How to Become an Expert in Oil and Gas Job Interviews

Looking for employment in the Oil and Gas industry is definitely a worthy experience, as the large range of positions are easily to be filled by many types of professionals. The oil and gas domain is a complex one, and you will be able to see this even in the types of interview formats and questions that you will experience while applying for a position.

Although many of the smaller oil companies have a recruitment process that can be classified as formal, others have begun to focus on the global aspect of the oil industry and adapt their recruitment techniques according to their worldwide practices.

The recruitment process is very different from the traditional one that included the application form and the interview. The applicants are grouped under the supervision of a moderator and they are given complex tasks to solve.

Such techniques are used by Shell, and the tasks include creating viable solutions to problems that relate closely not only to the oil and gas processes, but also to the economy or environment of the area in question. This type of selection techniques will give the employers the possibility to observe how the applicants deal when confronted with complex problems that can occur in their position, but also how motivated are they and their ability to manage in a stressful situation.

The oil and gas companies have adapted their selection techniques according to their needs and objectives, but the final goal is the same: to form a highly professional team of oil and gas employees. Before you decide which company is the best for you to build a solid career in the Oil and Gas industry, you should know that a little research can work wonders on your selection process.

The first step you should do when preparing for a job interview for an oil and gas company is to find out more information about the basic sectors and operations in the Oil and Gas industry. The amount of information available on the topic is vast, including books, publications such as the Oil and Gas Journal or The Internet. It is the best way to be prepared for any kind of questions or case scenarios that the employer might try to surprise you with, and you will demonstrate your profound knowledge on the inside mechanisms of the oil industry. You will also find who the major players of the Oil and Gas industry are and which company is the best working environment to build a solid career.

After the company has approved your application, you should consider the next stage ? the job interview ? as the only occasion for you to sell yourself and to find out more about the employing company. Focus on demonstrating the employer that you can be an asset to his company, by bringing on board a productive and ambitious team player.

Consider the fact that the employers prefer 'people persons', and you should mention that you are a communicative person and you can reason with people on various levels. In fact, he will be able to observe this from the interview, so the manner you handle contact with the interviewer is very important.

Even if you are nervous and you think that you might not be accepted, consider the fact that usually, employers tend to choose the person that fits the company, instead of the most qualified applicant.

• Be confident, happy and full of energy;
• Be interested in finding more information about the company.

You can pass any job interview if you will consider following the next set of tips:

• Arrive at the company earlier, maybe 10 ? 15 minutes earlier. In order to achieve that, make sure you allow time for any traffic problems. In case you are late apologize briefly and don't offer any excuses, because you shouldn't have any.
• Don't go at the interview if you are tired; yawning and lacks of energy don't make god impressions.
• The handshake should be firm. If you are nervous and your hands are sweaty, you can run some cold water over them and wipe them with a napkin.
• Make sure you choose the appropriate clothing for the position you are applying for. A suit might be great for an accountant position, but not for a driller position.
• Be prepared with useful information about the company and the oil and gas industry and you will build an interesting conversation with the interviewer.
• Turn off the cell phone and the pager. No one likes to be interrupted by their sound, especially the interviewer.
• Avoid excessive hand gestures or other nervous habits (like playing with your hair or chewing your nails).
• Speak clearly and try to avoid using words like 'hmm' or 'ah', that could leave the impression you don't know what to respond.
• Think before you speak, especially if you like chatting. The interviewer doesn't need to know what movie you have seen last night.
• Be confident when it comes to your skills and what you can do for the company.
• Maintain a positive attitude.
• Don't hesitate in asking questions about the company. If you don't have any, think of some. The employers appreciate the real interest in the company and the operations they perform, and will consider that you could fit into the company.
• At one point, you can open a discussion about the wages or benefits they can offer you, especially if you are a graduate.
• You can offer to provide them more references about your skills and experience.

Now that you know what you should do during the job interview, maybe some possible questions about the oil and gas jobs might prepare you better regarding the informational aspect of the interview.

Those questions can easily match many of the Oil and Gas sectors, and the only thing you must to is consider any questions related to the specific company you are applying for. You can use them successfully for asking your interviewer details about the company and show that you are really interested in building a career in the oil industry.

1. Can you specify some of the consequences of the mergers and the restructuring of the staff on your company's profile?
2. What is the career development of your employees that started a similar position five or seven years ago?
3. What are the methods used by your company to maintain a permanent development in the oil and gas field?
4. How would you describe your company's most competitive advantages?
5. How do your business units cooperate in order to operate at a maximum efficiency?

Now that you have put your interviewer on the spot, it will eventually be your turn to be 'grilled'. You can use those questions to get an idea about what the interviewer will ask you. There will also be questions that will refer specifically to the position you are applying for.

1. What are your goals on a long term period and on a short one regarding your career?
2. Why have you chosen the Oil and Gas industry to build a career?
3. Have you ever used your persuasion skills in order to achieve your goal? If you had, describe the situation.
4. Have you ever been involved in a project that required working with people that came from different backgrounds? Describe the experience.
5. Can you describe me a situation that required you to use your skills in order to prevent a possible conflict?

Now that you have seen how a job interview could develop for an oil and gas position, we strongly advise you to pay attention to the information above and use it properly in order to start your oil and gas career with the right step.