Getting a job in the oil & gas industry

Being able to do the job well will not necessarily get you hired. The person who gets hired is often the one who knows the most about how to get hired.

Steps to securing a position in the oil & gas industry

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There are 5 main steps in securing the best position for yourself in this, and indeed any other, competitive industry:
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Step 1: Self Assessment: identifying the job you are best suited for. Step 2: Preparing a CV. Step 3: Writing a cover letter. Step 4: Preparing for and completing interview. Step 5: Job offer and negotiation

Step 1: Self Assessment

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Essential that you understand your strengths and weaknesses before trying to sell yourself. Honesty is the key: focusing on your strengths and weaknesses will provide vital information to help you find the right job. Put yourself in an employers shoes:
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What would they want to know about you? What will differentiate you from other applicants?

Self Assessment: Skill Evaluation

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What do I have to offer? What am I selling? By examining your skills and abilities you can determine your relevant strengths which will help you in determining what you have to offer. Define your main skill sets as a useful way to start the evaluation process. For oil and gas positions, you may wish to divide your skills into the following areas:

Self Assessment: Skill Evaluation

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Technical Knowledge specialist and particular disciplines e.g. Structural Geology, Seismic Depth Processing, Reservoir Simulation etc. Industry Knowledge - Licensing, Deepwater Exploration, etc. IT/Technical software applications, hardware, operating systems, databases. Regional geographical areas worked/ studied e.g. North Sea, Nigeria, Caspian, CIS. Commercial transferable skills, financial, accounting, budgeting, languages. Managerial business development, project and manpower management skills. Analytical problem solving or decision-making abilities, computational etc..

Self Assessment: Skill Evaluation

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Once you have established your skills set, evaluate each skill individually; give them a score from 1 to 10 and ask yourself these questions:
What are my main strengths, what do I do best? z What are my main weaknesses? What skills do I lack, could I retrain?
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Self Assessment: Keywords

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Try and determine the Action words that illustrate and support your skills and experiences. You will find this evaluation very useful when writing your CV. Planning Words:
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Created, Designed, Scheduled, Engineered, Innovated, Justified, Tailored, Planned, Devised, Developed, Estimated, Revised, Formed, Organised, Established. Directed, Administered, Specified, Authorised, Delegated, Managed, Coordinated, Guided, Controlled, Trained, Mentored, Supervised. Evaluated, Initiated, Authorised, Performed, Developed, Implemented, Handled, Operated, Maintained, Coordinated, Audited, Assembled. Conferred, Counselled, Inspired, Appraised, Resolved, Coordinated, Negotiated, Clarified, Recommended, Mentored, Conferred. Analysed, Correlated, Reviewed, Assessed, Observed, Evaluated, Computed, Verified, Investigated, Researched.

Leadership Words:
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Responsibility Words:
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Interaction Words:
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Investigative Words:
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Self Assessment: What drives you?

Now that you have defined your skills and strengths, start to think about what you would like to do in the future and how you will achieve your goal. z The following occupational questions might help you picture what you want to do and where you want to be.
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What is preventing me from getting where I want to go? What do/did I enjoy most in my current/previous position and why? What do/did I least enjoy in my current/previous position and why? Do I want more or less responsibility? Where do I want to be in 2 or 5 years time? What is my ultimate career goal? Can I relocate, would I like to travel? Do I want to spend less time commuting? What is important to me recognition, money, family, power?

Step 2: Creating an effective CV

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In simple terms, a CV is a personal statement outlining your life from an educational and professional view.
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The idea of a CV is to get you an interview and your foot in the door, not to get you the job. Your CV should reflect your occupational and educational life and be relevant to the position you are applying for. Think of it as a personal marketing platform to sell/promote yourself to a prospective employer.

When constructing your CV bear in mind that potential employers will only spend a mere 30 - 60 seconds reading your life history.

CV: Structure & Format

Keeping your CV concise and to the point is a difficult task. Selecting a comprehensive structure and format will help you to achieve this. z There are many layouts to choose from, and they vary from country to country; the example layout following is typical for the European/ African Market.
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CV: Basic Structure

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Name/Contact Details - display a permanent address, home phone, email and mobile. (Note: if a graduate remember to give a permanent address of a family member and your term time address) Personal Details - include your Date of Birth, Nationality and Marital status. (Can be placed at the beginning or end of the document.) Personal Profile - highly recommended to grab the readers attention, it is a key selling point. Ideally this should be punchy, precise and no more than three, 15-word sentences. E.g. A Senior Interpretation Geophysicist with 10 years E&P experience. Academic Qualifications - recommend you list higher education only if already working. Include details on your final year project, i.e. dissertation, thesis. List any other major projects, field studies, training courses etc. Work Experience List in reverse chronological order. Include dates, job title/position and company name. As well as writing a brief overview of your job, try and incorporate your responsibilities and achievements. Computing Skills - list all geoscience and general software applications used, hardware, operating systems, databases, etc. For each one you might want to list your level of proficiency. Additional Skills Industry Knowledge, Technical, Commercial, Managerial, Analytical, Languages. Publications be careful not to list too many, you may appear to be too academic. You may want to combine topics and list the topic and number of papers written/presented. Personal Interests - keep this limited but consider what it says about you eg. are you a team player or an individual? Society Memberships - List the most relevant. Referees - optional but recommended, use 3 maximum. Ensure at least one is an existing or previous manger provide details on company name, job title and telephone/email/contact details. Graduates should list at least one academic referee.

CV: Basic Format

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There are several different formats, the most common are listed below. Choose one that is suitable for your own career history or the job that you are applying for. Chronological
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Details your work history in reverse chronological order. It shows no gaps or changes in your career and is useful to display a continuous work history that is related to your next job opportunity. Highlights certain skills, achievements and responsibilities rather than listing your work history. It is ideal for career changing, periods of unemployment, redundancy or illness. Also useful if you have repetitious job titles. A one off CV targeted for a specific job or vacancy. It concentrates on your potential and what you are capable of. Unlike chronological and functional formats which focus on past work history, this type can be used for specialised positions.

Functional
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Targeted
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CV: Presentation
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The quality and presentation of your CV is vital when selling yourself. The appearance of your CV is an indication to a prospective employer of the type of person that may be working in their environment. There is no exact format for compiling a CV, but the following guideline is a good method to avoid yours being rejected.

CV: The Good CV

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Is no more than 2 pages max

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long CVs are regarded as time wasting. (If you have an extensive work history, use no more than a maximum of 4 pages.) Dont hide your name with your personal information, put it in bold at the top of your CV and in a minimum of 12-14pt. is well laid out, structured and easy to read. Try to print on good quality paper - it may be circulated around several departments. Also remember to print on one side of the paper only.

Clearly states who you are, where you have been and what you have got to offer.
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Looks attractive
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Has a Personal Profile to grab the readers attention. Use bulleted lists
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short and concise points are clean and informative. make sure its written in reverse chronological order

Has all relevant work experience listed

CV: The Bad CV

Avoid excessive references to I, he or she: Alternatively write Employed as a Seismic Interpreter with 6 months practical experience in .. z Check for common spelling, grammatical and punctuation errors.
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Have someone read your CV, spouses and colleagues know your strengths and weakness and are often more than willing to criticise. the idea of a CV is to sell yourself. might cause the reader to have doubts/questions about you. It is easier to discuss these details face to face at an interview. think about what it is relaying to the reader.

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Dont draw attention to any negative descriptions

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Try not to highlight gaps in your work history Avoid listing too many interests and personal information
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CV: The Ugly CV

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Avoid excessive use of CAPITALS, underlining, bold and italics, large fonts - NOT VERY USER FRIENDLY Dont write long sentences, paragraphs or ramble aim for concise information, less text is easier to read Make sure its not disorganised and unstructured dont make the reader switch back and forth between pages Avoid too many graphics, colours, rigid formatting Embedding photos - different software might distort your appearance so be careful

CV: Keeping it current

The cyclical nature of the Oil and Gas Industry means that it is unlikely you will have the same job for life. z Therefore, your CV should be a dynamic report continually modified to reflect your latest skills and achievements. z It needs to be immediately at hand for any new opportunities, enabling you to secure your perfect job!
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Step 4: Writing an effective cover letter

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A Cover Letter is a medium through which you will establish a personal connection with a potential employer. It is typically the first introduction and therefore it is essential to make a good impression. Sending a well written cover letter with a supportive CV will greatly enhance your application and make a winning impression. There is no standard format but the following 4 Point Strategy has proven to be successful:

Writing an effective cover letter: Stage 1: Opening paragraph

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outline the purpose of the letter.

State where you saw the advert, the date of publication, job reference number and job title and your purpose in writing - i.e. that you would like to apply for the position. z Many companies have similar jobs and the reference number can be very important to avoid confusion.
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Writing an effective cover letter: Stage 2: Current position

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Outline your current status and what skills you have that are relevant to the job. Review the candidate requirements of the job description, you do not need to list all your skills that match the requirements in your letter but focus on the essential skills required to do the job. Example, if the job spec requires: "Geophysical Processing" experience, then ensure that you briefly outline your relevant experience in this area. Highlight what you achieved in your previous position that would bring value to the role.

Writing an effective cover letter: Stage 3: Your suitability

Focus on your qualifications, skills and experience relevant to the job. z Specify your interest in the Position/ Company and highlight your career aspirations in relation to the job.
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Writing an effective cover letter: Stage 4: Closing paragraph

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Often the job details will provide a contact person for informal discussion of the position. Use this. Initiate action
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I will call you on Friday between 9-9.30am, to discuss this position further I will call you on Friday between 9-9.30am, to discuss potential opportunities with your organisation

This informs the recipient that you plan to call and they be more inclined to review your CV.

Writing an effective cover letter: tips

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Create a good impression.1 page max preferably typed, brief and focused. Only highlight key skills relevant to the position. Make sure you send it to the right place.
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If it says send to the HR manager, find out who they are and address it to them. This shows initiative.

Research the company - it will give you an insight into their business and may be helpful when composing your letter. Dont list anything negative.

Step 4: Preparing for Interview

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There are no guaranteed interview questions, but you should consider asking yourself questions so that you will be fully prepared during the interview. You know best your own shortcomings and where you might fall below the expected standard, so it is important to anticipate and practice the answers. Focus on your strengths and what skills you can bring to a position. The interview is your opportunity to sell yourself to the interviewer

Preparing for Interview: Questions

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The questions most typically asked at interviews have been grouped into set topic areas (but are seldom as structured during the interview process). Note that the style and types of questions do vary from one country to another. This list is not exhaustive but should provide food for thought. You should prepare for questions about your background, your aspirations, the potential employer and the position, your personality and your interests.

Preparing for Interview : Questions

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Potential Employer
Why did you apply to us? z Where did you hear about the position? What do you know about our organisation? z Do you know anyone who works for us? z What interests you about the position? z What do you think we have to offer you as a company?
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Preparing for Interview : Questions

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Career Ambitions
What are your long/short term goals? z Tell me about your career aspirations. z What are you looking for in a career? z Do you have plans to gain further qualifications? z Where do you see yourself in 2/5 years time? z Describe your ideal employer.
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Preparing for Interview : Questions

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Skills and Requirements

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Why should we hire you? - Give me three reasons. What have you got to offer the company? - What skills will you bring? How do you work best? - Leading a group, in a team or alone? Are you prepared to travel? Are you looking for a position with training? What has been your main career achievement to date? What was the most difficult problem in your current/previous position - how did you find the solution? You say you have xxx skillshow did you demonstrate these in your previous position?

Preparing for Interview: Questions

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Personality
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Describe yourself - strengths/weaknesses?

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Remember: weaknesses First, then Strengths: end every interaction with a positive note.

How would your friends describe you? z What motivates you? z What are your strengths/weaknesses? z How do you spend your spare time?
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Preparing for Interview : Questions

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Problem/Sticky Questions
What salary or benefits are you looking for z Why are you changing your career? z Explain the gap in your work history. z Given your career plans, how long do you expect to stay with our organisation? z Can we contact your current employer for references?
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Preparing for Interview : Questions

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Questions to ask the Interviewer

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Why is the position available? What skills are needed to succeed? What are the initial priorities of the position? How does the position fit into the organisational structure? How much scope (autonomy, flexibility, career growth, responsibilities) is there within this position? What is the companys managerial style/culture?

Preparing for Interview : Questions

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Questions typically asked of Graduates.

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Why did you chose your particular degree/discipline? Why did you chose your college/university? What did you most/least like about your course? What was your strongest/weakest subject? Tell me about your project work? How are your studies related to this position/vacancy? Tell me about your career aspirations? Describe your ideal employer? Do you plan to gain further qualifications? How do you spend you spare time? How would your tutor describe you? Besides your degree, what else do you feel you gained from college/university? Were you active in any societies? What positions of responsibility do you hold/have you held?

Preparing for Interview : Prior to the Interview

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Prepare - Prepare for Interview Questions, have a few to ask the interviewer, dress well. Identify - Who are you meeting? their titles, relationship to job. Research - Find out what the job entails. Thoroughly read the job specification. Make sure you have researched all the information. Plan Ahead - Get a location map, contact telephone numbers, have money, mobile phone if possible, allow yourself a good 30-60 minutes of additional time to arrive, etc. Check Out - Company brochures or website. Most companies today have a Web Site and they expect you to have researched their company.

Preparing for Interview : During the Interview

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Smile and make eye contact. Relax and be friendly. Be positive and enthusiastic. Think about your body language. Dont discuss salary until youre offered the job. REMEMBER
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7-10% is what you say 20-30% is how you say it 60-80% is your image, your body language and the overall impression you create.

Step 5: Job offer & Negotiation

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Salary negotiation is one of the last steps in the job search process. It should not be an issue until the employer is ready to make you an offer. In most cases, you should never introduce the subject. It's never easy when you come to negotiating a salary with a future employer. However, in many cases there is room for negotiation. Before accepting a job offer, think carefully about what you want from the position in terms of:
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Starting Salary Relocation Allowances Holiday Entitlement Benefits Package - Pension, Bonus, Health, Dental, Share Options. Eligibility for Employment - Medical, Exams, References.

Job offer & negotiation: Salary Negotiation

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After being offered the job, you may be ecstatic, but don't rush to accept the offer and don't feel pressurised to accept immediately. Most employers will give you 1-3 weeks to accept. You need time to collect your thoughts/ clarify the details of the offer. Evaluate the offer in terms of your priorities, negotiate if you feel it is not market value. Remember: most companies have a set graduate entry level salary so there may be little room for negotiation at this stage.

Job offer & negotiation: Salary Negotiation

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Do
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Research the salary you expect for the job. Be aware of your strengths and achievements demonstrate their value. Let the employer make the first salary offer. If asked, your expectations should be a range you think is acceptable or A salary thats competitive with the current market. Delay salary negotiation until you fully understand the position and its requirements. Discuss salary if the offer made is inadequate.

Job offer & negotiation: Salary Negotiation

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Dont
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Discuss the salary before the employer does. Price yourself out of the job. Feel pressurised to accept the position immediately. Focus on Base Salary - consider the overall package. Become rigid/aggressive in negotiating the salary you want. Play off one company against another. Accept a verbal offer - get it in writing before committing: this gives you time to review the contract.

And finally..
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This is not an exhaustive set of guidelines. It is the absolute minimum that you need to be doing before stepping into an interview if you really want to succeed. You may now win first time: remember, practice makes perfect. Treat every application as an opportunity to perfect your sales technique. If you are unsuccessful, ask the interviewer to provide you with some tips, highlighting where they thought you were less suitable:
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you will be surprised how many will do this and if a job in the same company comes up, how often they will remember your thoroughness.