Getting a job - perseverance pays off .............
May 29th 2012, 3:31 pm
#1
Sawdust making harpy
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2007
Location: Alberta
Posts: 11,291
Getting a job - perseverance pays off .............
Just a little something to think about ..............
I was at my Canadian families place last week for some drinkies and there was a guest there, he is a young guy from New Brunswick working on the rigs here in AB and now during break up for my bil.
I was asking him about why and how he made the move over, was it tough etc etc etc.
He said that he needed to pay off his student loans and there was no way of doing it quickly in an entry level job over there, so one day decided to just fly to Calgary and try and get work in the black gold industry.
This is when I said "well that must have been easy because I know they are crying out for hands so they must have welcomed you with open arms.
He said apparently not (easy - not crying out) - he drove up to Nisku (a 2.5hr trip one way) to sit his tickets which he paid for himself and then badgered every oil company up there by going into their offices every 3 days or so and also located all the drilling rigs around the area and went on site to badger the bosses there too. Eventually after a month he was taken on.
I must admit I was taken aback that he wasn't succesful sooner - but apparently following a discussion with the hr woman at the company he finally landed a job with, she told him "We get literally hundreds of emails a week from people - and they nearly all go "in the trash" because the ones worth hiring are the ones that make the effort and do some leg work".
So you can absolutely see her point, life in the oilfield is tough at the best of times, so if you can stick at it and show some initiative - the rewards are there.
So this post is really to say (not just in this field) don't just send emails of resumes - get stuck in there and prove you are worth hiring - it really does have its rewards
I was at my Canadian families place last week for some drinkies and there was a guest there, he is a young guy from New Brunswick working on the rigs here in AB and now during break up for my bil.
I was asking him about why and how he made the move over, was it tough etc etc etc.
He said that he needed to pay off his student loans and there was no way of doing it quickly in an entry level job over there, so one day decided to just fly to Calgary and try and get work in the black gold industry.
This is when I said "well that must have been easy because I know they are crying out for hands so they must have welcomed you with open arms.
He said apparently not (easy - not crying out) - he drove up to Nisku (a 2.5hr trip one way) to sit his tickets which he paid for himself and then badgered every oil company up there by going into their offices every 3 days or so and also located all the drilling rigs around the area and went on site to badger the bosses there too. Eventually after a month he was taken on.
I must admit I was taken aback that he wasn't succesful sooner - but apparently following a discussion with the hr woman at the company he finally landed a job with, she told him "We get literally hundreds of emails a week from people - and they nearly all go "in the trash" because the ones worth hiring are the ones that make the effort and do some leg work".
So you can absolutely see her point, life in the oilfield is tough at the best of times, so if you can stick at it and show some initiative - the rewards are there.
So this post is really to say (not just in this field) don't just send emails of resumes - get stuck in there and prove you are worth hiring - it really does have its rewards
May 29th 2012, 3:35 pm
#2
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2012
Location: Devon- via Liverpool - Now Shawnigan Lake Bc
Posts: 501
Re: Getting a job - perseverance pays off .............
Just a little something to think about ..............
I was at my Canadian families place last week for some drinkies and there was a guest there, he is a young guy from New Brunswick working on the rigs here in AB and now during break up for my bil.
I was asking him about why and how he made the move over, was it tough etc etc etc.
He said that he needed to pay off his student loans and there was no way of doing it quickly in an entry level job over there, so one day decided to just fly to Calgary and try and get work in the black gold industry.
This is when I said "well that must have been easy because I know they are crying out for hands so they must have welcomed you with open arms.
He said apparently not (easy - not crying out) - he drove up to Nisku (a 2.5hr trip one way) to sit his tickets which he paid for himself and then badgered every oil company up there by going into their offices every 3 days or so and also located all the drilling rigs around the area and went on site to badger the bosses there too. Eventually after a month he was taken on.
I must admit I was taken aback that he wasn't succesful sooner - but apparently following a discussion with the hr woman at the company he finally landed a job with, she told him "We get literally hundreds of emails a week from people - and they nearly all go "in the trash" because the ones worth hiring are the ones that make the effort and do some leg work".
So you can absolutely see her point, life in the oilfield is tough at the best of times, so if you can stick at it and show some initiative - the rewards are there.
So this post is really to say (not just in this field) don't just send emails of resumes - get stuck in there and prove you are worth hiring - it really does have its rewards
I was at my Canadian families place last week for some drinkies and there was a guest there, he is a young guy from New Brunswick working on the rigs here in AB and now during break up for my bil.
I was asking him about why and how he made the move over, was it tough etc etc etc.
He said that he needed to pay off his student loans and there was no way of doing it quickly in an entry level job over there, so one day decided to just fly to Calgary and try and get work in the black gold industry.
This is when I said "well that must have been easy because I know they are crying out for hands so they must have welcomed you with open arms.
He said apparently not (easy - not crying out) - he drove up to Nisku (a 2.5hr trip one way) to sit his tickets which he paid for himself and then badgered every oil company up there by going into their offices every 3 days or so and also located all the drilling rigs around the area and went on site to badger the bosses there too. Eventually after a month he was taken on.
I must admit I was taken aback that he wasn't succesful sooner - but apparently following a discussion with the hr woman at the company he finally landed a job with, she told him "We get literally hundreds of emails a week from people - and they nearly all go "in the trash" because the ones worth hiring are the ones that make the effort and do some leg work".
So you can absolutely see her point, life in the oilfield is tough at the best of times, so if you can stick at it and show some initiative - the rewards are there.
So this post is really to say (not just in this field) don't just send emails of resumes - get stuck in there and prove you are worth hiring - it really does have its rewards
May 29th 2012, 4:59 pm
#3
Joined: Oct 2007
Location: Ontario
Posts: 6,609
Re: Getting a job - perseverance pays off .............
Great post Moo and you can see where the HR lady was coming from. x
May 30th 2012, 1:00 am
#4
Account Closed
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 0
Re: Getting a job - perseverance pays off .............
Seems to work for some people. I am always told to apply online or to email my resume more times then not when trying to apply in person
May 30th 2012, 1:22 am
#5
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2011
Location: Stauffer, AB
Posts: 842
Re: Getting a job - perseverance pays off .............
great post. Well done to him 
May 30th 2012, 9:50 am
#6
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Nov 2011
Location: Somewhere between Vancouver & St Johns
Posts: 19,851
Re: Getting a job - perseverance pays off .............
Good post and almost had me going but then I read it again and I concluded that you were referring to him coming across from NB and not the UK.
UK readers NOTE you cannot just hop on a plane and come and start working.
Sure you can hop on that plane and come job hunting but you have to go back unless you can secure an LMO.
Basically what Im saying is dont come to Canada thinking you will walk into a job or will be allowed to stay for X amount of time to look for one unless you have permission to do so from CBSA.
The bigger companies will not hire you unless you have legal status or allowed to work.
If found misrepresenting yourself to CBSA you will probably be looking at a one year Exclusion Order if caught or sent back before even being admitted.
Do it the correct way and you will be fine.
UK readers NOTE you cannot just hop on a plane and come and start working.
Sure you can hop on that plane and come job hunting but you have to go back unless you can secure an LMO.
Basically what Im saying is dont come to Canada thinking you will walk into a job or will be allowed to stay for X amount of time to look for one unless you have permission to do so from CBSA.
The bigger companies will not hire you unless you have legal status or allowed to work.
If found misrepresenting yourself to CBSA you will probably be looking at a one year Exclusion Order if caught or sent back before even being admitted.
Do it the correct way and you will be fine.
May 30th 2012, 10:27 am
#7
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2011
Location: Calgary, AB
Posts: 348
Re: Getting a job - perseverance pays off .............
Good post.
