Entry Level Offshore Jobs

If you have prior or current military service, you have a huge leg up in getting hired for an offshore job. Your military training will be a huge plus in your hireability. Much of the excellent training you have received in the military is directly transferable into a new career working offshore.

This applies to numerous military job categories. Welders, electrical workers, technicians, mechanics, truck drivers, those with jet aircraft and helicopter maintenance, turbine and diesel engine experience, and numerous other jobs all have valuable experience to bring offshore.

Being former military gives you another advantage - your value in the eyes of your future employer. Personnel managers love prior military, as veterans know how to follow instructions and order, and are trained in reacting to emergencies, a real plus in an offshore work environment.

The biggest hurdle people face when applying for offshore employment is the fact that they haven't worked offshore before. This is typically the first question asked in an interview. Thankfully, everyone currently employed offshore was once in this position, so by definition they, too, had to get over this temporary hurdle.

The solution for them is also the solution for you - to draw upon existing and previous experience that is transferable to an offshore environment. If you are entry level, the most important thing is being willing to work at whatever is offered to you. This might not be pleasant - scraping rust, stacking materials, cleaning out tanks - but it will get your foot in the door, and if you have a good work ethic, you will advance - fast.

Drilling and Rigging Crews

For the drilling crew for roughnecks on up, previous land-based Oil rig experience is a huge plus. But note that to go directly from land-based experience to working an offshore rig will often involve a step down the ladder; motormen might come on as roughnecks, and roughnecks as roustabouts.

If you are inspired to working on the drilling crew, and don't have previous oil rig experience, the next best thing is to have gone through a roughneck \ floorman training program; several are available in the US and Canada. Too, if you have your offshore safety training and certificates in hand when you interview, you are a lot more likely to get hired immediately, as often when their are openings, they need someone NOW, even without offshore experience, and if you have your other ducks in a row, chances are you will get hired.

Skilled Tradesmen

Skilled and semi-skilled tradesmen with no prior offshore experience can point to their existing work history at any of the following, as people with these skills are always in high demand. This is only a partial list; there are many more positions and job titles than this, and if you have experience in any of these areas, you will a huge advantage when applying for an offshore job:

Now, if you don't have experience in a trade, and don't want to clean out tanks or scrape rust to start, there is always a need for help in the Kitchen. You don't have to be a chef to start out; prior experience as a line or short order cook is sufficient to land a second cook or night cook position. Prior baking experience will land you a night baker position, and even if you have washed dishes before, or worked as a prep cook, then galley hand positions are a breeze to land.

Housekeeping positions require little to no prior experience; experience as a janitor, maid, or even none at all are often sufficient. Steward positions are easy to get hired for with previous experience performing maintenance; janitorial workers, porters or concierges with any Hotel experience are a shoe-in.

Getting Hired

If you are able to meet these requirements and you are motivated to be part of highly motivated team of people please, you can apply for entry level offshore jobs here.

If you are in the U.S., the fastest method of getting hired is usually applying in person at the drilling contractors in Houston, TX and Lafayette, LO. In other countries where offshore operations are taking place, the same holds true - find the names of the offshore contractors, and apply in person. There are a number of advantages doing it this way, but the biggest is simply that there are often unadvertised openings that need filled yesterday, and if you go in person, you stand a shot at getting hired on the spot.

If applying in person isn't an option, then the next step is simply applying to drilling contractors individually, either online or by snail mail. Most of the mid to large companies have online applications. You can do this one at a time, or utilize the services of a company such as Rigworker, which will forward your resume to around 1200 energy and drilling companies, after ensuring that your resume meets the format that these companies typically prefer.

Leveraging Previous Experience Into an Offshore Job

Drilling and Rigging Crews