Petroleum job chances with Low GPA and Leadership skills?

<p>Along with many people I know looking for this answer - what are my chances of landing a solid petroleum engineering internship or full time position with a 2.75 cumulative GPA?</p>

<p>I am currently a 2nd semester Sophomore who will graduate in Petroleum Engineering. My situation is I was previously a business major. My cumulative GPA in that field was 2.75 but I was able to snag an internship with a top 5 company in my major and work for a year at the second largest private company (Oil and Gas industry) in the world. -- Mainly due to the way I presented myself in the interviews.</p>

<p>However, I am now working on a Petroleum Engineering degree and have 0 work experience related to this field. My gpa in Petroleum should be around 3.5 but my prior cumulative is what is bringing this down.</p>

<p>So my question is -- can I land an internship with any company for a petroleum engineer related position if my cumulative gpa is 2.75?
I have experience in the real world but its not related to petroleum.
I have demonstrated the ability to interview well.</p>

<p>I just want to get some work experience so I can at least have a better chance at landing a full time position. Give it to me straight. Don't sugar coat it. Thanks for reading!</p>

<p>Thanks for the response. Unfortunately I’m at a top 10 school but not any of the one’s in Texas, Colorado, or Alaska.</p>

<p>I didn’t know that about how the program is increasing with students. Very interesting.</p>

<p>I have so many hours that it would take me until the end of my senior year just to get the 3.0 so does this mean I would be screwed on any internships? I only ask since experience would be the only thing helping me in this case which I would have none.</p>

<p>What i would highly suggest is putting your cumulative GPA and your Petrol engineering GPA both on your resume when you submit it to major companies, While a 2.75 isnt going to land you with much, if you have a 3.5 in petroleum engineering and you can specify that, then your chances will go up a lot. I’ve had a couple friends in the exact same situation and they’ve been fine.</p>

<p>Well I guess I’ll help you out a bit. My overall GPA is very similar to yours, around the 2.8 range. My GPA was heavily affected due to the fact that I helped take care of a family member of mine with cancer between my freshman and sophomore years. However, my Petrol GPA is a 4.0, and all the classes that count towards my major are put me at a 3.57. I really turned it around. I landed a job with one of the big 5 oil companies. ~90k large to start, pension, stock options, and a great 401k match. Paid travel, food, and living expenses. I have previous experience working in a manufacturing plant as well as leadership skills, doing training, safety meetings, etc. The plant focused on oil field manufacturing work so I have a vast knowledge of oil field drilling and completion tools. After talking with a global recruiter he told me communication skills out weigh your technical ability. Something like 85 percent communication and 15 percent technical. I’ll be in drilling and exploration, so knowing how to speak in front of people and supervise a crew is essential. I can’t speak the same for the production or reservoir guys though. No clue about that side. However, they like my ability to communicate and if your are able to interview well then you should stand a good chance.</p>

<p>I did three interviews, a screening, a phone, and an onsite in Houston. Flew first class, very nice indeed. The onsite seemed more focused on whether I would fit in the company culture or not. They use the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) method so watch out. You have to be on your game. The phone interviewer was blown away by my ability to relate real world problems/examples and communicate effectively. Big plus there, she said I had really good examples. </p>

<p>I don’t know man, I think you have a shot. If you can talk and present yourself well you stand as good a chance as any 4.0 that is a introverted, and can’t speak to save his/her life. At least that is the vibe I get from them. I speak from the drilling perspective though, and drilling is my passion anyway so it worked to my advantage. </p>

<p>Try to get on with an operator, not a service company. I was trying to avoid the service ones at all costs. I just got a really bad vibe from them about work life balance and just overall company outlook.</p>

<p>Another thing to note is that I’ve noticed a lot of Mechanical Engineers and even one aerospace guy on the drilling side. So for future reference Mechanical/Petroleum should be a good bet for the drilling side of things. Also, acing your Well Drilling class would help as well, haha.</p>

<p>My biggest question is why didn’t you stick with the business thing if you landed an internship. What happened with that? They told you no after the internship or something? I know a guy who did a finance internship with one of the big 5 and after he graduated he got hired. I’m interested in knowing why you left business.</p>

I am in the exact same situation as you right now. My prior cumulative Gpa puts me in 2.8 range. If I just calculate petroleum classes my gpa it is above 3.0 but how do I differentiate my gpa on resume from cumulative gpa? Should i put both gpa on resume or just major gpa? I have good grades for all petroleum classes it’s the other classes required to take with major courses such as other pre-req classes brings my gpa down. how do I present myself when I go talk to recruiters?