# Oil and gas leads in Dubai or UAE



## pj_in_Dubai (Oct 10, 2012)

Just wondering if anyone has had any luck (or knows anyone), who was able to get into the oil and gas field (or other energy sectors), without prior energy experience.

My background is mechanical engineering and design diploma from Canada, with over 12 years experience in the automotive industry all the way to furniture design. I have moved to Dubai with my wife who has a teaching job here, and i'm looking for something in the energy sector preferable. The downfall is that recruiters are looking for people with oil and gas experience. There must be some way of getting into this sector without experience? I'm sure most existing energy employees had to start somewhere??

I have extensive 3D CAD design experience but I also have 100's of hours of hands on testing, prototyping and similar experience too. I don't need to find a design specific job, im willing to learn other aspects of the trade and utilize my years of engineering experience within the company.

I have submitted my CV to many online recruiters such as Rigzone, Gulf Talent, Huxley, Michael Page, etc, with no leads.

Thanks


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## Gavtek (Aug 23, 2009)

Try going direct to Baker Hughes, Schlumberger or Halliburton, large service companies with drilling tools.

Companies don't tend to develop employees much out here, they want experienced people that can come in and do the job.


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## Roxtec Blue (Jan 14, 2013)

Hi PJ

As Gavtek says unfortunately here in the Middle East most companies are "buying in" knowledge and skills as opposed to developing new employees unless they are local staff. Do you still have contacts in Caanada ? Calgary / oil sands projects companies are currently bouyant and perhaps a place to start. It means being out of Dubai for a while but could be means to an end. Get some contract experience and perhaps look to a secondment initially.

In many cases for an attested first degree is required to gain your work visa.

Good luck


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## pj_in_Dubai (Oct 10, 2012)

Thanks for all your replies. Im thinking of sending my resume to one of those online services to have them rewrite/tweak my CV and cover letter. Bayt and MonsterGulf offer this service for about $200usd. Maybe i need to do this to make sure i have the right format and "buzz words" before I apply to jobs...


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## Gavtek (Aug 23, 2009)

Don't do that, it's basically a scam.


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## pj_in_Dubai (Oct 10, 2012)

Recommendations?


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## s_khan_1989 (Apr 3, 2013)

I am in the same situation as you (ie very little prior experience in O&G. I am graduating in June and all of my experience has been through internships. I am looking for a entry level position in the Gulf.

Did you manage to get any success through the avenues posted above?

Can you offer any further direction?

Thanks


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## pj_in_Dubai (Oct 10, 2012)

I've been here over 6 months (since october). Sent off my resume to probably over 300 engineering job postings all over the UAE with ZERO call backs or interest. I have updated my Linkedin account and contacted umpteen HR people and recruiters at various Oil and gas, engineering companies with no luck. On paper, I should be the ideal candidate for any engineering company. I'm a westerner (already living in the UAE), professionally trained and over 14 years experience in various engineering and manufacturing companies. I have professional references such as Managers and P.eng co-workers who can back me up. I'm eager to learn and loyal at any roll within the engineering trade, proficient in many CAD programs and can easily pick up new software quickly......etc etc etc etc.....

What's the problem?
I've been told i will ALWAYS loose out to cheap, subcontinent labour. As soon as employers see im a westerner, they immediately know they can get/outsource 10 subcontinent workers for the price of me. I have been told this directly. The only way I can get my foot in the door is to know someone who works for the company and get my resume onto the hiring managers' desk. That's it. Otherwise, like all my online application/resumes and cold emails to HR, gets sent directly to the trash.

I can't even get a job at McD's because im "too expensive".

Good luck.


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## ccr (Jun 20, 2010)

I manage a team of engineers of Americans, Australians, Indians, Pakistanis, Egyptians, Omanis, Malaysians... And they are all paid as according to their respective experiences with very little reflection on their passports (differences of international or regional packages)

So your comment about worth 10 of Indian engineers is not applied universally... May be locally-own companies.

Your past experience of 14 years mostly in design (if I understood correctly) will be difficult to place you as you are not a fresh-out who needs training from step 1, nor an experienced professional in O&G field ready to run on day 1 either. Most likely you will seek salary comparable to your 14-year experience yet will require practical training (read more $) as very little O&G engineering work in UAE involve designing (that I am aware)


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## plckid (Jul 25, 2013)

pj_in_Dubai said:


> I've been here over 6 months (since october). Sent off my resume to probably over 300 engineering job postings all over the UAE with ZERO call backs or interest. I have updated my Linkedin account and contacted umpteen HR people and recruiters at various Oil and gas, engineering companies with no luck. On paper, I should be the ideal candidate for any engineering company. I'm a westerner (already living in the UAE), professionally trained and over 14 years experience in various engineering and manufacturing companies. I have professional references such as Managers and P.eng co-workers who can back me up. I'm eager to learn and loyal at any roll within the engineering trade, proficient in many CAD programs and can easily pick up new software quickly......etc etc etc etc.....
> 
> What's the problem?
> I've been told i will ALWAYS loose out to cheap, subcontinent labour. As soon as employers see im a westerner, they immediately know they can get/outsource 10 subcontinent workers for the price of me. I have been told this directly. The only way I can get my foot in the door is to know someone who works for the company and get my resume onto the hiring managers' desk. That's it. Otherwise, like all my online application/resumes and cold emails to HR, gets sent directly to the trash.
> ...


That is true for everyone. If you don't have the right contact you will never get a job regardless of the experience and nationality you have.Hr receives 1000 of resumes for a single opening and the person you has inside reference has an upper hand. The rest , gets thrown in thrash. I am trying for a job myself . Haven't got any leads whatsoever.Sometimes I feel my CV disappears in thin air.Any body here with *Instrumentation/automation * job openings . Doesnt matter even if it is a entry level job.Please do get back to me


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## Davidson28 (Nov 22, 2013)

Hey S Khan 1989 i graduated in October with an engineering degree and looking for an entry level position in the Oil and gas industry.Any luck?please keep me updated on your progress


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## Davidson28 (Nov 22, 2013)

Hey Ccr i totally agree with you.I am an engineering fresh graduate from a Western University looking out for Position in the oil and gas company.Have distributed my cv to most companies waiting for reply.Am passionate about engineering and have a strong will to learn too.

any form of assistance would be greatly appreciated.


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## twowheelsgood (Feb 21, 2013)

The issue is not the 'inside contacts' issue as people say as those with good inside contacts get the job and the job never gets advertised.

The scenario the OP outlines is simply typical of a highly competitive jobs market - lots of highly qualified AND experienced AND locally based folks applying for a job. Expecting to come higher up the selection order, ahead of those with more qualifications, more experience and a more relevant profile is optimistic at best.

Apply for jobs where your qualifications and experience are 100% relevant and you have a much better chance of getting a job.


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## Wak-Wak! (Apr 8, 2014)

Me and my crew has years of experience working in Iraq, Afghan, Kuwait. A few us even have some oil experience and are soaking up money in the oilfields here at home. However, we all miss the miserable heat and prayer call early in the a.m. All of us has been dropping resumes all over the internet, and no one is getting calls. Online overseas job searches are about as useful as teets on a boar hog. Its just too big a liability to hire a newb off the street and move them across the pond. They look for someone that is already there. I got two emails from Kurdistan, stating just that. 

Now my advice is this. If you're from N. America, come out and work in Texas, or the Gulf, or The Rockies, or the oil sands. Odessa, Tx is hiring on the spot and looking for entry level workers. Get some experience and save your money. Then look for a 28/28 rotation, and fly to Dubai/Abu Dhabi on your off month and network. This way you still have a job to come back too. In 3 months if you don't find something over there, you probably won't. 

I got offered two jobs last run though there, and I was just monkey screwing around. It's possible, but you need to know how to work a room. I'm as shameless as the hookers in those lounges.


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