MELANIE CRUTHIRDS, News Editor
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| As an employer, ConocoPhillips’ values are embodied by a sense of SPIRIT: safety, people, integrity, responsibility, innovation and teamwork. Photo courtesy of ConocoPhillips. |
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In the upstream oil and gas industry, there has been an almost universal uptick in activity around the world in recent months. As companies expand existing operations, and continue to establish new projects, the increase in business has meant corresponding growth in hiring rates. Operators and service companies are adding team members to keep up with their growing portfolios.
In this year’s special supplement, you will learn more about the latest trends and best practices from today’s recruitment environment, as experienced by hiring decision-makers, new hires, educators and seasoned industry professionals. This supplement includes input from active professionals about topics like company perception and branding, as well as gender differences in the workplace. International competition for an increasingly limited number of qualified professionals, and the oil and gas industry’s image, as a whole, will also be covered here.
The Recruitment 2013 supplement provides a more detailed look at what it is like to hire top talent in today’s hiring market, as well as what it is like to seek employment, no matter your experience level. As industry companies continue to set lofty business goals for the next months and years, the need for qualified professionals will only increase. This supplement will give you an idea of how that growth process could play out. The following topical sections provide an overview of some of the themes of this year’s supplement.
INCREASED INVESTMENT
A shift in the industry, from more traditional plays, to unconventional resources onshore, means that companies will be looking for potential hires to be able to apply their skills in new ways. If a candidate is fresh out of college, and lacks real-world experience, companies are investing more than ever in training programs, to accelerate his or her knowledge. The faster that an employee can learn, the sooner he or she will be an effective team member.
ENHANCING EDUCATION
Taking a step back from the hiring stage, and into the classroom, industry veterans have reiterated the need for an increased emphasis on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education. Reaching students, while they are earning their degrees, means that employers can explain the opportunities offered by the industry, and encourage undergraduates to pursue degrees that they can later put to use in oil and gas. The more new graduates enter the market, the better the talent pool will be.
MINDING THE GAP
As droves of older professionals begin to retire, and these graduates enter the workforce, trying to replace them, the resulting gap means increased competition among employers looking to attract talented professionals from a smaller pool. Like never before, companies must be vigilant about protecting and refining their brand and message, which can be a make-or-break factor for some candidates. A social media misstep, or a sour experience with a hiring representative, could see a company lose a potential hire to its competitor.
GLOBAL COMPETITION
As new resource frontiers are opened around the world, companies are looking to place qualified professionals in a variety of roles, from engineering to administration. In today’s hiring environment, human resources professionals and recruiters are seeing competition not only between companies, but between regions, for top oil and gas talent. Additionally, outside industries like aeronautics and IT, are drawing potential hires away from the industry, which has, at times, suffered from negative perceptions as a fossil fuel industry. 
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