The No. 1 Strategy Oil and Gas Organizations are Using to Recruit Women

In the early days, drilling for hydrocarbons was an imprecise business. There were hundreds of wells haphazardly dug on or near the site of suspected reserves, each with a small chance of striking oil. But as technology evolved and economically viable targets became harder to find, the industry turned to seismic surveying and intense research to locate exactly where — and how — they would drill next.

The same is true for finding talent.

Rather than posting roles to the same old job boards or in the same old industry publications, the oil and gas industry is having to dig deeper to locate tomorrow’s employees.

The need to search outside traditional recruiting channels was a common theme at this year’s Leap HR conference in Houston. And it’s a search that takes on ever increasing urgency. Over the next 18 years, the oil, natural gas and petrochemical industries will see close to 1.9 million roles open up, according to IHS Global. In exploration and production alone, the industry will face a shortage of up to 40,000 engineers, geologists and other technical professionals by 2025. Crucially, most of these positions are projected to be filled by minorities and females.

“It isn’t your mother's or father's work environment anymore,“ said Aaron Sobel, VP of HR at Diamond Offshore.

Companies need to cater to the needs of today’s diverse workforce by offering benefits like flexible work hours, parental leave and other policies that attract and retain talent.

But even with those business changes, it’s important to start your search in the right place. The oil and gas industry needs to look for talent elsewhere — especially in technology- focused fields where they’re competing with large tech firms like Google for the best candidates.

Some members of the industry are already taking the lead by looking in the right places and offering the right perks. For instance, the CHRO of Baker Hughes, Harry Elsinga, told Fairygodboss that the Houston-based firm had just hired people from NASA.

Fairygodboss offers employers this two-step solution to finding top female talent. Fairygodboss highlights your inclusive benefits, and has a built-in, diverse audience of ambitious women to supplement your hiring efforts. Over 120 organizations like Honeywell, GM, PwC and Apple rely on Fairygodboss to attract and retain the workforce of the future. Because diversity isn’t just nice to have: it’s a necessity for the future of your organization.

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