Becoming a Sailor The narrator, Igor Kostenko, became a sailor at the age of 31 after struggling to find work due to his young age. He faced challenges such as seasickness and difficulty finding contracts but eventually worked his way up to become a third officer on tankers.

Dealing with Company Changes After working for several companies and completing four contracts as a third officer on tankers, the company he was working for decided to eliminate second officers due to increased workload. This led him back into job searching until he found another position in the same company where they promised him future opportunities despite previous broken promises.

Job Interview and Promotion The narrator was called for a job interview but was rejected due to the company's policy of not conducting interviews for second assistants. However, he eventually got promoted after fulfilling all requirements and receiving recommendations from different captains.

Leaving the Company After facing several issues with the company, including false promises and threats, the narrator decided to leave. He found another job as a trader on a tanker ship before becoming captain himself. Despite being nervous about his appearance when arriving at ports, he successfully navigated through various challenges during his career in shipping.