What can I do to get a job in the oil boom? (Fargo: insurance)
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Looking for next spring as last fall a guy doing this advised that I should try to make the move in spring so as to have the best shot at good lodging when it gets cold.
I am an electrical engineer with a little more than 5 years experience when I am hoping to move. I'd like to stay in that field if there are any jobs available for it. Any advice?
The oil boom is in western North Dakota, particularly near Williston.
Be aware that housing is in extremely short supply up by the oil fields. You may have an exceedingly difficult time finding a place to live. You'll pay through the nose for everything from housing to food to clothing because 1) demand is huge and 2) there are plenty of people willing to take money from those who have it. The weather can be really fierce.
You can make a lot of money in the oil fields. But it isn't easy. Be careful and make sure you go in with your eyes wide open. If you can, talk to people who are already there working in the oil fields and listen to what they have to say. Good luck!
I would look at firms like Oasis, Continental Resources, Statoil, ect. I think you are wasting time trying to get on a rig as you likely are more schooled than the "company man" in charge of the whole rig. Stay away from drillers like Schlumberger as you'll be a drilling engineer rather than an EE.
Engineering firms are ok but if the boom busts, you'll get laid off due to lack of work but there could be other project work to do. Infrastructure in ND is pretty limited and the oil areas need a lot of help.
Production companies typically don't lay off surface facility engineers (ChE, ME, EE) as there are still projects to do during slow times. Petroleum engineers do as they are closely tied to subsurface drilling and how to get oil out of the rock. Typically, during the boom, the grunt work (sizing calcs, ect.) gets farmed out to engineering firms and the company engineers are basically project managers.
Looking for next spring as last fall a guy doing this advised that I should try to make the move in spring ... Any advice?
Scorpio pretty much summed it up. But a word of caution. It really all depends on what you're willing to put up with. I fell pretty far before I decided to pick myself up.
No lodging - I didn't care. I was prepared to live in my car. Yes... my car. I purchased a bunch of cold weather gear and already had a -40 bag that I slept in when I lived in Alaska in a hammock. Just need to be willing to endure the hardship and prepare yourself to do so. Obviously for most ppl this isn't a long term solution... but it at least affords you the time to find something while working. Again this time of year not being the most ideal for most people.
Food $$$ - Going out is expensive. Shopping at Walmart is not. Depends what you buy. Right now I live off two or three bowls of oatmeal, a couple protein shakes, a bunch of supplements (omegas, vitamins and beta carotene mostly), and a $5 footlong black forest ham sub everyday. The sub more than doubles my food cost per day. If you saw my paycheck you'd probably be wondering why I still eat the way I do... I'm cheap... I still owe my CC's a lot of $$$.
Out-of-Stater - Didn't care. I knew my prospects of getting hired would be exponentially better if I was physically here. So I came. I put where I slept as the address on my resume. Walmart in Minot. I now have my ND CDL... for other reasons but otherwise would have kept my AK license and still not have a local ND address. (I actually have a real address now from company housing.)
Job - I did care about this LOL. I spent every last penny I had to get my CDL and gosh darnit I was going to drive truck. Took 3+ weeks to land the job. Did it for 2 weeks before I got pissed at the company and found another job which I started 2 weeks later. My point being if you are picky it may take a little longer. EE Tech is something related (probably mildly) to electrical engineering, should be good paying and is on the rigs. IDK the prospects of an electrical engineering job though. If you are not picky you can probably start work right away (Command Center in Bakken Staffing at the very minimum) while you look for your ideal job.
Scorpio pretty much summed it up. But a word of caution. It really all depends on what you're willing to put up with. I fell pretty far before I decided to pick myself up.
No lodging - I didn't care. I was prepared to live in my car. Yes... my car. I purchased a bunch of cold weather gear and already had a -40 bag that I slept in when I lived in Alaska in a hammock. Just need to be willing to endure the hardship and prepare yourself to do so. Obviously for most ppl this isn't a long term solution... but it at least affords you the time to find something while working. Again this time of year not being the most ideal for most people.
While you might not care, the towns people and law enforcement do. Living in your car or RV without a permanent setup is now frowned upon and illegal in some areas. Unless you have a place to park and "facilities" to go along with it don't expect to be welcomed.
Scorpio pretty much summed it up. But a word of caution. It really all depends on what you're willing to put up with. I fell pretty far before I decided to pick myself up.
No lodging - I didn't care. I was prepared to live in my car. Yes... my car. I purchased a bunch of cold weather gear and already had a -40 bag that I slept in when I lived in Alaska in a hammock. Just need to be willing to endure the hardship and prepare yourself to do so. Obviously for most ppl this isn't a long term solution... but it at least affords you the time to find something while working. Again this time of year not being the most ideal for most people.
Food $$$ - Going out is expensive. Shopping at Walmart is not. Depends what you buy. Right now I live off two or three bowls of oatmeal, a couple protein shakes, a bunch of supplements (omegas, vitamins and beta carotene mostly), and a $5 footlong black forest ham sub everyday. The sub more than doubles my food cost per day. If you saw my paycheck you'd probably be wondering why I still eat the way I do... I'm cheap... I still owe my CC's a lot of $$$.
Out-of-Stater - Didn't care. I knew my prospects of getting hired would be exponentially better if I was physically here. So I came. I put where I slept as the address on my resume. Walmart in Minot. I now have my ND CDL... for other reasons but otherwise would have kept my AK license and still not have a local ND address. (I actually have a real address now from company housing.)
Job - I did care about this LOL. I spent every last penny I had to get my CDL and gosh darnit I was going to drive truck. Took 3+ weeks to land the job. Did it for 2 weeks before I got pissed at the company and found another job which I started 2 weeks later. My point being if you are picky it may take a little longer. EE Tech is something related (probably mildly) to electrical engineering, should be good paying and is on the rigs. IDK the prospects of an electrical engineering job though. If you are not picky you can probably start work right away (Command Center in Bakken Staffing at the very minimum) while you look for your ideal job.
Robione summed up even better. My big stickler i tell peeps is 2 things...
1. PLAN, PLAN, PLAN, PLAN
2. Take care of your loose ends BEFORE you come. Drivers license, old tickets, fines, proper ids, vehicle, insurance, birth cert, ss card, passport, etc...
Trying to tidy up those things remotely whilst looking for a job is dang near impossible, especially when an employer says... "start tomorrow"
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I purchased a bunch of cold weather gear and already had a -40 bag that I slept in when I lived in Alaska in a hammock. Just need to be willing to endure the hardship and prepare yourself to do so. Obviously for most ppl this isn't a long term solution... but it at least affords you the time to find something while working. Again this time of year not being the most ideal for most people.
