new start oil industry employment

Getting a start in the oil industry can be difficult even when there are lots of vacancies.

One reason for this is that the oil industry more than most, like experienced workers. Some companies even have a policy to only recruit people who have worked in the industry in the past. If every company had that policy, there would be no new starts at all. Thankfully, that would be a problem. The industry like all others requires new people to fill the gaps created by company expansion, new contracts, new fields, retirees and people who move into other industries.

Another reason is that getting a job in the oil industry is not like getting a job anywhere else. Trouble is that new starts don't know how to go about it and that holds them back.

First mistake is the companies job seekers target for employment. For example, lets say you are looking for a job as a Roustabout. You may think that Shell would be a good company to target. They must employ thousands of Roustabouts. Wrong! Shell and others like them do not employ any Roustabouts. They contract drilling jobs to other companies that employ Roustabouts. Ask Shell for a Roustabout job and you will get a polite reply (after all they are a very professional company) telling you that you need to try elsewhere.

So after hours of research you have found companies to apply to get your first job offshore. The next mistake is asking for a job that requires experience. For example, you may feel since you are big and strong that you could get straight into a job as a Roughneck. Wrong! Impossible! The rig floor is a highly dangerous place for people who do not have any experience. You need to start as a Roustabout and get a little experience to move up. Asking for a job as a Roughneck in your CV/Resume shows that you have no experience and makes you look like you do not have a clue.

So do your research, find out what type of job you can do. Then find out which companies offer those positions. Then apply to them telling them what you can do for them, or why they should employ you instead of all the others that are looking for your job.

Got any good advice or tips for people looking for a job in the oil industry (or any other comments) see the reply form below.

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