The past years have seen unprecedented changes within the A Yet for the millions working in it, oil and gas jobs are still top of mind.
One of the largest sectors in the world, the industry is one of the UK’s largest employers, supporting 280,000 jobs and contributing billions of pounds to the economy in tax every year. It is a similar situation in many oil strong countries.
And things are only looking up for the industry at large. Though the sector infamously hit a slump in 2014 after oil prices crashed, and with COVID, the past few months have seen it start the climb back up.
Indeed, gas is seeing an unrivalled surge in popularity, in line with a growing demand for cleaner energy. And the recent pandemic has only pushed these timelines for change forward. The sector is cautiously optimistic about the future.
With that in mind – and a whole host of potential projects on the horizon – there’s perhaps no better time to start preparing for the future than now.
Even if you’re not currently looking for oil and gas jobs, keeping yourself in the loop and up to date with industry news. Being prepared to send off your resume is vital if you want to clinch the perfect oil and gas job when it comes around.
Here are some easy steps you can take to ensure that happens.
Streamline and update your resume
When was the last time you properly went through your resume?
With 37% of potential job hunters saying that the idea of updating their resume was the biggest barrier to finding another job, it’s understandably a time-consuming thing to do. However, it’s vital if you want to secure the oil and gas job that you want.
With two pages cited as the perfect length, it’s time to go through your old qualifications, job experience and education and clear them out. Oil and gas jobs can result in a lengthy work history, especially if you work as a contractor.
Make sure you are highlighting the best of your work history, not every aspect of it. Anything outdated shouldn’t be on there. Such as qualifications that have expired or jobs that aren’t related to your profession.
Your resume should aim to whet a potential employer’s appetite and give them an idea of how suitable you are for the role. A rambling, lengthy resume will merely discourage them from reading it, reducing your chances of getting an interview as a result.
It’s also a good idea to go through and update your contact details and references. It’s easily forgotten, but it could make all the difference when a recruiter gets in touch.
Format it the right way
Though it might seem obvious, it never hurts to take a look at the way your resume is formatted.
Recruiters can be put off reading a resume because of its design. This includes borders, inappropriate images, hard to read fonts, spelling and grammatical mistakes, or even too much dense text. It’s about standing out from the crowd while maintaining an easy to read resume.
Don’t make the same mistake. Aim for a clear, unfussy design that lays out different sections clearly, and has one consistent font throughout.
Try and put things in easily digestible bullet points where possible, and make sure that your spelling and grammar is perfect. That way, your resume will be ready to go when the ideal opportunity does come along.
Start upskilling
The oil and gas industry has been experiencing massive changes. And more will always be following close behind.
Technology is set to impact all areas of the industry, from using drone technology to scan rigs and identify areas for maintenance, to using advanced analytics to calculate the best places and the ways to drill.
With that in mind, there’s never been a better time to start upskilling for your next oil and gas job. Ask yourself f what’s new in your sector? What do you think will change in the future?
Whether it’s attending conferences and seminars or enrolling in classes and courses, anything extra you learn will stand you in better stead in this rapidly-changing market. Even personal development skills can give you an edge.
It will also make you much more employable when you apply for oil and gas jobs.
Set up oil and gas job alerts
Even if you’re not planning on applying for any oil and gas jobs right now, it’s always a good idea to keep abreast of what’s happening in the market. You need to know what oil and gas jobs and roles are in demand.
To do this, you should register your job preferences on recruitment and careers websites, like LinkedIn. Even if you don’t click on every link, signing up for job notifications keeps you up to date with what’s going on in the market.
It also means that you can quickly and easily apply for a job when the right one comes up, without having to search through hundreds of vacancies.
It means that when your perfect oil and gas job does come along, you won’t miss out.
Make sure your certifications are up to date
Whether you’re a Technician or an Engineer, you must make sure that you’re qualified to do the role at hand. This means checking your qualifications are up to date and retaking any certifications as needed.
The earlier you find and resolve any issues, the better. After all, the more prepared you are, the fewer issues or delays you’ll find when it’s time to start applying for an oil and gas job.
Network, network, network!
Your network is one of your most valuable tools when it comes to finding oil and gas jobs that fit your skillset and experience.
Some companies use paid referral programs which encourage their employees to refer professionals in their network for open roles, as opposed to advertising, which means that your only way of hearing about them is through your network.
Make sure you keep in touch with contacts both old and new. You can do this by attending industry events or joining relevant LinkedIn groups and being active on your professional platforms.
Stay up to date with Energy Resourcing
Finding the perfect oil and gas job is about a lot more than opening your web browser. At Energy Resourcing, we’re proud to offer support and job advice to our candidates and connect them to the best jobs in the industry.
We work with some of the biggest names in oil and gas, as well as a whole host of smaller, independent companies. So, whether you’re looking for entry level oil and gas jobs or you’re a seasoned professional, we can help.
Why not take a look at our latest oil and gas jobs and kick-start your next career move.