Leaving the comfort zone, career change..going offshore.

[Glocko]

I've been a medical social worker for 20 years now, not happy with local government steness and it's not been rewarding for a while now.
Holidaying with a pal a year ago, he is a senior dive technician on saturation dive support vessel, on stupid money!!
Anyhow, after subsequent conversations I've been and got my offshore medical, BOSIET & HUET and just passed a gruelling two week course to be an Assistant Dive Support Technician (on about 3x current salary)
All set to go you might think, well I am but nervy of the transition.
My current notice to quit is 2 months and the way offshore works (even for newbies) is they look at your CV & certs and say yes we'll have you, get to Angola in 4 days!
We can't afford to have a gap in wages so if I worked my notice and hadn't secured an offshore post it would be difficult.
Is it a crime to just go for the new job and give very short notice to current employer?
Other option would be to go agency social work with is one weeks notice but dunno if I can be arsed with the hassle of signing up etc.
Or am I being a bit lily livered and should just go for it?
(Spent about £4000 so far getting my tickets so failure is not an option!)
Thanks chaps

[MagicMaineCoon]

Certainly not one to give advice, but being in a similar situation this year I can discuss what I did. I was offered a trainee position offshore at short notice, but I was subject to a one month notice period. It would have been easy to just not turn up at work, but after consideration worked my notice and negotiated this with my new employer.

There are many experienced offshore chaps on the forum so I am probably not best qualified to advise on the conditions, pay, prospects etc. However what is apparent to me is that many people head offshore and hate it. The time away missing family, friends, birthdays and all manner of normal life can seriously upset even the most committed. If that is the case for you then having good terms with former employers, either to return, or just for a reference is invaluable. Perhaps the best way forward would be to hand in notice, negotiate if you can to reduce the period and then go on bank / agency work whilst applying for your first offshore job.

It's not easy getting offshore as many will attest to. Can your mate help?

[Glocko]

Cheers MMC.
I am hoping that there will be the possibilty of negotiating with one of the companies I apply to, moreso if I'm prepared to work in the less desirable areas such as Nigeria and Leone.
Being away is difficult I know but I've got a very supportive Mrs Glocko and we will both be focussed on the bankrolling for retirement and quality time, with cash when I'm home.
The main reason I'm doing it though is for the challenge, been a pen pusher too long and having dipped my toe in it, can't wait really!

[MagicMaineCoon]

Well done for getting off your proverbial and doing something about it. Lots of people I've known generally state their interest in 'going offshore' or 'on the rigs' when they find out I've started. I ask what they've done about it and the conversation revolves around a 'mate' who's going to get them a job, then they'll do their courses etc. They are still on dry land year after year.

I guess reading between the lines the challenge you may face is moving from being a self confessed pen pusher into an environment where you're going to be working in close quarters with people you might not like, for 12 hours in potentially hazardous conditions. It would be worth considering how you'll translate and transition current experience into your new role.

I'm not sure how far you are from Aberdeen or other major port / oil & gas areas with employers. However it would be worth getting your CV prepped and polished, suited and booted and knocking on as many doors as possible. No doubt a quick internet search will reveal many potential employers who use sat divers needing life techs.

If you're not already on LinkedIn get on that. It will be invaluable in seeing how others have marketed themselves in the role as well as their backgrounds. I contacted many key figures in my search and it was a LinkedIn message to someone I'd never met that secured me an interview and my job.

Best of luck.

[Parsnip]

Glocko said:

My current notice to quit is 2 months and the way offshore works (even for newbies) is they look at your CV & certs and say yes we'll have you, get to Angola in 4 days!

I wouldn't look at it like that to be honest - I don't know exactly what you are applying for and who you are applying to (although dive tech on a sat boat does give a pretty big hint), but most bigger companies will put you through a sort of induction or initial training before letting you loose (I guess things like catering etc. are the exception to this rule) but for something like a dive tech, the companies running the DSV will be wanting you reading from their Hymn book - a 2 month notice might not be a bad thing if the course they want you on isn't for 3 months.

If it is what you want, then mention your notice period at interview and see what they say. If it is a deal breaker then at that point (here is the risky bit and it comes down to your personal circumstance and relationship with employer) then you can try to negotiate working a shorter notice.

Plus, show me a person who can get you into Angola with 4 days notice and give me his number, I would like a flying pig and a pair of unicorns My last Angolan short term visa (much easier to get than a work visa) took 3 weeks to get an invitation letter and a further week for the visa.

[Ron98]

Get a job and if they say go! Go for it. I got asked for a interview with a big firm I said no sorry I can not make that date can we re a range they said yes. And that was the last I hurd from them. Good job I had already been offered a off shore job. I left the RAF with in a week so its impossible for some one to make you work for them.