Economists Corner

Planning Your Career Path:

Is There a Magic Formula to Career
Success in Oil and Gas?
John Faraguna, Hays Oil and Gas

Given my experience in the Contract Worker:
recruitment and oil and gas Enjoy the Flexibility
industries,people often ask me Traditionally, contractors command
about career progression. Often, ahigher rate per unit hour or
the assumption is that jumping from projectasthe employer does not
company to company is the most haveto paythe same overhead as
rewarding and lucrative path. My a full-time worker, and benefits
response has been that this is not fromhaving greater workforce
usually the case: There are certainly flexibility. Choosing specific contracts
times where a change will progress can help you developyour expertise,
you further and faster, but too much creating demand for your skill set
movement can become a liability based on your specialty area. For
on your rsum that will take years example, niche expertise can help
tocorrect. you demand competitive pay rates,
According to the Global Salary particularly in areas where there are
Guide 2015 by Hays Oil and Gas, 25.6% skills shortages. However, before
of the 45,000 survey respondents committing to this path, there are a
indicated they had worked for their few things to consider to ensure your
current company for 35 years, career progresses in a manner and at
and 16.3% for 6 years or more. As a rate that is going to help you achieve
a rule of thumb, employers like to your career goals.
see signs of commitment and deep If your objective is to become a
skilldevelopment, which typically subject matter expert, then taking many
means staying in a job for 5 years contracts may be the right path for you.
ormore. Contracts can provide you with the
There is no clear-cut path that will flexibility to choose exactly what you
guarantee a more successful career or want to work on, including the location
one that pays more. Your worth is really and duration. The trick is to ensure you
determined by what value you bring to are choosing contracts based not solely
the role. on salary, but that you are creating
John Faraguna is president of Hays Americas, and
globalmanaging director of Hays Oil and Gas.
Previously,he has served as president of Xansa North
America at SteriaUK Corporate. Faraguna joined Xansa in
November 2002 from Halliburton, where he served as
thepresident of Grand Basin. He has also held several
US-based executive positions with Top Tier Software,
BakerHughes, Arthur Andersen Consulting, and
WesternAtlas. Faraguna holds a BS in geology and geophysics from Yale
University, an MS in geology from the University of Houston, and an MBA from
StanfordUniversity.
an asset which you can monetize in
thefuture.
For a younger person, I think
contracting is going to expose you to
a much broader range of experiences
and potentially make you more valuable
to future employers, says Robert Frow,
asset project manager, currently on
assignment at a global exploration and
production company. Frow has more
than 40 years experience working in
the industry and has spent most of his
career on contract project assignments.
Frow started with a full-time role as
a piping designer and has steadily
grown a successful career in project
management. Whether it is working
on a particular project with a new
technology or for a target organization,
Frow recommends having a plan of
knowing what skills and experiences
you need to add value to your rsum
and to continue to keep your expertise
in demand. Depending on your goals,
and if the opportunities are available,
aim to select contracts that can help you
develop your skills alongside changing
market needs, employers demands,
and industry trends and developments.
Of course, this is often easier
said than done due to changes in
the industrys skill requirements as
well as economic cycles. The one
rule that always applies is to leave
each assignment with a positive
recommendation, as this industry is
small and your reputation for delivering
on your promises is your key asset.
Tenure: Be Rewarded
for Loyalty
Another option is working full time
for a company over a long period.
Tenure can carry a certain amount

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of prestige and potentially open up
opportunities for career advancement
and financialgain.
Julian (Jay) B. Haskell, president
and chief executive officer of Absolute
Completion Technologies, has
more than 30 years of domestic and
international experience. Haskell has
built his industry career with more than
25 years experience at Schlumberger,
where he held numerous management
and technical positions. This provided
him with a solid base of business
management skills that he still uses
while contributing to the successful and
continued growth of Absolute.
Haskell believes that working for
the large companies first is the best
training environment, and is key to
obtaining a solid foundation in the
industry. Although the career path is
usually well established, a variety of
career options can be found that will
assist you in developing a wide range
of experiences.
Large companies often provide the
opportunity to work on international
assignments. This provides exposure
to a variety of cultures and logistical
challenges. The experience can be
valuable in personal development
and provide insight in becoming a
leader. Haskell recommends evaluating
your standing and advancement
after 5 years, and if you find yourself
not progressing at the pace you had
intended to, then contemplate making
achange.
Working for a small to mid-size
company, Haskell believes, will provide
better exposure to more areas of the
organization, which diversifies your
skills and expertise. He strongly feels
that it is very important to work in cross
disciplines in order to understand
the big picture. However, should you
choose to focus on a specific discipline,
this could lead you to becoming a
subject matter expert.
Increasing tenure can also lead
to increasing benefits. Vacation
days, share options, and retirement
benefits can be tied to how long you
have worked with the business, as
can bonuses and perks. Training and
professional development are often
available only to full-time workers.
It is important to note that the grass
is not always greener on the other side.
A 2012 survey by Future Workplace
(http://futureworkplace.com/wp-
content/uploads/MultipleGenAtWork_
infographic.pdf) found that it has
been more common for Generation Y
workers (also known as millennials) to
leave a company after a shorter period
of time. However, it is important to
make sure that you are leaving for the
right reasons. Ask yourself whether you
have exhausted all the avenues with
your current employer. Have a candid
conversation with your boss about what
your options are based on your career
goals and what you have to do to get
to where you want to be. Switching
jobs can be risky as you could weaken
your rsum if you switch too often.
The next role might not be the right fit
or could make you vulnerable during
industrydownturns.
The expectation should not be
that the perfect role will fall into your
lap, as sometimes you have to prove
yourself before attaining the job you
want. If regular change and variety is
important to you, look for opportunities
that offer workplace flexibility, project-
based work, or organizations that have
sites nationally or globally. If you have
itchy feet, these types of companies
may have more opportunities for you
toexplore.
Job Hopping: Find Your Niche
There is a growing belief, especially
among younger generations, that
having experience working for
multiple employers is beneficial.
GenerationY, in particular, has a
reputation of job hoppingjoining
a company on a permanent basis,
only to leave within 12 years (Future
Workplace 2012 survey finding). The
idea is that this can help expedite your
salary increments and increase your
knowledge base. While this may be
true, this may also generate a negative
stigma of not being loyal or committed
to any one company.
Landing a new job at a different
company can mean an instant salary
boost, but it is not guaranteed,
particularly when you take the
additional risk into account.
For example, a job with added
responsibility or more demanding work
usually comes with a higher salary,
but lateral moves rarely provide a
significant increase except in times
of great demand. If looking to make a
move, make sure to target positions
in a company with the right cultural
fit, which will develop your skills,
provide a new challenge, and offer an
opportunity for learning, as this is more
likely to advance your career in the
long term.
The benefits of working for
multiple organizations are the different
perspectives and holistic view you can
develop of the industry. This is also a
great way to explore different discipline
areas before narrowing in on what you
want to do long term. Spending time
with a variety of teams can also give
you an insight into different company
cultures and which is best suited to
your working style andpreferences.
Whichever path you choose,
great salary increases are not often
automatically handed out. You will
haveto prove your worth by bringing
the right skills, and attitude, to the table.
The most important thing you can do
to advance your career is to deliver on
your promises and make sure that each
employer regrets to see youleave. TWA
Vol. 12 // No. 1 // 2016 23