Before the Hire or After: When Should In-Water Evaluations Happen?
Compiled by: Charlie Lawton – Virginia Aquarium
In-water evaluations are a well-established part of dive program safety management. Most Dive Safety Officers share a common view: certification records and logged dives don’t always reflect a diver’s current abilities, and there’s no substitute for seeing someone in the water.
The structure of those evaluations looks different from program to program. Swim distances, time standards, breath-hold requirements, treading expectations, and rescue demonstrations are all weighted according to the organization’s goals and environment. Yet despite the variation, most DSOs land in a similar place when it comes to what a working diver needs to demonstrate.
When a diver is being evaluated for a paid position, the timing of an in-water skill assessment presents a challenge. DSOs must carefully weigh the costs and benefits of testing divers before they are hired.
Proponents point out that confirming a candidate’s skills before committing onboarding resources saves time and reduces risk. An in-water evaluation can also surface qualities or shortcomings that simply don’t show up in an interview. Soft skills are much more noticeable in these settings.
Others raise valid concerns about the burden placed on candidates. Requiring travel to a facility before a job offer is extended can mean time off work, out-of-pocket expenses, and scheduling headaches. The burden shrinks the diversity of the applicant pool to those who have the ability to attend.
Waiting to conduct an assessment until the candidate is hired could widen the applicant pool to those who have not prioritized watermanship skills or even those who are not yet certified. Prioritizing diver development is an employee benefit and could yield a stronger team. But training divers can be costly and time consuming.
Neither position is without merit, and dive programs are navigating this with their own mix of resources, timelines, and priorities in mind.
When does your organization conduct in-water skill assessments for employees?
Have you found a structure that balances operational needs with candidate accessibility?
Is your process different for each team’s needs? (Dive Office, Animal Care, Aquarium Life Support, Marketing, etc…)
How much time do you spend on developing entry level dive skills?
Share your experience, your frustrations, and solutions over on the Listserv. We’ll get the conversation started on August 3rd.
Those running pre-employment skill assessments:
- At what point in the hiring process do you conduct the assessment?
- Does your organization offer travel reimbursement or cost sharing to candidates?
- Do you offer remedial training for divers who do not pass?
Those running post-hire skill assessments:
- When must the skill assessment be completed?
- Do you offer remedial training for divers who do not pass?
