Tricky job (lack of) situation
Discussion
Okey, I work(ed) in the oil and gas industry and I've been unemployed for 2 months due to the oil price being down the toilet. I'm quite experienced and I was at lead engineer level in my last position.
2 months unemployment would not normally be a financial problem. However this 2 months was preceded by a 7 month RTW family holiday, which we took on the expectation that I'd be able to get a job on my return. Maybe not so bright an idea in hindsight, but then in 20 years of work I've never been unemployed before. Anyway, I'm out of cash as I haven't worked for the 7 months holiday so 9 months in total.
I've got an interview for a job in Holland next week but the pay is crap, really crap. Infact it is at taking the pi$$ levels... basically it is a graduate level of pay and they would be getting a lead engineer level of experience. From what I've seen of the job description the company would actually benefit from most of my extra experience as opposed to it being a grunt job where the company would get no benefit from more experience. On top of this I'd have to pay for accommodation in Holland. Would stop my financial situation from going further backwards, but that is about it. Would also have to leave wife+kids back in London, which I'm about as excited about as a trip to the dentist.
Have also got 2 x interviews next week for jobs in London. These would both be better jobs with better pay. OTOH both these companies are slower movers than the Holland company and so if I get the job in Holland, I'll be offered that before I hear about either of the London jobs. Will also have to wait until next week for the interviews before I find out if the London jobs are real vacancies or if they are only candidate fishing expeditions.
Oil and gas market is really down the toilet in London and I'm quite fortunate even to have 2 x interviews in London. I have colleagues who had had absolutely nothing happen since last February. Christmas is coming up. My feeling is if I don't get a job sharpish it is going to be at least next March before I do get one.
What would you do?
2 months unemployment would not normally be a financial problem. However this 2 months was preceded by a 7 month RTW family holiday, which we took on the expectation that I'd be able to get a job on my return. Maybe not so bright an idea in hindsight, but then in 20 years of work I've never been unemployed before. Anyway, I'm out of cash as I haven't worked for the 7 months holiday so 9 months in total.
I've got an interview for a job in Holland next week but the pay is crap, really crap. Infact it is at taking the pi$$ levels... basically it is a graduate level of pay and they would be getting a lead engineer level of experience. From what I've seen of the job description the company would actually benefit from most of my extra experience as opposed to it being a grunt job where the company would get no benefit from more experience. On top of this I'd have to pay for accommodation in Holland. Would stop my financial situation from going further backwards, but that is about it. Would also have to leave wife+kids back in London, which I'm about as excited about as a trip to the dentist.
Have also got 2 x interviews next week for jobs in London. These would both be better jobs with better pay. OTOH both these companies are slower movers than the Holland company and so if I get the job in Holland, I'll be offered that before I hear about either of the London jobs. Will also have to wait until next week for the interviews before I find out if the London jobs are real vacancies or if they are only candidate fishing expeditions.
Oil and gas market is really down the toilet in London and I'm quite fortunate even to have 2 x interviews in London. I have colleagues who had had absolutely nothing happen since last February. Christmas is coming up. My feeling is if I don't get a job sharpish it is going to be at least next March before I do get one.
What would you do?
The Spruce goose said:
the biggest problem you will have is coming across as overqualified if money s
t.
That's the problem with changing industry from oil/gas to rail or infrastructure or something for a while, which is my preference. In another industry even if the pay is crap, at least I'd be doing something new and I could do it in London. There seems to be a lot of resistance from a lot of employers to employing anybody from oil/gas who is currently out of work. I don't know if that is because they think oil/gas is too different to other branches of engineering or if they think I'd just bugger off as soon as the oil/gas industry picks up again. So far this Dutch place is the only likelihood of a job. The two London interviews I'd only put at 50/50.t.dingg said:
always easier to get another job once in employment IME
take the first offer and dump it if the other comes up
Mmm, I'm starting to lean towards this. take the first offer and dump it if the other comes up
anonymous said:
[redacted]
Yeah O/G rates have always been higher than other branches of engineering. i remember in the 90s I was working in defence shipbuilding and I took a look around, worked out that oil/gas paid more than all other branches of engineering and decided I'd get a job doing that 
This Dutch job pay just sucks, by any standard though. It's even low compared with other branches of engineering such as rail or civils. It's about one-quarter of my last job. I'd sit it out but unf having had a 7 month family vacation where I burned through the savings, I can't afford to. I think next year's rates will be down 20 or 30%, I can live with that but this 75% reduction really grinds. I would rather do rail/civils for the same low pay as at least it is different but I've had a stunning lack of success with applications to other industries in the last 2 months.
GT03ROB said:
What's your discipline & experience? There is work there, but not a lot.
Structural engineer; lead level. Mostly design office, some fab site. 20 years experience. I have applied for some Middle East work and apparently I'm on the short list for at least one of the positions but its going sloooooooooooow.
Gassing Station | Jobs & Employment Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff