What is going on with Chevron in Angola? I had a good friend in Houston that repatriated from Angola in mid 2017 only to find out that nobody wanted him back in Houston and he was forced out (with a severance).
Is this a common issue? He wanted to work for a couple more years but apparently Chevron considers experienced workers a liability and would rather just flush them out. After a few years in sh?thole Angola you would expect to be treated better than that. He is still not over it.
Angola is like Nigeria without Agbami. A disastrous SBU run into the ground over the last 20 years. It could be the next to be "rationalized". Or euthanized.
@odye, Except that they are not offering you or anyone else that, so it's a moot point.
X1Lk2g5-hvxv Rotational? 40% uplift on salary and work only six months of the year. Hell yes I would!
If they don't like you or can have a younger come in and get paid cheaper they will. After the big 1500 people layoff in Houston the morale and faith in Chevron taught them just to weed out a little at a time. The layoffs have been bias from the beginning. You have to play the politics. Sad that zero is attanable went into the toilet. The managers that made these decisions really did a great job didn't they.
With Indonesia and Thailand gone they will lose a big pool of competent lower cost employees. wonder what the "global workforce advisors" think of that.
Appears they are moving out a lot of US payroll types and bringing in lots of foreigners on other payrolls. The US employees are full of expectations that life should be the same as like when they lived in the US, Spoiled, entitled and unadaptable one might say. On the other hand, it may be in preparation for the time in the next +20 years when the government is going to dump the high cost operator Chevron for lower cost partners like Total and Eni. Who needs folks who can't think, but can only cut and paste processes and build powerpoints. It may be similar to what is happening in Indonesia and potentially other places as contracts expire.
Yeah, most likely he was on the list to be “urged” to retire. I remember at least 4 such people sent back to the US, sat on their a-- for 3-4 months and then told they did not place in the PDC, given a package and then “retired”
I think Angola has a 60 age limit. There used to be many exceptions to this rule when times were good. Famously there was 70 year old terminal manager in Malongo. In the downturn all these rules started getting applied strictly (or rather the Chevron management found it convenient to enforce them to reduce headcount)
Expat pay has zero impact on Highest Average Earnings and thus no impact to pension. Otherwise, we would all be clamoring to work in Venezuela or Nigeria.
If he wanted to work for a few more years I assume he was into his fifties or nearing sixty. Did his visa run out or was non renewable due to age?
Probably nothing to do with being an expat or his performance and more to do with his age and becoming available for reassignment at the wrong time. A prime candidate for the payoff unfortunately. Hopefully he banked the money he made whilst an in Angola.
Screw the overseas jobs. They are career ending moves for lots of expats. If you’re smart and nearing retirement on your own schedule, taking an expat job overseas for your last 3 years will be beneficial in boosting your highest average earnings (36 months), the basis for your pension calculation. The icing on the cake would be to get laid off after your tour and also bring home a one-year bonus severance check.
SASBU is the poster child for a poorly run BU, probably because of this I have never worked so hard as when I was there.
SASBU had a few expat layoffs this downturn, but your friend must have had some problem either personal or performance to be let go ( or just terribly unlucky)
By far the worst place to be an expat this downturn was Thailand.
Transferring to a new job or a new organization during an industry lull or down turn carries a definite element of risk (of job loss).
Expat reductions continue and there not necessarily empty seats waiting for people who repatriate. It was up to SASBU to do the right thing and find him a job. If they didn’t it is because of poor job performance by him or by SASBU management. I have never heard anything good about SASBU, except for the astronomical D&C catering budget. No wonder they have fallen so far the last 10 years.
Most expats sent to Angola and other places are not top tier employees. How long are you guys going to take to learn that? The majority of the people bragging about these high dollar cushy ( for the pay vs the amount of work done) assignments are incompetent lazy losers who like to milk the system and would otherwise have trouble stateside. There are only a few people who don't realize that they (in a typical expat position) are sacrificing career and real technological advancement for a higher pay situation. Those assignments, with a few rare exceptions, will not advance your career to a much higher level, if at all and you have no guarantee of a job at all when you get back, at CVX or anywhere else. Don't get me wrong there are a few really good people in these roles, but most are not. I have worked first hand with these types of employees over the years and most are the last ones I would want on my projects. When they get back, adios, amigos, is what I say!
Who knows? Expects are not always the strongest candidates when they return, as they can fall behind technology. That said, even if gods gift as talent, in a down turn, when the music stops, it is never good to be standing in the wrong spot. Managers look to those they know can contribute today. A lesson worth noting as prices head back down into the 40s. If you’re standing flat, might want to look at the next PDC round!
Don't assume that your buddy was railroaded out for no good reason. There are plenty of examples of Chevroids that retire early (on the job) even in the $$ expat positions and are surprised when they get reorganized out of a job after repatriating. There is always room for someone they want to keep and always a feeble excuse to get rid of someone that has worn out their welcome.