Current Trends in Oil & Gas Recruitment: How Professionals Are Being Hired Today
The oil and gas industry is witnessing transformational changes in the recruitment processes, for instance owing to the emerging global energy dynamics, and technological factors among others. Due to the constant changes in the industry coupled with the need for highly skilled experts, the recruitment processes have to be flexible and changeable. This in turn makes them more effective. In this article, we will focus on the trends changing oil and gas recruitment practices in recent times with emphasis on the importance of oil & gas recruitment agencies at the center of it all.
1. Specialized Skillset Demand
High demand for a specialized skillset which is a major focus in oil and gas recruitment today is the most significant trend. With the adoption of improved technologies in the industry, for instance, better drilling equipment, and automation, the industry has seen an increase in the number of people trained in data analysis, robotics, and artificial intelligence. In the case of most of the high-level positions, the understanding of some traditional mechanical or manual skills that are still relevant today is not enough.
Oil & gas recruitment agencies have coped with this new reality by keeping large databases of professionals with very specific qualifications needed for such technologies. They help such companies fill the gap with workforces that have experience in practice fusion of the strategic oil and gas processes and advanced, new technologies.
2. Global Talent Acquisition and Remote Hiring
The activities of the oil and gas industry are international, and their companies often seek people to occupy positions in distant or offshore countries. In recruitment, this poses some distinct problems. On the other hand, there is a growing acceptance of the concept of remote hiring, where professionals are recruited from different parts of the world to take up strategic positions in the organization.
The oil and gas recruitment agencies are competent enough in global dependency recruitment where the organisations can get the right pool of potential candidates from any part of the globe. Most of the time these agencies also help with issues like managing visas and relocations- these issues are vitally important in sectors with great need such as the ones dealing with oil rigs and drilling exploration in the deep seas or remote areas.
3. Digital Platforms and AI Integration in Recruitment
Recruitment is undergoing new changes with the introduction of digital tools and artificial intelligence (AI) for most industries including the oil and gas industry. Oil gas companies are utilizing the power of Belvedere AI, to assist them in their quest for locating the best talent in the quickest manner possible. In a matter of minutes, more advanced systems can read and filter through hundreds of CVs and resumes, even performing searches based on very niche criteria.
Out of oil and gas recruitment agencies, have embraced the use of these tools most in the course of the recruitment process. Cleansing resumes at the onset helps agencies channel their energies into other recruitment processes that are more critical such as candidate evaluation and building relationships. Not only does this cut down the time taken to hire, but improves the alignment of the business needs with the skill set of the available candidates.
4. Demand for Experienced Professionals
The oil and gas industry has always relied heavily on experience, but this has become even more pronounced in recent years. Since this industry is complex from environmental compliance issues to supply chain management, companies are looking for appropriately experienced personnel in specific sectors.
A lot of oil and gas headhunters international companies employ experienced oil and gas workers. Recruited specialists are particularly advanced in senior management and engineering positions, which on numerous occasions require several years of experience that they possess to achieve success on any given intricate agenda.
5. Short-Term Contracts and Project-Based Hiring
The other noteworthy development in the provision of oil and gas human resources is that many have embraced the concept of hiring for a limited period or based on a certain project or assignment. As has been observed above, the industry is quite fluctuating with the oil prices and thus the organizations are hesitant in committing to permanent employees. Instead, they would prefer to take in professionals based on a few existing projects, especially in exploration drilling which for such a period, the activities are predictable.
In a pool of skilled workers, employment agencies specializing in the oil & gas sector also have an advantage. They keep records of the contract employees, who are to be engaged in quick-term activities in this case enabling the companies to procure specific interventions making use of specialists for a project without incurring the overheads of permanent staff.
6. Focus on Compliance and Safety Expertise
Every activity in the oil and gas sector comes with a concern of safety. The industry is over-encumbered with laws that always enforce a company’s program or systems to have safety measures in place. As a result, the health, safety, and environment (HSE) professionals are in high need due to their ability to comply with the regulations.
Oil and gas recruitment agencies assist in procuring such safety-oriented individuals. Safety recruitment services make it a priority that everyone they place in your organization is capable of performing the functions of a compliance officer, which assists organizations in mitigating the harsh penalties that come with operating in non-compliance in industries where safety is paramount.
7. Enhancement of D&I Programs
There is a gradual offer of recognition of importance of diversity in the oil and gas industry. Modern-day companies understand the importance of working in diverse teams to nurture creativity, make better decisions and ultimately enhance the performance of the company as a whole. This phenomenon is mostly seen in the parts of the world where laws and policies govern such practices as diversity in the workplaces.
Oil & gas recruitment agencies are assisting firms in achieving the desired level of diversity within their populations. by targeting diverse potential applicants and practitioners of affirmative action in recruitment, such agencies help promote generating diversity within the industry.
8. Advancement of Environmental Sustainability
The collective turn to ecological sustainability is also shaping recruitment within the oil and gas industry. There are new company policies and effective practices that have allowed businesses to go green in their operations. These changes have created a vacuum for specialists dealing with green energy, carbon storage and management, and environmental legislation tendencies.
With an increasing awareness of climate change among the constituents of both the global and local economies, oil & gas recruitment agencies are also expanding and widening their nets to incorporate specialists on sustainability issues. Such agencies are linking companies with specialists in renewable energy, environmental conservation as well as eco-friendly developments, which are necessary for the survival of the industry in the era of climate change.
9. Recruitment for Hybrid Roles
With changes in trends and growth within the oil and gas sector, cross-functional roles have become an emerging phenomenon. These roles take on a fusion of conventional oil and gas tasking, plus additional competencies such as insights, and digital or sustainability implementation. However, sourcing talent who can fit into both roles is proving to be a great challenge.
Agencies that recruit oil and gas professionals play an essential role, especially in finding candidates with the wide range of skills that are increasingly needed in hybrid roles. Most of the time, such agencies use their networks to find candidates that are usually difficult to find through conventional recruitment processes.
10. The Role of Employer Branding in Recruitment
In today’s business climate, and more pertinent to countries with a competitive labor market such as the UK, employer branding has become an essential approach when it comes to the recruitment of professionals. There is a shift in strategy where candidates are interested in organizations that pay well but more so, have great policies, and offer growth and healthy work environments.
Oil and gas recruitment agencies help such companies by assisting when they need to carry out employer branding. It also measures the potential of keeping such candidates within the organization for longer than just onboard practices.
Conclusion
All in all, it can be said that the oil and gas industry presents unique recruitment challenges that call for expertise, knowledge of the industry, and access to a specific type of talent pool. These are the needs that Alliance International is good at addressing as it provides its sector-specific end-to-end recruitment services. We make sure that your organization is provided with the right caliber of professionals, facilitating the recruitment process, and minimizing the risks associated with staffing.
Regardless if the position is a permanent one or a short-term staff, Alliance International has developed solutions that will enable the achievement of your business objectives. Contact us today and let us help you create the right team for your oil and gas projects.