The oil and natural gas sector is rapidly expanding worldwide as demand for energy grows. Oil and gas supply most of our energy and provide raw materials for manufacturing. Jobs in the sector involve the location, development, extraction and delivery of petroleum and natural gas from underground deposits.
Instructions
1. Identify the types of job opportunities in the sector. Oil and gas jobs include a variety of positions on offshore drilling platforms, called rigs, or on pipelines and in refineries. Many who start in the oil and gas industry begin as laborers and work their way up to drill operators and other positions of higher pay and responsibility.
2. Prepare for the job you want. A laborer on an oil or gas rig requires little or no experience. Laborers, known as roustabouts, clean, haul and do maintenance work. Other jobs can require formal or on-the-job training. These include drill operators, specialized petroleum technicians or engineers and geologists with four-year degrees. You can also obtain a job through an apprenticeship.
3. Write a resume and cover letter. Written job search materials should be tailored to the specific type of job you are considering. Your resume should include career objectives, education and formal training and work history, including the name of each employer, job location and duties performed. Keep your resume as a reference when filling out online applications.
4. Apply for job openings at oil and gas companies. Most exploration and extraction of oil and natural gas is done by mining contractors, and jobs can be applied for online. Review a list of the largest companies around the world at PetroStrategies.org. Find these and additional oil and gas mining companies at the SubSea Oil and Gas Directory.
5. Look for openings on Internet job boards, including EnergyCentralJobs.com, EnergyCareers.com and WorldWideWorker.com. In-demand fields in the sector include electronic engineering technicians, industrial machinery mechanics, electrical engineers, environmental scientists, sales representatives and managers.
6. Seek out opportunities for professional development. Professionals can join associations such as the Society of Petroleum Engineers; participate in discussion forums and seek out mentoring, outreach and continuing-education opportunities to move up to higher-paying positions.
Tags: drill operators
