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So I have decided to save for a month, leave the girl with some money and take off to ND for hopes of finding a job in the oil fields, plan is to apply ahead of time and hopefully get some interviews scheduled before i even leave, what is the best way to go about landing a job there? And how easy it it?Id like to land a job, eventually get a place in ND for me and my girl that i could go home to every said weeks.
Apartments near oilfields are $2,000/mo. Oil workers are expected to work about 15 hours a day to get their $100K/yr. So about no time to see wife or girlfriend. Best wishes.
Quote:
Originally Posted by James7723
So I have decided to save for a month, leave the girl with some money and take off to ND for hopes of finding a job in the oil fields, plan is to apply ahead of time and hopefully get some interviews scheduled before i even leave, what is the best way to go about landing a job there? And how easy it it?Id like to land a job, eventually get a place in ND for me and my girl that i could go home to every said weeks.
I have been hauling water in the Bakken for 4+ years, and have hauled from Dickinson to Canada, Sydney to Westhope. If you don't know someone currently here working that can hook you up, your chances of finding a job with any real longevity are pretty much slim to none. The "good" companies already have great employees that aren't going anywhere anytime soon. If there is an opening with reputable companies, there a 80,000 men and women already in North Dakota with experience that are lined up for that opening. Not trying to discourage anyone here, just giving you the facts. In a nutshell, find someone workinghere before finding a company to work for. STAY OFF CRAIGSLIST!!!
I would just apply for everything n anything, I got lucky and had a job interview which led to an offer letter WHILE I was in CDL school. Didn't know anyone up here but I pretended I did during the interview. Just sell yourself by explaining your strong points (which hopefully is mechanical and/or labor) and hell even say u got family in the business. And always do followup calls cuz they usually never look at your apps, just from my experience. Good luck
I was up there a little over three years ago and I only stayed for five months in the oil patch (I got a better paying job closer to home) but I may return this summer. Here some advice (for what it is worth):
1) Go to your local library and check out all of the books that you can on North Dakota. Read them carefully and then take notes. You need to know where the major cities are located in proximity to each and where you'd need to look for work.
2) If you cannot afford $2k a month rent (with as much as a deposit) then it might be advisable for you to look in the eastern part of the state ( Fargo, Grand Forks,etc) before you look in oil patch. That way, you can find a job (or two) save your money and then decide if you really want to live in the state.
3) If you have the funds, I would strongly advise investing in a used RV. The rents are high and there are probably 5-10 people waiting for your apartment if you manage to get one. If you have ANY problems with your landlord, they will evict and you will be homeless. WIthout an RV, you could easily find yourself sleeping in your car or leaving the area (no, friends that you make up there are probably not going to help as they don't want to be evicted either).
If you don't have the funds to buy a used RV, again, working in Fargo or Grand Forks for a while and then buying one there or in Minnesota before you go to the oil patch might be the best idea.
4) Bring some warm clothes. While it gets warm in the summer, it gets bitterly cold in the winters. You could buy clothes there or online, but you seem to be trying to save money, so take as much as you can with you. If you do not like the cold, then you might think twice.
5) Have a plan before you go - Most guys simply drive up there (the oil patch) or take the bus or train and then expect to go right to work making $100k per year. Doesn't usually work like that. I have 25+ years electrical and mechanical experience so I moved to the front of the line when I got there. Unless you have plenty of skills and your own set of tools, you may find yourself taking a few part-time jobs and trying to get hired by the big companies,
Come up with a solid plan for what you are going to do when you get there and what you might do if things don't work out. Create a good resume and line up some good references. ALso make certain that you have thick skin because you are going to need it.
That would be my suggestion, too. START with craigslist.
Work that $60K job for a while.
There are a lot of crappy employers up there, but at the same time, you can get your foot in the door and start making those important connections that'll move you up...
That would be my suggestion, too. START with craigslist.
Work that $60K job for a while.
There are a lot of crappy employers up there, but at the same time, you can get your foot in the door and start making those important connections that'll move you up...
Ummm..most of the ads on Craigslist are scams. If you start there you may find yourself the victim of identity fraud or something worse. Even Backpage.com ads are mostly fraudulent, so I would be cautious there as well.
Start looking at the Williston newspaper online and then go to Dickinson's and then Bismarck's. Then try the traditional online job sites and try North Dakota's state job site. THEN try rig zone.com (an energy industry web site) and then look at the online oil and construction employment sites.
Again, Craigslist is free and it is primarily used by people trying to scam jobseekers. Use it at your own risk.
I just scanned through the transportation jobs at CL.
I spotted a couple that might be fishy, but the rest were pretty straightforward.
"-Have at least 1 year of driving experience"
"Competitive benefits after probationary period."
"We run legal...so you will get about 70 hours per week....but not guaranteed...it's the oil patch"
"Must be a team player, turn in neat paperwork to the office as required by company."
"It is imperative that you can BACK UP A TRUCK. Oilfield locations are tight must be able to maneuver a truck in tight situations....."
Those are things a legitimate employer would post. As well as phone numbers you can easily Google to see if it's legit.
This, OTOH, is probably a scam:
"Make $2,500-3,000 per week Hauling Water"
I would suggest going to the Marcellus and Utica shale areas which is in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. I am 20 years old with no experience and just got a job in St. Clairsville, Ohio. There is a lot of activity around there and a lot in Washington, Pa as well.
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