Many aspirants today fail to understand the right career option they should opt for. Though they have the skills and the talent but they are not sure which is the right field for them. Oil and gas industry is one such industry which provides you with a number of job options and the key is to know which the right one.
Where Does One Start to Get Their Oil and Gas Career?
Today, the most commonly asked question referring to starting a career in the oil and gas industry is: “Where do I start and how do I get an oil job?” While there is no “one” specific way to get yourself a job in the oil and gas industry, there are a handful of steps and actions you can take to better your chances of landing a position.
Have Relevant Experience or Training (Or: Tie in Your past Experience Relevantly).
Yes, it is true that one can potentially get into the oil and gas industry “from scratch” with just a simple application and a handshake because the industry does need new workers. But having relevant experience such as mathematics or science or tying-in other experience relevantly, such as a managerial degree or a PMP (project management professional) credential, will greatly improve your chances.
Show Initiative: Educate Yourself.
It helps to have some relevant training in your field to show that you are dedicated to improving your career. Take a community college course on oilfield operations, get your HUET training (Helicopter Underwater Egress Training), or get a certification relevant to your desired position before you find out that it already may be mandatory to be considered for a job offer.
Perfect Your CV/Cover Letter/Resume.
A perfect CV, cover letter, and resume show not just your relevant skills, experience, and education, but also your attention to detail. If you can’t get something so basic as a CV or cover letter or resume down to a tee without any grammatical or punctuation errors, how can you be trusted to operate in the oil and gas industry where the slightest mistake or error in detail can cost both lives and millions of dollars?
Remember the Power of Networking.
In today’s day and age, and now being long after the era of Carnegie, it should be everyday knowledge that 85 percent of all success in ANY industry is related to your skills in “human engineering”: your personality and ability to communicate, negotiate, and lead. The other 15 percent is technical knowledge. Anybody can have the skills to do the job, but not everybody can have the skills to do the job and manage 50+ egos and still keep their wits about them while doing it. Learn your people skills.
Be Patient and Persistent.
Even after you’ve gotten some relevant training, perfected your resume, shaken hands with the right people, and performed the perfect follow-up, sometimes you still just have to keep networking and keep waiting. That doesn’t mean sit on your hands, but it does mean that once you’ve done absolutely everything you can do, that maybe it’s time to give yourself a pat on the back, send out those emails, and wait for that all-too-important phone call. Victory belongs to the persistent.