I have spent several months reading the various posts and experience people have had breaking into jobs in the GOM. I have a CE limited oceans and 2nd unlimited, all of my experience has been on factory trawlers in the Bering sea, 15 years. I have applied to most of the big OSV companies and several drill ship companies as well, this I’m guessing is something like hunting unicorns but I gave it shot. I have a decent job now so I can spend some time waiting. My question is how beneficial is it to fly down and hit the pavement? I have some blocks of time off that I can use to go door to door. From what I have read this seems to get results with the smaller companies but not so much with the larger ones, is that the case? Are there quarterly periods that companies tend to hire more or less in, some period where it would be more beneficial to go down? I talked to HR at Harvey, Hornbeck, and ECO they all said send us your info and we’ll get back to you. I have seen time frames of 6 months to a year for call backs on various posts. Any feed back appreciated
Keep calling and stay in touch. I know one company that goes through 25 to as many as 80 applications a day. They are so busy it’s hard to keep up. A lot of companies are flooded with the $$$ chaser. So, keep in touch with HR. The first of the year is tough.
If there is someone else sitting in the waiting room with a 2AE and ChEng Lim, and there is you with the same credentials but on the other end of a phone, 2000 miles away, they will hire the guy sitting in the waiting room.
Of course it isn’t like that at every company, but it helps at almost all of the companies that you mentioned to get some face time.
Thanks for the replies and PM’s. The consensus seems to be get your ass on a plane if you want a job. Anything on time of year better or worse? I’ve got till mid Feb then back to work till April when I could also go down.
I have spent several months reading the various posts and experience people have had breaking into jobs in the GOM. I have a CE limited oceans and 2nd unlimited, all of my experience has been on factory trawlers in the Bering sea, 15 years. I have applied to most of the big OSV companies and several drill ship companies as well, this I’m guessing is something like hunting unicorns but I gave it shot. I have a decent job now so I can spend some time waiting. My question is how beneficial is it to fly down and hit the pavement? I have some blocks of time off that I can use to go door to door. From what I have read this seems to get results with the smaller companies but not so much with the larger ones, is that the case? Are there quarterly periods that companies tend to hire more or less in, some period where it would be more beneficial to go down? I talked to HR at Harvey, Hornbeck, and ECO they all said send us your info and we’ll get back to you. I have seen time frames of 6 months to a year for call backs on various posts. Any feed back appreciated[/QUOTE]
The Bayou is nothing like Seattle. Companies in Seattle respond to resumes, and most hire right off the resume and references. Often Seattle companies plan ahead and will make a commitment to hire you weeks or months before they need you. (For example, I just got a call from a Seattle company about a job not starting until April).
Down in the Bayou they don’t like resumes; it is all about showing in person with your hat in your hand. They insist that you waste a lot of time filling out their application (whether they are hiring or not) before they will consider talking to you. A super organized guy might get their applications off the web or by mail and fill them out ahead of time. They do not hire good people when they find them for future needs, only whoever happens to be standing in the office (even if he’s on the wrong side of ordinary) to fill immediate needs. Gulfmark is one boat company that is different; they want an online application and they normally will not talk to walk-ins.
Seattle and the Bayou are similar in that it really helps if you know people that the companies know. Fortunately, there are plenty of former factory trawler hands working in the Bayou. Work your contacts and see who you can get to make introductions or let you drop their names.
The unfortunate reality is that the vast majority of us need to pound the pavement to get a job in the Bayou. In the long run, its actually cheaper and easier to fly down for a week and get a couple offers, than it is to waste months sending resumes and making phone calls to little effect.
Well looks like I need to make some travel plans. Tugsailor, nepotism is handy but unfortunately I don’t have any direct contacts, the companies I have worked for have little or no turnover so not a lot of networking, my old boss used to run Rolls Royces Brazil office and gave me a list of companies to start with so that helps. I have already applied to most of the ones I would want to work for so I guess showing up with credentials in hand is the way to go.
seacor will snatch you up asap… not the highest paying company but not too bad paperwork wise or as far as office oversight goes… you gotta show up is the simple fact… good luck…
Can anyone tell me what the typical Engineer rotations are for OSV vessels ECO Harvey HOS etc. Some companies list one but not all. Any info appreciated