Before you decide to leave Exxon for supposedly greener pastures make sure to properly vet the company you're planning on joining. A friend left a few months ago just to find himself in an even worse situation because he was so eager to leave. Don't make the same mistake. Check out Glassdoor (choose negative comments to drown out any fake HR postings,) check out the company's page here to see how they are with layoffs, and make sure to talk to people who already work there. Plus whatever else crosses your mind. If the offer seems too good to be true, it usually is.
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I have warned people of this on this site before. I went to work for a small company after being let go from a large, nice company. I took the first job I could get so I could be close to my family whom I was helping out with at the time, and I wanted to be there.
It was a huge mistake. I didn’t want a gap in my resume, and I needed the funds. This place was beyond description bad. Toxic in every area I can say without exaggeration. It was a small mom and pop where an ops manager was hired into that role based on his relation with the owner. He was very young and not qualified, with the people skills of a hornet. There was a mutiny against him to the point where another manager had to step in for a while and mentor him. It did not work. An operator threatened to beat the guy up, and got up to go do so. The supervisor stopped the operator. I was taken advantage of as I would not have worked there unless in this dire situation. Prior to starting work there I was switched from the manager I accepted the job to work under to the bully manager described earlier. They knew I needed a job and would not be fussy as others. The job role was drastically different than I applied for and that which was described. I left there traumatized. Never, ever take the first thing that comes along. I’m sorry but if it means taking out a loan to live so be it. Do not affect your mental health in that way. Be picky. Ask questions to find out what the culture is like etc. Do Starr questions on the interviewers. Use a good sense of intuition and listen deep to how they answer the questions and what questions they ask. For example, later on I had an interview where I was asked how did I go about coming into a site with people who did not know me and begin to do work. This was a huge red flag to me. I knew what it meant from past experience. It meant that in order for a person to be able to do their job, they had to go in and build relationships before starting work. This seems well, but what is beneath is a clique that controls the site. I’ve seen it before. You need their approval to fit in and be okay’d to perform. How it should be and is in non-toxic environments is that you go in and begin doing work as soon as your paperwork/training is complete. While you are working, you are building relationships. It happens simultaneously folks, not relationship before work. Treating people with respect, getting their opinions, and begging generous will build those relationships.
The moral of this story is to find a great job/company BEFORE you are laid off
Eh. For every story like this there are many people who are happy they left.
ExxonMobil is the worst I can say with confidence. I have worked at other companies before and I am working for another now - got PIPed last July after 24 successful years at ExxonMobil with great reviews and very happy control room people that loved my work. I only stayed because pay was high and there was pension to get. If there was no pension and salary same as market, would have quit a long time ago. I spent 24 years unhappy, but goal is accomplished, got a nice pension and no looking back. But if ExxonMobil let you go, not to worry, you were already living in Afghanistan or Uganda or Liberia, there cannot be a worse place to live in, cannot go wrong. No problem vetting the new company, but I doubt anyone will find a worse place to work for.
I would put a 7 to 3 odd of getting a less nauseating company.