Breaking into the Oil & Gas Industry
Jan 17, 2015
"Banging my head off a brick wall"
"How can you get experience if no one will give you a chance?"
These are phrases I hear all the time from candidates who want to start a career in the Oil & Gas Industry. One of the most desirable, lucrative and popular industries to be involved in all around the world. Each candidate with their own set of reasons and motivations for wanting "that break" so badly.
The hard truth is; it's probably, as most of you reading this will agree, one of the most stressful and difficult industries to break into. Candidates send out many CV's to as many companies as they can, call HR / Recruitment teams, visit company premises to meet with relevant people and network with staff and managers within orginisations via social media.
Sadly these efforts are often in vain as many thousands of others desperate to get that opportunity of an offshore career are also doing exactly the same thing.
Having spoken and presented to many hundreds of candidates in this situation I always try to give some constructive advice and tips on how to break that cycle and be that little bit different and stand out a bit more from the huge crowd. Personally, I think it is important that you do all you can to get noticed but how can you be noticed amongst 500 other CV's that land on the recruiters desk for the role? How can you do this professionally?
Many people may have different ideas on how best to get noticed amidst the sea of CV's but it is so important that you do things in a professional manner, remember this is your introduction to the company, your chance to make an impression, so make it a good one.
Here are some of the ways I think you can get noticed:
1) Research the role of a Roustabout (or any role you are applying for)
Research. Research. Research. I receive calls, emails and CV's daily from candidates who want a job offshore on a drilling rig as a Roustabout. Looking at their CV, reading their applications and speaking to them about the role and their previous experience it is clear they have not done any research on the industry or indeed what the job they want to apply for is actually responsible for, therefore they display no skills or experience relevant to the role. It is vital to know exactly what you are applying for and display attributes, skills and experience you have that are relevant to or that would transfer into the role. Go online and search for Job Descriptions for the role, research the actual key activities/duties of the role and relate them back to yourself and personal skills and experience. Often when speaking to candidates I find that they have experience gained in other jobs that is relevant to the role they are trying to get but they can't relate the relevant experience back to the role of a Roustabout as they haven't done enough research into exactly what a Roustabout does.
2) Highlight your Key Skills
It is important to understand the skills companies look for and what skills are actually required for the role you are applying for. Research the role, read the full Job Description (if available) speak to others that do the role and get to understand the key skills that are required. Relate these to yourself, take time to match these to past experiences you've had or work you have done and ensure these are prominent on your CV. Try to avoid the usual skills; hard worker, dedicated, team player etc. etc. although, yes these are essential to being successful in the role - everyone has (or claims to have) these skills...Make it easy for a recruiter to see you are right for the role, that you have done your research and have cross over / transferable skills that would be an advantage and benefit to the company.
3) Try to get some of that "experience" you lack
If you keep hitting the same barrier "no experience" then why not invest some of your time trying to get some of the experience that is holding you back?
Look at the main role and duties - a Roustabout, for example, one of the main duties is banksman/slinger and lifting activities. Can you display previous experience in this area? Look at ways of getting some lifting and banksman/slinger experience, many companies around the country perform these duties everyday in an onshore environment and this onshore experience is exactly that - experience and will cross over somewhat to the offshore environment. So instead of spending all your money doing lots of courses, why not invest your time in getting some hands on experience.
Another way of getting experience is to work in other areas of the industry. Don't just think offshore, if it's feasible, consider working onshore first to gain experience of the many different types of equipment and regulations associated with offshore. You can then confidently display some relevant experience that is highly transferable to the offshore industry or an offshore role. Again, these are not always easy to come by but are certainly easier to find than offshore entry level jobs. This post is about thinking outside the box, looking at different ways to get you noticed and into the role you really want. Some people may not have thought about working onshore within the industry first but it is a fantastic place to start and you will gain a wealth of experience that you can take with you through your offshore career.
4) Follow up on your application
Once you have submitted your CV/application it is key that you follow it up within a couple of days. This is the step many applicants miss out and it can mean being noticed or not. Sometimes in a CV pile of 100's a recruiter (because we are only human) can miss something or someone. By you taking time to follow up on your application this will highlight that you are very keen on the role and want to ensure that the company or correct person has your application. This also makes the recruiter (or person hiring) look for your CV/application or recall looking at the CV/application and brings you to the forefront of their mind. This follow up also allows the company to ask any questions they may have or clarify any information on your application, it's also a chance for you to introduce yourself on a more personal basis and reaffirm your suitability for the position. I know this step is not always easy as often you can't get through to the recruitment/HR teams as they are busy (please understand they really are) but if you can't get someone by phone try an email, it can sometimes be easier for a recruiter or manager to respond to an email. Always be professional and courteous of peoples time, be persistent but don't become annoying.
5) Don't become the applicant that recruiters avoid
Once you have submitted your CV and followed it up in a professional manner don't make the fatal mistake of calling the recruiter/HR 10 times a day everyday for an update, leaving a hoard of voicemail messages and emailing every night asking the same questions, it will result in the recipient becoming disengaged and potentially annoyed or aggravated with you. They have so many other candidates that act in this manner and yes they remember them, but they remember them for the lack of respect, professionalism and understanding they displayed...don't become memorable for the wrong reasons! Recruiters generally work on various projects at once as well as conduct interviews for various roles, have meetings during the day and spend time networking with candidates on the phone or offsite. Managers have their own team and department to run, client and other meeting to attend and manage the recruitment of staff on top of a hectic workload. I personally understand you will be keen for an update and keen not to be forgotten, there is nothing wrong with dropping an email over to the recruiter or manager you spoke to on the initial application follow up or giving a call every so often or at agreed timescales but always be professional and show a bit of empathy and respect.
6) Don't give up
Do you remember that guy that gave up? No, neither does anyone else.
As Sir Winston Churchill said: "Never give up on something that you can't go a day without thinking about".
If this is what you really want then why would you give up? I know it’s dis-heartening at times when no one can speak to you or you don't hear back after making applications and everyone seems to want experience but if you give up you will never get "the break" you want. Most others who are offshore went through the same as you are going through now, the same laborious applications, the same emotions and the same disappointment but they stuck with it.
It is important to consider all feedback, if you get it, of why you have been unsuccessful in your application. Usually, it is a lack of skills for the role (Go back to step 2 - have you missed something?, can you highlight more relevant skills or experience?) or it might be your lack of experience in areas of the role (Go back to step 3 - do you have transferable experience or can you possibly get some of this experience to put on your CV/application).
Really think about how you can gain more of the experience and skills the company or the role is looking for or re-invent your CV and make sure all relevant skills are communicated clearly. It's amazing what you will think of as you write out your CV. Just a quick note about writing a CV (CV Tips post may follow, but there are lots of them out there). Keep it relevant and to the point, you literally have a few seconds to be noticed and grab the recruiters attention, so no big stories or long paragraphs that means the page needs turned before they get to the relevant information (many won't turn the page as nothing is keeping their attention). Use bullet points to highlight skills and experience at the top of the first page, it's a good idea to also use bullet points when describing your main duties in each role, again keep them as brief as possible, to the point and relevant. Ensure you tweak your CV / Skills / Experience for each role you apply for according to the specific Job Description.
If you really want it and you want it for the right reasons and you go about it in the right way then it will happen. Very little in life is handed to us on a plate so we have to go out and get it. Following the advice above will not guarantee you a role offshore or even an interview, but I hope it goes someway to giving you a better chance of being noticed in such a fiercely competitive area where so many are lost amidst the thousands.
So to recap...(this applies to all roles/applications not just Roustabout)
Understand the role and duties, company and skills required.
Network with the right people, ask questions and get as much knowledge and information as you can.
Research the role you want; use the internet, social media and all relevant methods to get all the information.
Set up and tailor your CV to the Job Description relating the key skills and experiences to your past and present attributes, make these stand out at the top of page 1. Keep your CV relevant and to the point.
Follow up professionally, once you have followed up keep in touch but ensure you don't overdo it.
Explore other areas you may fit in a company and look at how your current/past experience can be utilized and new experience can be gained.
Be prepared to work in other areas of the industry or onshore first to get relevant experience, this also gives you the chance to learn brand new skills, work with new technology & equipment and meet different people and companies you would never have met.
Don’t quit, if you want it, keep going.
I hope you can take something away from this post and I hope it shares new ideas for you to try out.
If you have any good tips or advice for those reading this who are desperate for that offshore start then please feel free to share them.
Stick with it folks, it will happen. Best of luck!
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/breaking-oil...ustry-dave-bell 
Jan 21 2015, 03:29 PM
Quote
0.0221sec
0.21
6 queries
GZIP Disabled