Conflicted lifestyle?

khoiey · 11-06-2009, 09:16 PM

I'm currently an old freshman (26yo) and majoring in petroleum & natural gas engineering. I'm also interested in contracting with Army ROTC and upon graduation, I would be in the reserves.

My main concern is by graduation date, I would be 30 yrs. Would oil industry companies want to hire me knowing that I would be a reservist? I'm more interested in upstream positions and even work in other country. I don't know how that 1 weekend/month drill would work to fit with my future lifestyle.

And if I go straight into regular unit for 4 years, I would be about 35 years old when I'm done. Would any oil companies want to hire me at that age?

Pillar · 11-06-2009, 10:01 PM

From what I've heard, the breaking point for hiring people new to engineering companies is 40 years old. So that would leave you with a 20 year career working at a company, 60ish being the cut off point in PE. But then again who says you have to join a global company, green start ups are rise and civil environmental will always be needed maintain local infrastructure.

purduefrank · 11-07-2009, 11:11 AM

Unless you really, really want to join ROTC - I would wait until you land an upstream job before you sign up for the reserves. It seems like they look for people without a lot of commitments for those positions. I could be wrong here, so ask around - just my two cents.

static75 · 11-07-2009, 12:35 PM

I agree with purduefrank. Don't go to the reserves. You need to think about yourself now, not your entire country :/

nshah9617 · 11-07-2009, 05:35 PM

If you have the grades and talent, you will be hired. However, most oil companies want to hire "young" and "vibrant" engineers to replace their aging work force.

The decision for the ROTC/serve is your call completely however I think it would be more advantageous (job wise) to graduate earlier and younger.

bubblesocks · 11-07-2009, 06:20 PM

Keep in mind that the best part of ROTC, the scholarship program, has an age cutoff. You need to not have reached your 27th birthday by Jan. 1 of the year you intend to graduate and be commissioned to qualify. I don't know if that's even something you were considering before, but if it was, now you know.

khoiey · 11-07-2009, 11:34 PM

Bubblesocks,

I'm positive you would have to be 31 by the time you graduate. For 2-3 years scholarship, they can waive the 27 age cut off. For 4 years scholarship, the cut off age for application is 26. I was thinking of doing ROTC regardless of scholarship or not but I think I will pass since I'd be too old by the time I get out of the contract.

Is 30 of age would still generally fit for hiring in petroleum industry?

aibarr · 11-08-2009, 12:44 AM

...How are they going to know how old you are? It's illegal for them to ask you during the interview process, and "looking thirty" (unlike "looking sixty," for example) isn't unequivocally different from "looking twenty-three". Don't lie on your resume, obviously, just don't put when you graduated from high school. Is your experience pre-college relevant to your career goals? If it isn't, don't put that down, either. Problem solved.

On the other hand, if you've got experience that would benefit you in your job search and you want to put it down on your resume, then spin it as just that-- experience. The petroleum company would have the advantage of hiring someone who maybe has less engineering experience but more real-life experience. That real-life experience may make you more valuable in terms of dealing with clients, dealing with coworkers, learning things with a more mature mind and a different perspective, etc.

khoiey · 11-09-2009, 12:02 AM

Don't they ask that on the employment application? Name DOB Social etc.

aibarr · 11-09-2009, 12:57 AM

No, they ask that after they hire you. I think it's flat-out illegal for them to ask it before, and it's definitely illegal for them to take it into account as a hiring decision. Human Resources may ask you, and I think it might be legal for them to ask you on an application, but it doesn't go to the direct hiring managers, and the direct hiring managers/interviewers are not allowed to ask. Our entire company got chewed out for that sort of thing once.

member · 11-09-2009, 01:04 AM

Employment is at will. So even if it is illegal, even in court it is always impossible to prove intent of your either you not getting the job or being fired from that job. Even with the statutory exceptions made to this law such as for people of older age and with disabilities, it still almost never matters in court.

As an example its illegal for a employer to ask you to release your medical records as terms for hire, but companies do this. It would then be up to you to prove this is the reason you were not hired, which is impossible.

UMEE11 · 11-09-2009, 10:40 PM

Oil companies want people who don't have a ton of other commitments (especially for upstream, where a lot of hours might be necessary.) I'm sure they would look at you once your time is up, but you might be at a disadvantage if applying while active in the reserves

aibarr · 11-10-2009, 12:35 AM

Quote:

Employment is at will. So even if it is illegal, even in court it is always impossible to prove intent of your either you not getting the job or being fired from that job. Even with the statutory exceptions made to this law such as for people of older age and with disabilities, it still almost never matters in court.

Any sizeable companies, particularly oil companies, are still not willing to risk it--too much liability involved. There's strict procedure as to what you can and cannot ask, particularly with the larger companies (at least, in my experience).

Four years' age difference isn't going to sink his boat.

Pillar · 11-10-2009, 01:23 AM

The 40 year old thing is more of a guide line, anyone welcome to join the fay if their creative or talented enough despite the lack of retirement benefits in the end. So 40yo 50yo or 60yo go for it.