Hey chem eng students,
I have applied for roughly 25 graduate positions and so far I've been rejected by:
Shell (didn't apply for mobil, BP, chevron)
OneSteel (rejected after psych test)
Woodside
PB (reject basically the next day after applying)
From the other companies I've had 2 phone interviews and booked 1 AC.
I've done a few psych tests but...
I haven't heard back from the other 19 companies. Are you guys getting the same vibe for chem eng grad positions?!?!
You don't have to give specifics, just want to know if you've been getting some sort of response.
Thanks :-)
hahaha, maybe those companies don't need chem eng or reduced their intake for this year??
Is it possible that we're in the middle band of applicants?
That we'll get the call up when others knock back their offers, so in the meantime the companies don't want to reject us and instead just leave us hanging...
Thanks Sjy
List of rejections:
BP
PB
Caltex
Onesteel
Shell
Exxon
Most of these were expected. Had 1 phone interview so far waiting for other news. Still applying to those that are open.
This is just a question borne out of curiouity, and certainly not meant to be a criticism.
Have all of you chem eng grads here done the appropriate majors to be focussing so much on the petro company rejections. I ask that because I realise that there are many different areas you can focus on in chem eng courses so am wondering how the subjects you've taken would stack up against those students who opted for Petro Eng instead of Chem Eng.
would stack up against those students who opted for Petro Eng instead of Chem Eng.
Unfortunately petroleum engineering isn't an option at my uni (UQ) yet. They are thinking of introducing it next year and there isn't any particular route you can take,course wise, to end up looking different to an petroleum employer.
I ask that because I realise that there are many different areas you can focus on in chem eng courses so am wondering how the subjects you've taken would stack up against those students who opted for Petro Eng instead of Chem Eng.
Chemical Engineering applicants are not competing against Petroleum/Reservoir Engineering candidiates (and certainly not when you're talking about Shell or Mobil's downstream operations). They are completely different positions. This year Woodside took more process (chemical) grads than petroleum. The O&G industry is and will remain for the forseeable future the premier industry to get into as a chem eng grad hence why everyone wants it and hence the competition. Also alot of the fundamentals done at uni – process simulation, sep processes, thermo, fluid mech etc are probably more applicable to O&G than to minerals/mining/water etc. Very few chem eng grads who end up in these companies have done petroleum specific subjects at uni other than the odd elective or design project which doesn't really give you much of an advantage anyway.
I'm probably getting no replies because they're waiting to actually hire someone before sending out the rejections.
My $0.02
I'm probably getting no replies because they're waiting to actually hire someone before sending out the rejections.
x2
They're just gonna leave us hanging. Wow didn't realise so many chem eng grads would be in the same boat.
I am in a similar position. I have applied to about 15 companies. Have not received much back from most of them.
Still applying to those that are open.
Hey j_ran, what are you still applying for?? Most things are closed, from the top of my head (i'm at work) i know Worley is still open...
Same boat as the OP here, rejected by those same companies, 3 interviews and 1 AC.
From experience, a lot of these companies dont call until mid-May and some until as late as June (got 3 calls last year while I was overseas :o ) so keep your heads up.
Still very quiet for Chem Eng grads like us. If you dont get a job dont fret, stuff opens up late in the year, just keep looking and dry calling/emailing companies.
Yeah, similar to the OP... I got rejected by the O&G companies (and BP was especially painful after all the time I took for their behavioral questions — pretty sure some of you understand what I mean), and a few of the others. Have had phone interviews and tests though; currently waiting on those results.
I do understand what you mean by "haven't heard back" bit... it feels sorta uneasy that we're not getting contacted.
p.s: Was contacted by DuPont today, unfortunately that they contacted me to let me know that my application has been rejected =(
Oil and gas companies (BP, Shell, Exxon, Chevron, Woodside) recruit Australia wide, and only take a handful of chem eng grads each (most no more than 5, some less) so only the very top graduates each year would get a look into working at these companies. Demand to work at oil and gas companies is also very strong for a variety of reasons: prestige, $, training opportunities, travel opportunities (esp. for MNC), culture etc.
As late as June!!! Don't these guys know we have exams to worry about!!!
I do understand what you mean by "haven't heard back" bit... it feels sorta uneasy that we're not getting contacted.
I've done online tests and the general response from companies has been via email just stating that "we will be in contact with you shortly". That was like a 2-3 weeks seriously WTF?!? Why not just say we will contact you in a months time LOL.
yeah that's why i didn't apply for the the big 4 O&G (BP, exxonmobil, chevron and shell). At melbourne uni last year there were already 5 guys that had positions at these places secured from vac work, so i assumed they'd do the same this year.
PS got orica rejection email today
p.s: Was contacted by DuPont today, unfortunately that they contacted me to let me know that my application has been rejected =(
that sux, oh well at last they are contacting you.
I hate this waiting game, why does engineering take so long to hand out offers? surely commerce firms get more applicants than engineering firms, yet the commerce firms are able to handout offers so much earlier!!!
I'm a chem eng too.. and yes, it sucks.
I've had heaps of interview though, my stumbling point is the chem eng degree.
majorly hommus.
wesfarmers just put out an ad looking for grad engineers in perth (see seek)
also baker hughes (closes 2 july)
Starting to get a bit worried now...
yeah me too :-(
I've had heaps of interview though, my stumbling point is the chem eng degree.
I've only had a couple of phone interviews and 1 AC so far.
What do you mean by the degree being the stumbling point??
Ive had 6 interviews now.... struggling to convert... :/
Hey Bananabus check your inbox, I whimmed you ;-)
What do you mean by the degree being the stumbling point??
Well I've had a bunch of Oil&Gas interviews, and all of my interviews have gone well. But at the end it always seems to be the fact that I'm a Chem Eng, as opposed to a Pet Eng/Mech Eng, that would cause any issues with being the right fit.
Would anyone be able to direct me to a list of potential employers of chemical engineers?
I'm looking on behalf of someone coming from overseas who will be looking for work at the end of the year, and already has a year of post-grad experience, but is still open to doing a grad program.
unless u have permanent residency or are an oz citizen u can pretty much forget getting on a grad program in australia
Yep, she's in the process of applying for permanent residency – might be too late for this year's grad programs, but really I'm just looking for a list of potential employers either way.
PR isn't enough for a lot of grad programs, so make sure reads the requirements very carefully before applying, don't want to do all the application stuff n then find out ur ineligible
Downstream O&G -> all the big players
Mining -> ev-a-ry-body
Pharmaceuticals -> Bayer, Pfizer, Johnson&Johnson etc.. (literally look at the back of all the medications you have at home..)
Food -> Coke etc.
OneSteel (rejected after psych test)
"crazihaus". Oh, the ironing.
ps: have you looked at smaller consulting firms? at the big multinationals, you're going to be photocopying shit for your first 12 months. consultants do all the real design work anyways. you'll get lots more variety in your jobs too.
I'm with a consulting company in the oil and gas, minerals processing and water industries. I've been here for 5 years. It's fun times.
if you want to be in plant operations, troubleshooting, maintenance etc, then you'd have to go to the multinationals.
also, The big money's on site, especially remote sites. so, choose whether you want to go for the big bucks, or stay in the city for the lifestyle.
ou're going to be photocopying shit for your first 12 months
I had the wonderful task of referencing a 4000 page document delegated to me.
Engineer my A$$..
Flappyjohnson – If you're getting interviews it generally means you're qualified for the position(s). They'll know from your CV/transcript if you're a chem eng grad.
I have been involved in the recruitment of chem eng grads on and off for many years. If you get an interview, your degree is acceptable, as are your marks. The interview is to test for things not discernable from the CV.