You are not the only one who is considering a career in the oil industry, is that right? And there's a solid explanation for it. Positions in the oil sector often provide higher compensation, more job stability, and better benefits than jobs in other industries that require the same level of expertise. Even the remuneration for a Roustabout is pretty substantial. When you're working on the rig, you have to put in a lot of effort, use your head, and work your way up through the ranks using training like our roustabout training course.
Now, when I said "hard labor," I surely didn't mean "easy money," and there are some individuals who just aren't made out for it. However, if you have the determination to put in long hours of hard labor, you will be rewarded for your efforts. If a person does well in their roustabout job for six months, they have a strong chance of being promoted to a roughneck position, which comes with an average annual salary of around $60,000. After five years, employees who put in persistent effort are eligible for the Driller position, which comes with a potential salary of well over $100,000.
So, tell me, what exactly does it mean to be a Roustabout?
On a rig, the worker with the lowest degree of authority is known as a roustabout. Roustabouts are often tasked with cleaning, operating fundamental pieces of equipment, scraping paint and repainting, loading and unloading big cargo, and assisting with any other jobs that may come up.
In general, the job of roustabout demands a lot of physical exertion and a commitment to working long hours. Roustabouts often labor in blocks of two weeks, and then take the same amount of time off between those blocks. They are on the job for a total of 14 consecutive days, during which time they typically work a shift that lasts for 12 hours every day and is referred to as a tour (the word is pronounced "tower"). They are required to work in all conditions as long as it is safe to do so.
"You go so long and so long, you're simply spent," claimed one roustabout who worked onshore in Lisbon, Ohio. Then I'll be right back to doing it once again." It is not easy. According to CareerCast's rankings, working on an oil rig was one of the worst professions available in 2012. You may thus work your way up from being a Roustabout in a matter of months, but the job is not going to be simple at any point throughout the process.
On the other hand, a lot of individuals really like what they do. According to the words of one roustabout working in North Dakota, "when everything is moving well, everything is clean, and everything is operating correctly, it is probably the most laid back, easy going job there is." And I savor each and every one of them. "I wouldn't give it up for anything in the world."
Demand and Benefits for Roustabouts and Oilfield Workers Why the Time Is Right for This Career Path
The demand for energy around the globe is steadily growing with each passing day. It is projected that developing countries like India and China will only continue to expand, which means that there is a great deal of job stability available in the oil business and a wonderful wage available for Roustabouts.
In the meanwhile, the Baby Boomer generation in the United States makes up a significant portion of the oilfield workforce and is starting the process of retiring. In addition to all of this, the drilling sector is flourishing as a direct result of recent advancements in hydraulic fracturing and shale gas. Therefore, as a result of increasing demand, a boom in drilling activity, and the retirement of a large number of employees, this is one of the finest periods that there have ever been to get into drilling, and this is the reason why Roustabout and Roughneck pay are so high.
In addition to the income that you would get, working as a Roustabout would also entitle you to a number of other benefits. To begin, since many people who work in the oil field work two weeks on and two weeks off, you essentially have the better part of the year off.
Second, while you are working, all of your meals are provided to you, as well as paid for and cooked by the company. You won't have to wash the laundry or clean the living quarters either, which is a huge relief. The vast majority of offshore drilling rigs are also equipped with a weight room, a commons space, and a television room. The majority of routing positions also provide health insurance and investment options via their own firms.
If you are interested in traveling, you will also have numerous options to do so. It was possible for you to go to almost every continent. There are even some places that will pay you almost twice as much to work there! One country that fits this description is Angola in Africa, as well as Saudi Arabia in the Middle East.
Last but not least, as we are about to demonstrate to you, there is a truly remarkable and one-of-a-kind opportunity for career advancement that will take you from a reasonable salary as a Roustabout to a substantial salary as a Roughneck to the extremely lucrative salary of a Tool-pusher, and all of this can be accomplished without having to obtain a college degree.
One might anticipate a promotion from Roustabout to Roughneck within a year or even in as low as six months if they put in the necessary amount of effort. Roughnecks are paid more than Roustabouts because because they have more experience than Roustabouts, which translates to their doing more skilled labor.
Making pipe connections, running and tripping pipe, controlling the crane, operating the drilling engines or pipe tongs, shifting mud weights, and ensuring that the shakers are functioning correctly are all examples of tasks that are included as part of Roughneck job descriptions.
It is reasonable to anticipate that you will be promoted to the position of Derrick Hand a few years after proving yourself to be a successful Roughneck. This role is immediately below that of the Driller and is responsible for the drilling mud, mud pits, mud pumps, and the putting in and taking out of stands of pipe in the fingers (way up in the derrick).
The Roughnecks report to the Driller, who is in control of the crew. If you have roughly five years of experience working as a roughneck and you continue to perform well in your profession, you have the opportunity to advance to the position of driller. The Roughnecks report to the Driller, who is in control of the crew. During drilling, he or she is in charge of the rig's equipment and must ensure that all activities on the rig go without a hitch.
You could even be able to become a Tool-pusher in the future if you play your cards well and do well enough in your career. The Tool-pusher is in charge of supervising a number of different workers at once and is also accountable for monitoring the operations of the rig as a whole.
What are the fundamental requirements for someone to get hired as a roughneck or a roustabout?
The prerequisites to become a Roustabout are, well, basic in nature, if you want to gain the job. You will need to demonstrate that you can pass a drug test as well as a physical exam, be at least 18 years old, and in certain cases, a high school certificate or a General Equivalency Diploma (GED) is required. However, even if you are able to fulfill all of these requirements, it does not guarantee you a position as a roustabout. The level of competition is really high! When we get together again, we'll have more to say about how to get the position.
Advice from the Profession: How to Get the Job
1. Get Rid of the Dirt.
The majority of drug testing in the oilfield are conducted on urine samples and hair samples. This indicates that they will reveal what you've done over the last four months or more at the very least. Only roughly one in every four people who apply for the job pass the drug test. If you don't make sure you're tidy before you submit your application, you won't stand a chance.
2. Make a resume.
A resume is a document that outlines your talents and your job history for the purpose of having it reviewed by a potential employer. Learn how to construct a good resume by reading about it online if you are uncertain about the process. This topic is covered by a great number of websites. Employers will be searching for personnel who have shown in the past that they can be relied upon to do their jobs consistently.
You'll need to differentiate yourself from the other candidates if you want to get a Roustabout job since the qualifications aren't very stringent. Employers will be searching for individuals who have a track record of being reliable employees in the past (i.e. who have had employment for a significant length of time), who have experience working in construction, and who have a criminal record that is as spotless as possible, among other qualifications. Therefore, highlight all of the experience that is pertinent to the position you are applying for, and make sure to give references of individuals who you know would speak well of you to prospective employers.
3. Make the most of your network.
I can't stress the importance of this enough: make advantage of your network. In other words, have a conversation with everyone you know who is employed in the field. If you don't know anybody, ask your family and friends if they know someone they could introduce you to. When you discover someone who works in the sector, be sure to ask them plenty of questions about it. Inquire with them about their occupation and the path that led them there. Make it known that you are interested in working with Roustabout and inquire about the best way to get there.
If they believe you have what it takes, they will likely be able to secure you an interview at their firm or at a company that they know of and which employs people with your skills. Even the most insignificant of connections may be quite useful, and this is how the vast majority of individuals break into an industry in the first place. Don't worry about going even if it turns out that you don't know anybody at the party. There are a lot of folks who get in by just working hard and relying on their own merit.
4. Look for job openings online.
A quick search on Google will provide a large number of results, and the majority of applications will be submitted online through the website of the firm. However, in addition to that, you should go through the newspapers and job fairs in your local region. Companies that are less large and more traditional have a greater likelihood of discovering candidates via local channels such as these.
Keep in mind that the more difficult it is to locate the job ad, the less people will apply for it, increasing the likelihood that you will be selected for the position. Additionally, exercise your creativity while using social media. Check to see whether the firm has a Facebook or Twitter account, read their posts, and think about making a post or tweet on one of those platforms. It's possible that you may strike a connection with someone who can assist you.
5. Apply.
The subsequent stage is the application itself. Send your resume to every employer you can think of. Surprisingly, not nearly enough individuals take this step nearly as seriously as they should. They will put in a few applications for employment before giving up altogether. Avoid becoming one of those folks at all costs. It's possible that some businesses won't hire you. Keep applying anyhow.
Do as much research as you can about the firm to which you are applying before submitting your application.
Create a unique and individualized cover letter for every business that you submit your application to. Do as much research as you can about the firm to which you are applying before submitting your application. Find out what aspects of their company most interest you, and make sure to highlight those aspects in your cover letter (if you're not sure how to write a decent cover letter, it's crucial that you learn how to do so, and you may do so by reading about it online). Showing initiative by writing the cover letter and incorporating facts about the firm can help set you apart from the other applicants and put you in a better position to get the job.
In addition, make sure that you follow up on your application by sending an email or calling them. Taking the effort to do this seemingly little gesture can help you stand out from the other applicants and increase the likelihood that you will be invited for an interview.
6. Interview.
If you receive a job interview, then you've just accomplished half of your goal! Review whatever you've learned about the organization from your previous study in preparation for this interview. Become an authority on the firm they work for. During the interview, you should demonstrate self-assurance without coming off as arrogant, and you should underline your readiness and want to put in a lot of effort.
7. Improve your resume, and don't stop sending out applications.
If you apply to a few different firms and are turned down, take a moment to collect yourself, take a few steps back, and contemplate why you weren't chosen. Where do you fall short in your resume? In what ways might you make it better?
One of the easiest methods to improve your CV is to start educating yourself about the oil industry via the use of online courses such as those that are provided by LearnToDrill.com, which can be found on this website. If you do this, you will not only be better prepared for the future when you do acquire a job, but you will also stand out from the other applicants.
If you feel that your resume is lacking in a certain area, you should devise a strategy to improve that area. For instance, if you have a pattern of abandoning jobs after three weeks, you should look for something that is less competitive and ensure that you give it your all on a regular basis. Then, after a few months or a year has passed, you will be able to demonstrate that you have broken this long-standing pattern of yours. In addition, if you have put in a lot of effort, you will have a credible reference, someone who can testify for both you and the work ethic you have shown.
If there is a specific reason you are aware that you are being rejected, such as a criminal act, then you should take the necessary efforts to remove yourself from this and demonstrate that you have learnt your lesson. After you have completed these steps, be sure to include them at the beginning of your application by including a cover letter.
For instance, if you have a driving while intoxicated conviction on your record, you may want to think about giving up alcohol completely and becoming engaged with anti-drunk driving initiatives at a high school in your community. Then, when you apply for jobs in the future, add a cover letter that confesses frankly that you have a DWI, demonstrates how you have grown as a result of this experience in your life, and emphasizes that you will not make the same mistake again.
There aren't many things in life that come easily, but persistent effort will ultimately pay off in the long run. Above all else, do not let yourself get disheartened. Finding job in today's market may be quite challenging due to the intense level of competition.
Advice for the Industry: How to Succeed Once You're Offshore
I hope you're enjoying your time working offshore if you are! You should be proud of yourself since you've made it this far. To succeed in this environment, you will, nevertheless, need to continue to differentiate yourself from others. If you give the following advice some thought and apply it, you will be well on your way to achieving your goals.
1. Place a high priority on safety.
Even while working in roustabout occupations is substantially safer today than it was in the past, there are still some serious dangers, and you need to be careful and vigilant at all times. Your superiors, particularly if you work for a big oil and gas business, will be putting pressure on you to prioritize safety. Because you are taking it seriously and are not being a burden to your team, you won't attract the attention of the supervisors in a way that is unwelcome.
2. Put up a lot of effort at all times.
Because you will get compensated for the amount of physical labor you put in at a Roustabout job, you should be prepared to put in a lot of effort. You should give it your best effort to get things done as soon as possible without compromising the quality of the job or your own personal safety. Don't grumble and instead offer to assist out wherever you can. Volunteer. Take on the more taxing responsibilities whenever you have the chance.
If you accomplish all of this, people will start to respect you more and like you more.
3. Get educated quickly.
You will provide assistance with a variety of procedures and duties if you are hired as a Roustabout. You need to have a solid understanding of these procedures and be able to anticipate the requirements of your colleague in order to be the best assistant you can be. Be sure that rather than holding up the process, your presence actually speeds things along.
Ask questions of more experienced oil field workers who are willing to teach you, as long as you do it in a way that doesn't get on their nerves. There are many oil field workers that are eager to teach others. Their unique perspective will show to be really beneficial in the long term! You could also think about gaining knowledge via online courses, such as the ones we provide here on LearnToDrill.com. We provide engaging and conversational classes that are centered on assisting you in attaining an expert level of knowledge. Learning new things on a consistent basis will make you a better Roustabout and will help you move up the career ladder, increasing your earning potential from that of a Roustabout to that of a Roughneck and beyond.
4. Educate yourself on how to provide joy to everyone.
When you start a new job anywhere, you should spend some time becoming acquainted with the local customs and the people you will be working with. Take note of the people and things that are revered, and model your behavior after those you like. Make an effort to blend in with the other members of your rig crew while simultaneously earning the respect of the supervisors. For instance, you should demonstrate that you are concerned about safety by participating actively in safety meetings and showing that you take safety seriously. However, you should be careful not to attempt to make yourself appear better than everyone else.
Your actions will be seen by your superiors, and even if they are not, the behavior you are displaying will cause your coworkers to despise you. A significant number of individuals struggle mightily to strike a healthy work-life balance within their respective fields of employment. If the vast majority of people do not like you, then your success rate will naturally be lower.