Crew Recruitment, Fake CVs & Safer Hiring With Sophie Barber | Superyacht Laundry
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What really happens behind the scenes in yacht crew recruitment?
In this episode of Superyacht Laundry, host Cherise Reedman is joined by Sophie Barber, founder of Vela Recruitment, for an honest and practical conversation about how superyacht recruitment has changed, why references remain complicated, and why the right placement still depends on far more than a strong CV.
Sophie shares her journey from working onboard yachts to building a career in superyacht recruitment, including her early days in Antibes, her time at Bluewater, and the experience that led her to launch Vela Recruitment. The conversation looks at the changing recruitment landscape, why junior and senior crew roles now require different approaches, and why HOD placements demand deeper understanding, stronger vetting, and a real sense of personality fit.
Cherise and Sophie also discuss some of the harder issues facing the industry, including vague references, known bad actors, reputation risk, female crew safety, onboard relationships, fake CVs, fake yacht jobs, and the increasing role of AI in recruitment.
At the centre of the conversation is one clear point: yacht recruitment is still a relationship business. Technology can help with validation, systems, and speed, but it cannot replace trust, integrity, instinct, accountability, and the human judgement needed to place the right person on the right yacht.
In This Conversation:
- Sophie Barber’s move from yacht crew into recruitment
- Why she founded Vela Recruitment
- How yacht crew recruitment has changed
- Why junior roles and senior HOD roles need different hiring approaches
- The challenge of vague or dishonest references
- Why recruiters need to read between the lines
- Fake CVs, fake jobs, and red flags for crew
- Crew safety, female protection, and industry accountability
- The role AI may play in recruitment
- Why human judgement still matters in yacht hiring
Guest:
Sophie Barber
Founder, Vela Recruitment
Host:
Cherise Reedman
Superyacht Laundry
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🎙️ Superyacht Laundry | Yachting International Radio
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