Oil Gas Is upstream or downstream right for me

Oil Gas Is upstream or downstream right for me by Michael Cheary Do you see your future working upstream or downstream?If you’re looking to work in the oil and gas industry, knowing what role suits you and understanding more about the components of the sector could be key to your success. However, with a lot of industry-specific jargon to bust, getting the lowdown on this can often be easier said than done.If you can’t tell the difference between your upstream from your downstream, here’s a quick guide of everything you need to know:The basicsThe oil and gas industry is big. Really big.In fact, it’s such a large and complex sector, that understanding and explaining the whole process from start to finish isn’t particularly easy. For this reason, the industry is generally broken down into the following three components:   Upstream, Midstream and Downstream.Many companies working within the industry will generally choose to specialise in one particular part of the process. Some companies (known as ‘combined’, o r ‘super majors’) may handle the whole process themselves, although there are a very small number of these companies operating within the oil gas sector.BP, Total and Shell are all examples of combined companies.What is upstream?Upstream is the first part of the oil and gas process.It primarily involves the exploration for crude oil and natural gas fields, as well as its recovery and production. This sector is widely referred to within the oil and gas industry as the EP (exploration and production) stage.Common areas within the upstream process include searching for oil deposits, either underground or underwater, the drilling of exploratory wells and, if deposits are found, the operation of these wells to bring found deposits to the surface.Upstream is a highly scientific area of oil and gas, with Geologists and Geophysicists involved from the outset to seek out where deposits may lie.Aside from these roles, potential jobs within the upstream oil and gas sector include Platform Installer, Petroleum Engineer and Pipeline Engineer.View all upstream jobs now »What is midstream?Midstream is the middle stage of the oil and gas process, and focusses on the storage and transportation of the deposits found during the upstream stage.The most common method of transportation, known as piping (or pipeline), involves vast networks of pipes being constructed and maintained to take the deposits downstream.Additional logistics include trucking, as well as the transportation via oil tankers and railways, in order to complete distribution.Although the activities within this specialism are sometimes included as part of the downstream process, midstream is a vital link between the upstream and downstream stages, and worth considering in its own right.Jobs within the midstream sector include Chemical Engineers, Pump Systems Operators, Business Advisors and Gas Managers, as well as Truck Drivers, Barge Drivers and other transport positions.What is downstream?Downstream is the final, and most varied, part of the oil and gas process.This could range from the refining of crude oil and processing and purifying natural gas, through to sales, marketing, product distribution and retail, and everything in between. It also includes the manufacture of petrochemicals and plastics.Many products derived from crude oil are manufactured during the downstream stage, including diesel oil, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), petrol, fertilizers, antifreeze, pharmaceuticals and even cosmetics.Downstream is undoubtedly the sector in the oil and gas industry that provides the closest connection to everyday consumers, meaning jobs in this sector are incredibly sought after and diverse.Typical roles involved within the downstream process include, but are not limited to, Hazard Analysts, Tax Accountants, Maintenance Supervisors and Oil Traders.View all downstream jobs now »Why should I work in the oil and gas industry?Aside from being an incredibly diverse area to work within, the oil and gas industry is also one of the most lucrative. The average salary is well in excess of £50,000 per year, and continues to grow year-on-year.Other benefits include flexible working, the ability to travel globally as part of your career, and building a dedicated skillset that remain in demand within the right industries. If you’re looking for a career with longevity, varied and exciting work and excellent pay, there’s not really a better choice out there.To find out more about what the oil and gas sector can do for you, read our list of five reasons you should be working in the oil and gas industry.Find a job What Where Search JobsSign up for more Career AdviceSign up for moreCareer Advice Please enter a valid email addressmessage hereBy clicking Submit you agree to the terms and conditions applicable to our service and acknowledge that your personal data will be used in accordance with our privacy policy and you will receive emails and communications about jobs a nd career related topics. What job suits me?

Starting Your First Job 3 Personal Finance To-Dos

Starting Your First Job 3 Personal Finance To-Dos The following is  a guest post from www.nerdwallet.com Switching from paying for tuition and textbooks to watching your bank account grow with the income of your first real salary is an exciting milestone. But graduating and being on your own also means it’s time to start thinking about investing and saving the money you earn. The earlier you start both, the less financial pressure you’re likely to feel later in life. Not sure where to start? Here are three personal finance tasks to tackle as soon as possible. Create a budget Unless you’re entering a high-paying field, your income right out of school might be a bit, let’s say, modest. The best way to live comfortably on an entry-level salary is to create â€" and stick to â€" a budget. That word may be intimidating, but in its most basic form, a budget simply outlines all of your money going in and out, and it helps you ensure you don’t spend more than you earn. A budget can certainly include fun discretionary items like dining out or clothes shopping â€" it just sets limits on how much you can afford to spend in each category. If you have any monthly debt payments â€" like student loans, car loans or credit card bills â€" those should be factored into your budget. It’s also wise to set aside a little room in your budget for money to be saved in an emergency fund. Even socking away just $20 a month can make a difference over time and help prevent you from going into debt for unexpected expenses, like an iPhone that decides to take a swim in the toilet. When you’re ready to get started, try a free budgeting tool  or create your own system in Google Sheets or Excel. Start a retirement account It may feel strange to start saving for retirement as soon as you graduate from college, especially if you have student loans you’re stressing about. But the earlier you start, the more you’ll save over time due to the beauty of compounding interest (this essentially means earning gains on your investing gains). Employers typically offer 401(k) retirement accounts, which allow you to contribute a percentage of your income before it’s taxed. In addition to the tax-free savings, this also lowers your annual IRS bill. As soon as your employer allows it, open a 401(k) and start contributing as much as you can while staying within your budget. The percentage you  contribute will be automatically deducted from your paycheck, so you don’t even have to think about it. Some employers also offer a match up to a certain amount, typically 3% to 6% of your salary.   But you have to contribute at least that much of your income to get the match. If you can afford to contribute enough to get at least some of the match, don’t hesitate â€" it’s free money that will help your retirement savings grow even faster. Investing when you are in your twenties rather than waiting until later gives you a major head start and helps prevent having to set aside a larger portion of your income later in life. Explore investing Contributing to a retirement account isn’t the only way to start investing and making your money work for you. If you have any spare money left at the end of the month, or experience a windfall like a tax return or birthday gift, consider stashing some of it in non-retirement investments. A popular investment option, exchange-traded funds, are similar to mutual funds in that they’re a bundle of various investments that can grow and earn you more money over time. ETFs tend to have lower fees and smaller minimum investment requirements than mutual funds.  That makes them a good entry-level investment vehicle. If you know next to nothing about investing or ETFs, don’t sweat it.    Online brokers make it easy to purchase ETFs.  And,  most have tools that help you select the best funds to build your portfolio and many offer generous promotions to help you get started. Remember, when you get started on your personal finances early, you are the one who will reap most of the long-term benefits! Image Credits: Main  Budget   401k

4 Tips on How to Close Your Cover Letter

4 Tips on How to Close Your Cover Letter 4 Tips on How to Close Your Cover Letter An often overlooked or neglected part of job seeking is the cover letter that accompanies your CV submission. Writing a cover letter can be seen as a tiresome or even pointless task, but never underestimate how important your cover letter may be, and how it could help you to land an interview spot.Did you know for example that a lot of very busy employers will only read the cover letter in your application to decide your suitability? Time-pressed employers will only give each job application a cursory scan to pick out certain desirable keywords and phrases before deciding whether it is worth their time reading any further. It means that your cover letter carries much more importance than you may think. This is why it needs to be a well thought out piece of work. What you write in your cover letter is usually a summary of the achievements and skills that make you a good candidate for the job on offer. You may also write a persuasive line about what you can bring to the company and how it would benefit them.Presenting a convincing argumentThe descriptive language you use in your cover letter will help to illustrate to the reader why you are the best fit not only for the job but for the company too. You want to make them believe in a few short lines that you have the exact qualifications, skills and experience they need.If you can do this convincingly enough, then you will have a greater chance of landing an interview with your cover letter alone, regardless of whether the employer will actually get as far as reading your CV.You will need to use strong words in your cover letter â€" you dont want to sound vague or non-committal. This is why you need to personalize your cover letter to match each individual job that you apply for. Having a generic cover letter that you use for every job application you make will not work to encourage the employer to read your CV or even believe that you are suitable for the role.Positive vs passive voiceThe biggest mistake any j ob seeker makes is to treat their cover letter as just a bland introduction to their CV. Most applicants go no further than writing a very ineffectual line such as Here is my CV for your consideration for the role of Communications Officer. Thats it! Thats all they do to convince the reader that they are worth an interview spot. Not very effective, right?The importance of language here is great. You need to use a positive voice throughout your cover letter to gain and keep your readers attention right to the very end. Using a passive voice, especially when signing off your last paragraph, will not inspire your reader to take any further action.Many job applicants make a simple slip-up here. They will take the time to write some compelling text only to let themselves down by finishing off their letter with a passive voice. They do this because they dont want to come over as overconfident or pushy to the employer, but you do need to leave them with a lasting positive impression of you in their minds.Suggested phrases to use in your cover letterTry to use positive and upbeat words in your cover letter, for example, say thatI am extremely interested to learn more about this role, and want to share with you how I can be an asset to John Smith Co.You need to express your enthusiasm and come across as being a confident and capable person. Giving the impression that you are very interested in working for their company and can bring something valuable to the role will be very interesting to the employer. Try to flatter the company if you can. Everyone loves to be flattered, so if you can paint the company in a positive light, you will capture the employers attention. Try saying something likeThis position will give me a chance to further develop my passion for this industry through the fantastic training and career progression opportunities that John Smith Co. offers.It is a great idea for you to explain why you want to work for the company and what you find particu larly attractive about working there. This could be because of the positive company culture, the company ethics and ethos, or the increased chances of career advancement available.It can also help you greatly to make yourself look and sound like you are already part of their company. Take some time to study the company culture and history and discover what sort of company language they use in their communications. Mirror their writing style in your cover letter and use the same key phrases and language as they do.Express that you are geared up and ready to fit seamlessly into the role. This sounds encouraging as the employer will see that they will not need to spend extra time or effort on bringing you on board and integrating you into an existing team.Finishing off your cover letterAlways end on a positive, and if you can try to finish with a call to action. This works much the same way as sales copy does to encourage the reader to either click on a link, pick up the phone or sign up for a newsletter.End with something along the lines ofI look forward to hearing back from you with an opportunity for an interview where I can show you in person how my skills and qualifications will benefit your company.Notify them that you will follow up your application with your own call to action. You can tell them that you will be calling or emailing them on a specific date to discuss your application and arrange for an interview date. Always follow up on your job applications, especially when you have stated a time and date in your cover letter. You will be surprised at how many job interviews have been secured by applicants that have taken the time to follow up on their application.Good luck on your next job application! previous article Sunny Afternoon Free Creative Resume Design next article Free Resume Download Level Up you might also likeTen Quick Tips to Nail The Cover Letter Format