Preparing You for an Oil and Gas Interview

An oil and gas interview can be a tough nut to crack. But if you have made it past the application process, you have the potential to clear that interview as well. All you need to do is prepare yourself well.

(Read more: How To Dress Up For an Interview?)

From your technical know-how to your personality, the questions can be diverse and difficult. To help you gain an understanding of an oil and gas interview and give an idea of what to expect, here are some questions that can be asked in the interview:

Five Questions to expect in an Oil and Gas Interview

Have you ever worked on a project where people from different educational or career backgrounds were involved? What collaboration strategies worked?

This is a scenario based question. Collaboration is an integral part of the oil and gas industry owing to the varied challenging job roles and working conditions. Most of the times, your role will involve working on teams to achieve the end goals. This is a common question that can be put up to analyze your collaboration and communication skills. The management of the organization would want to know how good are you with these skills.

You must make sure that you read the job description carefully to understand what the company is looking for when it seeks teamwork skills in the candidates. It is in the context of that job role that you need to understand the meaning of teamwork. Highlight what they need in your response.

Was there a time where a team project didn’t work out as planned? Where do you think the plan go wrong?

Be mentally prepared for tricky questions. In response to this question, it is not recommended that you bring forth any huge failure. You do not need to sugarcoat it either. Also, exposing your team members in a poor light is also a big no. Remember, we never look good trying to make someone else look bad.

The best thing to do here would be to talk about a particular incident that didn’t go right because of your actions. Feel free to describe the situation but don’t stretch it too much. Focus on the measures you took to solve the problem. Your potential employer would get a message that you are a “solution-oriented” person. Someone who takes ownership of his or her actions and works towards the solutions.

How do you test a Blow-Out Preventer system?

Do not act surprised if a technical question appears in the oil and gas interview. Some roles in the oil and gas industry can be very technical where you would need in-depth knowledge of complex equipment like a blow out preventer or pipeline systems.

In your response to this question, you must assure your potential employer that you are well informed about the technicalities. Make sure you completely understand what the interviewer wants to know. Focus on the most relevant aspects and don’t take too long to respond.

Why do you want to join us and what aspect of our company appeals most to you?

The oil and gas industry is not just about its challenging areas of work but also about the people – the driving force of the industry. In this context, the company culture assumes great significance. Your potential employer would want to know if you align well with their company culture. They want to confirm that you are not just passionate about the work profile and your motivation to join them is much more than just your job role.

While preparing a response to this question, do your homework well. Learn about the core values of the company and their work culture. Tailor your response to highlight the essential aspects and give them specific reasons for working there. Show them that you too believe in what the company believes in.

(Explore the work culture of major oil and gas companies.)

Would you like to ask us anything? Do you have any concerns?

There is a possibility that this question might come up at the end of your oil and gas interview. Be prepared with a list of questions. Make sure that they are related to your role and how you will fit in there. Asking about absence leaves and increment rate is definitely not a good idea. The idea is to make your potential employer recognize that you are curious and excited about this job opportunity. Show interest and help them make you understand your work and the company.

There can be other general questions such as: What do you think about the ongoing digital revolution in the industry? Where do you see yourself in the next 10 years in the oil and gas industry?, What are your strengths and weaknesses?, Why do you think you are the best fit for this role?, and so on. The questions can be tricky, based on oil and gas news, contemporary affairs, situation based, or would ask you to put yourself on a ground situation. Keep calm and think through before responding. For any other assistance, feel free to reach out to us at contact@energydais.com.

(The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Energy Dais.)