Thread regarding Shell Oil layoffs

If you are coming here for answers … that is everything you need to know ….

The pond is drying up, and as you rightly pointed out, the foreigners are always given priority. If you’re one of the anointed, you already know it. If you have doubts, you’re probably right to have them.

I don't think there's much hope for upward movement. While some 1s and 2s have been laid off, I've noticed very little upward movement (<5%) across the orgs. My IPFs over the last decade have averaged 1.28 and I've struggled to break through each layer. It's purely a function of having a lot of older people in front of you, Shell not managing poor performing TLs/managers, and retaining a lot of middle age talent in sold off assets. If you are late 30s / early 40s and started 2004-2010 era, you're probably further ahead than those who joined 2011-2017 at the same age. As others have said, if you aspire to move upward, it might be better to do that elsewhere. Otherwise, just wait your turn - it could be a while.

for management 2 roles (if thats your aspiration) - will you be able to compete with the "business advisors" and other high flyers (some of whom will want to be flying back to deepwater from new energies) ?

were you a bag carrier previously or do you have an SVP/EVP to lift you up and help with placement ?

if not...you could be waiting for a long time on the bench....the IPFs might be good...but don't get misled by them....you need to have a game plan because hope is not a strategy...

Do you want a technical ("principal" ) 2 or a management ("team lead") 2 ?

If its the former, thats pretty much the end of the line and would help comparing with a technical 2 equivalent outside in other majors or at independents where you will likely find more responsibility/impact and more people in mgmt with technical background and overall less churn in terms of reorgs and a less Mckinsey like environment than Shell. Pay would be competitive but not substantially more than Shell. At independents, the bonuses/shares would be better.

If its the latter, you should likely know that you could be "chosen" very soon and its a matter of faith and waiting your turn. But ask yourself if you are really bought into the Shell way of management and are up for delivering through all the staff churn etc and in a matrix environment with all the assurance etc. Shell has not been hiring much in E&P....the consequences will catch up soon and so will the impact of strong decline rates in deepwater GOM.

As one of the commenters put it....you should be getting 'Higher' and be willing to put in what it takes to get them. I'll add that you need to be willing to play the MOR game....go through multiple rounds of job apps....strengthen the applicant pool first then become the preferred candidate eventually. Ask yourself what makes it worth it ?

Good and very relevant question. A comment - If you have worked only in the GOM and been involved in perhaps 1-2 wells being drilled...you want to think of broadening your experience/skillset as there are only the Majors (CVX, BP) and Oxy who are the main players in the US offshore business. XOM is almost out. There are LLOG, Beacon etc but overall GOM would have less opportunities overall than Onshore in the US.

Seems like working in Shell GOM (or BP/CVX GOM for that matter)....makes you a specialist very soon ? and less easy to find a job outside after a few years ?

If you are going to be a 2 and you are currently a 3, you will know you are on the in crowd. They would have given you a Higher already and you can expect that for about 3 years then they will promote you. If you have only Strong, you are not chosen. It literally has nothing to do with your actual performance. If you want to move up you have to move out when you find yourself in this position. The quicker you realize that and act on it the more gains you will make in the long run.

Pretty obvious you are not a chosen one ("emerging leader") but I think even among those there are likely doubts growing. But they are already beefing up their resume with company sponsored MBAs etc while you are grinding.....

Take a step back, zoom out and do an NPV/ROI and SWOT analysis. If you are in Houston....there are opportunities for you to grab....the first step is to believe that there is life outside Shell