Questions and Answers on Oil & Gas Career (IV)
Hello Sir,
I am writing to know if you can refer to an engineering personnel who can guide me into certificate courses that I can sit for either in the oil and gas industry or the power industry.
Your guidance would be highly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
Regards,
AA
Dear AA
To be honest, I don’t think certificate courses help much for someone without any experience in the industry. It wasn’t the certificates that helped the recently recruited NNPC guys, it was their ability to pass the tests and interviews. I will advise you concentrate on job hunting (subscribe to relevant job sites and scout for openings) and master interview taking technique. I will also advise you don’t limit yourself to the oil and gas industry which is very competitive.
All the best.
Jarus
***
Hello Jarus,
Your career insight is always insightful.
I was successful in the recent NNPC recruitment process. I am a technical business manager, a job role that is a hybrid of a product manager, data analyst and business development manager, and I very much enjoy the role as I am numerically inclined and a very outspoken person.
Leveraging on your understand of the NNPC structure, what role(s) or department(s) do you suggest I, if given the chance to select or work towards, lean towards?
I initially envisaged that given the recent/ongoing SAP implementation by the NNPC, I would work towards being part of the implementation/maintenance team but I don’t know.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Thank you.
BB
***
Dear BB
NNPC is a giant of a company – very big with large departments and subsidiaries that are interwoven.
I don’t think you have a say in the unit you will be posted (a review of your background and the need in the different departments will determine) but given your background it looks like you will be a good fit for corporate planning and strategy department either at the group level of subsidiary level. You should be a fit in NAPIMS too.
All the best.
Jarus
***
Dear Jarus,
I am a graduate of petroleum engineering with a first class degree from a UK university. I wanted to seek your advice on the possible skills and certificates I could acquire to make myself more employable in the industry and also if there are any opportunities to earn experience in some of the indigenous oil and gas firms on a voluntary or contractual basis.
Thank you for taking the time to read this email and have a lovely day.
CC
Dear CC,
Sorry for missing the NNPC opportunity.
It is hardly by certificate at this point as you have the basic certificates – first class in petroleum engineering from a UK school. I will advise you network with people in the industry for informal recommendations. Don’t concentrate on the big oil companies alone, there are tens of other good companies in the industry. Politely connect with some folks on LinkedIn, ask to be mentored by them, and ask for their kind offer to help drop your CV in their companies or other companies within their network.
Nose for advertised opportunities too. Subscribe to sites like hotnigerianjobs.com and hotproforum and get updates. Oando put up advert sometime ago, did you apply?
All the best.
Jarus
