So, I have to make a major decision in a week

"E90M3" (e90m3)
10/20/2017 at 07:45 • Filed to: None

Got offered a job to go back to the oilfield and be a frac engineer, albeit with a differnt company than I used to work for. If this was an office job, I would have already said yes; however, being a field job I’m not so sure. I would also have to relocate to Colorado. The other alternative is to just keep my current job. I like where I live, Savannah is nice, but I don’t really much care for my current job. To make things a bit more difficult, I have another phone interview on Monday with another service company for a frac engineer, but this one would be back in Texas. I really don’t know what I’m going to do. I need to factor in quality of life versus oil money, although I think me being miserable at my old job was partially my fault. Anyways, I need to weight the pros and cons and then go from there.

Also, apparently the adage of “it’s easier to find a job when you have a job” is true.

Me in a former life:

DISCUSSION (36)

Dark chocolate > E90M3
10/20/2017 at 07:53

adage of “it’s easier to find a job when you have a job” is true.

It indeed is very true.

Good Luck.

sn4cktimes > E90M3
10/20/2017 at 07:55

One factor you don’t mention is how steady you think your current job is. You obviously had an oil related job, past tense. So how likely is losing the new frac job going to be. Just a thought to consider. But given that you’ve moved for this current job, maybe a new location might also be an opportunity for you.

philsphan09 > E90M3
10/20/2017 at 07:55

How is the pay / job security vs current place?

E90M3 > sn4cktimes
10/20/2017 at 07:59

Ironically, my current company makes a lot of frac chems, but the business as a whole is very stable. It’s a private company, so no investors to answer to, lower change of getting laid off

I think it’s a lot more stable than it used to be. There is still some instability, but it’s a lot more stable than it used to be. That said, I really don’t want to get laid off again.

E90M3 > philsphan09
10/20/2017 at 07:59

Pay would be better, less job security though.

E90M3 > Dark chocolate
10/20/2017 at 07:59

Thanks.

Tripper > E90M3
10/20/2017 at 08:07

Personally I’d frac off to Colorado because I like Colorado, snowboarding, and $.

Good luck with your decision(s)!

Jason Spears > E90M3
10/20/2017 at 08:08

I would say treat this like car shopping. You need to cross shop, talk to people, and give yourself time to make the right decision. Don’t get pressured, even by yourself, into a quick decision. A good employer will understand if you want to talk to other prospects, just like any decent car sales rep will not be a jerk if you are not decided yet.

Also if your pro / con list goes against your feelings, you’re still free to do what makes you feel better in your work and life. We know this is important, because if it was just about the money there would be no question.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > sn4cktimes
10/20/2017 at 08:20

People continuously tie the automotive industry to the oil industry, and they are, but not quite in the way people realize. Moving cars to electricity will buy us more time to keep using oil in the *plastics* industry. THat is going to be the hard one to change. But for the next 50 years or so, we’re fracking and drilling to make as much as we can.

....At least we don’t use it in paint anymore?

random001 > E90M3
10/20/2017 at 08:22

Been there. That sucks. I’m with ya.

So how do I get one of these high paying oil jobs?

Stapleface > E90M3
10/20/2017 at 08:26

More money is always good. But, if it comes at the expense of your happiness/sanity, that changes things.

You like where you’re living now. Would you like Colorado? You weren’t crazy about Texas when you were there, if memory serves.

While fracking is still very hot, how is the outcome in 5 years? 10? I see oil as a pretty volatile market in general. Not to mention that bouncing around from job to job doesn’t look to great to future prospective employers.

If it were me, unless I was really miserable in where I was, I would stay put. Maybe you can make a move within your current company that might be more interesting to you.

LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com > E90M3
10/20/2017 at 08:26

I’d think that being in the steady job and close to your sister, not far from your parents, and near a city that you like would make staying put better than chasing the money. However, you must dislike the current job enough to make a switch attractive given all that. Otherwise, if it comes down to the money, I would say that there is more to life than how large your BMW collection can grow.

I mean, you already have your car situation in pretty good shape, so if the current job is at all satisfying, I say value the other things in life over the oil field money.

E90M3 > Tripper
10/20/2017 at 08:29

Thanks. It’s going to be a tough one.

E90M3 > Jason Spears
10/20/2017 at 08:31

I think I’m going to talk to my dad and ask him how I should approach talking to my current company. Might be able to get a better idea of where I fit in there. It’s not just about the money, that’s a factor, but not the main factor.

E90M3 > random001
10/20/2017 at 08:32

IDK, do really bad in engineering school and get offered a job by a service company.

FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com > E90M3
10/20/2017 at 08:34

Make sure you scout out cost of living wherever the CO job is To see if the pay is really as good as it looks. My BIL works in Aspen and he has to commute an hour in good weather just to live somewhere that he could find a two bedroom house under $400k.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > E90M3
10/20/2017 at 08:36

Prioritize happiness. Job security, is important, but you have posted on here at least half a dozen times how miserable you’ve been lately since taking your current job. You’ll have to buy a 2000 Subaru Legacy for the winters, though.

random001 > E90M3
10/20/2017 at 08:37

Well, if they need people with mad radar skillz, I’m your man.

UnderSTeerEnthusiast - Triumph Fanboy > E90M3
10/20/2017 at 08:54

Based on the job description, is it going to be similar to the original job you had? If so, even if some of the unhappiness of your first job was self caused, you’re not anywhere near the only one who got burned out (granted your old company’s reputation is well known too). The important thing to consider is whether you’d actually enjoy that kind of work again.

Azrek > E90M3
10/20/2017 at 09:02

As the oldest of the E9X M3 drivers here, I will approach this from another angle to give you more food for thought.

Where do you want to be in 5 years? 10? Do you want a house? Do you want to get comfortable in a career or enjoy the nomad life? What gives you the most amount of life control and least amount of stress? Do you want to be 40 still trying to seek for a job knowing you are competing with kids free outta college?

Not all easy answers, but being a nomad can wear on you after a bit. I spent close to 10 years on the road or overseas. Eventually I got home and my friends were all married, kids, or dead. The world passed me by for a decade. After my last attempt to further my career in Maryland, I returned to Florida to a lesser position. I am happier. I went to see Spaceballs in the park with friends last night while drinking German beer. It was perfect.

Good luck!

WilliamsSW > E90M3
10/20/2017 at 09:13

Ok, as a certified “old” who has been through this kind of thing a few times, first, congratulations on having solid marketable skills that have companies seeking you out - you’re in a good place, wherever you go.

As several people have said, happiness comes first - and you know that.

A few questions for you to think over:

- what can you do to make your current situation better? Sounds like you like the area and the company is stable, but you’re not happy. Maybe a different job in savannah, either with this company or another?

- you can and should talk to your current employer, if you have a decent boss. It will give you a sense of what they think of you, and you may be able to work out some things that make you happier - but go in with specific ideas and be open minded - the boss may think of things you haven’t. If the boss dismisses it offhand, well, then, you learned something at least. Be careful, that route isn’t for everyone and has to be taken very tactfully

- you mention that you were miserable in the field before. Why, and what can you do to fix that?

- what is the future in colorado? Can you work your way into a desk job in a year or 3? It sounds like you want that, long term.

Finally, which path helps you get where you want to be in 3-5 years, whatever that is?

Colorado is very big and varied. Cost of living and scenery, and things to do, vary widely across the state. Have you spent enough time where you would be to get a feel for it?

Good luck!!

bmil128 > E90M3
10/20/2017 at 09:29

Having been in your shoes I would go back if it wasn’t for big blue. I assume one of them is big red judging by the picture. If it’s Brighton it would be better than Grand Junction from what I’ve heard.

E92M3 > E90M3
10/20/2017 at 09:37

If it was anywhere besides Colorado, I would say don’t move.

With that said, if you’ve spent the majority of your life in GA and TX, it may not be for you. It gets cold, and winter lasts a full 6 months. The other 6 months it’s fabulous. It’s great for outdoorsy people. Almost everyone is into biking, hiking, running, skiing, etc. I kind of felt like the laziest person when I was there, but my son was young at that time (1,2,&3 years old).

E90M3 > bmil128
10/20/2017 at 10:28

I think it’s near Denver. I used to work for big blue, would be switching it up and going to work for big red. Big blue called me back in July wondering if I was interested, but then never got back to me.

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > E90M3
10/20/2017 at 11:06

Colorado will have many good beer drinking options. There is also a glorious ski season and a seemingly unlimited number of slopes to choose from.

Nothing > E92M3
10/20/2017 at 11:27

Ah, perpetuity the myth of winter in Colorado to prevent more people from moving here! A common ploy! Ha.

bmil128 > E90M3
10/20/2017 at 11:30

Red will not move you around as much as blue esp when you eat out of the field. I made the jump gto an operator from big red after 8-1/2 yrs with the last three in a customer’s office. It’s harder to make that move nowadays, it helps if you get in right with one of your customer engineers/field reps (employees not contract). You can also go the Ely/frac consultant route but that doesn’t do your scheduling and days off any favors either.

Nothing > E90M3
10/20/2017 at 11:35

The front range is crowded. Real estate is also pricey. I’m unsure about rental costs, as it’s been a while since I’ve been in a rental. Summers aren’t as hot as Texas, winters are mild. Despite the Colorful Colorado slogan, it’s mostly brown unless you get into the mountains.

If you enjoy water sports, don’t move here. There isn’t a ton of recreational water if you like to get out on boats. Most of the reservoirs along the front range are crowded and not terribly large. That would be one thing that gets me out of CO. Otherwise I like it here for the most part.

If it’s for the ones near me, we’ll have to meet up, you’ll be less than a mile away!

E92M3 > Nothing
10/20/2017 at 15:44

I was so sick of snow by May. The wind was the deal breaker for me. 25 degrees, and sunny I can deal with. But the days it’s sunny and not windy are rare. If the weather was just a little bit better, Colorado’s population would be double.

Nothing > E92M3
10/20/2017 at 16:18

Heck, we can’t keep people out now. I’m with you on the wind, but being originally from northern NY, the winters here are laughable. I’m on the front range though, so it depends where you were. Denver for the most part doesn’t get a ton of snow, and where I’m at tends to be a strange little weather pattern where everything ducks just south of us. I had to shovel maybe 3 times last year.

sn4cktimes > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
10/20/2017 at 16:59

Always gonna need plastics. and that particular need is always going to grow. And petro-chemicals are always big too. I just don’t know if we’re going to see $140 barrels again for a LONG time.

But as a structural welder in Calgary Alberta I can say that when those big oil dollars dried up a LOT of other dollars in construction disappeared as well. We build mostly non-oil related stuff and a boatload of projects got modified, downsized, or cancelled. We had a mini-rush of getting steel to sites to legally bind construction companies to pay to completion, and then another rush of acquiring contracts from other companies who folded as they couldn’t fund current projects with the next incoming deals’ money. Then it started getting TIGHT . There’s a lot of unemployed oil and structural welders in Alberta, and if they already jumped to another industry I wouldn’t suggest they come back to welding unless they really loved it. If they came back it might be a tenuous employment position...

sn4cktimes > Nothing
10/20/2017 at 17:05

In the mountains and surrounding area a lot of spring and fall are pretty equivalent to other places winters... Calgary’s falls and springs swing from blizzards to shorts weather... most of that time all the plants are brown. That equals winter to me.

But those glorious hot days! They are magnificent. I’ve still been riding my Enduro bike to work. It’s October! mornings are chilly, but afternoons are prime for a rip home after work.

E92M3 > Nothing
10/21/2017 at 11:00

I was up east of Ft. Collins. I don’t mind a little snow. It didn’t snow that often really. But when it did, it stuck around. The constant melt, pools of mag chloride, sand and gravel last all winter. Not being able to keep a clean car for 6 months was hard for me. It’s not like I could ignore it, and not wash it for 6 months either unless you want the mag chloride to corrode everything. Maybe I should of had a winter beater.

Nothing > E92M3
10/21/2017 at 11:22

Yeah, it is different weather there than here. It’s windy enough here, but basically up there in Wyoming, man, it never stops! There are good years and bad years, we’ve had pretty mild winters the past few years. Nice when the snow stays primarily in the mountains.

R Saldana [|Oo|======|oO|] - BTC/ETH/LTC Prophet > E90M3
10/23/2017 at 20:11

Wtf is this big blue/big red business?

I attempted to go to the oil fields as a roughneck a couple years ago, because I was having a hard time finding an IT job that would pay what my certs and XP require. Could not even get an email back. This was even going through those Leatherneck to Roughneck program managers too.

E90M3 > R Saldana [|Oo|======|oO|] - BTC/ETH/LTC Prophet
10/23/2017 at 23:38

Big blue/big red are th two major oilfield service companies in the world. I used to work for big blue, have an offer to work for big red.

My job out of college was working for an oilfield service company. Now that oil is making a comeback, it’s much easier to find a job in the field.