Working in the Dirty (Oil and Gas) Energy Industry - A Comprehensive Career Guide by Insiders

Part 1 - Getting the Job Work in Progress

Table of Contents: Part 1: Getting the Job Part 2: Progressing in the Job Part 3: Are we there yet? - Advancements and Pivoting within the Industry Part 4: What's that Smell?... I smell Money. - Pivoting and changing Industries

So, you've decided to work for the Rockefeller or the Saudi royal family of companies? Good for you! But how exactly do you go about doing that with the least amount of capital and time commitment for an initial offer with the maximum starting salary and future fancy title with the corner office job?

Stay tuned as Part 1 of this guide will deal strictly with the hiring process on how you can get to this side of the fence.

Before @differentialequations12" and I unleash the entire Part 1 guide, be thinking about how these following factors affect your chances of making it in and having a stellar career (in no particular order):

  • Good ole boys club
  • Target Schools for Recruiting
  • Program of choice (S&T, Geology, Chemistry, Petroleum Engineering, Management, Supply & Logistics, etc)
  • Dating Companies via Recruiters, Online Posting, Placement Agencies - Some are better than others
  • Contractor to Full-Time Step-Up
  • Intern to Full-Time Offer
  • Relative Strength of Alumni Networks
  • Significance of Graduate Degrees (MS vs PhD, Ivy League vs Target School, etc)
  • Total Compensation Calculation (Straight Base or Base + Bonus structure?)
  • How and when Pay Bumps happen
  • How and when Reduction in Forces Occur
  • Benefits, Perks, and Others (401K, Pension Plan, PTO, Company Culture, etc)

These items determine your starting point in this game which makes the difference between a grumpy person on the "road" program waiting for that lump sum cash-out from their pension plan to getting a tap on the shoulder to be the Secretary of State for the next Administration.

Two crucial factors that determine your outcome in any game but especially in this field:

1. How you start 2. Who you know

Stay tuned!

22 Comments
 

We are fleshing this out one part at a time. Based on individual experience and validating points already extensively addressed on Glassdoor.

To get what you want in any game you must first figure out the rules in order to have a chance at winning. Reading a book like Private Empire or The Prize is great for background knowledge but to really understand how to get a job you need that insider's insight and stories of those who've made it.

Can't wait to unleash hell! Glassdoor already burns the ears of the HR department. This will take their heads clean off!

 
Best Response

I work in management and operations at Fortune 5 O&G. Know the basics of S&T here as well. Got senior co-worker in Engineering and another in advisement with previous high level ops mgt experience.

Buddy of mine at BP is doing the IST program who will chime in later. Another buddy at Baker Hughes.

Cultures are different across the majors and the minors. Pay is about 20-30% higher starting at certain places to poach talent from undergrad. Minors sometimes pay better than majors due to base pay plus bonus.

Some places have pension while others do not. All have some flavor of 401K with different match. Some offer stock purchase at a discount while others do not. Career ladders are driven by the individual or black boxed by the corporation.

A teaser of things to come that you guys are probably all very curious about! Cold called my way to corner office and talked to a senior VP so I've got perspective from year 1 to 35 in my company from folks in and out of my lane for consideration for laterals and general work culture/environment.

 
"Ebolamonkey"

I work in management and operations at Fortune 5 O&G. Know the basics of S&T here as well. Got senior co-worker in Engineering and another in advisement with previous high level ops mgt experience.

Buddy of mine at BP is doing the IST program who will chime in later. Another buddy at Baker Hughes.

Cultures are different across the majors and the minors. Pay is about 20-30% higher starting at certain places to poach talent from undergrad. Minors sometimes pay better than majors due to base pay plus bonus.

Some places have pension while others do not. All have some flavor of 401K with different match. Some offer stock purchase at a discount while others do not. Career ladders are driven by the individual or black boxed by the corporation.

A teaser of things to come that you guys are probably all very curious about! Cold called my way to corner office and talked to a senior VP so I've got perspective from year 1 to 35 in my company from folks in and out of my lane for consideration for laterals and general work culture/environment.

Fascinating. I look forward to reading more.

 

We will release Part One soon. @differentialequations12" and I need to discuss high level plans on how detailed this guide should be and how soon we should release each part.

In addition to the current strategy to release this guide in parts, we will also release subsections of the parts in each section as we refine each part.

This allows us to do one of two things:

  1. Gauge audience and see what they want
  2. Adjust our writing to the above and pivot to new directions if need be

Bear with us, we are getting there and so far this thing is turning into an un-Godly thesis that is the practical version to the book Private Empire.

 

Ebolamonkey if you need or are interested in another O&G guy to share experiences let me know...happy to help. I'm in OFS with Big Blue, formerly red but got acquired...should be able to figure out which company ;)

 

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