As with any career, are you willing to do what it takes?  This could mean relocating your life/family to another country or by taking a much lower paid position or entry level and working your way up.  If you want to be the better candidate, are you willing to invest in yourself?  If you’re not, why should anyone else.

If you don’t have any work experience within the oil and gas industry another way to gain experience is through education.  There are many Universities, Colleges and Training Providers who offer excellent courses relating to the oil and gas industry.  Visit our Training page for further information.

After maths and English, the most common requirement to work in the oil and gas industry is to hold qualifications in science subjects.  You will also need the desirable skills to match the job type you wish to do.

Working in the oil and gas industry can lead to an exciting variety of career paths.  You need to draw up a list of potential jobs that interest you.  You then need to do some research around the skills and qualifications required.  Visit our Job Search page and look at the skills and qualifications that are listed in your chosen job.

Attend networking events and make sure your CV/Resume is up to date.  The more industry related people you meet, the greater your chances are of securing the role you want through them.  First impressions count, so make sure you show them that you are passionate and demonstrate your expertise.

Follow up with your new connections.  Perhaps they asked for your CV/Resume?  You should tailor your CV/Resume to the company and position you are interested in.  Always thank those you meet for the time they took to speak with you – this will also keep you fresh in their minds for any upcoming jobs.

Below are possible career paths, note that there are many more within each category – time to do your research;

Careers in Engineering;

• Chemical Engineer
• Drilling Engineer
• Engineering Geologist
• Mechanical Engineer

Careers in Mathematics;

• Engineering Geologist
• Hydrologist
• Process Engineer
• Petroleum Engineer

Careers for Scientists;

• Geophysicist
• Geochemist
• Hydrologist
• Mudlogger

Office-based careers;

• Marketing
• Production Manager
• Account Manager
• Oil Broker

How did you break into the oil and gas industry?  Tell us your experiences.

We hope this helps.

Life expectancy in the UK is increasing however many of us are saving less into pensions.  Last October, the government introduced workplace pensions and most individuals will be automatically enrolled.  Am I automatically enrolled?

If you were enrolled you, you’re employer and the government will pay into it.  Having a workplace pension makes saving easier and will allow you to keep living the same standard of life when you retire. 

If you opted out of the workplace pension do you have a plan b? It’s never too early to start thinking about your retirement.

Here’s how the workplace pension works;

• Every payday a percentage of your pay is automatically put into the pension scheme for you.
• There are 2 main types of workplaces pensions;

1.       Defined contribution pension schemes

Your employer will chose which pension provider to invest your money into.  When you retire, the amount you receive will depend on:

• How much has been paid in
• How long you’ve been paying in
• How well the investment has done

Nearer the retirement age, the pension provider generally moves your money into lower-risk investments; if this is not done automatically you can ask your pension provider for more details. 

2.       Defined benefit pension schemes

These pensions are also known as ‘final salary’ or ‘salary-related’ pensions.  These pensions will give you a certain amount each year when you retire, the amount doesn’t depend on investments.

How much you get will depend on how long you have worked for your employer and your salary, the pension scheme administrator can give you more information.

• You pay a percentage of your earnings into the scheme, your employer will also contribute and the government will give you tax relief.  Saving couldn’t be easier!

So, if you have opted out of the workplace pension scheme you may want to think about re-joining.

Starting your pension early will give your money time to grow, ask your employer about your workplace pension scheme today.

We love to receive feedback from our users, good or bad!  Fortunately we have had plenty of positive feedback and we thought we would share this with you.

If you were ever in doubt before about why you should use OilCareers.com for your job/candidate search, these testimonials should make your decision-making easier.

Happy Candidates

James Raison, UK: I have used OilCareers for a number of years now, and in fact my past 3 positions were found using the service on the website. I can highly recommend using OilCareers, whether you are seriously looking for a new opportunity or just curious.

Vince Plackal, UAE: It was very interesting to visit your stand at ADIPEC 2012.  I have successfully secured two positions via OilCareers.  OilCareers provides valuable information about opportunities; I will continue to use OilCareers for future vacancies.  Thank you very much.

Happy Clients

Tom Heavens, Aker Solutions: As a new user of OilCareers.com, I have found the site to be efficient and intuitive but most importantly, it gives me great results. I felt that the training I received from Claire in Customer Support really benefitted me and I can now use parts of the site I didn’t previously know existed such as automated searches. The automated search function has become my favourite tool on the site; it’s a pleasure to receive a list of highly suitable candidates waiting for me in my inbox even before I start work in the morning.

Tom Elam, Macdonald & Company: We have been using OilCareers website for 1 year now and have had great success in sourcing good quality candidates for different areas of the oil and gas market.  We have placed candidate’s sources via OilCareers in Engineering/Construction, Drilling, Operations, HSE and HR.  The site is easy to use and Karen our Account Manager is always willing to help and give advice on the market when we need it.  Her years of experience in the sector have given us valuable insight.  OilCareers has also helped Macdonald & Company increase its exposure within this sector and we it as an integral part of our future growth strategy for the business.

As an international recruiter at Aker Solutions Offshore Partner, I can highly recommend oilcareers.com due to the ease of use, customer service, great results and comprehensive search options. I’ll never be stuck for a position again!

James Parker, Change Recruitment: We have used OilCareers for several years now and have trialled others along the way but I have found that OilCareers always performs well for us. I find the site to be user friendly and it continues to produce good results for me and my recruitment team.

The above testimonials highlights why we are the online leading job board for the oil and gas recruitment industry.

OilCareers.com will be exhibiting at the Offshore Technology Conference from the 6-9 May 2013 at the Reliant Centre in Houston, Texas.

OilCareers.com is giving one lucky visitor the chance to win VIP deluxe weekend tickets to the NASCAR AAA Texas 500 – so it could be more than just your career gathering speed thanks to OilCareers.com!  Don’t miss your chance to win a NASCAR experience of a lifetime by visiting us on Booth #2241-H at OTC 2013.

The Offshore Technology Conference was founded in 1969, the event is held annually at the Reliant Centre in Houston.  OTC is one of the world’s biggest oil and gas conference’s held for the development of offshore resources in the fields of drilling, exploration, production, and environmental protection.

OTC attracts over 80,000 attendees from over 100 countries and has over 2,500 exhibiting companies every year.

We look forward to meeting you.

It’s the end of the interview and you’re asked “do you have any questions for us?”  This is your chance to stand out from the competition.  If you ask too few questions it will look like you haven’t properly researched the company which gives the impression that you are not really interested in the position.  If you ask too many questions this can be annoying; make sure you have several good questions prepared.

1.       Do you think I am the right person for this role?

If you want this job, it is important to ask this question.  Hopefully there won’t be any concerns, but it is important to show the interviewer your interest and that you are more than capable of meeting the job spec.

2.       What will be my biggest challenge?

Asking this question shows that you like to be prepared to meet the expectations which come with the job.

3.       What are the three most important skills needed to excel in this position?

With every position there is a set amount of skills required to do well. If you need to be highly organised, is this an area you struggle in, if so can you improve?

4.       Does the company offer professional training?

If training and professional development is important to you, make sure this is available in your new role.

5.       What systems do you have in place?

You will need to make sure that their current systems are adequate for you to fulfil your role within the company.  If they aren’t, find out if they are open to new suggestions of systems you have used in the past and know will work well.  This will show that you are proactive and know when to use your initiative.

What not to ask?

Your salary – you should want the job because it will excite and motivate you, yes the salary is important but it shouldn’t be the sole decision.  Wait for them to bring it up.

You should make sure that any questions you do ask has not already been covered. You want to make a good lasting impression, not a poor one which shows you don’t listen.

Good luck!

The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) has advised the immigration authorities to add the twenty new engineering job categories to the Shortage Occupation List (SOL).  The new additions added include mechanical, production and electrical engineering occupations.

Jill Turner, Immigration and employment law expert said; This is really good news for the oil and gas sector which is finding it difficult to recruit specialist engineers. The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) has listened to the concerns of employers and has taken steps to make it easier for firms to recruit outside Europe.

“Clients tell me one of their biggest challenges is being able to fill key jobs when bidding for or landing a contract and this creates uncertainty and undermines long term planning and business growth. ”

“MAC have acknowledged that there is a shortage of specialist skills in Aberdeen which is vital to the oil and gas industry and that it’s not possible to train people for those posts in the short term.

“In the last four years 100 job categories have been removed from SOL and it is relief that a so-called sunset clause has been ruled out because this would have made it easier to axe more posts and would be detrimental to recruitment in the energy sector.”

The SOL list is a record of jobs which are in demand and are not affected by the strict immigration rules which can often make it difficult for employers to hire skilled foreign workers.  This change will allow businesses within the oil and gas industry to feel secure that they will have the workers to meet the required demands of the jobs.

Jill Turner, expert on Employment and Immigration law.  Visit Jill Turner’s profile page.

When a hiring manager or recruitment professional decides on recruitment activity (the advertising and positioning of the advert, selling the company and package etc) they do so using a number of highly specific marketing principles, whether they know they do this or not is another question but I suspect some do not. They will have been briefed about what personality is required for any given role, what sort of skill set is required, what qualifications that person is likely to have and what level of prior experience is needed. The result of this is that they already have their perfect candidate in their head and the job spec and advert is written based on this image. Their job is to communicate the requirement in the best way possible to ensure the return on investment is as close to ‘the perfect candidate’ as possible.

So how does an applicant market themselves?

Your personal marketing plan is something which you might not have given much thought to but with every application, you as the candidate wittingly or unwittingly engage in the very same marketing principles. At least half of all failing applications do so based on the poor understanding of how to market yourself as a candidate to the specifics of the role and organisation as opposed to overall unsuitability.

When you decide to apply for a role, you and the recruiter enter a unique marketing relationship where you both need to communicate the correct messages in order to achieve what you both want, a successful hire. As the candidate your primary focus should begin with the job specification, you must research and identify the industries, companies, cultures and roles that you will be suitable for and will enjoy, these are your targets. Discipline here often pays off, if you can ensure you spend more time writing applications to organisations you are interested in and for roles that you will enjoy then your applications will be natural and honest and more transparent.

Marketers target their communication; they design content for specific demographics of their customer base that is designed to elicit a response. Ensuring you re-write your CV and cover letter to address the specific qualifications and experiences (make use of keywords) established in the job advert is important. However, highlighting individual achievements within specific tasks and experiences that will prove your performance levels were higher than the average is how you ensure the recruiter selects your CV to read in more detail. You do not need to list your all-time greatest achievements just emphasise the ones relevant to this role. Ensuring any online presence matches your written application is important for consistency; if you received marketing communications that presented a different message in one medium than they did in another, you would be disappointed.

Make the most of your network, using job boards is a great way to make a professional public profile however if you don’t regularly update the information and engage with people via these platforms, they stagnate and will have to be hastily fixed when the time comes to make applications. Making the most of your network can be a great inroad to a position that you would not normally have been able to identify. Furthermore you need to measure what is working and what is not. If you get the chance to ask for feedback then do so, but make sure you take it on board and address it for future efforts.

So finding a job is marketing then?

Communication is the key to you achieving success in your job search. You must present yourself as the best solution to the problem for that organisation (the problem being the open vacancy). If you are guilty of applications with a ‘one size fits all’ CV and cover letter clichés such as the ‘determined individual’ or surprise surprise; ‘I am a good communicator’, then you should reconsider your tactics.

My challenge to you is to change your job hunting habits, to prove yourself with communication and marketing principles that focus on quality not quantity. If you limit the number of applications you make but spend the same amount of time making the few as you would making the many, you will allow yourself to find the right opportunity. Read more into the role, research the company culture, identify the areas of responsibility you can excel at and credibly highlight and present a relevant application that is harder to ignore. Alternatively, you can run the risk of becoming the ‘spam marketing’ of applications, the unsolicited and unjustified attempt that only goes down as poorly targeted and poorly communicated. Ultimately, forgotten.

Matt Thomas is Marketing Associate for Quarsh, a leading RPO and Talent Warehousing organisation. He regularly contributes to the Quarsh Blog on matters such as social media and employer branding.

For many candidates the interview can be the most daunting part of the recruitment process and can fill them with dread.   Job interviews are stressful by nature and almost everyone gets interview nerves.  Here are our top 5 tips to help you overcome your fears and ace an interview.

1.       Don’t be afraid to show off

The first question you are likely to be asked is “what do you know about the company?” if you say nothing that will not get you off to a flying start.  When researching a company my two stops are the company website and Google.  Use the website to find out who they are, what they are about, their clients and their target audience.  Searching the company on Google will return any blogs, press releases and breaking news about the company – all useful information to start off the interview!

Remember to take a copy of your CV/Resume and the job description to refer back to, it is also worth putting your CV on to a USB stick, and of course prepare your portfolio if one is required.

2.       Practice makes perfect

It’s always a good idea to practice being interviewed before the real deal, to become familiar with questions you are most likely going to be asked.  The more comfortable you are with answering the questions the easier the interview will be.

Interview questions will depend on the job level you are applying for, but there are general questions you are likely to be asked such as ‘What are your strengths/weaknesses, your goals, accomplishments and how you handled a difficult task.’

Practice in plenty of time and you won’t have any problems answering the questions.

3.       Timekeeping

We shouldn’t need to tell you this – make sure you’re on time.  First impressions count and showing up 10 minutes late will do you no favours with your interviewer.

Have a practice run getting to the interview on time, use Google maps for exact directions and have alternative routes should there be any problems.  Take note of the contact number for both the recruiter and the company your interview is with, should there be any problems you can let them know.

4.       Make an effort

Unsure what to wear?  Always go for the smart option.  You don’t need to over-do it, a suit or dress will be appropriate for most companies.  I would advise not to use any heavy aftershave or perfume and be careful on the make-up – you want to make a lasting impression for the right reasons.

5.       Once the interview is over

Always ask for feedback from the interviewer, if you were unsuccessful, take away the experiences learned and improve on your technique for the next time.   If you show your initiative and keenness, the interviewer might consider you for future vacancies at the company.

You should always follow up with a thank you email/phone call for the interviewer’s time, regardless of the outcome.

And, if you can’t remember those top 5 tips then remember these top 3 tips shared by a recruitment consultant:

1. Don’t swear
2. Remember to shower
3. Make sure your zipper is up

Good luck!

We are in the midst of a huge change in the way we receive our news. Until very recently the power of mass communication was vested only in television companies, radio stations, newspapers and other publications.

But, that is no longer the case. Now, anyone with a computer, or simply a mobile phone, can broadcast a message around the world instantly. 

That really hit home in January 2009 when US Airways flight 1549 ditched in the Hudson River.

Thanks to onlookers in Manhattan and on a passing ferry, the first reports were beamed around the world on Twitter. The first picture was on the web a good 15-minutes before the news channels’ helicopters reached the scene.

As 7,000 people scrambled to see that picture, the server collapsed under the strain.

Social media and the job-seeker

So, what does this have to do with you, as someone seeking a new career in the oil and gas sector?

It means that you have a powerful suite of social media opportunities at your disposal to get your name out there, in front of potential employers.

OilCareers.com recently highlighted on its Facebook page that being ‘head-hunted’ is no longer reserved only for senior management. So it pays to use every opportunity to sell yourself and your skills to potential employers.

Social media opportunities

The recent blog on this website, by Dominic Morris gave you an insight into the ways you can showcase your skills with LinkedIn.

Twitter also has potential if you can master the style of saying something apt and meaningful in just 140 characters. I’m not sure I can see the Evening Standard’s Twesume (half tweet half resume) taking off, giving the limited amount you could say.

However, if you can find some potential employers and other influential people in your sector and persuade them to follow you, then you have the opportunity to put across your strengths.

But, remember how nobody likes an overzealous sales pitch, or the conversation hog at a party who will not stop talking about how brilliant they are. Get your message across with charm and subtlety!

Watch out for the dangers

Hardly a week goes by without our news featuring stories of someone in court, or threatened with court action, as a result of what they said on Twitter, or Facebook.

Even if you don’t say anything libellous, remember your social media comments are public. Your potential future employer would not be the first to Google your name (or username) to see what comes up.

That ill-considered comment you made on Twitter, or Facebook, months ago might just come back to haunt you.

So, before you hit the send button on your next social media update, just make sure you are happy that a potential employer could well see your comment.

Guest blog by Ken McEwen of Ken McEwen Public Relations www.kenmcewen.com

Certain parties will endeavour to make us believe that oil and gas in the North Sea is a dying industry and although this is intrinsically true in that the oil reserves currently under the North Sea are finite; the resources decline will be a slow and drawn out process. As it stands there is currently more oil in the North Sea than has already been produced with the only problem being getting it out the ground!

Oil fields discovered in the 70’s but deemed too hard and expensive at the time to drill are being re-approached by companies as they are able to use improved technologies. Companies are using techniques like horizontal drilling, jack-up facilities and more FPSO’s. In fact, in 2012 Xcite Energy were responsible for the project that saw the Rowan Norway Jack-up become the UK’s most northerly use of a jack-up platform and they intend to go further in the future.

Technological leaps are seeing companies in the UK and Norway create new systems to increase the life of our North Sea fields so we can ensure we get everything possible from a field before its gone. By 2015 we will see the first installation of a Subsea Gas Compression facility by Aker Solutions which will increase the life of the project an estimated 20-25 years.

So what does the future hold?

There is currently £46.7 Billion being spent on 64 active projects in the North Sea, whilst there is a further £11.5 Billion set to be spent on 87 future projects.  So the projects exist and 2012 has seen an increase in drilling with the same number of wells drilled in 2011 being drilled in the first 9 months of 2012. It’s just a case of the operators having to target more of the smaller projects.

Northern North Sea fields will be key in maintaining the North Sea as the European hub of oil and gas along with skilled engineers continuing the advances of technology.

Guest blog by Martin Tidbury, Key Account Manager who specialises in oil and gas for Matchtech.