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What did you do the summer before grad school ?


columbia09

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For those of you who already are attending a program, how did you spend the summer between college and grad school? Did you apply to any grad internships ? Did you work somewhere ? Did you just lay around and relaxed ? Did you read a book, see a movie, or travel to a distant land ? :) I guess this question is skewed towards those who went directly into grad school without taking a year or two off after college 

Edited by columbia09
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I had an internship with an O&G company from May-August so that took up most of my summer. Managed to sandwich that between a field trip to Glacier NP with my undergrad geology dept. and a trip to Europe with my family. The whole summer was a whirlwind and went by really quick, so enjoy it while it lasts! If possible, I'd definitely recommend taking some time off to travel or at least do something that you otherwise wouldn't normally have the time to do. It may be the last summer where you don't have a ton of work/research commitments hanging over your head...

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The summer before my masters I did nothing. I spent 3 months on the beach. 

 

The summer before my PhD I defended my thesis, wrote a manuscript, moved across the country twice.

 

If you don't care about academia, there is no reason to work yourself. I'd try and save up money for the move.

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I did absolutely nothing, and it was glorious.  Of course, I'd spent the past year or so working my ass off to save up enough money so I could do nothing.  I'm not sure the end justified the means...but at least I still have the memory of doing nothing. 

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I am fortunate enough to have gotten an internship with an O&G company this summer.

 

About this I applied to Shell's grad school internship but haven't heard anything. Are there any other companies offering internships to new graduates ? I hate that since I was a pre med for the majority of my undergrad I never looked into internships until relatively recently :/ 

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About this I applied to Shell's grad school internship but haven't heard anything. Are there any other companies offering internships to new graduates ? I hate that since I was a pre med for the majority of my undergrad I never looked into internships until relatively recently :/ 

 

 

My guess is all the oil internships for 2015 are already gone at big companies. Especially with the downturn in oil prices.  Going into the job market within the next couple years is probably going to be rough for most people. 

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My guess is all the oil internships for 2015 are already gone at big companies. Especially with the downturn in oil prices.  Going into the job market within the next couple years is probably going to be rough for most people. 

 

Why do you say that ? Won't prices be back up ?

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Why do you say that ? Won't prices be back up ?

 

Maybe... but who says they are going to hire the same amount of people? Once companies cut fat companies aren't necessarily  looking to build up to the same size. Furthermore, there will be more people in the job market: Recent grads and recent layoffs instead of just recent grads. More competitive market means lower pay than before. With the amount of layoffs I think it will take a few years for the market to recover.  But thats just speculation. Getting a job in geology isn't as peachy as it was 1 year ago, thats for sure.

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In the resource (oil) industry Most companies make an effort to reduce the financial loss due to undulating commodity prices by hedging their prices. Unfortunately when this doesn't work, I believe they solve the financial loss by releasing newly hired employees (explains why our beloved UT-Austin received "a zillion apps"). Leaving essential personnel. Could be wrong on this though...

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Maybe... but who says they are going to hire the same amount of people? Once companies cut fat companies aren't necessarily  looking to build up to the same size. Furthermore, there will be more people in the job market: Recent grads and recent layoffs instead of just recent grads. More competitive market means lower pay than before. With the amount of layoffs I think it will take a few years for the market to recover.  But thats just speculation. Getting a job in geology isn't as peachy as it was 1 year ago, thats for sure.

 

It's not for anything anymore it's God awful. 

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I think there are probably skills you can learn that will help you get/keep a job in oil industry (just like any other). It just depends on what kind of geology you want to study. I'm not too industry oriented, so I dont really know what those fields are. I know my friends who all studied seismology still have jobs. 

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I think there are probably skills you can learn that will help you get/keep a job in oil industry (just like any other). It just depends on what kind of geology you want to study. I'm not too industry oriented, so I dont really know what those fields are. I know my friends who all studied seismology still have jobs. 

 

Working for USGS ?

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About this I applied to Shell's grad school internship but haven't heard anything. Are there any other companies offering internships to new graduates ? I hate that since I was a pre med for the majority of my undergrad I never looked into internships until relatively recently :/ 

 

I go to UT Austin (undergrad) and our career fair was in September. I got my offer for my internship in the first week of October. I'm pretty sure most/all offers went out by mid October. I imagine if there are any oil and gas opportunities left for this summer they are extremely limited.

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Working for USGS ?

 

Actually I don't know anyone who works for the USGS! Most of my friends in industry ended up in smaller firms in Houston, and some ended up at companies like schlumberger.  I think working for the USGS would probably be a good way to keep your job, though there are other dangers (like govt defunding you). 

Edited by GeoDUDE!
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Actually I don't know anyone who works for the USGS! Most of my friends in industry ended up in smaller firms in Houston, and some ended up at companies like schlumberger.  I think working for the USGS would probably be a good way to keep your job, though there are other dangers (like govt defunding you). 

 

Do people in oil get laid off a lot ? 

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I go to UT Austin (undergrad) and our career fair was in September. I got my offer for my internship in the first week of October. I'm pretty sure most/all offers went out by mid October. I imagine if there are any oil and gas opportunities left for this summer they are extremely limited.

 

I figured I spoke to people from BP, Shell and Schlumberger it appears, with the exception of shell since they told me to apply, that all internships have been filled 

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Do people in oil get laid off a lot ? 

Just like this year, if oil prices tank (and oil prices, like all commodity prices, are volatile), people get laid off. What happened this year was not a surprise (in that it ever happened, just maybe when it happened)--the industry is very cyclic. If we get back to $100 oil, then hiring will come back, too.

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Just like this year, if oil prices tank (and oil prices, like all commodity prices, are volatile), people get laid off. What happened this year was not a surprise (in that it ever happened, just maybe when it happened)--the industry is very cyclic. If we get back to $100 oil, then hiring will come back, too.

 

That's why my dad wants me to be a cop because of the job stability. They rarely layoff city workers here 

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There's pluses and minuses to both sides. O & G is more volatile but the pay and benefits are very good. I currently work for the federal government and although the stability and work/life balance is great, the pay and the benefits are both very poor. Compared to when i worked for O & G (mudlogging), I probably now make $50,000 less but work 50 hours a week less. The USGS isn't any different than my comparable agency. 

Edited by watsondoodle
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There's pluses and minuses to both sides. O & G is more volatile but the pay and benefits are very good. I currently work for the federal government and although the stability and work/life balance is great, the pay and the benefits are both very poor. Compared to when i worked for O & G (mudlogging), I probably now make $50,000 less but work 50 hours a week less. The USGS isn't any different than my comparable agency. 

 

What caused the change in employment if I may ask? 

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What caused the change in employment if I may ask?

I was working around 100 hrs/week on some pretty dangerous rigs. Burned out quick, and was too far from home. If you work in operations after getting your M.S., you don't have to worry about these things!

Edited by watsondoodle
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I was working around 100 hrs/week on some pretty dangerous rigs. Burned out quick, and was too far from home. If you work in operations after getting your M.S., you don't have to worry about these things!

Did you make the legendary 80, 000 dollar a month salaries I keep hearing about on the rigs ? Plus I read that shumberger laid off 7, 000 workers this year :/

Edited by columbia09
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