Do you know the Drill

Do you know the Drill Do you know the Drill Do you know the Drill?Its one of the highest-paying occupations in America, and mechanical engineering skills are important to get the work done. In 2012, reports the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary for petroleum engineers is $139,000. Nearly 31,000 currently work in the booming oil and gas industry. Their responsibilities include planning for oil and gas extraction, production, tool modification, and overseeing drilling operations.Petroleum engineering encompasses a little bit of everything, explains Abhijit Dandekar, a professor in the department of petroleum engineering at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks (UAF) College of Engineering and Mines. The oil industry has two components. The service sector plays the essential supporting role, serving as contractors for drilling wells, collecting samples, and handling the on-site equipment. The major providers are Baker Hughes, Halliburton, and Schlumberger. The other sect or is the operating companies, such as Chevron and Shell. They operate the wells, sell the products on the global market, and hire petroleum engineers. Jobs can be all over the world, in any location that may have oil resources. In the U.S., a high percentage of jobs are located in Texas, Oklahoma, California, North Dakota, Louisiana, and Alaska. Some large drilling projects are in environments as challenging as Alaskas North Slope, the North Sea, deepwater Gulf of Mexico, and the Arctic offshore.Professor Abhijit Dandekar watches petroleum engineering students complete a stress test during a fluids lab procedure. Image University of Alaska Fairbanks photo by Todd ParisBeyond AcademicsDandekar, who teaches both undergraduate and graduate courses, finds that an M.S. degree gives an engineer a slight advantage in hiring. However, The two major operating companies in Alaska BP and Conoco Philips often pay tuition for a M.S. degree if you work there, he says. So a mechanical engineer hi red with a BS might decide to pursue a M.S. in petroleum engineering, which will provide other oil industry opportunities. UAFs mechanical engineering department now offers an Emphasis on Petroleum option, which covers the industrys three main job functions drilling, production, and reservoir management.The employers always look beyond academics, Dandekar stresses. One strong emphasis is on teamwork, since so many industry jobs are performed by groups. Working closely with people from different cultural and educational backgrounds requires flexibility and interaction. Someone can have an outstanding resume and a 4.0 GPA, but will also need to show some extra-curricular activities, such as involvement in one of the professional associations, like the Society of Petroleum Engineers or American Institute of Petroleum Geologists.Internship HelpsToday, the typical path into the petroleum industry for both graduate and undergraduate students is through an fr sichship, says Alice Palen, em ployer relations coordinator at the UAF Department of Career Services. Finding a job may be difficult if the student has not had an internship. Many companies now recruit interns, some as early as freshman year, and definitely during sophomore and junior year, she finds. They will train the intern expecting that, if all goes well, the student will return the following summer. If theres a good fit between the intern and the company, they may offer a job upon graduation. Internships are training opportunities, almost like a probationary period.Internships are well-paid and very competitive. Companies seek not only technical competence, but also interpersonal skills, especially for teamwork. Internship applicants may have two interviews one for technical knowledge, the other for behavioral factors.For an experienced mechanical engineer, an internship may not be essential, Palen suggests. Study the job descriptions for qualifications. To fill any gaps, you might consider taking a few p etroleum engineering classes.Oil companies often require online applications. On the company website, select the link for either internship of entry-level jobs. Read the job description carefully. Be sure to highlight the matches between your background and the job requirements, she says.At universities with engineering programs, Students and alumni should take note of job fairs and information sessions. In my experience, employers from the petroleum industry have had a major presence on campus, and expect to meet applicants at these events, says Palen. From past event evaluations, companies indicate that, whatever the economy, they have some pretty stable programs in place. We consistently get large oil companies posting jobs and coming here to recruit.Carol Milano is an independent writer.Companies seek not only technical competence, but also interpersonal skills, especially for teamwork.

Study reveals the state of the workplace in the #MeToo era

Study reveals the state of the workplace in the MeToo eraStudy reveals the state of the workplace in the MeToo eraNew findings from Pew Research Center show how people are feeling in the workplace now that MeToo is in full swing. Fifty-one percent of all surveyed said that they dont think the heightened awareness of sexual harassment and assault willchange much for women at work, compared to 28% who think it will usher in more opportunities for the group and 20% who think it will lead to less.Here are some of the data points that stood out.How people feel about harassment claimsThe research found that 46% of people think that regarding harassment and assault at work, women leid being believed is a major problem, compared to 34% who think its only a minor problem and 18% who dont think its an issue at all.In this same vein, almost a third (31%) of those surveyed feel that women falsely claiming sexual harassment/assault is a big issue, 45% think its a minor one, while 22% think its no t an issue at all.Half of the respondents (50%) think that men getting away with sexual harassment/assault is a big issue, 35% think its a minor one, and 14% believe its not an issue at all.When asked about employers firing accused men before finding out all the facts, 34% think its a major problem, 39% think its a minor problem and 26% think its not an issue.Whos dealing with harassmentOverall, 59% of women and 27% of men report getting unwanted sexual advances or verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature.In terms of education level, harassment has happened to 70% of women and 27% of men with a bachelors degree or higher, 65% of women and 30% of men who have completed some college, and 46% of women, and 24% of men whove made it to high school or less.Within the pool of women who say theyve been harassed, 14% have had it happen in a professional or work setting, 30% have had it happen outside the office, and 55% have had it happen in both areas. For the men, 19% say they have experienced it in a professional or work setting, 38% have gone through it elsewhere, and 42% have gone through it in both.Interaction in the workplaceWhile 51% of all people surveyed think that greater awareness of sexual harassment and assault has made it more difficult for men to know how to interact with women at work, 36% think it hasnt changed much, and 12% think its now easier.Among generations, 66% of those ages 65 and older think its now harder to navigating workplace interactions, while 25% think theres not much difference and 9% think its now easier compared to 41% of respondents ages 18 to 29 think its harder, 40% think theres not much difference and 16% think its easier.

5 Ways to Build a Personal Brand That Brings Employers to You

5 Ways to Build a Personal Brand That Brings Employers to You 5 Ways to Build a Personal Brand That Brings Employers to You Have you ever looked at the personal brands of celebrities like Oprah Winfrey or Tony Robbins and thought, Yeah, it works for them, but Im not successful enough to risk standing out like thatHeres the secret A brand isnt something you build once opportunity has landed in your lap. Rather, a brand is the engine that brings new opportunities your way. It fuels growth no matter what stage of your career youre in and perhaps most importantly, it separates you from the pack. The end result? Youll be onthe receiving end of a steady flow of new opportunities from employers and people who wish to do business with you. You may never have to hund for a job again.Heres how to get started building such a brand for yourself1. Define Your MissionA sense of purpose is essential to a brand that attracts attention. It is the North Star that guides every action you take, from giving a talk to firing off a tweet. If you skip this step,you willquickly find yourself lost in the woods, struggling to be found.Start by listing your top five values from most important to least. Examples might include family, community, and ambition.Then, list your top five passions from most important to least. Are you obsessed with advances in technology? Do you love being a connector between people in your network? Are you a fiend for mountain biking (like I am)? Dont separate career and personal just listyour passions.Finally, list yourtop five ideal traits. What traits have been most responsible for your successes to date? Quick learning? Empathy? Curiosity?Now review your answers to create a powerful one line mission statement. Here are some examples- My mission is to help ambitious people reach new levels in their careers.- My mission is to improve the lives of patients bybringing game-changing digital health solutions into the marketplace.- My mission is to show compani es that investing in HR and talent development isnt frivolous, but absolutely critical to long-term success.2. Turn Your LinkedIn Profile Into a Brand AssetIf your LinkedIn profile does nothing but reiterate your resume, youre wasting an enormous opportunity. Hook employers by turning it into a space that captivates and drives engagement instead.Create a headline that speaks directly to your audiences pain. Youre not an FPA manager, youre a leader who can tap into finances potential to unlock value. See the difference?Turn curiosity into engagement by haring your story in the summary section. Use the following structure1. Your mission2. How your background personaland professional revealed this mission to you.3. What youre currently doing to advance your mission.Be sure to bring in visual elements. A picture truly does say athousand words. Invest in some professional headshots and think hard about developing visual assets like a case studies report or project portfolio you can lin k to your profile. Thesewill add major value3. Launch a Top of Mind CampaignRegular engagement on social media is key to making sure your name is the first one on peoples lips. Think in terms of delivering valueinstead of self-promotion. Ask yourself, What problems are my target employers grappling with? and What is unique about the way I see this problem?Beyond hot takes on industry goings-on, you can share quotes, thank others in your network, and share your learning. In other words, as you learn interesting and relevant new things and come across amazing content, share it with your followers. This will help you come across as an industry insider and go a long ways toward establishing credibility with employers before theyve even reached out to you.Consider using a service like Hootsuite or Buffer to manage all of your social media accounts in one place, and schedule a weeks (or months) worth of posts in one sitting.Use the ABA principle for your campaign always be analyzing Wha t posts struck a chord with your target audience? Do more of that.4. Amplify Your Voice Across PlatformsOnce youhave a regular top of mind campaign going, its time to get serious about creating shareable content that will juice your efforts and act as calling cards with potential employers.Get serious about blogging. Set up a personal website (all-in-one website builders like Squarespace and Weebly can get you up and running quickly) and start creating long-form posts that key decision-makers at target companies would find highly useful. These can also be shared on LinkedIn. Expert tip Use Quora to search for questions that are frequently asked by professionals in your niche and write blog posts addressing those questions in depth.Launch and manage a niche LinkedIn group for example, Digital Marketing and PR Outlaws. This can help establish you as a thought leader and bring a steady flow of relevant industry connections your way. Just be sure to carve out some weekly time to modera te comments and engagement. A spam-filled group does you no favorsConsider creating a weekly podcast or YouTube-hosted video series that will give you a broader level of exposure and foster deeper connections with your target audience.5. Take It OfflineAs alluring as online brand building is, there is no substitute for person-to-person engagement. Research local events and meetups where you can speak. Provide tons of value and be sure to record them to share on social media to add to your portfolio Its an amazing way to meet and leverage industry influencers.Anish Majumdar is a career coach, executive resume writer, and LinkedIn expert. Check out his career videos atResumeOrbit.comand connect with him onLinkedIn.