Through the click of a mouse we are all now able to connect and work with people from around the world. This is no different when hiring oil and gas industry professionals who can now work remotely on projects without having to travel to a client’s office. For oil & gas consultants the working world is therefore shrinking, and our oil and gas job search needs to adapt.

This is part 2 of our 4 part discussion on oil and gas recruitment and how to land the perfect job.

Part 2 – Think Worldwide

Gone are the days where companies are limited to hiring those who can commute to their office. Online work platforms like TalEng now allow companies to connect to engineering specialists from around the world, meaning you are able to work on oil and gas projects based anywhere, without having to get on a plane to perform the work. This opens up much more opportunity for oil and gas consultants and engineering specialists, and additionally helps companies perform projects in locations where engineering talent is sparse or where the local supply chain is already at full capacity.

This ability to connect worldwide does however mean that you are now competing with talent on a worldwide level, potentially against those who have a very different cost basis due to their location, and who can undercut you on price. Therefore the need to show your specific skillset online is ever more important. For a short term oil and gas consulting position recruitment agencies typically select on quality over cost and you need to show your abilities to potential hiring managers via your CV, job proposals, and online profile to make sure the expertise and knowledge you have is known and your higher rate is therefore justified.

Competing with worldwide talent might seem like a scary prospect, however do not be pushed into lowering your rates to make yourself the cheapest. Clients look for a balance of cost and expertise when selecting someone to perform work and will always hire someone who has a track record in delivering what they need over a cheaper proposal that might not complete a task properly. In addition, oil and gas engineering jobs are typically paid by the hour so if your experience means you can do a task quicker, your overall cost should still be lower than someone who is cheaper but lacks the skills or experience to deliver.

Worldwide flexible working opens up more opportunities for us all, but as oil and gas consultants or engineering specialists we now have to make sure we offer something that cannot be delivered for a fraction of the price somewhere else in the world.