| You have put in a lot of effort to get | | | | that, laws in your host country will |
| your first oil drilling job. Once you | | | | also come into effect. If you are found |
| get hired, here are 10 tips to get you | | | | with drugs in your personal effects, you |
| started off on the right foot. | | | | could face the hanging penalty for drug |
| 1) Be humble. Start from the bottom, | | | | trafficking in oil rigs off the shore of |
| just like everyone else on the oil rig, | | | | countries like Malaysia and Singapore. |
| even the rig manager. | | | | 6) Buy enough life insurance. While |
| 2) Be prepared. There are no stores on | | | | safety is a high priority on modern oil |
| an offshore oil rig. Make sure you bring | | | | rigs, it never hurts to be prepared for |
| along enough toiletries and cigarettes | | | | the worst case, especially if you have |
| (even if you do not smoke). You can | | | | family members dependent on you. |
| trade the extras, or "bribe" a seasoned | | | | 7) Be prepared to travel. You will |
| colleague to teach you part of his job. | | | | usually be far away from home in a |
| As mobile phones usually do not work on | | | | remote location for several weeks. After |
| offshore, take along a prepaid card. You | | | | all, there is a reason they are giving |
| will need to find out who the phone | | | | you all that extra salary. |
| service provider is on board your oil | | | | 8) Make sure you are single or have a |
| rig. | | | | stable marriage. More than one employee |
| 3) Clear up any personal issues before | | | | has found himself divorced due to the |
| you leave shore. Communications can be | | | | odd working hours and long hitches. If |
| expensive if your rig does not have | | | | you are married, make sure you can trust |
| mobile phone coverage. Offshore phone | | | | your wife to keep your household affairs |
| services like Petrocom charge up to | | | | running. |
| $5.00 a minute, so your prepaid cards | | | | 9) Be prepared to work hard, no matter |
| could run out pretty fast. Unless you | | | | how rough the weather condition is. Also |
| have a life-threatening emergency, you | | | | be prepared to work for demanding |
| will be stuck on the rig for weeks | | | | supervisors. An oil rig costs thousands |
| (depending on your contract, possibly up | | | | per hour to operate and has no room for |
| to 6 weeks). You should realize that | | | | slackers and layabouts. More |
| transport on and off the rig is strictly | | | | importantly, offshore rigs are often |
| controlled, as ferrying an employee to | | | | isolated away from civilization and any |
| shore by helicopter costs thousands of | | | | serious mistakes you make could cost the |
| dollars. | | | | lives of your colleagues. |
| 4) Get some basic knowledge of maritime | | | | 10)Get a sense of what the industry is |
| law and protocol. An offshore oil rig | | | | all about. Check out books such as "A |
| comes under maritime law and is treated | | | | Primer to Oil Well Drilling" in your |
| as a sea going vessel. Protocol on board | | | | local library. Make sure you have the |
| resembles that of a commercial ship - | | | | right expectations of your colleagues |
| the toolpusher or rig boss and the | | | | and bosses on board the oil rig. |
| drilling company representative serve as | | | | Follow these 10 tips for your first oil |
| co-captains of the rig. Law breakers | | | | drilling job, and you will find things |
| will be turned over to the coast guard. | | | | going smoothly. Flout them, and your |
| 5) No drug use. If you have a drug habit | | | | career will be in choppy seas. |
| and cannot give it up, do not get an oil | | | | Are you looking for oil drilling jobs? |
| drilling job. Rigs test employees | | | | Click here to learn how can help you to |
| regularly for drugs, so you will be | | | | quickly and easily find oil drilling |
| quickly found out and fired. Apart from | | | | jobs. |