Here’s a sample resume we recently produced for an Oil & Gas Engineer in Singapore.
In this article, you’ll learn:
- About the Oil & Gas Engineer Role
- What Hiring Managers Look For In Oil & Gas Engineer Resumes
- Oil & Gas Engineer Job Opportunities
- Job Hunting Tips from our Resident Headhunter
Oil & Gas Engineer CV [Full Sample]
- Skilled engineer with > 8 years of experience in semiconductor and oil and gas industries, having driven major projects valued at >USD 100M for leading blue-chip firms such as Shell, B.P, & ExxonMobil. [This opening line perfectly captures a strong summary, citing that you have worked for big brands.]
- Capable of effectively marrying extensive technical knowledge with practical skills and experience in driving a diverse range of business operations, from expansion and growth operations to technical surveys and consultancy projects. [This client wanted to emphasise that he had a range of skills beyond mere ‘on paper’ technical knowledge. Such transferable skillsets are nice bonuses to have. Depending on your goals and strategy, you can choose to include these traits in your narrative, or alternatively choose to emphasise your technical and industry-specific knowledge, to position yourself as an industry subject-matter expert. Both are equally valid approaches, and which one to take depends on context.]
- Experienced in full spectrum of production management from machine setup to optimization and maintenance. [Be sure to highlight specific knowledge and expertise that you have. As Engineering is a very broad discipline, it is important to showcase your specialisation, to ensure a proper match with the needs of your future employer and/or company. A civil engineer probably won’t be very effective in an oil & gas role, for instance!]
- Highly sought-after speaker, frequently invited to speak at prestigious oil & gas conferences such as OGIC, SPE, AAPG, etc., and as a subject-matter expert in various business and project management forums. [Again, a ‘grafted’ point. Oil and gas in Singapore isn’t a particularly large industry, and if you’ve been invited to conferences, or have contributed to proceedings etc., be sure to highlight it. It’s a very good distinguishing trait which demonstrates your skills and abilities.]
- Performed internal process audits to ensure compliance with ES 16949 and adherence to general corporate guidelines. [This role is very industry-based. I’m therefore sprinkling in a lot of industry-based duties to demonstrate that he knows his stuff.]
- Liaised closely with cross functional teams to troubleshoot failures, brainstorm design improvements and plan implementation schedules for projects and equipment modifications. [Again, it’s always good to mention how you work with cross functional teams as it demonstrates leadership. Mention specific projects, if any.]
- Spearheaded testing and commissioning of new machinery in 2008 and 2010; setup machine line, troubleshoot failures and optimize parameters to maximise production output. [A more junior role, but this role was from further back, so it’s okay to include. As a leader, you should be familiar with the tasks and responsibilities of your subordinates.]
- Conducted training sessions for new employees during On-Job-Training (OJT) program; prepare training documents, organize schedule, identify and track key KPIs to measure training effectiveness. [Leading trainings demonstrates that you’re a subject-matter expert and that you’ve good mastery of the content you’re teaching. Include any relevant teaching/training duties. It could be anything from mass lectures to individual mentoring.]
- Key member of company Quality Improvement Team; actively identify process yield losses, propose rectification solutions and record process improvements.
- Participated in monthly committee meetings regarding chemical safety measures for lead frame production. [This is a fairly inconsequential duty. I didn’t include this in the final CV: it’s here for example purposes only. For minor duties like this, a judgement call must be made: is it worth taking up valuable space? If you don’t have many points, you can include it, as it does show a bit of what you’ve done, but there’s a risk of inadvertently looking like your role wasn’t very broad. This again depends on context and the overall CV strategy.]
- Pivotal team member in implementation of new systematic approach for etching: process improved production output from 40,000 strips to 60,000 strips per day [Cite metrics to substantiate your achievements. Do, however, be aware of your company confidentiality clause.]
- Supported full spectrum of installation and maintenance of various oil and gas systems; collaborated closely with Inspection engineers, Plant Engineering Company and Setsco Services. [This was an internship, but the fact that he was entrusted with external stakeholder management is a good indicator of his internship performance.]
- Identified corrosion areas and monitored equipment using Equipment Degradation Documentation (EDD), Magnetic Particle Testing (MPT), Liquid Penetrant Test (LPT) and Radiography Testing (RT). [Internships are for learning. As such, I’ve highlighted the areas and knowledge he’s gained through his exposure to the industry. It’s good to remind the reader that he’s got the ability to handle work in these areas, regardless of seniority.]
- Key team member in overhaul of heat exchanger unit: inspected corrosion, liaised with contractors to determine ideal resolution with minimal downtime.
- Assisted in investigations to resolve furnace heating issue; successfully diagnosed problem as clogging due to contaminants.
- Monitored hydrogen chloride and hydrogen sulphide emissions in Catalytic Reforming and Hydro-sulphurizer units; assisted process technologists, plant manager and shift controllers to monitor and rectify arising situations. [A single line is sufficient for a junior position so long ago. In fact, if he had taken on more roles and the CV was more ‘crowded’, I’d have considered eliminating this role altogether. It doesn’t add as much value or demonstrate his abilities as clearly as a more recent role, and Therefore fakes up valuable CV space without contributing as much.]
- Successfully troubleshot primary mode of failure in Catalytic Reforming Unit; solution eliminated corrosion issues plaguing system. [Again, this is a Highlights section. Include major duties and projects which aren’t necessarily ‘achievements’. An achievement must come with a clear sense of value-add: a highlight does not. If your role is more quantifiable, use achievements as far as possible.]
- Master of Science, Mechanical Engineering (Offshore Oil & Gas Specialization), University of Singapore | 2012
- Bachelor of Engineering, Materials Engineering, Singapore University of Science and Technology | 2008
- Diploma In Chemical Engineering, Vocational Training Council | 2002
- Nationality: Singapore
- Languages: English, Bahasa Melayu
- Availability: Immediately
References available upon request
[There’s no need to list your references; if HR is interested in you they will ask you for them.]
QUICK TIP : Writing an Oil & Gas (Engineering) Resume
To start off, it is important to take note of one key point, especially relevant to Oil and Gas Engineering roles :
Oil and Gas engineering roles tend to be project-based i.e. they revolve around projects which may be difficult to quantify. As it is vital to have quantifiable metrics in any CV, particularly relating to your achievements, it is useful to :
– Have a ‘General Overview’ section 1st where the general and higher level roles and responsibilities are highlighted ; these should not be project specific
– Include a separate ‘Significant Projects’ section where the top 3 projects are highlighted. Example:
Project Title
Brief Description of Project
Role: XX | Value: YY [omit value if confidential]
– Project-specific work
– Other responsibilities
– Significant outcomes of the project
This approach allows you to present your projects as achievements while still telling the reader about your competencies. Read on for other tips in our guide below.