free to leave where I was able to spend some time exploring Southampton before my bus to London then Middlesbrough.