XTO sold me to them.
26 replies (most recent on top)
Was looking for opportunities in industries away from a then struggling industry. Joined EM as experienced hire. Liked the good old Exxon (not Mobile, to be extract) folks I was expected to work with. The offer was outstanding. After 1st year, got a 10% bump in salary. Felt appreciated and happy working hard a good few years for the company until the good old Exxon folks retired (on their own terms). Got a new boss (old Mobile). Things started to go south. This could be just an individual exception. Contribution was not appreciated, going out of way efforts were scrutinized and sometimes penalized. I saw the writing on the wall by then. Saw many well respected high performers "left" or "retired" since Coxid. Left EM. Happily ever after.
They offered me the highest base salary, unfortunately no one told me to consider other things like bonus/stock options which likely would of made other options I had in mind more competitive without having to move...
In the mid to late 90’s, Exxon had the same sore points (such as rigged/subjective ranking), but it also had the best new hire training program, best opportunities to learn from highly experienced people, best relative job security in the industry, a realistic chance at an excellent retirement even for ordinary employees. A normal employee, not labeled hi-po had a reasonable path to a satisfying career, more than adequate compensation and comfortable retirement - if they survived the downturn layoffs which are par for the game in this industry.
Now the most “experienced” employees have 10-15 ye, expertise and experience only make you a target, because you’re “expensive”, training is gone, job security is worst in the industry (one year contracts), retirement is only for management, as REs are forced to retire early, NREs forced to retire as soon as they get to 55, employees around 50 laid off or PIPed off to stop them from entering NRE.
Ranking is worse, as the limit to how much you may drop in one year has been completely removed.
A lot of bad changes representing life and death issues not only for employees but for the company itself; no positive changes and absolutely no chances of that in the future, at a time when the entire industry is going through an existential crisis. Most likely outcome - collapse and liquidation, sooner rather than later.
joined for the prospects, stayed for the people. I didn't end up with a HiPo career... maybe the highest CL I'll ever reach is 26. But the people I met were great
They were the only place that would hire me.
I wanted a job. They offered one.
High salary as an experienced hire in engineering.
To the ex-Mobil person:
Don’t fool yourself. Mobil was a company at the end of its rope in ‘98, that’s why it got bought. Very similar to where EM is now.
I joined Mobil, not Exxon. Notice I spelled ExxonMobil phonetically-the Mobil is silent.
Working at Mobil was much more enjoyable. After the merger, Exxon did everything possible to crush the Mobil culture. Mobil Executives were given 3 year salaries to leave. For several years after the merger, any Heritage Mobil person that quit EM was not given an exit interview because HR did not want to collect data on what was wrong with EM.
It is comical now that EM is striving for a culture like Mobil had. Seems impossible with the Exxon Managers in place.
I got bamboozled on the hiring offer as well. 10 years later Al of my college friends are doing better than I am either all if them are all high up in the hierarchy or have their own business. I was here all this time getting ridiculous 3% raises communicated to me on a post-it YAY 😀
I was bamboozled at a TAMU recruiting fair by cheerleaders.
We need Aeronautical Engineers too, they said.
I'm moving on now, but 6 years in nothing land that I'll never get back.
Hullabaloo of missed Canecktions!
In to 80s, if you were able to get hired at Exxon, you knew your whole life would be at least "ok". Likely much better. It has been.
I didn't join Exxon. Exxon joined me. I was XTO and boy do I miss those days! It was the best.
@1rke+1cuXpFy6 Well said! People are really "down" to earth here for sure, as much so th as that we each doesnt trust the other.
Because they sold me the stability and long term career if I ranked well and put in the hard work. Did both and still got laid off after 15 years.
And the pay
Because of the down to earth people
I came back after 9 years at another wonderful company. My reasons were pension, higher pay and the ability to work with some great old workers. I was able to work with my friends for about a year before I was transferred. I got transferred into a toxic work environment with the worst employees. My old company has continued raises while exxon has had pay freezes. The pension is a few years away for me and with the continued PIPs I may not make it. My wife always tells me I told you not to leave my former company. If I make it to retirement I will leave on my own. I made a BIG mistake returning but in my defense 25 years ago(exxon) it was not such a bad place to work at.
Long term employment, stability and pension. 2 of 3 are no longer on that radar. Retiring before YE at 55 - will look to work elsewhere until SS eligible, something more enjoyable.
I joined as my parents said McDonald's was not a career, so I went in person to an employment office (gasp) and was hired on at age 17 and put in 40.5 years.
I was born and grew up less than a mile from the Baton Rouge Refinery and also the Louisiana State Capitol.
I think my great-grandfather is actually buried under one of the parking lots of the Chemical plant in BR. That's what I'm told.
So not wanting or able to fall far from the tree, I took a job handed down from my uncle at the Refinery. Turning knobs, wearing gear, saying 'Yas, boss', etc.
Same as it ever was - for me.
My kids have Masters and Medical degrees and live far, far away.
I'm 62 and more fit than Standard Oil's CEO will ever be.
I'll outlive that dirty lil B.
For a job. My parents said that I had to stop playing video games. They were really a gas.
Their reputation as a World Class organization...all done with smoke and mirrors.
The recruiting team at my school was very persuasive, and of all the offers I received coming out of university, XOM was the highest in terms of total remuneration. Fast forward 8 years from that time... every. single. person. on that original recruiting team has left in the past two years (along with many, many, close co-workers and friends), and my experience here has been nothing like it was talked up to be when I was considering an offer. It's my own fault that I'm in this situation... but it is what it is. I'm doing what I can now to prepare myself to leave. Hopefully onward to better things in the near future.
Hired straight from college, spent six years here and I now work for a competitor (who also has a busy board here on layoffs.com) - I had multiple offers but I really liked the crew that was doing campus marketing, it just felt they were a class up if compared to everyone else. I know EM has problems right now (as many other cos) but I cannot complain about much as it relates to my tenure there. I left in 2019 due to a family situaton that required a move.