I heard a lot of fellows retired this year. Any tips on shortcuts to fellowhood? I heard it is a pretty sweet setup, sort of like tenured faculty - free to do you own thing. I'd like to be a fellow before I'm 40 so I can sort of get off the treadmill.
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There was a day when Fellows were true international technical leaders, with wide impact across many BUs and significant accomplishments and external publication record that gave themselves high academic/ industry visibility. In the last decade it became a butt lickers club, with people being selected by their management connections and not their technical accomplishments. The title has now become also meaningless, so not that surprising it might be phased out.
@OP Ha! You won’t have a job long enough to become a fellow. There won’t be any jobs left and they’re not going to keep fellowship for offshore .
People only become fellows for the branded shirts
@km Such BS. Many of the fellows are loud mouthed blow hards, who got there fellowship on the backs of folks who not only innovated, but also did the hard work to implement and publish their ideas. Sure there are a few exceptions. Oh, you're right about the 50+ and not a single one of them late in their fellowship is doing anything of any substance whatsoever! So OP is on point.
@OP some of the fellows are d-mb as he-l. It’s a popularity contest
The fellows are quite passionate about what they do and are happy to push themselves. Doesn’t sound like that’s you based on your question. Besides, before 40 is never going to happen. 50+ is kinda the age and the fellow program may not exist at that point.
The are fewer Chevron fellows than there are vice presidents in the company. He-l, there are almost as many fellows as MW+direct reports.
@OP, becoming a Fellow before is harder than becoming CEO here. Keep dreaming.
They don’t name you Fellow until you’re almost in the grave.
@as, I hope that is not true. I liked that Chevron was a company where you could still grow a technical career path.
@f5 it is not about promotion but ego and ambition
I wanted to be a Fellow as well and be free as the wind. Alas having only a Junior College Degree in Business and Computer Science was not going to cut it. So instead, I became a Slacker and couldn’t be happier with my choice. Good luck trying to get in that exclusive club. Not many do.
Since when is it selfish to desire a well-deserved promotion? Have you never been promoted?
@e9 could not agree more.Op must be entitled failed self centered hipot looking for easy life without regard to the people who have been kicked out and those left to try and keep our once great company alive.
Type of pompous individual no company needs.
This question is absolutely irrelevant...
We're talking about job cuts and not selfish promotion
It's a lack of respect for the ones who have been kicked out of the game
Step 1: don’t get laid off
Unfortunately I failed at step 1.
@a7 "You're exactly the right person for our trim the fat program."
LOL
Try the Horizon's Program, "It's not just a job, but an adventure". LOL
The Fellows program is apparently under scrutiny with major revisions and possible elimination expected in the early 2026. I would be carefull what you asked for!
You're exactly the right person for our trim the fat program.
That treadmill gets more intense in 2026…then a sacrifice of not just time and sweat…doubt it?