I understand you, I really do.
Considering I don't know you, have never met you and might never meet you, this is a bold claim. I'm writing this before you could have the chance to read it. I am writing this as currently there are no articles on our website whatsoever. The company website isn't finished yet.
Am I mad?
I'm writing this as we are about to launch a brand new business into the worst oil and gas industry downturn in a generation. It will be only the seasoned industry veterans that will remember times as bad as this, back in the dark days of 1986, a chapter that left a recruiting gap spanning many years.
So, am I mad?
Almost every industry related news report is negative; jobs are getting lost, more significant mergers are getting confirmed, bankruptcies are in the air, and oil prices show no signs of recovery.
Savvy stock and commodity traders often look for confirmed uptrends based on accurate statistics. For example, they might look for the 30-day moving average breaking through the 90-day line on a price chart. There are no signs of this in the recent oil price.
As I'm sure you're aware, oil companies start sanctioning exploration, appraisal and development projects when the numbers add up. However, we probably are yet to see the capitulation phase current supply/demand dynamic.
Here lies the reason for optimism. We know that the current situation will change.
What's happened in oil and gas isn't the result of a business cycle. It's much more the result of another simple economic model; supply and demand. Technology improvements have allowed vastly increased oil reserves to become accessible, mostly in areas outside of OPEC control. So there's a massive game of geopolitics currently at play, after all, the countries forming the OPEC cartel don't want to see it becoming irrelevant - even though it could get argued that it's already too late. Most analysts assumed the current instability in the Middle East would affect the supply side of the equation - and this hasn't happened. Oil is even still exported in ever-increasing volumes from the ISIS-controlled oil fields of Iraq and Syria.
The market will correct. It always has, and it always will. Suddenly everyone will be bullish again, and upside price moves will be breathtaking. With competition for top talent restored in a leaner industry, people like you will once again have the opportunity to have more options and choices for your next assignments.
Everything will go 'back to normal' again, even if a new 'normal' gets based on more intelligent and savvy behaviours. It's how the industry works. A severe downturn flushes out the weakest players first, the players that make mistakes and tarnish the industry. These players can go and do something else. Perhaps something to which they're more suited. Sadly the current downturn has gone beyond flushing out the weakest players, and an element of 'the wrong place at the wrong time' has prevailed.
Those of us that are left will be sharper, stronger and more appreciative of our place within the industry. (Which has after all been the backbone of economic development since the industrial revolution).
The most influential people in the industry have always gotten richly rewarded. Rewarded not just financially, but with a lifestyle and opportunities for adventure that few people ever get to experience.
The smartest people in the industry are not waiting for the next upturn; they are striving towards it. They're planning, training or perhaps enjoying a well-earned rest. Rest that has been long delayed.
As the green shoots appear, as the industry starts to move up a gear, the best-prepared companies and individuals will hit the ground running.
How will we know that things are improving? How will the cream of the industry identify itself?
- Through the quality of their network.
Right now, many of the clueless recruiters that used to call you no longer do. The mismatched job offers and the junk emails have for the time being have all but disappeared. Many of these recruiters and agents are off selling something else. As the industry recovers, there will be a new wave of nuisance callers and spam emailers.
You probably already have a quality network of peers and previous employers and workmates. You probably already have your ‘go-to' recruiters or agents. If however, you have had some negative experiences with recruiters, then you are not alone, and you're part of our target audience.
If you've ever:
... Received emails with job offers that you're vastly overqualified for, or are not qualified for at all.
... Received phone calls with definite job opportunities that later on turned out not to exist.
... Relied on a job placement only to find that your paperwork was not correctly processed. (e.g. a residence visa or work permit has not materialised).
... Received mass spam emails that are not relevant to you, especially from someone that you've never previously shared your contact details.
... Received repeated phone calls from agents when you've made it clear that your current contract has a long way to go.
... Have sensed that the recruiter or agent that you are dealing with is clueless. Not just in the industry, but at life in general.
… Felt that your CV was only getting harvested for future financial gain. (FYI: If a recruiter submits your CV without your prior approval to an oil and gas company it can block your chance of working for that same company through a recruiter of your own choice).
Then we would like to connect and network with you. We won't dispense false hope, false promises, or inflated expectations.
The only thing that we do promise is that we'll never present unsuitable offers to you. We'll never bombard you with emails or phone calls. We believe that accurate data management and personal touch is vital in being as professional as we possibly can be.
We aim to work with you to match opportunities to your market value — nothing less, nothing more. If there's no job available that is tailor-made for you, we won't call you. We'll ensure that any potential job opportunity gets matched to your work history. That will get determined by a seasoned professional who understands the industry, inside-out. The type of person who would have been part of your team in past jobs. Someone who knows what gets required of each role, and who knows how a good team works together.
Sound good?
See, I'm not mad, and neither are you.
Thank you for visiting our website and reading our first article. If you think that you might like to work with us in the future, submit your email. You will not receive any junk from us, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
To make the most of the downturn, and get in on the upturn at the earliest opportunity, start networking today.
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< Your Relationship With Your Recruiter
