My Present Hello, my name is Nicole van Zyl, and I am a Crew Recruitment Consultant at Northrop & Johnson. I support yachts, captains, management teams and crew by helping connect the right people with the right programs. I try my best to do this not only based on experience, but on personality, standards and onboard culture.
My background is rooted in real onboard experience. After more than eight years in yachting, including leadership roles on large yachts and busy charter programs, I understand the pressure of finding crew who are not just qualified on paper, but right for the program. That operational perspective helps me speak the same language as captains and crew while keeping the bigger picture in mind.
The best part of my job is meeting and placing so many different people from all over the world. I learn so much every day. There are challenges to every job, I think the biggest challenge for me right now is balancing work with a rambunctious toddler!
My Past
I grew up in a small town in Minnesota. When I turned 18, I moved over to England to study Psychology at the University of Leeds. Once there, I needed to escape the English weather, and I traveled to Barcelona with friends where we all discovered yachting and would spend our summers working and meeting yachties in Marina Port Vell and MB92. Once I graduated, I decided to transition to yachting full time.
After years onboard, I wanted to use my practical experience in a shoreside role where I could continue supporting yachts and crew in a meaningful way. Northrop & Johnson felt like a natural next step because of its reputation, reach and commitment to high-level service.
My Future
Professionally, my goal is to keep growing within crew recruitment and become a trusted resource for captains, management teams and crew. I want to continue combining my onboard experience with a skillful shoreside approach, helping yachts find crew who will elevate the program and stay for the right reasons. Personally, I hope to continue building on my beautiful life with my husband and daughter.
I want to learn, contribute and build strong relationships within N&J while becoming a reliable recruitment partner for captains, clients and crew.
My Outside-Office Life
Outside of work, I’m a wife and mom, and family is a huge part of my life. Raising my daughter has been my full-time job for the past 18 months and I wouldn’t have changed a thing. I love creating a beautiful, grounded home life spent with family and friends. I also enjoy interior design, travel, good coffee, and reading books.
Fast Facts
I graduated with a degree in psychology
My favorite yachting trip was through the Baltic countries and Russia
I have worked on yachts from 30m – 100m
My proudest accomplishment thus far is my daughter, Violet
