A Few Tips to Getting into the Offshore Industry

[Md. Anikuzzaman]

After over 40 years of helping maritime workers, our firm has observed what it takes to get and keep an offshore job. If you are looking to tap into the oil and gas industry, then the following information may be helpful.

Securing offshore jobs is oftentimes difficult if you do not consider the reasons why you might not get hired. Once you identify your potential obstacles, you'll be equipped to overcome these challenges and finally attain offshore work.

1. Too inexperienced: One major reason an offshore company may not hire you is your lack of offshore experience. Companies will be reluctant to hire

someone who has not seen the deep ocean. It presents too much of a risk for them. Many new hires (especially those with no experience in the industry) do not realize what offshore life entails until they are out on the ocean, at which point many abandon their jobs. Companies avoid this costly mistake by simply not hiring inexperienced applicants. Possible solution: Consider working at an onshore drilling site or oil related company. Even service companies (food catering, cleaning) are putting people on offshore platforms. Getting a job at one of these related companies may give you enough experience and knowledge of the offshore life to make you more appealing to offshore employers. By doing this, you'll be more suitable for jobs offshore.

2. No knowledge of the job, the company, or the industry: Let's say you've overcome the first hurdle and have landed the interview. Like with almost any job interview, a blatant lack of knowledge of the position, company, and/or the industry is a sure way to throw the interview and lose the job. Possible solution: Do thorough research on every aspect of the job, company, and industry before your interview. Focus on how your skills and talents can aid the company, and lastly, have prepared questions. If you show an interest and knowledge in the industry, then you won't come off as some inexperienced "green hand" looking to make big bucks doing offshore jobs.

3. No certifications/training: Unfortunately, it is swiftly becoming a standard in the industry for applicants to pay for their own certifications and training, and since so many offshore hopefuls are doing so, it makes it difficult not to also do so. Many companies expect these certifications to be completed before the application. For those who have the money to spend and can do so without serious financial repercussions, you should try to get the certifications and training out of the way before applying for offshore work. For some, however, this is not financially feasible. Possible solution: Go to school for a technical trade such as plumber, electrician, or mechanic with the intention of using this knowledge to gain vessel jobs. Many have entered the industry via this means and, fortunately, there are several scholarships and grants for students to help with the financial burden. While this solution may not be ideal, it is a possible route to getting offshore work.

4. No references: Many offshore entry level jobs are attained through networking. If there is ever an opening, companies will first ask their employees if they can refer anyone. There are several reasons a company might do this: a) quality assurance-the referred friend or family member will likely be someone who can perform the task and get along with the current crew, b) easier hiring process, and/or c) saves time. If you know someone in the industry already, ask them if there are any openings before you start applying. Sometimes, though, you may not know anyone in the industry. Possible solution: Seek out forums, websites, and organizations that target offshore workers and start communicating. It won't necessarily land you a job, but it can't hurt your chances. It will also give you a glimpse into the kind of work and people that are in the industry.

5. Timing: There are certain periods in the year that are better for finding vessel jobs. Many companies will "crew up" in October/November for the busy winter season. Then there's a lull in the spring when many companies will stop operations for 2-3 months. An ideal time to apply for offshore work may be from June-October.

While these tips are not all-inclusive, they may help your search for offshore work. We understand how frustrating it is to find work offshore, so we have included a couple sites that list job openings offshore. http://www.rigzone.com/jobs/search_jobs.asp
www.vesseljobs.com
http://maritime-connector.com

AUTHOR: Timothy Young

Source: https://www.hg.org/article.asp?id=27431