Let's get this right the first time! This video is designed to give you the tools you need to help YOU find YOUR best match to an Instructor.
For starters, shop around. This is pretty straight forward, it literally means shop around just like you would a new car, a home, or a place to have a nice dinner. The one difference is that the unique individual teaching you plays a larger personal role than say, your waiter, a car dealer, or a realtor. You are not putting your life directly in any of their hands (or spending a day on a boat, an overnight stay, or an exotic vacation with them!).
No matter what, you need to vibe well with the Instructor or Dive Shop's team you choose to get certified with. Call, visit in person, check reviews, stalk their social media, see what others say, get referrals from friends.
A big tell-tale sign is to see what they're doing on a regular basis AFTER the certification class ends. Weigh ALL of these things together, and never rely on just one. You'll be spending a lot of time with these people on a very personal level. Make sure you feel good about it.
TAKE ACTION: Go talk to a few of them, & introduce yourself! This is a two-way street.
Any reputable instructor or Dive Shop should be able to have a discussion with you in person (or over the phone if that isn't possible) within a reasonable amount of time. Take the time to get to know the person or crew that your future enjoyment (and even your life) will depend on. This is the most critical step of all, and shouldn't be glossed over.

Qualities to look for:
Customer Service: They call back when they say, answer the phone professionally and in a timely manner, they're friendly, they're confident in the material and explaining the course, and above all, that they value you.
Experience with a wide range of people. It's one thing to teach a bunch of "tough guys" such as in the military, police, fire rescue, etc. But what about people that aren't as physically fit, children, elderly, or simply people who are more nervous?

Activities: Do they offer additional classes after you are certified, such as Advanced, Nitrox, Rescue or others? Can they take you all the way up to a leadership level like Divemaster, or even Instructor. Do they have a steady schedule of local and International dive trips? Meetup groups? Clubs? Events? They do not need to do ALL of these, but there should be a healthy community surrounding the Instructor or Dive Shop. Make sure you have things to do later when the class is finished. Surrounding activities & returning customers are strong indicators of a healthy dive operation.
THIS IS CRITICAL: Find out what people are doing, where they're diving, and what the vibe of the groups are that have already been through the certification class. This will be the most important thing to consider AFTER your certification course has ended. The last thing you want to do is go through the course, become a certified scuba diver, be full of excitement, and be left standing there asking, "what now?".

Welcoming and Enthusiastic: They should love what they do, and it should reflect in your first interaction. You should never be made to feel like you're not in the "cool club" because you're a newbie who doesn't know anything. It's OK to not know anything, but they should be there to help you, not tell you how awesome they are. A good Dive Shop or Instructor should be eager to lift you up, inform you, support you, and want you to be a part of the community.

Inventory and Equipment: Do they have a well-stocked, clean, organized store? This doesn't mean they should be floor-to-ceiling with gear, but they should have a good selection of the things you'll need, and they should be able to explain the features and benefits of anything you touch or point to. Also, do they offer servicing down the road for items, such as regulators, tanks, and other equipment.

*For Independent Instructors that do not teach through a shop, ask them if they have a relationship with a reputable, local facility. Independent Instructors should have relationships within their community, especially with at least one Dive Shop or facility.

Everyone on social media will recommend THEIR Instructor as the absolute best, for all the same reasons (and in most cases, this is in fact a great starting point). However, this makes it difficult to find the one that's right for YOU.
The fact is, their Instructor is usually the only Instructor they'll ever dealt with, so there's simply no frame of reference to compare to. While it's definitely a great starting point, remember you need to actually interact with a few Shops or Instructors and see how they make you FEEL.
Go say hi! Whenever possible, go and physically walk into a Dive Shop or meet with an Independent Instructor first.
Finding the right instructor is THE most important part of becoming a scuba diver, so hopefully you've got some new tools to use when starting your search!

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