Thread regarding ExxonMobil Corp. layoffs

Be flexible and learn

So here is some advice from a "senior colleague". Watch what they do and learn from it. When they ask you to do something that seems like low level grunt work, do it and learn everything you can from it. Look for way to make improvements and implement them. Take ownership of whatever it is that you are assigned to do and do it well. Pay attention to all the details. Volunteer for whatever comes up no matter how meaningless it may seem to you. It probably isn't and is a valuable learning opportunity.

Get out of the office and spend time in the field and when you do, watch and learn. Take any opportunity for this. If you are in a discipline that doesn't work in the field (IT, finance, HR, etc.) go to the field anyway and meet the people that actually enable the company to make money. Ask them questions about what issues they deal with and help them to solve those issues.

There are no shortcuts. There is only one way to understand what someone with 20-30 years of experience knows. That is to have 20-30 years of experience. There are no life hacks to it. There is no "One weird trick" that you can pick up from a website.

When they tell you something isn't right it is probably for a reason. Try to figure out why. Then ask them if that is correct. Then absorb their response and try again. Repeat for 20-30 years.

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Post ID: @OP+1gl3yxdz

8 replies (most recent on top)

All this is for the old ExxonMobil, which ended forever two years ago. “Be flexible and learn” was indeed very good advice, but for a time when your performance evaluation had at least something to do, however remote, with your ranking and situation. Now we’re ranked as a function not of actual work, but its “impact”, which depends on the assignment you’re given. So “flexible and willing to learn” or “parasite and I don’t care” makes no difference today. All that matters is if you’re sponsored. If you are (especially with a strong sponsor) they’re going to give you “launching pad” assignments. If you’re not sponsored, you’re just an extra who’s waiting to have his job shipped to Bangalore, no matter how hard you work.

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Post ID: @4wpu+1gl3yxdz

Listen to the experienced folks willing share the failures. All have drilled dry holes, all have built facilities with design and start up failure, all had overruns, all worked with failed price outlooks and failed strategy, all have seen competitors succeed and fail, all have been through stupid regulations, all have been through booms and busts, all have been through multiple layoffs and multiple ranking cycles. The only true id--ts are those that do not learn from failure. The Liars are the ones unable to admit failure...ignore them

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Post ID: @2tyn+1gl3yxdz

Simply put in today's world: 2 skrew or to be skrewed, that's the question

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Post ID: @1mrg+1gl3yxdz

Is this some new manuscript by Rod Serling?
Stan Lee?

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Post ID: @1lrx+1gl3yxdz

BS. Does not work like that. Never

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Post ID: @vrp+1gl3yxdz

Never stop looking for the next job.

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Post ID: @yxm+1gl3yxdz

I agree, great advice but I'm not sure who it's for? Young folk now don't think in this way and I don't blame them. Put all that effort in and you'll still only be judged in this company on your ability to agree with your supervision and massage PowerPoint decks.

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Post ID: @xgm+1gl3yxdz

Learn and leave!Lol

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Post ID: @ohb+1gl3yxdz

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