Job Seekers thread Mark 2

[GomerPile]

Hello, back again posting more things happening with Highwood Emissions Management. Check out this posting for a 1 yr Software Development opportunity. It will through the U of C and partnering with my wife’s company. Job posting https://lnkd.in/gUpMKeV

[Izzle]

I have a second interview lined up with a private midstream oil and gas company.

Given the oil and gas industry in Alberta, how appropriate is it too ask for financial statements of the company. If it were public, I'd head to SEDAR. But, since it's private, financial statements are hard to come by.

Thoughts?

[Dan02]

I feel your second interview might be rather short if you did that.

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by Izzle

I have a second interview lined up with a private midstream oil and gas company.

Given the oil and gas industry in Alberta, how appropriate is it too ask for financial statements of the company. If it were public, I'd head to SEDAR. But, since it's private, financial statements are hard to come by.

Thoughts?

What level of position are interviewing for?

[Izzle]

Originally Posted by Weitz

What level of position are interviewing for?

I'd be reporting to the controller.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Izzle

I have a second interview lined up with a private midstream oil and gas company.

Given the oil and gas industry in Alberta, how appropriate is it too ask for financial statements of the company. If it were public, I'd head to SEDAR. But, since it's private, financial statements are hard to come by.

Thoughts?

Its not public, if its not a senior decision making role where you have a stake in the company, I feel and its just my opinion they you'd be cutting your throat.

[Izzle]

Thanks for the response!

Any suggestions on the kind of questions I could ask on how their financial position is, now and in the future?

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by Izzle

Thanks for the response!

Any suggestions on the kind of questions I could ask on how their financial position is, now and in the future?

You can be straight with them and ask almost directly how they are fairing in the current market. I think those are fair questions. Specifically asking to see financials would be a no go in my opinion.

“How is X company handling the current downturn in industry”

“What does x company have planned for the x 3 years? Growth?”

Things like tbat, which can help you measure.

[CaptainCrunch]

I agree be subtle with your questions.



I mean even asking a question around if this hire is an expansion or a replacement is valid.



Ask about their strategies during a tough time is a valid question as well.


You can dance around viability questions pretty easily and they won't mind answering those.

[prarieboy]

Originally Posted by Weitz

You can be straight with them and ask almost directly how they are fairing in the current market. I think those are fair questions. Specifically asking to see financials would be a no go in my opinion.

“How is X company handling the current downturn in industry”

“What does x company have planned for the x 3 years? Growth?”

Things like tbat, which can help you measure.

This is my thought exactly. No problem asking about current projects and future prospects,

The bolded is not going to end well for you.

[calgarygeologist]

I agree with the other folks on not necessarily asking for a financial statement but ask as many questions as you can to gain as sense of their financial position and stability and future. It is significantly important as it can impact your job satisfaction and stability.

I did something similar with my most recent position. It was with a private company so I couldn't learn a lot beforehand. I am a former O&G guy and honestly I was not looking to rejoin the industry because of all the uncertainty. I didn't want to end up at a company who was going to be in a severe financial hole in the near term with potential layoffs because I could be out of a job again. But I gained enough info asking about current performance, targets, past performance and expansion plans to feel comfortable enough to continue interviewing with the company.

[calf]

Originally Posted by Izzle

Thanks for the response!

Any suggestions on the kind of questions I could ask on how their financial position is, now and in the future?

Some other questions to ask would be who the main owners/financiers are.

How much of their revenue is on long term contracts vs short term/market exposed. How long they are/how much time is left on the contracts. Who are their main customers?

How large their asset base is, what their annual revenues are, even just to get an approximate idea of where they're at. What their capital plan looks like for the next 3-5 years, and if they have any anchor customers signed up.

How many staff in the organization? How many people are in the Controller's team?

Depending on the role and if it's relevant, you could also ask how you'd be supporting future growth in the company.

[Nufy]

We've just purchased an industrial sized shredder...

Here's the manual.

Welcome to the company !!!

[Leeman4Gilmour]

Originally Posted by Izzle

I'd be reporting to the controller.

If you are successful, you'll have all the answers to your questions soon enough

[Izzle]

Originally Posted by Leeman4Gilmour

If you are successful, you'll have all the answers to your questions soon enough

Bahaha, true enough.

[marsplasticeraser]

Originally Posted by Izzle

I have a second interview lined up with a private midstream oil and gas company.

Given the oil and gas industry in Alberta, how appropriate is it too ask for financial statements of the company. If it were public, I'd head to SEDAR. But, since it's private, financial statements are hard to come by.

Thoughts?

Would you turn this job down because of the companies poor financial position? If so then consider asking about the state of their finances, but in a less confrontational manner.

If you don't have any other serious job prospects then I would not make a big deal about this and focus on getting the job.

You will figure out what's going on financially as soon as you start. If things look bleak then you can start looking for another job, but with the benefit of income.

[CaptainCrunch]

Thanks everyone for your advice for my interview within the company that I'm contracting with, your advice was very helpful.

[Izzle]

Originally Posted by Izzle

I have a second interview lined up with a private midstream oil and gas company.

Given the oil and gas industry in Alberta, how appropriate is it too ask for financial statements of the company. If it were public, I'd head to SEDAR. But, since it's private, financial statements are hard to come by.

Thoughts?

Update: I got an offer... But it's lower than I expected.

If I accept, I'd be going from a job that I don't mind doing to something I'm more familiar with. The current job I have has a pension tho, and the new one doesn't even have an RRSP match. This is a tough decision

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by Izzle

Update: I got an offer... But it's lower than I expected.

If I accept, I'd be going from a job that I don't mind doing to something I'm more familiar with. The current job I have has a pension tho, and the new one doesn't even have an RRSP match. This is a tough decision

Congrats on the offer! Yah sounds like a tough choice but at least there is a choice!

[CaptainCrunch]

First of all congrats on your offer, that's always a good feeling.


Lately I've been counseling a lot of people that I interview on whether they should leave their current job for a new one. Frankly I do it because I want to make sure that the move in their mind is the best for them and removes any doubt or regret over the move.


In this case if you don't mind you're current job, and it pays better and has better benefits just to go to something more familiar, I don't know if familiar is enough of a reason to give up security in benefits and the total compensation. Its a tough job, but are the skills that you're doing in the current job translatable for later? Does it add to your resume, because if it does, and on top of it you're compensated better, the decision to stay or go should be easier.


Just my 2 cents.