I quit chevron 2 years ago. I spent 17+ years believing the message. The PDC sponsors. Full of S*. Watched non qualified people get the roles I had for on my career development plan for years. I joined Chevron as an experienced hire qualified for roles they gave to id--ts. People, it’s all a game, they do not give a . Im now at a small independent, great pay, great benefits, not worrying about mid years reviews and applying for my own job. I had a very good engineering career before I joined Chevron in 2005 and I only wish someone had talked me out of it. Chevron ruined my career.
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@1zvt+1ub5NJcz
Gospel!
Without giving my identity away, here is what I can share which is applicable to whatever new job / career you are looking for. I was doing public-cloud related work at Chevron, and when I did the market search, it looked like to me like AI was going to have its golden age soon. BTW, AI doesn't mean generative AI which is only a small portion of it. Since I only had very limited exposure to AI in my Chevron job, I took a bunch of classes from Udemy and Coursera on the AI topics I was interested in, and got a couple of certifications in AI (most courses will have an option for a cert).
If I were to look for a job now, I would focus on generative AI since that's where most of the new jobs are and it's a differentiating skill for any job in tech, and here are many training classes and certification around that.
Examples:
https://www.udemy.com/topic/artificial-intelligence/
https://cloud.google.com/learn/training/machinelearning-ai
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/training/paths/get-started-azure-ai/
Unfortunately, Chevron is not not on the cutting edge on new technologies, so you may not gain the hands on skills on these new technologies while working there, so you may want to work on a side project on your own or at least try things out yourself.
Best of luck.
This is a response to the guy ( @1nvl+1ub5NJcz) who was experienced hire in IT who had to retool to get an external job. could you share what trainings you took and the last role you had at CVX and the new role? Great job and 100% agree with you.
I was also an experience hire more than 10 years ago in IT. I left a few years ago on my own (didn't take the 2021 package, still kicking myself). I had to intensively study new technologies for a couple of months to get into for my job outside of Chevron.
A couple of observations. ROMs were unfair to new employees since one hasn't built up the work history and connections - I didn't get to keep my jobs which I qualified for in the first ROM or the last one (this was because of bad advice from management). So if you are looking outside of Chevron, make sure your catch up with the latest technologies through training and certification. Secondly, most of the people I worked with at Chevron were kind and hard working, and that's the hardest part for me to leave since I needed to say goodbye to those people I worked with. A lot of them are still there, and will be impacted by relocation to Houston and ENGINE. Again, it is possible to find jobs on the market, it's just not as easy as before and may require a different set of skills.
You may want to look at this as an opportunity of a career pivot rather than something that's forced on you.
Best of luck to all.
Why is OP wasting his time on this site? Lmao
I came into CVX as an experienced hire. I quickly found out that it was for a job that no one wanted. I was happy to get the spot because the pay and benefits were good. I also found out that as an experienced hire there wasn't going to be any promotions or other job opportunities. My PMPs were basically a rubber stamp. Here's your 2 thanks for all you do. I kept a low profile and stayed out of trouble. When the 2020 transformation rolled around, I was on the cusp of retirement, so I took the EOI. I had worked at three other major oil companies an found them to be worse than CVX. During that time, I've been through layoffs, transformations, retaliation from management and been passed over for promotion and jobs. The key was I took full advantage of the savings program in each place and quickly rolled them over when I left. I lived well but not high on the hog. Do I wish I'd been recognized? Get one of those emails sent to everyone telling of my vast accomplishments and management agility followed by a significant promotion to VP? Of course, but my story is more the reality than those who do get those things. I've probably been more lucky than good but now I'm retired. I'm doing the things I want to do and when I want to do them. It's baffling to see the place spiral down S but management holds all the cards except one.
That one card is when you find yourself a new job and quit. So, start looking for a new job now. Don't wait. Good luck to all.
This is the most accurate thread right here. Accurate for each person's own experiences.
Those who have great potential and have tasted success elsewhere never really settle for the mediocrity forced upon them at Chevron. Some leave. Some stay and become bitter. None look fondly upon the company.
Those who have not experienced the outside world or have a personality that aligns with mediocrity and lack of intensity are happy and feel they have a good career. Indeed, it is a suitable career for them, as they can drift along and, in all honesty, would struggle elsewhere. These people are generally happy. The thing is, there will be many, many fewer spots over time for this group due to ENGINE.
So, everyone is right. However, a large change is coming.
I can empathize. I'll be a little vague to protect my identity. I came in as an experienced hire following one of the mergers. (Chevron rarely does experienced hiring, and only when there is a glaring need for the position, and it's too important a job for diversity placements to mess up.) I did my homework so I knew what I was getting into. Suffice it to say Chevron was a much better company to join then than it is now. In my xx years with Chevron, for a while pay kept up with the competition, until the Alpha/Transformation "austerity" program kicked in, where all raises and promotions were dedicated to the kids and high-pots. I never received a promotion in my entire time with Chevron, I retired doing the same job I was hired in for. My consolation is I guess I was hired in at a higher PSG than I would have commanded if I had been a Chevron lifer. Towards the end of my career, I too saw underqualified and "teacher's pets" receiving promotions and positions over me. Needless to say, myself (and many others) were jumping for joy when MW's/JG's plan to purge boomers would include a hefty severance package; we couldn't "express our interest" (what a cute euphemism!) fast enough. Have no doubt, the tenor and morale of the company plummeted with Alpha and the rise of MW and RM (the latter so bad, even she was purged); the talent drain of 2020 really downgraded the company.
Sorry to hear that. 17 years is a long time and must have left a bitter taste. You are right, the PDP is basically a tool to keep you motivated but not much is credence is given to the interest of the individual. Heck no one even looks at it other than your supervisor. CVX is known to ruin some good people's career. Unfortunately there is no recourse for such a long stagnation, but good to know you are happy now.
That's unfortunate you spend so much time in a company that wasn't right for you. I have had the opposite experience and am glad I'm with Chevron doing well. I'd do it all over again.
Myopic dumpster fire of a company. Sorry you spent 17 years but glad to hear you moved onto greener pastures. Talking heads certainly do go far.
If someone makes a mistake by hiring on with a company that's not in their best interest and stays there too long before realizing it and doesn't quit and seek employment elsewhere in time to benefit their own career is it the hiring company's fault or their own? It would certainly be nice to blame someone else except yourself. Let's just default to blaming someone else for our own failures and mistakes. That makes it much easier. It's never our own fault, it's always someone else's.
Good for you, the fact that you come to layoff site and still after 2 years being let go and your so called long experience speaks volumes. Thanks for the clarification :D
Enjoy your career were you belong.
Talking heads seem to get the furthest or atleast into positions they shouldn’t be in