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iT all depends on what you still need to accomplish, your time frame, and the depth of your pockets. Some people will tell you that you must DM for a year as an indentured servent while others will bring you from zero to hero in a month. Aside from the time frame subject (which will incite long threads on the subject), you also need to look into which agency you are most interested in affiliating with be it PADI, NAUI, SSI, etc. (yet another topic for a long, long thread).
Since you’re in CA, your best bet is to see what’s going on locally. If money not an issue, there are many resorts that will take you from OWD to OWSI in short order. Ocean Divers is one that comes to mind, but that’s not an endorsement. From a PADI perspective, once you become a divemaster, job postings can be viewed on the PADI pro website. There are pages and pages of openings world-wide.
A word of caution: Unless you are independently wealthy or living off a trust fund or something, I wouldn’t throw in the towel on your existing job until you have given it a good deal of thought. You should know before you leap that there is stable ground on the other side.
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I would check with the Dive Company that you are currently training with on your Advanced. You know them and should be feeling comfortable with your instructor. California has many dive shops with instructors available to you, find the one that fits your needs. If you want a more exotic location then check out Maui Dive Shop on the Island of Maui. I say that due to you location and ease of you being able to get there.
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Greg - 1/24/2013 10:45 AM 
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Greg: What was your purpose in revealing the link to the poll about "How much should a scuba instructor be paid?"? Was it to indicate how little they are paid? If so, in your experience, what’s the average annual income of a FT dive instructor?
Green_Achers: Thanks for the suggestion but I’m too old for the Navy. :-)
Everyone: Thanks for your responses! I was surprised and disappointed that I didn’t receive more replies.
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David, Doing a quick search on the PADI pro site, Sport Chalet has a number of positions open in your neck of the woods. Amy Slate’s in Key Largo has dive and non dive positions posted. Aaron’s in Oahu also has dive and non dive opportunities. There are 240 postings on the PADI site from the end of January to today, locations run the entire globe. You may want to call around and see what these places are paying. It can’t hurt to ask.
Most shops pay based on a percentage of the course fee per head. The shop I work out of gives a nice split, but we don’t have nearly the number of divers coming through our doors as shop in the Keys or Hawaii does.
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David, if you read the survey comments, you will see why Greg posted his link.
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WB2GLP: I did read the survey comments and that’s why I asked Greg those specific questions.
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Come to Costa Rica and train ! BAhahahahahaha! : )
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