Schlumberger Reviews in Houston, TX Area

Pros

It is a well organized company for expats. I had a clear training. But as I did not come from the field my career growth was very limited.

Cons

There is not good balance between life and work for field personnel. Some times is more important who you know for international transfers that your accomplishments.

Advice to Senior Management

Organize in early stages field engineer career growth. And check if ops managers do not organized their districts as their own houses, without following HQ policies.

Pros

Great progression path. There is ceiling on promotions, if you want it they will give it to you if you earn it. The benefits package is very great compared to other big companies out there. Pay is great as well with many different opportunities to make supplemental pay whether its job bonus or perfomance based, and they usually have a merit raise at about 3% yearly.

Cons

Family time. This businees is non-stop, especially in the office. Office personal normally work a schedule like every other weekend off or 11-3. So so day on you have a week on call but either way you still have to be accesible by phone or email 24/7. If your a field personnel on land that treats the rig operations you work a 7 days on 2 days off, 7 days on 3 days off type of schedule. Now all of the mentioned above scheudles can vary slightly depending on your location. Now I currently work offshore and find it to be the best schedule so far if you can do the time. I work 14 days on 14 days off. I've also worked 28 days on 28 days off. Either way your only working a half a year making in excess of six figures for half a year of work. So many people don't make that working a full year. But the downside is you miss a lot of home activities from being offshore.

Advice to Senior Management

Please try to work in a more generous scheduling or at least more employees to ease the work load.

Pros

Schlumberger is the larger than it three main competitors combined and generally has the best technology, products and services at its disposal. It is also well known for its strong emphasis on safety, comprehensive benefits for its employees and intensive management systems.

Cons

Very weak individuals in mid- and line-management, with a real deficit of leadership and people management skills at these levels. Not all apects of business management should focus on short term revenues and numbers in a database, as is the prevailing management philosophy in most operational matters.

Advice to Senior Management

Senior and middle management need much more engagement in developing the leadership and people development skills of the managers below them.

Pros

- Good benefits aside from compensation
- Good portfolio of technologies

Cons

- Limited application of R&D outside of Cambridge Research Center
- Poor allocations of personnel and assets

Advice to Senior Management

Use the full sets of assets available to the company more effective to grow shareholder value and improve employee morale.

Pros

Very challenging projects, incredibly smart and talented co-workers, only recruit the best. Can be very rewarding if you have the support of your management and you're able to succeed. Extreme focus on safety.

Cons

Work:Life ratio very difficult especially if you have children. Lots of "red tape" to traverse at times. Some managers are EXTREMELY difficult to work for, and develop very large egoes.

Advice to Senior Management

For a company that is so distributed and has reach on every continent, there is very little communication that goes on between segments and product lines. The "one company" concept goes away very quickly, and you get the sense that everyone is out for themselves at times. When you work in a smaller segment, you find that the employees are much happier. Advice would be to allow for more transparency and open up a bit.

Pros

Lots of International Travel opportunities
Comany benefits- life insurance, retirement, medical/health
If willing to work very hard, bonuses can make a lot of bonuses

Cons

Work-life balance is practically non existent. Career progression from field upwards is very slow. Management keeps changing very often. Computer hardware and software support is outdated.

Advice to Senior Management

Need to hire more talented people and promote them fast to reduce attrition. Also, more importance should be given to personal goals of empolyees to keep them motivated.

Pros

Fair, good communication, respect and good trainging

Cons

Too much bureaucracies, and do the other ways

Advice to Senior Management

More listening to the employees

Pros

Good exposure to the industry.

Cons

Salary is lower than industry.
Experience can vary depending on your manager (manager can change every 2 years).
Arrogance in the belief of some that they are the best.
Some immature people in managerial roles.

Advice to Senior Management

Invest in developing leadership rather than management.

Pros

A very diverse environment where knowledge sharing is valued and respected. It is good that the company is not afraid of trying something different from our competitors.

Cons

Very heavy administrative processes and procedure. The company is getting too much focused on supply chain and other support structures. Support is unfortunalety slowing down progress for no real added value, extra checks within product development or during job planning have been implemented but not supervised by competent personnel.

Advice to Senior Management

Schlumberger should refocus towards its core value of technology differenciator by alocating more resources to fundamental groups as well as placing experienced and competent individuals in the support structures. It is sad that plans are usually very short sighted, and very poorly based on customers recommendations. More customer involvement would result in better sponsoring and answer to needs.

Pros

- Career advancement
- International opportunity
- Diversity

Cons

- Constantly relocated may take toll on your personal life