How much do plant operators make?
Phone interview went well! They said they'd let me know about an in-person interview in 7-10 days. 30 minutes later they sent me an email saying to come in on Tuesday for the actual interview but I have to go to the Innovations Center tomorrow (well, today) for some paperwork stuff. Think I got this! 
Teching In
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: Houston
From my personal experiences over the last few months, it can be anywhere between the next day and two months later. The bigger the company, the longer the wait.
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 0
Likes: 0
new LIT grad I"m a student at LIT right now in Beaumont, I'll be graduating in may with my instrumentation degree. I got a misdemeanor pot charge on my record and I was wondering with all the experience on here if y'all have seen plants hire someone with something as such on their record, Im aware of people being hired with DWI's but, not sure on pot, Thanks.
Had my interview with DOW today. Think it went pretty well. On the upside they're desperate for Process Operators and MUCH prefer hiring from within. The HR lady said last year she was forced to hire people off the street who have teaching or criminal justice degrees... Wat.
But the downside is that if you're a distribution operator, you need to wait at LEAST 16 months before you can move to another role. They said it's because the company wants to get its value out of you, which makes sense but seems kind of stupid when you're desperate for Process Operators and you choose someone with a TEACHING degree off the streets vs someone who has already been with the company sometime, has a MUCH more relevant degree and already is familiar with the way the company operates etc just because they haven't met a 16 month minimum. If they say yes, the start date is 4/25. I have no interest in waiting until October of 2017 to become an operator. I don't really care about the apparent benefit of choosing which and I get to work at. I care about making damn good money in the job I worked hard to get a degree for.
What I'll probably do is accept the job if they offer it, and work it until I get my degree. If another company wants me, I'll go to HR and try to negotiate with them about bypassing the 16 month rule (They did say there are several routes to become an operator) and if they won't do it I'd just quit and move on. I have no company loyalty on matters like these.
But the downside is that if you're a distribution operator, you need to wait at LEAST 16 months before you can move to another role. They said it's because the company wants to get its value out of you, which makes sense but seems kind of stupid when you're desperate for Process Operators and you choose someone with a TEACHING degree off the streets vs someone who has already been with the company sometime, has a MUCH more relevant degree and already is familiar with the way the company operates etc just because they haven't met a 16 month minimum. If they say yes, the start date is 4/25. I have no interest in waiting until October of 2017 to become an operator. I don't really care about the apparent benefit of choosing which and I get to work at. I care about making damn good money in the job I worked hard to get a degree for.
What I'll probably do is accept the job if they offer it, and work it until I get my degree. If another company wants me, I'll go to HR and try to negotiate with them about bypassing the 16 month rule (They did say there are several routes to become an operator) and if they won't do it I'd just quit and move on. I have no company loyalty on matters like these.
Staging Lane
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 71
Likes: 0
From: Port Arthur, TX
I"m a student at LIT right now in Beaumont, I'll be graduating in may with my instrumentation degree. I got a misdemeanor pot charge on my record and I was wondering with all the experience on here if y'all have seen plants hire someone with something as such on their record, Im aware of people being hired with DWI's but, not sure on pot, Thanks.
Now if you get the offer and screw up the drug testing, then you screwed up with that company....but that doesn't mean the opportunity wont come around again years down the road.
In the interview, never bring up your personal past unless they ask.
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Verdad Gallardo So an update. The distribution operator job didn't go through as I hated the 16 month wait portion despite what I said earlier, and I found a job working as a contractor at DOW as a lab tech with an almost identical pay rate. Now there are a few guys with offices 10 ft down from mine who clear well over 100k a year, but I don't want to be a lab tech nor do I want to wait 15+ years to get to that level.
I applied for a process operator job that opened up at DOW, waiting to hear back from that. I finished the Spring semester with a 4.0 GPA, a scholarship for Summer classes, a leadership certification and the presidents honor roll. I have two classes this Summer and I'm signed up for my remaining classes in the Fall to 100% finish the degree.
Now I need some help lol... So I saw a job opening at Chevron a month ago and applied. At the end it asked if I had my degree or would I have it by May 2016. I have never gotten an offer to go further than filling out an app before on countless positions I've applied for, so I said **** it and said yes just to see what would happen. And then they invited me to test last Saturday. So then I thought I'd go to get some testing experience and I ended up passing and now they want me to take the COBRA on the 13th. I'd REALLY like to go to that to get a feel for how difficult that simulation is and if anything be prepared for future job positions but what will suck is if I pass that and they want to interview me, which is the final step. Because then I'll basically have to tell them, yeah about that...
Think I'm screwed no matter what?
I applied for a process operator job that opened up at DOW, waiting to hear back from that. I finished the Spring semester with a 4.0 GPA, a scholarship for Summer classes, a leadership certification and the presidents honor roll. I have two classes this Summer and I'm signed up for my remaining classes in the Fall to 100% finish the degree.
Now I need some help lol... So I saw a job opening at Chevron a month ago and applied. At the end it asked if I had my degree or would I have it by May 2016. I have never gotten an offer to go further than filling out an app before on countless positions I've applied for, so I said **** it and said yes just to see what would happen. And then they invited me to test last Saturday. So then I thought I'd go to get some testing experience and I ended up passing and now they want me to take the COBRA on the 13th. I'd REALLY like to go to that to get a feel for how difficult that simulation is and if anything be prepared for future job positions but what will suck is if I pass that and they want to interview me, which is the final step. Because then I'll basically have to tell them, yeah about that...
Think I'm screwed no matter what?
So an update. The distribution operator job didn't go through as I hated the 16 month wait portion despite what I said earlier, and I found a job working as a contractor at DOW as a lab tech with an almost identical pay rate. Now there are a few guys with offices 10 ft down from mine who clear well over 100k a year, but I don't want to be a lab tech nor do I want to wait 15+ years to get to that level.
I applied for a process operator job that opened up at DOW, waiting to hear back from that. I finished the Spring semester with a 4.0 GPA, a scholarship for Summer classes, a leadership certification and the presidents honor roll. I have two classes this Summer and I'm signed up for my remaining classes in the Fall to 100% finish the degree.
Now I need some help lol... So I saw a job opening at Chevron a month ago and applied. At the end it asked if I had my degree or would I have it by May 2016. I have never gotten an offer to go further than filling out an app before on countless positions I've applied for, so I said **** it and said yes just to see what would happen. And then they invited me to test last Saturday. So then I thought I'd go to get some testing experience and I ended up passing and now they want me to take the COBRA on the 13th. I'd REALLY like to go to that to get a feel for how difficult that simulation is and if anything be prepared for future job positions but what will suck is if I pass that and they want to interview me, which is the final step. Because then I'll basically have to tell them, yeah about that...
Think I'm screwed no matter what?
I applied for a process operator job that opened up at DOW, waiting to hear back from that. I finished the Spring semester with a 4.0 GPA, a scholarship for Summer classes, a leadership certification and the presidents honor roll. I have two classes this Summer and I'm signed up for my remaining classes in the Fall to 100% finish the degree.
Now I need some help lol... So I saw a job opening at Chevron a month ago and applied. At the end it asked if I had my degree or would I have it by May 2016. I have never gotten an offer to go further than filling out an app before on countless positions I've applied for, so I said **** it and said yes just to see what would happen. And then they invited me to test last Saturday. So then I thought I'd go to get some testing experience and I ended up passing and now they want me to take the COBRA on the 13th. I'd REALLY like to go to that to get a feel for how difficult that simulation is and if anything be prepared for future job positions but what will suck is if I pass that and they want to interview me, which is the final step. Because then I'll basically have to tell them, yeah about that...
Think I'm screwed no matter what?
Send me an email with your info. I work for Chevron and deal with the college kids who we give out scholarships to(mentor program). I just got done dealing with this exact issue from a student of mine last semester.
Oh wow, small world! Will send you a message right now, appreciate the guidance!
Teching In
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: Houston
Had my interview with DOW today. Think it went pretty well. On the upside they're desperate for Process Operators and MUCH prefer hiring from within. The HR lady said last year she was forced to hire people off the street who have teaching or criminal justice degrees... Wat.
Teching In
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: Houston
Well, got a second round interview with Exxon Refinery in about two weeks. Super excited. Any of y'all work out there? Are all of the Operators @ the Refinery in the USW Union? I don't really have an opinion on unions yet, but in the next two weeks I have a feeling that I need to develop an opinion on unions. 10 years ago Shell asked me how I felt about unions, and I didn't have much of an answer, they didn't seem to like that.
I can NOT screw up this interview. I've been unemployed for 9 months now and am getting close to having to start selling my toys. I worked WAY too hard shoveling and rodding soap out of vessels and pipes to have to sell the only things that brought me happiness in my 8 years at that... place.
I can NOT screw up this interview. I've been unemployed for 9 months now and am getting close to having to start selling my toys. I worked WAY too hard shoveling and rodding soap out of vessels and pipes to have to sell the only things that brought me happiness in my 8 years at that... place.
I haven't seen down at Chris' lately and have been wondering if you have had any luck yet. I hope it all goes well for you. I believe you are correct about this area down south needing people more than Houston area facilities.
Teching In
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: Houston
Thanks buddy! Hopefully I'll have some good news to share at Chris's party weekend after next.
God I hope so. If I don't have anything decent lined out by the end of the year, I'm getting out of here and moving closer to the Houston area.
Teching In
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: Houston
Don't give up SNIPEZ, dreams do come true! 9 months of unemployment, 74 applications filled out, 32 rejection emails, 36 who didn't even bother to respond and 7 interviews, all so that I could receive an offer yesterday from my #1 pick, the Exxon Refinery. I start in late August!