Thinking of a Career Change - Oil and Gas Job Recruitment

At some point, everyone considers a change in career. That may be through personal choice - perhaps your current job no longer presents you with enough of a challenge to maintain your interest. Or it could be through forced redundancy and a wish to pursue a different path. Maybe you're just tired of the same old nine to five desk job. For anyone thinking of a career change that could lead to advancement, new skills training and a decent pay packet at the end of the month, the oil and gas industry is worth serious consideration.

A complex and multi-faceted industry Oil and gas jobs don't just mean working on a rig or drilling platform. The industry is a complex and multi-faceted one, filled with opportunities for both the outdoor type and those who prefer not to get their hands too dirty. Oil and gas exploration involves a huge 'backroom' operation including environmental surveying, personnel management, recruitment and rig jobs. While the image of the industry may be of men in hard-hats and gloves wrestling with heavy machinery, the truth is that the oil and gas industry is a modern business, tackling a wide range of issues and challenges.

The main draw for many into oil and gas jobs is the pay. Even entry-level positions bring with them salary advantages that you will not find in other, less challenging industries. This is particularly true for younger applicants joining the industry on the lowest rungs. The additional benefit of rapid advancement for those who show an aptitude for the job means that moving up to more highly skilled and highly paid jobs within the industry is much more achievable in a relatively short space of time.

Know who to talk to, but it pays to know who to talk to. Oil and gas recruitment agencies specialize purely in jobs within the industry, and have the ability to place suitable candidates into the right positions. They also have the contacts within the industry and are able to know what's available and when. From degree-level candidates to those with fewer qualifications but a willingness to work hard, oil and gas recruitment agencies can marry up the right person with the right job.

For those who are willing to work away from home for a while and to put in long hours, the rewards are great. Rig teams develop close bonds with one another, and although rig work can be hard and sometimes dangerous, a camaraderie develops that you are unlikely to find in other industries. For those more interested in research and development, the industry is constantly looking at new ways to extend the planet's natural resources and extract them as cleanly and efficiently as possible. So research and development is a key area of employment within the industry, offering degree-level candidates life-long careers that are challenging and interesting.

The result is an industry that actively encourages new ideas, new talent and presents new opportunities for those looking for a career, rather than 'just a job'. With new fields constantly being opened up, this wealth of opportunity looks set to continue for a long time to come and those who want to be a part of it would be well advised to consider looking at a career in the oil and gas industry.

Paul B Smith - Search oil and gas jobs and other engineering roles in specialist sectors: automotive & aerospace, petrochemical & process, mining & minerals, nuclear & power. Candidates can register CVs online and search jobs across all of our sectors.

Roustabout Jobs - How to Get Hired As an Offshore Roustabout

By Calvin Loh

Roustabout jobs are the entry-level jobs on oil rigs. On most oil rigs, you work 12 hours a day, 7 days a week for 2 to 3 weeks at a stretch. Working as a roustabout is back-breaking and dirty - you do everything from cleaning and painting the oil rig to mixing the drilling mud and even moving supplies and equipment around the oil rig. On the other hand, practically everyone who matters on board the oil rig starts out as a roustabout, so you have no right to complain.

For English-speaking workers, there are three main places which hire people for roustabout jobs - Canada, US and UK. Alberta in Canada is still short of people, so it is easiest to get hired there. As long as you are tough enough and show the right attitude, many companies will be willing to pay for any courses or certifications which are required.

At the moment, it is also fairly easy to get offshore roustabout jobs in the US, especially in the Gulf Coast region. In some places, it is as simple as showing up at the temp agency. As in Canada, many companies badly need workers and are willing to pay for any training and certifications required. As a rough guide, your employer will send you to get your in offshore medical certificate, offshore survival certificate and helicopter underwater escape training certificate before you even set foot on the oil rig. After that will probably be a 2 or 3 week course induction course on your duties aboard the oil rig.

UK residents have it tougher. Most employers want you to show your BOSIET offshore survival training certificate, offshore medical certificate, and what the Brits call a GreenHand course. All told, taking getting all of these could set you back 3500 pounds, depending on where you take these course, and there is no guarantee of a job. The offshore scene there is surprisingly small - you really need to know the right people. Most of the jobs are off Aberdeen, so if you live elsewhere you really do not have a chance at all. For new hires without connections, the ex-armed forces personnel find it easiest to break in. British servicemen have a kind of skills conversion course which helps them get offshore oil jobs. Frankly, UK residents who want to break into the oil industry are better off looking for jobs in Alberta or the US Gulf Coast states.

When you apply for roustabout jobs, remember to highlight work experience which involves manual work and mechanical work. If you have any survival training or something like the BOSIET or HUET certificates, highlight these as well. Remember that roustabouts do a lot of manual labor, so do NOT brag about your university degree or some other highly technical skill - the employer may reject you for being over-qualified. Some companies now want you to prove that you have completed your high school education. Regardless of who you work for, there will be frequent drug-testing, especially if any accidents happen.

Are you looking for work as an offshore roustabout? Click here to learn how RigWorker.com can help you to quickly and easily find roustabout jobs.

Oil Field Jobs - What Are Working Conditions Like On The Oil Field?

By Calvin Loh

Oil field jobs form their own niche in the oil and gas industry. For example, their job responsibilities, workload and scope are very different from jobs in an oil trading company. Their closest relative would be offshore oil rig jobs. Nevertheless, a roustabout on an oil field will have different ways to do his job compared to a roustabout on an offshore oil rig. In fact, a roustabout on an Alaskan oil field will also do his job differently from a roustabout on a Saudi Arabian oil field.

That said, the current boom in the oil sector is a great boon to anyone who wants to start in this industry. If you are young, fit and willing to work hard, you should be able to easily find an entry level oil field job. Note that working hard does not mean spending 12 hours every day, 7 days a week sitting on your backside in front the computer in the office. On an oil field, working hard means you engage in a lot of intense physical labor outdoors in all weathers. For example, you may need to stack 100-pound pallets during a storm.

On an oil field, you will do a lot of hard physical work. However, unlike a common construction laborer, you can expect to get the best food and lodgings as part of your salary. In terms of cash, most of you will be getting $50,000 to $80,000 per year. Of course, if you have a relevant technical or professional skill, your salary will very likely top $100,000 per year. All this is just your base salary. Don't forget overtime. Depending on how your company pays you for overtime, you can expect another 50% to 100% on top of your base salary. A roustabout or roughneck could easily take home as much as a typical mid-level department manager of a multi-national corporation while getting as much as 6 months off every year.

Nowadays, many oil field jobs are offering conditions and perks which were only given to oil rig jobs. Oil companies are not doing this out of generosity. Due to the slump in prices in the 1990s, they laid off too many experienced workers and failed to train new replacements. They are now paying for their lack of foresight and you will be benefiting for the next decade. As most of their experienced workers are in their late 40s and 50s, you can expect very good opportunities for advancement.

However, desperate or not, be warned that oil field jobs do not welcome drug addicts and enforce this by compulsory drug testing both during the hiring process and randomly on the job. Don't be surprised if you are suddenly called up for a urine test or blood test. If you think this sort of thing violates your civil liberties, you should look for a different job.

Much like jobs on oil rigs, oil field jobs demand a lot of physical hard work. In compensation, you get a very good salary and benefits package for all your sweat and time. If you have the physical strength for it, this is quite a profitable exchange for you.

Jobs in Oil Field - What Are the Top Paying Jobs Today?

By Calvin Loh

On August 26 2008, CNN Money reported that oil drillers are scrambling for workers. Too many years of under-investment in oil rigs and workers alike, coupled with the surge in oil prices over the last few years has led to a major shortage of experienced workers in oil fields at all levels. Noble Corporation, one of the world's largest offshore drilling companies, has 1500 rig job openings in the next 2 years for their 5 new oil rigs. Every oil company is deploying new oil rigs everywhere from the Gulf of Mexico and the deep water off Brazil to the coasts of Africa and Saudi Arabia to meet today's increased demand for oil.

Filling the jobs in these offshore oil fields is proving to be a major challenge. Despite sky-high salaries in the range of $50,000 to $80,000 even for new hires, there are not many takers for these offshore jobs. There are several reasons for this reluctance:

• Not many people are willing to live in the middle of the ocean on an oil rig
• Extremes of temperature, either extremely cold (most deep ocean oil rigs) or extremely hot (Africa), and sometimes both (the deserts of Saudi Arabia)
• The demanding work schedule - 12 hours on, 12 hours off, 7 days a week for 2-4 weeks straight
• Political volatility and armed violence, for example rebels and insurgents in Nigeria and other African nations, potential terrorists in Saudi Arabia
• Physical danger from storms like the recent Gustav and Hurricane Katrina in 2005
• Dangerous accidents like the 1988 Piper Alpha drilling rig in the North Sea - 167 of the 226 men on board died when the oil rig caught fire

Predictably, the highest salaries drawn in oil companies are the executives with titles starting with "C", like CEO, CFO, etc. Then you have the VPs and top salesmen. But what about jobs and salaries for new hires? Well, in February, The Wall Street Journal reported that new petroleum engineering graduates received starting salaries of $80,000 to $110,000, not including various perks and signing bonuses. This demand is in no danger of peaking anytime soon. Oil companies are hiring petroleum engineering freshman students as summer interns, paying as much as $32.50 an hour. Texas Tech reports its 2008 graduating seniors will receive an average salary of $110,000.

Geologists, too, are in great demand. The American Geologic Institute reports that the average starting salary for a geologist fresh out of school is $81,300, up from $55,000 in 2003. At their April meeting, the American Association of Petroleum Geologists reported that graduate students (Masters and PhD) were receiving salaries of $80,000 to $110,000. The good news for job seekers is that the demand for geologists for is unlikely to be filled anytime soon. The American Geological Institute reports that out of 20,000 geology undergraduates, only 2,800 attain their BSc after 4 years of study. In addition, many of today's oil industry geologists started work in the 1970s, and will be retiring in the next few years. Taken together, these facts mean that more and more geology vacancies are going to open up in oil companies in the coming decade, with salaries likely to increase further. It seems that, even today, taking up a Bachelor's Degree in Geology or Geologic Engineering is well worth it. Beefing this up with a Master's in Sedimentology, Stratigraphy, Structural Geology or Geophysics will almost certainly net you an extra $20,000 or $30,000.

With increasing demand for oil from China and India, as well as continuing demand from the US and Europe to drive the search for more oil, the job vacancies in oil fields and offshore drilling rigs will remain unfilled for some time to come. This is definitely the hot job of the next two decades.

Are you looking for jobs in oil fields? Visit http://oilrigjobs.calvinmarketing.com/blog/ to learn how RigWorker.com can help you to quickly and easily find offshore oil jobs.

Offshore Oil Rig Jobs

While many of the offshore oil rig jobs are physical in nature, many of the rig companies go out of their way to make sure your time spent onboard is an enjoyable one. For instance employees may find themselves living in accommodation wings that meet 4 or 5 star hotel standards - despite the fact that you a living in the middle of the ocean. While you are on board the company will usually meet all food, board and laundry expenses, along with travel and transfer costs.
There are a large number of offshore oil rig jobs that are available. The range of employment opportunities include:
Driller, Derrickman, Shakerhand or Mudman, Toolpusher, Floormen or Roughnecks, Motorman, Assistant Driller, Crane Operator, Roustabouts, Cleaner/Painter, Storekeeper, Mechanic/Electrician, Sub Sea Engineer, Rig Mechanic, Rig Electrician, Rig Welder, Barge Engineer, Ballast Controlman or Watchstander, Captain and Chief Engineer, Rig Medic and Safety Man.
Most offshore oil rig jobs call for a 14/21 day rotation that means you work for 14 days and have 21 off. This equates to you having approximately 3/5 of the year off on holiday.
In the offshore oil rig industry, there are opportunities for drilling employment and travel to countries such as: Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, the United States, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Venezuela, Mexico, Russia, Norway, China, Canada and the United Kingdom.
Typically salaries for roustabouts and roughnecks (drill deck workers) are approximately US $300 per day. Annual salaries work out to be approximately US $47,000.
More specialized jobs such as that of Driller is likely to make around $56,000 per annum, which Toolpushers, Drill Leaders and Supervisors are likely to earn around the US $75,000 - $100,000 mark per year.
Entry level positions typically make between US $50,000 - US $80,000 per annum. Trades, technical and professional positions will likely earn between US $70,000 - US $220,000 per annum.
Life Offshore
- You will be issued with safety boots hard hat safety glasses and coveralls.
- Keep a good attitude and be focused on why you wanted to work offshore.
- There are smoking rooms at various places on a rig where safety matches will be supplied.
- For meals you take off your work gear and eat in the galley.
- You may have to work a night shift or two as an oil rig is a 24 hour operation.
- Don't upset the radio operator, medic or chef. Helicopters, medical attention and food are most important.
Aboard an oil rig every piece of lifting equipment has a color code on it - this is an indication that it was tested as safe to use on the last lifting equipment check. Only items with the current color code on them should be used.
When working in the petroleum industry, don't bring alcohol, illegal drugs, weapons (of any description) including knives, flammable items, lighters and matches (safety matches will be provided in the smokers room) when working on energy jobs.
If working aboard an offshore rig, remove batteries from electrical equipment before checking in you luggage. If you are to be transported by helicopter your mobile phone may be taken from you before you board the helicopter.
A number of people working aboard oil rigs work are in support roles such as catering crew and doctors, etc. The following is an outline of what may be expected for doctors or medics. Because of the physical size of rigs, many of these types of roles are sole charged and one must be able to make do with the facilities and resources at end. In the case of doctors or medics based aboard oil rigs, it may be necessary to treat patients suffering from a huge variety of ailments and illnesses. Issues can arise as a lot of the workers aboard oil rig installations may speak foreign languages, so it is critical for the medical personnel to be able to quickly and effectively diagnose the problem. Generally medical staff will work one of two shifts, either day or night. Their role can often also include checking and maintaining stocks of emergency supplies, testing and verifying drinking water supplies are clean, as well as inspecting both raw and cooked foods from the kitchen. They are also often responsible for conducting weekly first aid seminars for all workers aboard the oil rig.

Claire Calkin has been working in the oil rig employment industry for over 5 years and during this time has provided countless people with advice and assistance on how to best get jobs in the oil industry.

http://www.oil-rig-job.com

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Looking For An Oil Job ?

Do you want to make good money off shore on an oilrig? Across the World inn the petrochemical industry there are around 1.5 million people working on almost 2800 oil platform jobs. Some rigs are so big that they look like small islands and they all have in common lots of varied and lucrative oil jobs. Some oil job workers go off shore for the adventure but all of them do it in order to earn a lot of money quickly. You see offshore oil jobs are the best paid but also the toughest jobs around. Often oil jobs involve 21 days in a row of twelve-hour shifts followed by the same amount of paid leave.

The first tier big oil companies recruit into oil jobs with skilled craftspeople. Oil jobs requiring less skill but lots of practical experience also abound off shore. Think of all the oil job opportunities in the kitchen and restaurants, the cleaning and services crews, the medical stations, the warehousing and the administration. How much do oil jobs pay? For your 21 days and 21 off the salary ranges from $3000 to $7000 per month. All food and accommodation is included as is the cost of transportation to and from the offshore rig. The monthly net earnings for an average oil job in a drilling crew are around $3000. Proven ability in oil jobs can earn $4500. Skilled engineering oil jobs can earn around $7000. The currency of oil jobs is the US-Dollar and payment is direct to your bank. Basic oil job preconditions conditions are physical fitness and age restrictions, above 18 years and less than 50 years. Some typical oil jobs and their pay levels are…

Maintenance Roustabout ($47,000). This oil job is about the general upkeep and cleansing of deck area of rig. Roustabout ($54,500) includes guiding cranes as move stuff on deck, supplying equipment to the rig floor as requested. Welder ($62,000) these oil jobs are permanently on one rig and carry out all day-to-day metalwork. These oil jobs are very busy and big projects can increase numbers dramatically.

Oil job support workers carry out the following tasks: scouring rusty metal, painting, washing, moving goods, equipment and bringing supplies to and from shore. They will have to keep the drill rigs on line by laying the rods correctly and manhandling them in place. Careful and safe mixing of chemicals for the drill fluids as well as keeping them all in working order. So if you think oil jobs offshore may be for you turn to the Internet to find the specialist oil job filling firms.

jobs in oil field

Offshore Oil Rig Jobs - A Great Opportunity For The Chosen Ones

These are some of the characteristics you can expect from a job in the offshore oilfield. This job requires you to travel often and be away from home and your family for long periods of time. You will find that many times it will be a hard job that has to be accomplished in harsh weather conditions. But before you run away you should also know that despite all this, growth opportunities are tremendous. Starting salary for a person with no previous experience is anything between $40,000 to $60,000 annually and that too for working only for six months in a year. This can only sound great. Additionally once the workers have made a good job at the lower positions in the rig, they are usually promoted to higher posts depending on their performance.

There are many types of jobs available while working offshore in an oil rig. For instance, people are recruited in the control room, at the deck, for drilling, rig management, mechanical and electrical department, catering. Others are hired as rig welders, scaffolders, radio operators, medic, rig safety and training coordinator, mud engineer, painters.

Control room personnel include barge engineers who are in charge of the control room; control room operators and assistant CROs control the stability of the rigs and make liquid transfers. On the deck, people are recruited as maintenance roustabout and foreman who looks after the deck area. Crane operators whose main duties includes crane operations.

Drill crew includes positions such as roughnecks, pumpman, dereckman and drillers. Roughnecks and pumpman takes mud weights and looks after the machinery required by the particular operation. The Dereckman's main duty is the maintenance of the machinery in the mud pump room. Drillers occupy one of the most important positions on the rig. He is responsible for the drilling in the seabed.

There are many types of jobs you can perform in an offshore rig. Tool pushers and offshore installation managers are part of what is considered the rig management crew. Tool pushers work in the rig offices and rig floors. Offshore installation managers are responsible for the entire rig.

There is also the mechanical department that hires motorman, mechanics and maintenance supervisors who are responsible for all mechanical operations in the rig. In the electrical department you will find positions like electricians, electronics technician and maintenance supervisors who will take care of all repairs needed for the electrical equipment in the oil rig. And of course there is also the catering team that is made up of the stewardess, cook and the camp boss who are in charge of the catering, laundry and cleaning for the entire crew.

There are certain points that you should consider while you are thinking about joining an oil rig crew and start a career in this industry. For example; one needs to keep in mind things like health, age, experience, education and interests. The job in the rig requires you to be in a good physical condition, and you need to pass a number of medical examinations. The average age is 27 for offshore jobs in oilrigs, but there are also jobs for people less than 18 years old. Experience in a particular field will help you to gain a better position and wage, but by and large, no previous experience or skill is required to be hired in the offshore oil rig crews.

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