Thread regarding Shell Oil layoffs

Many years ago, I got selected for the Crude Oil Trader In Development Program (TDP) in Canada - my boss was a very nice man who sat in Houston; however, two of the traders in my team simply didn't like me; one was having an extra-marital affair with the Trade Analyst who joined our team (subsequently left his wife with three kids to marry her - I'm told the Trade Analyst is also a trader now but on a different team) - another trader didn't like me because he became a trader after working for years as a scheduler; also, he wanted to go to London, UK and didn't like the fact that I had told my boss eventually I'd like to go there

My boss was a very nice man - anyhow, the trader who didn't like me because I was on Canada's first ever fast-track TDP was rude at times to the point of being racist - as a joke, normally, I have thick skin but once there was a funny caricature he had made for someone on our extended team - it was hilarious so I asked him I wonder what caricature he had in mind for me - his instant response was "for you I thought of drawing up OBL with bombs around his waist" - I let it go thinking there's no point stirring trouble - later I realised they would deliberately do things to make me look bad in front of my boss (who only had the traders' feedback to go by); I was a high performer at RDS with my first year IPF being 1.2; I sat the assessment centre for the TDP and got selected in 2010; my first rotation as a Crude Oil Analyst was very good but upon the traders' recommendation, my boss suggested that I should be off-loaded from the TDP and that maybe I should consider applying to another team/department in RDS - I felt extremely hurt and requested him to talk to HR and let me resign the very same day

What annoyed me was that nobody stopped to even think once how someone who went to one of the best universities in the world, performed well in his first rotation, got selected for the graduate scheme, did well as a crude analyst in the same team suddenly fell away when they came into scheduling. It was also a bad time to be a new scheduler as pipelines were burning up all over the place and our team was in a lot of unexpected transition; the guy who was supposed to train me for scheduling also went on holiday two weeks after my training into scheduling began

I don't know if I've done well but I left and scaled our family business upto a turnover of CAD 3.6m by 2019. What I do know is even as a graduate, I would get offers from other companies for better pay or more holidays but I never considered them as it was my dream to be a senior figure within RDS Trading; I don't like change so I know I would have given my life to RDS but what shocks me is they wouldn't even try and make things right for their first ever TDP in Canada - RDS' treatment shattered my dream and to this day it has scarred me; I never pursued the racist behaviour - just on the last day told my manager that I didn't feel welcome in the team

I was one of the high performers. I was made to report a junior person as the organisation was getting redesigned and my manager left the company. The new manger was committing financial fraud, I refused to participate and I was laid off. I was approached by a dotted line female manager for "favors", which I denied.

This added up and the VP who was reduced to GM level was the manager of both of them, possibly associated in multiple personal interests.

Inference: I was jobless!

CEP is going away. That’s why no assessment this year. Format is changing to something to like 1) Top talent 2) core talent 3) no talent

Ha - not exact, but you’ll be in one of those buckets.

I’ve heard they’re also looking at completely changing IPF system. No more 0-1.5. Something more like 1-5 with no decimals. Chevron has this system.

I heard shell did away with the CEP for 2018. Any truth to this?

Look for a different company if you want my advise. Shell is not worth you time and effort, there is life after Shell, trust me! Best, thing that happened to me in my career as a JG5- left shell Happily employed elsewhere

@Q1nMEHe-ordc I did all of that and became a threat to my manager as he saw I was a better fit for his own job. That’s when he started looking for ways to get rid of me

Network. Manage upwards relentlessly. Don't be a pain to your manager. Show reasonable performance. Play to improve your CEP. If you are far away from central HQ you have a disadvantage getting noticed.

Yes, showing up and agreeing with what your superiors asked you do even if it is against your professional ethics. e.g.

1) inflating oil and gas reserve figures

2) re-interpreting data to suit your superiors' exceptions so that both of you can get promoted

3) hiding bad data or results to make your superiors look good on paper

4) showing up for work even when you know there is nothing to do in the office except gossips

5) pretending you are working even when you are not working

6) generally back-stabbing co-workers so that your manager will be happy since he/she does the same thing to move up the ladder

7) Generally be a yes man or woman!

8) etc.

For sure you will get promoted and move faster but eventually nemesis will catch up with you.

I am not be an alarmist. Check the news of all past CEOs, CFOs and other tops managers of Shell and see how they left the company. Then, you will understand what I am saying!

A word is enough for the wise. Don't work for Shell. Your life is worth more than pretense and mediocrity...You can do better else where...

It will take you about 4 years. Maybe 8.

You just need to make sure you are meeting and exceeding your GPA and be generally positive. This is not really unique to Shell.

Grade 5 starts at about 10 and it takes a year to get promoted. Showing up, listening, working, and doing a good job will usually get you to the next grade. Ditto for the higher grades.

lol lol lol.. useless...managers..

The best way to move up is to kick your manager in the ba--s to get his attention and then ask for promotion. It works every time.