To say I'm unhappy with how things turned out would be an understatement. I've been looking for the past few months and a few leads are looking promising. I'm worried though about leaving this soon looking bad on a resume. Is it better to switch now than stick around for a while for the future?
28 replies (most recent on top)
@gp Horizons is on life support and is going to be radically retooled in 2026. It may exist in some form but will continue to be gutted in order to feed the factory beast with the mentality that no one should learn skills that don't apply to their cog in the machine. Demotivation much?
Op Don’t worry about the resume. I job hopped many times with a year or two on my resume. It was never an issue. Show them how you do qualify. That’s all they care about. Show your passion for the job and the company and it will be a non issue. With all the layoffs going on it’s understandable. Interviewers are sympathetic about layoffs because most have been through at least one themselves.
Do everything to leave now. As long as you secure the next job the one year won’t matter at potential future employers. Strongly consider another industry, because you may have similar experience at another / large competitor. Just look forward and not back.
Keep working while you are cultivating other possibilities. Then, your short time at Chevron will not raise any eyebrows, and ten years from now you could take it off your resume entirely. As a parallel, there are lots of academicians out there who worked very brief stints in industry before realizing money did not make up for integrity and freedom.
@kj yours is 95%
@kd ran it through AI detector, 90% likelihood this was created by AI
Explain in your interviews how there is no future at your current company as oil and gas is in a decline and they are cost cutting and you want to invest your time in an industry of growth. They will likely not ask or not care much. Focus on your skills and your passion about the company you’re interviewing with. Keep it positive and simple. Better to get out and work for a company willing to invest in you. This is all downhill. No future for those who are early career.
Poster of the wall of text here. If my post came across as AI, that was never goal. Yet, please note that post had NO influence from AI....and yes, I agree.
what’s weird about this thread is that OP never said anything about quitting before securing the next job but everyone is warning him not to quit without a job lined up anyway
If you are unhappy you should look to stay sane. It takes awhile to find the right job. It’s best to be employed while looking for work. Chevron used to be a great place to work. Unfortunately, the culture has changed and the people who made it a great place to work were laid off. Learn as much as you can. Unfortunately, the good days are behind us.
There's no reason to stick with a job (or company) you don't like. Some people say stick around until your 5-6 year Horizons training is done, but in the outside world it's experience and results, not training, that gets you hired. Besides, who knows what shape the industry will be in around 2030? The difficult part for you is that without experience, your only chances are with other majors, smaller companies want (again) experience and results, not future potential.
A couple of questions here:
1) OP, can you tell us what the recruiters told you that turned out not to be true? Years ago, Chevron made the decision to make low-experience kids recruiters, under that guise that candidates would "identify" with them. Unfortunately, they were fed a bed of lies and truth-stretchers that was practically deceitful to candidates.
2) Someone mentioned the Horizons program. Is that still in place? It was in a state of disarray 5 years ago when I retired.
lifelong employment as a concept in oil and gas is over so who cares
old timers got a good deal. boo hoo. let’s focus on realistic options for people that’s aren’t 55 with pensions
Your post reads as if it were composed by AI.
Too long-winded, repeating the same suggestions, and being very pro/touting AI, itself. Gross.
AI is a trap.
AI is a fraud.
AI doesn't help humans, it's to hurt humans.
AI is evil.
"The Grass Isnt Greener" will always be a phrase that is true, yet on the flip side....do you want to take a chance on yourself? There are some great topics on this subject, do some googling to read up on the subject.
No matter what decision you make, will be one that needs to make sense for you, your family and your anticipated career strategy.
My best advice for you....and yes, some of this is just a wall of text, but use this as a brainstorm for understanding a larger decision and your individual career strategy.
start making your career a strategic game with SMART objectives and be intentional about decisions - no one will ever control your career more than you, that goes with decision factors too....only you can determine priority level.
start thinking about your career over the next 1-3, 3-5-8, 10-12 yr segments (noting that sometimes these either means job hopping or new roles, either being in alignment with career goals), challenging part is that the constant shuffle of reorgs is often like musical chairs, so if you do not get In a chair that aligns with strategy - what is your plan? What are the decision factors to stay or exit?
Do some googling on YouTube (life after layoff is a good channel) on the reasons to stay, reasons to leave, etc.
stay off LinkedIn as influencers or others may affect your mindset and decision factors. (remember Job titles are often inflated to what roles people may actually are doing)
Create a list of applicable pros/cons (benefits, perks, retirements, pensions, salary, total remuneration, vacation, etc; use chatgpt/AI to create a list) - Note verify/validate everything in chatgpt/AI in alignment to career strategy plans
Create boundary points in your strategy (staying IC,.going mgmt, relocation, retirements) - what are the hard stops/non negotiable?
Create a list of mentors (internally, externally) - note dont talk about company exits with internal. Use best judgment on topics that balance and align with your strategic goals.
For all external roles that you may be applying, do careful examination in the job descriptions for buzzwords (fast paced, results oriented, "family", etc).
In any interview, this is very much a 2 way street, if you get a bad feeling, pull the plug. Remember that an interview is for you to get an understanding too. Don't get great feedback or it turns out to not meet your strategy, pull the plug.
Track any AND all roles that you have internally and externally. Track how they apply to your career strategy, track how they fit into your plan, track individual roles/responsibilities into your plan.
Use lists, boundary points, roles/responsibilities, career strategy, etc to create an ongoing list of questions as you go through application, interview process, hiring processes.
Take a careful consideration in the idea of "devil you know" while CVX has Its own various struggles, being new is the ultimate ability to fail upwards, and learn. Plus, you can learn. If you exit, its a new "devil" to learn. While you are new, you may be expected to to learn REAL quick on/for a different working environment.
Keep in mind , that ALL companies and ALL INDUSTRIES have their various struggles, pros/cons....so figure out what your challenges/issues are first, see if you can change mindset/focus, change something internally, etc. Track those in your nonnegotiable and questioning checklists, use those to figure out your next step.
If you think the grass is greener, you're sorely mistaken. So many people who are lifelong employees don't realize how good they've had it.
This is partially outdated advice. Nobody can stay more than 5-7 years at an oil and gas company even if they want to. The industry is permanently shrinking and outsourcing like crazy. Banking on a long term company 401k match is not viable. It would also he very foolish to dive into industry specific skills that don’t translate.
It’s much better to assume you’ll be cut and do your own investing that works wherever you go.
IMO, it would be smartest to leave now. Who enjoys the stench of firings hanging over the buildings at all times?
Always agree with managers who are not SMEs, say one thing in public and another in private, become personal friends with others who do this and try and subvert more efficient ways of doing business whilst lauding the initiative in forums and meetings. You'll be a supervisor before you realise people who don't go anywhere in chevron are too stupid to pretend.
It doesn't hurt to apply if you are serious about taking another position. If you get an offer, and the role, pay and benefits are acceptable and aligned with your goals, then take it. Chevron isn't getting any better, and you are so early in your career that you don't have much to lose by jumping ship
Stay as long as you can. Live below your means and save as much as you can. Meet with a Fidelity financial advisor so you can maximize the return on your savings. The Company will match a percentage of what you save. Note that you don't vest in their portion until you've been with the Company or are laid off. As an old timer, I've know people that did lots of job hopping, got huge raises, spent money like crazy on toys, dr-gs, fast women, child support, divorces, etc. As they got older, there wasn't much retirement because they never stayed long enough to vest or leave money long enough in the stock market to accrue long term gains.
@c0 , excellent response. As an almost 40-year oilfield career guy who has made a few career jumps along the way, I can say you nailed the interview advice. Always positive, always fascinated by the company’s strategy, plans, and explaining how I can fit in. Kind of the same advice for a first date (though it’s been too long for me to remember those).
Don't take on debt or make any significant life changes (i.e. children or marriage) until you land something better. There's no future at Chevron for anyone under 30, especially in the domestic US. Improve your skills while you are on Wirth's dime and then go elsewhere when a suitable opportunity arises.
You can always use the, "It just wasn't a good fit" excuse that many bosses say about an employee when giving them the boot.
It's a nice way of saying that you don't like the person, place, or thing, without disclosing details of why. If pressed for details, just have an answer ready which spins it to a positive, without disparaging your last job.
Come prepared with catchphrases the place where you'll be interviewing has written in the job description for the role you're hoping to get. So when the interviewer says to you, "Why did you leave your last position?" You say, "It just wasn't a good fit, in terms of what I was looking for, in regard to processes, and integrating ___ with __. I noticed in this job's description that you're focused on _ and _, which really aligns with what I want to be working on, and learning about."
Then you pivot the convo. with a question to them about those particular aspects of the new job which you just mentioned, where you get more specific for them to explain it to you...this steers things away from a potential negative for you, and into a positive about how you're SO STOKED about being a part of whatever it is they have to offer.
A big part of that type of question is for them to see if you have professionalism and discretion, in how you handle and refer back to unpleasant or downright negative situations. They don't really care why you left, they just want to know that you're level headed and mature enough to not be badmouthing them, to another employer down the road.
Y'know, finesse'em right back w/ some semi-BS of your own, to use in your favor.
You don't have to outright lie about why you left, but you don't have to be 100% full disclosure, either.
Show 'em that you can play the game, and get what you want, without stepping on too many toes in the process.
If you are horizons hire, you will be kept for the duration of the program, which is 5 to 6 years. I would learn as much as you can and stay the 5+ years. The job market is slim right now. You can continue to look and you may find something. But Tony stress out.
Have you read the book, “who moved my cheese?”. It’s an easy read and it is spot on with working in corporate America. I am the mouse that is always looking to the future, and I have been at Chevron 15+ years. Chevron is a great company and recently they have invested in many training opportunities. My 3 year plan is to learn as much as possible until the next layoff.
I recommend you learn as much as possible over the next few years. If you were hired in the past year, then your team should be safe for at least 2 to 3, maybe up to 5 years.
Don’t despair, the world is your oyster but Chevron is a stepping stone in your employment journey. God speed!
R U N
N O W
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It depends. If this is your first position out of school, stay five years or so. A lot will change. And if you are just hopping to another oil company, got some bad news for ya….
job hopping being bad is a myth
your C suite is a bunch of job hoppers
don’t fall for it
Yeah, you should tough it out for two years, it usually takes that long to adjust to a new role. That said, no harm in applying to other jobs during that time