|
Author |
Message |
|
Senior Manager
Joined: 07 Jan 2008
Posts: 321
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
Schools: Ross Class of 2011
Followers: 4
Kudos [?]:
60
[1] , given: 0
|
Re: RiverRipper's Guide to Energy [#permalink]
 08 Sep 2009, 15:20
1
This post received
KUDOS
I'll chime in on the languages with a simple story. I was very excited about learning Spanish and was assigned to a Latin America Business Unit. After about a month of trying to get people to speak Spanish with me with very little success I asked my mentor about it. He told me that the managers I was communicating with were trying to improve their English. Most expats looking to move up in the company are trying to master English. So for the most part English really is the global language for energy companies.
Another example comes from a coworker of mine who is Nigerian - he explained if two Nigerians meet on the street there is only a slim chance they speak the same language, because of this they will default to English which they learn in school.
Brazil/Africa/Asia are the big markets right now for Energy so you can't go wrong with Portuguese, Spanish, Australian accent - but impeccable English will get you a long way.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current Student
Joined: 26 May 2009
Posts: 685
Schools: Ross 2012
Followers: 4
Kudos [?]:
34
[1] , given: 4
|
Re: RiverRipper's Guide to Energy [#permalink]
05 Dec 2010, 06:26
1
This post received
KUDOS
Nick2010 wrote: milias wrote: lsuguy7 wrote: I'm definitely active in REC and always around if you want to talk energy or recruiting. Cool. I'm actually in Houston right now on an REC-sponsored trip to meet energy companies in the area. It'd be really funny you turn out to be on the trip, too. Hey Milias, would it be possible to know which companies are you visiting? I am really interested in both Ross & Energy! We visited Horizon Wind, Shell, Exxon, Deloitte Energy Consulting, Chevron, and GasRock Capital, so definitely a good mix. Someone from BCG also came out to our happy hour and took resumes. The organizers could've gotten more companies for the visit due to time constraints, since it was our inaugural trip. The list will most likely be expanded for future trips. Aside from the networking, we also had a little - or a little too much - fun in Houston, since for a lot of us it was our first time in Houston/Texas. Definitely a solid trip. It's like a little M-Trek. Good luck with your Ross application!
_________________
Respect my Authoritaaah!
|
|
|
|
|
|
GMAT Club Legend
Joined: 10 Apr 2007
Posts: 4319
Location: Back in Chicago, IL
Schools: Kellogg Alum: Class of 2010
Followers: 68
Kudos [?]:
679
[1] , given: 5
|
Re: RiverRipper's Guide to Energy [#permalink]
12 Dec 2010, 11:18
1
This post received
KUDOS
milias wrote: OK, this is probably going to sound like an odd question, but what are some of the exit opportunities in oil & gas? Suppose I start working for them, but it doesn't turn out the way I thought it would, where could I go from there? This was part of the reason I did not go back after an internship. My mentor for the summer basically told me that the exit opportunities for O&G for most positions is limited to other oil companies or industry companies. He also described the golden handcuffs as you advance, you get stock grants that vest over a long time and its often generous so its usually really difficult to walk away from that pile of cash. Almost everyone I met at the supermajor I worked for was a career person. You could do an internship and see if you like it but realize that if you join up you probably will spend a lot of your life there unless you leave quickly. (less than 3 years). Its a great industry in a lot of ways: good work life balance, high pay, international opportunities, etc...but there are definite drawbacks. Spending 3 months there might make you love it or leave it.
_________________
Kellogg Class of 2010...still active and willing to help. However, I do not do profile reviews, don't offer predictions on chances and am far to busy to review essays, so save the energy of writing me a PM seeking help for these. If I don't respond to a PM that is not one of the previously mentioned trash can destined messages, please don't take it personally I get so many messages I have a hard to responding to most. The more interesting, compelling, or humorous you message the more likely I am to respond.
Find out what's new at GMAT Club - latest features and updates
|
|
|
|
|
|
GMAT Club Legend
Joined: 10 Apr 2007
Posts: 4319
Location: Back in Chicago, IL
Schools: Kellogg Alum: Class of 2010
Followers: 68
Kudos [?]:
679
[1] , given: 5
|
Re: RiverRipper's Guide to Energy [#permalink]
24 Feb 2011, 22:11
1
This post received
KUDOS
A friend of mine joined acciona, which is one of the largest wind players in the US. I know a few people who interviewed with Vestas. Its a pretty small area still despite all things. Getting hired is not really school based yet. I know acciona is in chicago so they recruited at both Booth and Kellogg. Honestly, if you dont have a background its going to be a tough road. There are people with background, often engineering at these firms or utilities looking to return and they have a huge leg up. Wind is not that competitve of a market in the US right now, the goverment props it up and it seems to have slowed over the last few years. As for consulting, the biggies hire people as generalists. You can pick office and might get more energy related projects but no promises. I discussed energy with a few of them and none seemed like it was going to be highly likely to get into energy exclusively even considering a strong background. There are some niche consulting firms but they aren't going to have the same opportunities and career prospects as BCG, Bain, etc...
_________________
Kellogg Class of 2010...still active and willing to help. However, I do not do profile reviews, don't offer predictions on chances and am far to busy to review essays, so save the energy of writing me a PM seeking help for these. If I don't respond to a PM that is not one of the previously mentioned trash can destined messages, please don't take it personally I get so many messages I have a hard to responding to most. The more interesting, compelling, or humorous you message the more likely I am to respond.
Find out what's new at GMAT Club - latest features and updates
|
|
|
|
|
|
GMAT Club Legend
Joined: 10 Apr 2007
Posts: 4319
Location: Back in Chicago, IL
Schools: Kellogg Alum: Class of 2010
Followers: 68
Kudos [?]:
679
[1] , given: 5
|
Re: RiverRipper's Guide to Energy [#permalink]
18 Sep 2011, 06:06
1
This post received
KUDOS
If you want to join an MBA program at a big oil company, I would say that Chevron is probably the single best options. Their finance one is extremely well run, these other programs are based off that design.
_________________
Kellogg Class of 2010...still active and willing to help. However, I do not do profile reviews, don't offer predictions on chances and am far to busy to review essays, so save the energy of writing me a PM seeking help for these. If I don't respond to a PM that is not one of the previously mentioned trash can destined messages, please don't take it personally I get so many messages I have a hard to responding to most. The more interesting, compelling, or humorous you message the more likely I am to respond.
Find out what's new at GMAT Club - latest features and updates
|
|
|
|
|
|
Manager
Joined: 11 Nov 2008
Posts: 85
Followers: 1
Kudos [?]:
5
[0], given: 3
|
Re: RiverRipper's Guide to Energy [#permalink]
21 Mar 2009, 09:01
rr - I'm currently working in energy industry, can't wait for you to expand this guide further 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Senior Manager
Joined: 05 Feb 2008
Posts: 322
Location: Texas
Followers: 2
Kudos [?]:
59
[0], given: 10
|
Re: RiverRipper's Guide to Energy [#permalink]
21 Mar 2009, 11:53
I am also interested. I have worked a company on your list, and would like any additional information you have to share.
|
|
|
|
|
|
VP
Joined: 28 Feb 2008
Posts: 1323
Schools: Tuck
Followers: 6
Kudos [?]:
111
[0], given: 6
|
Re: RiverRipper's Guide to Energy [#permalink]
21 Mar 2009, 16:56
From the ExxonMobile link: Quote: Qualifications
Academic
* MBA with preference for Bachelor's degree in any engineering or technical discipline
River, could you expand on what they mean by "technical discipline"? I assume that would be things that relate to the energy industry? Geology? RF
_________________
Find out what's new at GMAT Club - latest features and updates
|
|
|
|
|
|
VP
Joined: 28 Feb 2008
Posts: 1323
Schools: Tuck
Followers: 6
Kudos [?]:
111
[0], given: 6
|
Re: RiverRipper's Guide to Energy [#permalink]
21 Mar 2009, 19:04
riverripper wrote: refurb wrote: River, could you expand on what they mean by "technical discipline"? I assume that would be things that relate to the energy industry? Geology? The sense I got was that the preference is for engineering, or something hard science or extremely analytical in nature. Computer Science, physics, chemistry, etc. I think if you were doing geology in the energy industry that would definitely give you a shot. However, if you were a liberal arts major who worked in some soft skill job...well then your chances are extremely slim. This isnt just something they say they prefer, it really is something they value. One thing I appreciate is that they are upfront about this preference unlike some companies who have internal preferences but they dont publish these and the only way you find out is 2nd hand For a point of reference...I know the only non-engineer degree to get a 2nd round interview at Kellogg this year was an economy major who was going for finance. Thanks River. It appears that the energy sector, or at least the oil industry, is not very "career switcher" friendly. At least not to those who don't have the experience or educational background they are looking for. Is that a fair assessment in general? RF
_________________
Find out what's new at GMAT Club - latest features and updates
|
|
|
|
|
|
Senior Manager
Joined: 31 Jul 2008
Posts: 369
Location: London UK
Schools: LBS '11
Followers: 5
Kudos [?]:
22
[0], given: 3
|
Re: RiverRipper's Guide to Energy [#permalink]
22 Mar 2009, 02:38
Great topic! I've been on a few consulting projects with energy clients on this list, and I am definitely interested in reading more about post-MBA careers in this sector.
With regard to career backgrounds -- as an anecdote, my current assignment is with one of the supermajors (my location here in Australia probably gives away which one), and requirements for industry experience vary by functional area. Most of the managers and directors I work with (in the supply chain and finance spaces) either have "resources" backgrounds (mostly mining) or have strong experience in their respective functional areas. In contrast, many of the engineering managers are expats from the States or Europe with extensive oil-and-gas industry experience.
It may be an aspect of this region though, as the oil industry is not huge in Oceania and thus, demand for talent overrrules strict industry experience requirements. As part of my assignment, I work with many of the industry's suppliers on the consulting, construction and manufacturing side, and it's a similar story over at those companies' operations here as well.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Senior Manager
Joined: 31 Jul 2008
Posts: 369
Location: London UK
Schools: LBS '11
Followers: 5
Kudos [?]:
22
[0], given: 3
|
Re: RiverRipper's Guide to Energy [#permalink]
22 Mar 2009, 23:20
Thanks riverripper -- that actually sounds similar to what I have seen here (though I had just assumed it was due to the local talent pool).
Do job functions dictate hiring requirements as well? The managers in our corporate offices (who mostly have MBAs) don't seem to have much oil experience, but they also don't work directly in operations -- and they mostly hail from companies like BHP Billiton, or from consulting firms pre-MBA. In contrast, the upstream and other engineering managers (which I guess is less of a post-MBA pathway) do indeed have more industry experience.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current Student
Joined: 28 Aug 2007
Posts: 492
Schools: Kellogg Class of 2012
WE 1: Energy Risk Consulting
WE 2: Commodities Finance
Followers: 4
Kudos [?]:
29
[0], given: 11
|
Re: RiverRipper's Guide to Energy [#permalink]
08 Apr 2009, 11:25
River,
What is your thoughts on the culture and nature of work at the utilities? I was speaking to an old friend who now works for a major utility and he stated while the pay is good, the work can tend to be boring. He mentioned that the unregulated division of his company was a much more interesting place to be working.
Also, looking at your list, I was curious if you considered SDG&E and Gas Company as potential major employers as well, or just considered them subsidiaries of Sempra?
|
|
|
|
|
|
VP
Joined: 28 Feb 2008
Posts: 1323
Schools: Tuck
Followers: 6
Kudos [?]:
111
[0], given: 6
|
Re: RiverRipper's Guide to Energy [#permalink]
08 Apr 2009, 12:29
River, Care to comment on the cyclical nature of the oil industry? My father worked for a major oil/gas company in Canada and we had to relocate a couple times. When times were good, the money just flowed, but when oil prices dropped a lot of people were laid off and offices were closed and consolidated. RF
_________________
Find out what's new at GMAT Club - latest features and updates
|
|
|
|
|
|
Senior Manager
Joined: 07 Jan 2008
Posts: 321
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
Schools: Ross Class of 2011
Followers: 4
Kudos [?]:
60
[0], given: 0
|
Re: RiverRipper's Guide to Energy [#permalink]
08 Apr 2009, 13:20
refurb wrote: River,
Care to comment on the cyclical nature of the oil industry?
My father worked for a major oil/gas company in Canada and we had to relocate a couple times. When times were good, the money just flowed, but when oil prices dropped a lot of people were laid off and offices were closed and consolidated.
RF I'll jump in here and hijack River's thread. I work for a super major and I've gotten a good feel of the good times and bad with the most recent swing. First off the old days where mass lay offs and office closing were the norm, have since past. Some of these companies have been in business for over a hundred years and their strategic plan to invest in capital rolls out 30-50 years. The industry made the mistake of not hiring in some of the down turns and the result is a large amount of very old and very young employees. During the most recent boom we've tried to make up for it by recruiting 1/3 of our total employees through campus recruiting. Still our CEO says we are going to keep hiring and investing in people because of the challenges ahead. With that said we have a very large contractor base and a lot of them are being let go or moved to support a more financially efficient organizations. I'd say 98% of employees here are not concerned at all about losing their job and I'd say that 75% of contractors are. Last point, when times are good the money does flow, the travel is up and so is the spending. I don't know if big oil is really going to go back to that model we are investing in video conferencing, collaboration technology, etc. to cut down on travel (not eliminate it) the good news is that when oil gets back above 60 all my meetings can go back to being catered.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Intern
Joined: 01 Aug 2008
Posts: 45
Followers: 0
Kudos [?]:
6
[0], given: 0
|
Re: RiverRipper's Guide to Energy [#permalink]
08 Apr 2009, 14:39
anyone know if you can work on alternative energy projects for the big oil companies during the GM rotation, or do they want you working oil? i know most of them have some projects going on...
|
|
|
|
|
|
GMAT Club Legend
Joined: 10 Apr 2007
Posts: 4319
Location: Back in Chicago, IL
Schools: Kellogg Alum: Class of 2010
Followers: 68
Kudos [?]:
679
[0], given: 5
|
Re: RiverRipper's Guide to Energy [#permalink]
08 Apr 2009, 16:54
mbafwi wrote: anyone know if you can work on alternative energy projects for the big oil companies during the GM rotation, or do they want you working oil? i know most of them have some projects going on... I know that plenty of the alums working at oil companies that I have talked to have done some work on projects. Whether it was a rotation, or several year assignment after they exit programs. One thing you need to realize is these alt energy at oil companies are not profit generators...so they might not be as big of a boost to your career as working on a highly profitable project.
_________________
Kellogg Class of 2010...still active and willing to help. However, I do not do profile reviews, don't offer predictions on chances and am far to busy to review essays, so save the energy of writing me a PM seeking help for these. If I don't respond to a PM that is not one of the previously mentioned trash can destined messages, please don't take it personally I get so many messages I have a hard to responding to most. The more interesting, compelling, or humorous you message the more likely I am to respond.
Find out what's new at GMAT Club - latest features and updates
|
|
|
|
|
|
VP
Joined: 28 Feb 2008
Posts: 1323
Schools: Tuck
Followers: 6
Kudos [?]:
111
[0], given: 6
|
Re: RiverRipper's Guide to Energy [#permalink]
08 Apr 2009, 17:23
Thanks River and lsuguy for your comments! RF
_________________
Find out what's new at GMAT Club - latest features and updates
|
|
|
|
|
|
Senior Manager
Joined: 04 Aug 2008
Posts: 381
Followers: 3
Kudos [?]:
18
[0], given: 1
|
Re: RiverRipper's Guide to Energy [#permalink]
09 Apr 2009, 08:18
What do you guys think are the best MBA programs to get into energy companies in bay/houston area? I am thinking of UT and Rice as their first base to recruit from
_________________
The one who flies is worthy. The one who is worthy flies. The one who doesn't fly isn't worthy
|
|
|
|
|
|
GMAT Club Legend
Joined: 10 Apr 2007
Posts: 4319
Location: Back in Chicago, IL
Schools: Kellogg Alum: Class of 2010
Followers: 68
Kudos [?]:
679
[0], given: 5
|
Re: RiverRipper's Guide to Energy [#permalink]
09 Apr 2009, 08:57
lsuguy7 wrote: Just so you know the thing about relocation in the Energy field has less to do with relocation and more about learning the core business. If you really want to move your way up through the upstream ranks spending some time in Africa (or Australia for gas), business development in Asia, or some gulf of mexico activities helps out a lot. So if your goal is to be the CEO of an energy comany you really need to know the ins and outs of the business. If you want to be a commodities trader, you can get away with just working in Houston or some time in London but it won't be necessary.
For the most part people relocate because they want to not because they have to. From what I have heard from pretty much every alum I talked to and all the recruiters. Overseas is very important to your career in most positions within the oil industry. As lsuguy7 stated, if you want to move up you need to have a broad view of the business. So it may not be required but if you dont want to hit a ceiling if your area typically has folks go overseas...well then you better want to do it. Most of the older alums in GM type careers I that talked to did at least a few years overseas at somepoint. That said, ex-pat life in the oil industry is supposedly a great thing. The packages and career opportunities are amazing.
_________________
Kellogg Class of 2010...still active and willing to help. However, I do not do profile reviews, don't offer predictions on chances and am far to busy to review essays, so save the energy of writing me a PM seeking help for these. If I don't respond to a PM that is not one of the previously mentioned trash can destined messages, please don't take it personally I get so many messages I have a hard to responding to most. The more interesting, compelling, or humorous you message the more likely I am to respond.
Find out what's new at GMAT Club - latest features and updates
|
|
|
|
|
|
Intern
Joined: 01 Aug 2008
Posts: 45
Followers: 0
Kudos [?]:
6
[0], given: 0
|
Re: RiverRipper's Guide to Energy [#permalink]
09 Apr 2009, 09:17
River, do you think people who recruit for these rotation programs are more interested in energy or getting some good GM experience? what if one wants the latter, but has no real interest in oil wells? do people fake it or what?
also, it seems the majority of the good rotation programs are for oil/chemical companies. besides GE, I haven't heard of any other big ones outside this area. are there other industries/companies that offer GOOD rotation programs and good placement after? please list examples if you have them... Dow seems like the best overall from what I've seen
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Re: RiverRipper's Guide to Energy
[#permalink]
09 Apr 2009, 09:17
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
close
