Candidate: My dream job would be to teach children to sail. I have some qualifications, in skippering, for example, but it’s very likely I would need more, such as a teaching certificate from the Yachting Association. I have some of the right experience in that I’ve been sailing a long time – I’m confident in handling a yacht and I’ve dealt with many minor crises in my time, like getting trapped in storms and saving someone who’d fallen overboard. It’s true that I’ve never taught anyone but I don’t think that would be a problem, provided I was given adequate training – I’m quite good with people and can explain things clearly. I imagine the job would involve encouraging youngsters to try sailing for the first time; and also teaching them that by working together as a team they could discover they have hidden strengths. The most difficult thing would be having sufficient patience when the children didn’t do as they were told. I suspect it would be frustrating if they didn’t realise that the rules were there for their own safety. Why is it my dream job? It’s my dream job because I love sailing – it’s been my hobby for decades. And I’d like to work in a nice, warm climate where all I’d need to worry about was making sure I had suntan lotion on and enough to drink.

Examiner: When did you learn to sail?

Candidate: I learnt when I was a small boy. My dad taught me as he was a very skilled sailor. He taught my brothers and sister, too, and we’re all very pleased he did.