The right experience depends on the asset, not just the industry.
Energy and natural resources roles are rarely solved by a matching job title. Someone may know the sector but not the operating conditions, project phase, technical interfaces or decisions your vacancy needs. We start with the work that has to be done, so the search begins with relevant experience instead of a long list of keywords.
Where are you hiring?
Pick the asset, technology or operating setting closest to your role. Each area has its own hiring questions, technical differences and a direct route to a conversation with us.
Why the operating context matters
From producing assets and processing plants to mines, power systems and renewables, similar job titles can describe very different work. Spell out the operating setting, who owns the decision and what needs to change once the person starts.
A mismatch rarely shows on a CV. It shows the day someone has to explain a decision they've never had to own. Pin that decision down before you widen the search.
Three questions to ask before you compare anyone
Answer these first. They'll tell you whether your brief describes one clear role or quietly bundles several.
If your answers pull in different directions, start with the outcome that matters most. A sharp brief beats a long wishlist every time.
- 1
Which asset, facility, network or project will this person influence?
- 2
What decision or outcome must they own personally?
- 3
What do they need on day one, and what can they learn?
The role families we hire for
Hiring conversations go better when each role family is tied to the real work behind it. Depending on the role, you might be looking at:
- Oil and gas operations and technical roles
- Mining, minerals and metals operations
- Power generation, transmission and utilities
- Renewables and energy-transition projects
- Energy infrastructure, EPC and commissioning
- Engineering, maintenance and reliability
The right mix of technical depth, leadership, location and asset or project experience depends on the job. Tell us the real constraints and we'll start the conversation in the right place.
From a job title to a brief you can act on
Start with where the work happens. Then name the decisions this person has to own. Then decide what past work would prove they can do it. It's a simple way to talk about the search before every line of the job description gets treated as equally important.
- 1
Context
Where will they work, and in what conditions?
- 2
Accountability
Which decisions and outcomes are theirs?
- 3
Evidence
What comparable work would make a shortlist believable?
A practical way to compare a shortlist
CV shorthand
- Familiar with the sector
- An impressive job title
A better question to ask
What decision, system, interface or result did this person personally own?
A past job title is a clue, not a conclusion. These questions help your team agree on what good looks like. They don't replace technical interviews or the evidence a specific role needs.
Questions people ask us
Hiring across energy production, infrastructure, industrial resources and the technical and commercial roles around them. Where you'll find the right people depends on the asset, discipline, location and level of responsibility.
Look past the sector label. Compare the technical systems, operating conditions, regulations, stakeholders and decisions they've owned. Experience from a neighbouring sector can transfer, but check it role by role.
Yes. Tell us the business challenge, location, reporting line and the responsibilities that matter most. That's enough for a useful first conversation.
The asset or project type, location, operating or development phase, technical discipline, decision authority and the gaps in your current shortlist.
It can, but say which one leads. Someone who has supported projects may not have run ongoing operations, and the reverse matters just as much.
Talk to us about the geography and the role, and we'll confirm the current coverage and the right approach for what you need.
Start with the hiring challenge
Tell us which asset, operation or project needs people, and where the search is getting stuck.
You don't need a finished job description. Tell us the responsibility, the location and what's making this hard, and we'll start from there.
An oil and gas title doesn't prove someone fits your asset.
Relevant and nearly-relevant experience are not the same thing, whether you run upstream assets, midstream networks or downstream plants. Someone can know the equipment well and still never have owned the operating decisions, interfaces or delivery stage your role depends on.
The difference that changes your shortlist
A good shortlist separates people who look familiar with the work from people who've actually done it. Check these before you treat two profiles as the same.
Why the operating context matters
A production role, a refinery engineering job and a terminal operations post all need industry know-how. They don't need the same judgment. Before you widen the search, find out where the person has worked, what they controlled and what they were expected to deliver.
A mismatch rarely shows on a CV. It shows the day someone has to explain a decision they've never had to own. Pin that decision down before you widen the search.
Three questions to ask before you compare anyone
Answer these first. They'll tell you whether your brief describes one clear role or quietly bundles several.
If your answers pull in different directions, start with the outcome that matters most. A sharp brief beats a long wishlist every time.
- 1
Is the priority safe, steady operation or hitting a delivery milestone?
- 2
Which process, asset or project conditions can't be compromised?
- 3
What evidence separates personal ownership from simply being on the team?
The roles behind the search
Hiring conversations go better when each role family is tied to the real work behind it. Depending on the role, you might be looking at:
- Upstream production and field roles
- Pipeline and terminal operations
- Refining and petrochemical roles
- Maintenance and asset integrity
- Engineering and technical delivery
- Projects, shutdowns and commissioning
The right mix of technical depth, leadership, location and asset or project experience depends on the job. Tell us the real constraints and we'll start the conversation in the right place.
From a job title to a brief you can act on
Start with where the work happens. Then name the decisions this person has to own. Then decide what past work would prove they can do it. It's a simple way to talk about the search before every line of the job description gets treated as equally important.
- 1
Context
Where will they work, and in what conditions?
- 2
Accountability
Which decisions and outcomes are theirs?
- 3
Evidence
What comparable work would make a shortlist believable?
A practical way to compare a shortlist
CV shorthand
- Worked in oil and gas
- Took part in shutdowns or turnarounds
- Managed a technical team
A better question to ask
What decision, system, interface or result did this person personally own?
A past job title is a clue, not a conclusion. These questions help your team agree on what good looks like. They don't replace technical interviews or the evidence a specific role needs.
Questions people ask us
The asset type, location, whether it's an operating or project phase, the critical systems, the reporting line and the decisions the person must own. A job title alone won't tell you much about fit.
Some technical and management skills do. But the process environment, equipment, controls and decision rights are different, so judge the specific job rather than assuming a direct match.
Ask which phases they worked on, what they planned or controlled, which interfaces they managed and what completion or handover they were personally responsible for.
Often the shortlist rewarded sector keywords and didn't look hard enough at asset type, technical depth, scale of responsibility or what the person actually did themselves.
Yes. Tell us the discipline, location, operating context and where your current shortlist is missing the mark, and we'll talk through the right approach.
Start with the hiring challenge
Tell us about the asset and what your next hire needs to understand.
You don't need a finished job description. Tell us the responsibility, the location and what's making this hard, and we'll start from there.
Upstream experience doesn't move automatically from one asset to another.
Exploration, development and production each ask for different technical calls. The right upstream hire depends on the reservoir and subsurface picture, the production setting, how mature the field is, the facilities interfaces and how much authority the role carries.
The difference that changes your shortlist
A good shortlist separates people who look familiar with the work from people who've actually done it. Check these before you treat two profiles as the same.
Why the operating context matters
Someone who helped on a development programme may never have owned decisions on a mature producing field. A field operations specialist may have little exposure to development planning. Your shortlist should make those differences obvious before anyone walks into an interview.
A mismatch rarely shows on a CV. It shows the day someone has to explain a decision they've never had to own. Pin that decision down before you widen the search.
Three questions to ask before you compare anyone
Answer these first. They'll tell you whether your brief describes one clear role or quietly bundles several.
If your answers pull in different directions, start with the outcome that matters most. A sharp brief beats a long wishlist every time.
- 1
Is the asset in exploration, development, ramp-up or mature production?
- 2
Which reservoir, wells, facilities or operating interfaces matter most?
- 3
Which technical calls must this person make without escalating?
The roles behind the search
Hiring conversations go better when each role family is tied to the real work behind it. Depending on the role, you might be looking at:
- Exploration and subsurface
- Reservoir and petroleum engineering
- Production operations and optimisation
- Drilling and wells interfaces
- Facilities and field engineering
- Field maintenance and integrity
The right mix of technical depth, leadership, location and asset or project experience depends on the job. Tell us the real constraints and we'll start the conversation in the right place.
From a job title to a brief you can act on
Start with where the work happens. Then name the decisions this person has to own. Then decide what past work would prove they can do it. It's a simple way to talk about the search before every line of the job description gets treated as equally important.
- 1
Context
Where will they work, and in what conditions?
- 2
Accountability
Which decisions and outcomes are theirs?
- 3
Evidence
What comparable work would make a shortlist believable?
A practical way to compare a shortlist
CV shorthand
- Worked on an upstream asset
- Supported production optimisation
- Contributed to subsurface studies
A better question to ask
What decision, system, interface or result did this person personally own?
A past job title is a clue, not a conclusion. These questions help your team agree on what good looks like. They don't replace technical interviews or the evidence a specific role needs.
Questions people ask us
Name the field or asset, its lifecycle stage, the key technical discipline, the operating conditions and the decision rights. Those are what make experience genuinely relevant.
Not automatically. The work environment, logistics, access, interfaces and safety expectations can all differ. Judge the candidate against the actual role.
Be clear on the production systems, the operating challenges, the optimisation work, the facilities interfaces and which decisions the engineer will own.
Ask whether they helped plan and deliver something, or whether they were accountable for how the asset performed after handover.
Possibly. Look at the transferable technical work and the gaps against your asset conditions, rather than filtering only on past sector titles.
Start with the hiring challenge
Share the field, its stage and the upstream decisions this hire will own.
You don't need a finished job description. Tell us the responsibility, the location and what's making this hard, and we'll start from there.
Running infrastructure takes more than a logistics title.
Midstream work means operating and coordinating physical networks and storage. Pipeline, terminal and related roles need clarity on who owns the system, how continuity is kept, where maintenance hands over and which operating calls the new person will make.
The difference that changes your shortlist
A good shortlist separates people who look familiar with the work from people who've actually done it. Check these before you treat two profiles as the same.
Why the operating context matters
A strong supply-chain professional may be commercially sharp but new to the operational accountability of a pipeline or terminal. And having worked near a network isn't the same as being answerable for how it performs.
A mismatch rarely shows on a CV. It shows the day someone has to explain a decision they've never had to own. Pin that decision down before you widen the search.
Three questions to ask before you compare anyone
Answer these first. They'll tell you whether your brief describes one clear role or quietly bundles several.
If your answers pull in different directions, start with the outcome that matters most. A sharp brief beats a long wishlist every time.
- 1
Is this mainly a network, terminal, maintenance or commercial role?
- 2
Which asset interfaces and operating limits define success?
- 3
What must this person decide on a normal day, and on a disrupted one?
The roles behind the search
Hiring conversations go better when each role family is tied to the real work behind it. Depending on the role, you might be looking at:
- Pipeline and network operations
- Terminal and storage operations
- Asset integrity and maintenance
- Engineering and project interfaces
- Scheduling and operational coordination
- Procurement and technical supply
The right mix of technical depth, leadership, location and asset or project experience depends on the job. Tell us the real constraints and we'll start the conversation in the right place.
From a job title to a brief you can act on
Start with where the work happens. Then name the decisions this person has to own. Then decide what past work would prove they can do it. It's a simple way to talk about the search before every line of the job description gets treated as equally important.
- 1
Context
Where will they work, and in what conditions?
- 2
Accountability
Which decisions and outcomes are theirs?
- 3
Evidence
What comparable work would make a shortlist believable?
A practical way to compare a shortlist
CV shorthand
- Managed logistics
- Worked around pipeline operations
- Supported terminal coordination
A better question to ask
What decision, system, interface or result did this person personally own?
A past job title is a clue, not a conclusion. These questions help your team agree on what good looks like. They don't replace technical interviews or the evidence a specific role needs.
Questions people ask us
Midstream roles can mix coordination with real accountability for physical infrastructure, technical systems and keeping things running. Define the asset responsibility before deciding which candidate pools to look at.
The network systems they know, the interfaces they've handled, their integrity or maintenance duties, how much escalation authority they had and which decisions the role will own.
Some overlap. But asset design, workflow, stakeholders and accountability can differ, so look at the exact operating setting.
Include the terminal type, operating conditions, interfaces, shift or coverage expectations where they apply, and the outcomes the person has to control.
It can. Just make clear which responsibility comes first and what evidence you need for each, rather than assuming one background covers both.
Start with the hiring challenge
Tell us about the infrastructure and the operating responsibility behind this role.
You don't need a finished job description. Tell us the responsibility, the location and what's making this hard, and we'll start from there.
Plant experience isn't always process experience.
Downstream sites run on specialised process knowledge and well-coordinated operating decisions. Someone can have years in plants without ever working with the process conditions, equipment interfaces or level of accountability your refinery or petrochemical unit needs.
The difference that changes your shortlist
A good shortlist separates people who look familiar with the work from people who've actually done it. Check these before you treat two profiles as the same.
Why the operating context matters
The real question isn't whether they've worked in a plant. It's whether their experience matches the process, the stage the facility is in, the maintenance setup and the decisions that drive performance in this role.
A mismatch rarely shows on a CV. It shows the day someone has to explain a decision they've never had to own. Pin that decision down before you widen the search.
Three questions to ask before you compare anyone
Answer these first. They'll tell you whether your brief describes one clear role or quietly bundles several.
If your answers pull in different directions, start with the outcome that matters most. A sharp brief beats a long wishlist every time.
- 1
Which process units and operating conditions matter for this role?
- 2
Is the urgent need steady production, turnaround delivery or improvement?
- 3
What proof of direct unit, equipment or team accountability is essential?
The roles behind the search
Hiring conversations go better when each role family is tied to the real work behind it. Depending on the role, you might be looking at:
- Refinery and process operations
- Petrochemical production
- Process and mechanical engineering
- Turnaround and shutdown roles
- Maintenance and reliability
- Quality, technical assurance and procurement
The right mix of technical depth, leadership, location and asset or project experience depends on the job. Tell us the real constraints and we'll start the conversation in the right place.
From a job title to a brief you can act on
Start with where the work happens. Then name the decisions this person has to own. Then decide what past work would prove they can do it. It's a simple way to talk about the search before every line of the job description gets treated as equally important.
- 1
Context
Where will they work, and in what conditions?
- 2
Accountability
Which decisions and outcomes are theirs?
- 3
Evidence
What comparable work would make a shortlist believable?
A practical way to compare a shortlist
CV shorthand
- Worked in a process plant
- Took part in a turnaround
- Led maintenance work
A better question to ask
What decision, system, interface or result did this person personally own?
A past job title is a clue, not a conclusion. These questions help your team agree on what good looks like. They don't replace technical interviews or the evidence a specific role needs.
Questions people ask us
The facility, the relevant process units or systems, the operating conditions, the reporting structure and the decisions the person must be ready to make.
It depends on the role. Leadership and engineering skills can carry over, but process-specific knowledge and operating accountability need to be checked against the actual job.
Compare the processes, plant scale and interfaces, operating responsibilities, decision rights and how directly they handled performance problems.
The turnaround phase, whether the role is planning or execution, the contractor and plant interfaces, personal accountability and handover expectations.
Process operations is about running the plant and controlling process results. Reliability is about asset performance, preventing failures and maintenance decisions. The exact split varies between organisations.
Start with the hiring challenge
Tell us about the process, the unit and the decisions your shortlist needs to show.
You don't need a finished job description. Tell us the responsibility, the location and what's making this hard, and we'll start from there.
Mining experience only counts when it fits your operation.
A mine, a processing plant and a metals operation can all sit in the same industry and still need very different technical and leadership experience. A good brief connects the resource, the operating method, the processing setup and the responsibility the person will carry.
The difference that changes your shortlist
A good shortlist separates people who look familiar with the work from people who've actually done it. Check these before you treat two profiles as the same.
Why the operating context matters
Extraction experience doesn't automatically mean someone has owned mineral processing. A strong plant leader may never have handled site conditions and interfaces like yours. Start from how your operation actually works.
A mismatch rarely shows on a CV. It shows the day someone has to explain a decision they've never had to own. Pin that decision down before you widen the search.
Three questions to ask before you compare anyone
Answer these first. They'll tell you whether your brief describes one clear role or quietly bundles several.
If your answers pull in different directions, start with the outcome that matters most. A sharp brief beats a long wishlist every time.
- 1
Is the role about extraction, processing, smelting or supporting infrastructure?
- 2
Which site conditions and operating methods must they understand?
- 3
Which performance, safety or technical decisions will be theirs?
The roles behind the search
Hiring conversations go better when each role family is tied to the real work behind it. Depending on the role, you might be looking at:
- Mine and site operations
- Mineral processing and beneficiation
- Metallurgy and metals production
- Maintenance and asset reliability
- Engineering, projects and technical services
- Supply chain and site procurement
The right mix of technical depth, leadership, location and asset or project experience depends on the job. Tell us the real constraints and we'll start the conversation in the right place.
From a job title to a brief you can act on
Start with where the work happens. Then name the decisions this person has to own. Then decide what past work would prove they can do it. It's a simple way to talk about the search before every line of the job description gets treated as equally important.
- 1
Context
Where will they work, and in what conditions?
- 2
Accountability
Which decisions and outcomes are theirs?
- 3
Evidence
What comparable work would make a shortlist believable?
A practical way to compare a shortlist
CV shorthand
- Worked in mining
- Led a site function
- Managed resources projects
A better question to ask
What decision, system, interface or result did this person personally own?
A past job title is a clue, not a conclusion. These questions help your team agree on what good looks like. They don't replace technical interviews or the evidence a specific role needs.
Questions people ask us
The resource and operating environment, the site location, the mining or processing method, the reporting lines and the critical technical responsibilities.
Some leadership and plant skills transfer. Check their process understanding, site experience, technical interfaces and direct accountability before assuming they'll fit.
Compare the materials, processes, plant systems, technical judgment and improvement or operating responsibilities against the role.
Location shapes work patterns, access and what candidates are open to. Talk about site expectations early so you can size the candidate market realistically.
Ask whether they owned ongoing operating performance, a project delivery phase, or both. The answer changes which evidence matters.
Start with the hiring challenge
Tell us about the operation, the site and the technical responsibility you need.
You don't need a finished job description. Tell us the responsibility, the location and what's making this hard, and we'll start from there.
Power-sector experience isn't one skill set you can swap around.
Generation assets, transmission networks, distribution and utility projects each need different systems knowledge and decision authority. Hiring gets sharper once the brief says where along the power value chain the responsibility actually sits.
The difference that changes your shortlist
A good shortlist separates people who look familiar with the work from people who've actually done it. Check these before you treat two profiles as the same.
Why the operating context matters
Someone who knows plant operations may never have worked on network planning or grid interfaces. A project specialist may never have owned operational reliability. Make those differences explicit before you compare people.
A mismatch rarely shows on a CV. It shows the day someone has to explain a decision they've never had to own. Pin that decision down before you widen the search.
Three questions to ask before you compare anyone
Answer these first. They'll tell you whether your brief describes one clear role or quietly bundles several.
If your answers pull in different directions, start with the outcome that matters most. A sharp brief beats a long wishlist every time.
- 1
Is the role about generation, transmission, distribution or project delivery?
- 2
Which system interfaces and operating obligations define the job?
- 3
What authority and evidence of technical ownership are non-negotiable?
The roles behind the search
Hiring conversations go better when each role family is tied to the real work behind it. Depending on the role, you might be looking at:
- Power generation operations
- Electrical engineering and systems
- Transmission and distribution
- Grid and network interfaces
- Utility project delivery
- Maintenance, reliability and asset management
The right mix of technical depth, leadership, location and asset or project experience depends on the job. Tell us the real constraints and we'll start the conversation in the right place.
From a job title to a brief you can act on
Start with where the work happens. Then name the decisions this person has to own. Then decide what past work would prove they can do it. It's a simple way to talk about the search before every line of the job description gets treated as equally important.
- 1
Context
Where will they work, and in what conditions?
- 2
Accountability
Which decisions and outcomes are theirs?
- 3
Evidence
What comparable work would make a shortlist believable?
A practical way to compare a shortlist
CV shorthand
- Worked in power
- Supported electrical infrastructure
- Managed a delivery programme
A better question to ask
What decision, system, interface or result did this person personally own?
A past job title is a clue, not a conclusion. These questions help your team agree on what good looks like. They don't replace technical interviews or the evidence a specific role needs.
Questions people ask us
Generation roles are about producing power and running generation assets. Grid and network roles deal with transmission, distribution and the system interfaces around them. The responsibilities and the evidence you need are different.
The asset or network type, location, technical systems, whether it's an operating or project stage, the reporting line and the decisions the person will own.
Possibly, but delivering projects doesn't prove ongoing operational responsibility. Look at the exact systems and accountabilities.
Talk through the site requirements, work model, technical discipline and the real limits of the candidate market rather than treating location as a minor detail.
They often sit between engineering, operations, projects and outside stakeholders. Naming the main responsibility stops the brief from asking for several different people at once.
Start with the hiring challenge
Tell us about the asset, network or utility responsibility you need to fill.
You don't need a finished job description. Tell us the responsibility, the location and what's making this hard, and we'll start from there.
A renewables project title won't tell you who actually owned delivery.
Renewable hiring runs from development through engineering, construction and commissioning to operations. The right person depends on the technology, how far along the project is, site conditions, commercial interfaces and the decisions they've personally handled.
The difference that changes your shortlist
A good shortlist separates people who look familiar with the work from people who've actually done it. Check these before you treat two profiles as the same.
Why the operating context matters
Developing a project is different from building it, and commissioning is different from running an asset for years. Even within one technology, the operating and stakeholder setting changes what good experience looks like.
A mismatch rarely shows on a CV. It shows the day someone has to explain a decision they've never had to own. Pin that decision down before you widen the search.
Three questions to ask before you compare anyone
Answer these first. They'll tell you whether your brief describes one clear role or quietly bundles several.
If your answers pull in different directions, start with the outcome that matters most. A sharp brief beats a long wishlist every time.
- 1
Which technology and project phase define the role?
- 2
Is success about development progress, delivery or how the asset performs?
- 3
Which approvals, interfaces or technical decisions must this person own?
The roles behind the search
Hiring conversations go better when each role family is tied to the real work behind it. Depending on the role, you might be looking at:
- Solar and wind projects
- Renewable project development
- Electrical and civil engineering
- EPC and commissioning
- Asset operations and maintenance
- Commercial, procurement and stakeholder roles
The right mix of technical depth, leadership, location and asset or project experience depends on the job. Tell us the real constraints and we'll start the conversation in the right place.
From a job title to a brief you can act on
Start with where the work happens. Then name the decisions this person has to own. Then decide what past work would prove they can do it. It's a simple way to talk about the search before every line of the job description gets treated as equally important.
- 1
Context
Where will they work, and in what conditions?
- 2
Accountability
Which decisions and outcomes are theirs?
- 3
Evidence
What comparable work would make a shortlist believable?
A practical way to compare a shortlist
CV shorthand
- Worked on renewable projects
- Managed development activities
- Took part in commissioning
A better question to ask
What decision, system, interface or result did this person personally own?
A past job title is a clue, not a conclusion. These questions help your team agree on what good looks like. They don't replace technical interviews or the evidence a specific role needs.
Questions people ask us
Development roles focus on getting projects ready and managing stakeholders. Operations roles are about running and maintaining an asset. The evidence you look for should match the phase.
Some project, engineering and operating skills transfer. Look at technology-specific needs, decision scope and learning gaps rather than assuming an automatic match.
The technology, project stage, location, engineering or commercial interfaces, reporting structure and the personal accountability you expect.
Ask which systems and phases they personally managed, what testing and handover they were responsible for and who signed off the finished work.
Hiring for new energy technologies, infrastructure and operating models. The role might be technical, project-based, operational or commercial, and should be defined that way.
Start with the hiring challenge
Tell us the technology, the project phase and what your next hire will own.
You don't need a finished job description. Tell us the responsibility, the location and what's making this hard, and we'll start from there.
A finished project doesn't prove someone owned the delivery.
Energy infrastructure projects rely on people who can make the right calls at the right stage. Someone may have worked on a big EPC programme without ever owning the interfaces, commissioning duties or handover milestones your role needs.
The difference that changes your shortlist
A good shortlist separates people who look familiar with the work from people who've actually done it. Check these before you treat two profiles as the same.
Why the operating context matters
The difference that counts is between being on a project and being accountable for a defined piece of it. Test the phase, the systems, the contractor interfaces, the authority and the evidence that it got finished.
A mismatch rarely shows on a CV. It shows the day someone has to explain a decision they've never had to own. Pin that decision down before you widen the search.
Three questions to ask before you compare anyone
Answer these first. They'll tell you whether your brief describes one clear role or quietly bundles several.
If your answers pull in different directions, start with the outcome that matters most. A sharp brief beats a long wishlist every time.
- 1
Which delivery phase is the real constraint on this hire?
- 2
Which work packages, interfaces or systems must they own?
- 3
What shows delivery accountability rather than simply being there?
The roles behind the search
Hiring conversations go better when each role family is tied to the real work behind it. Depending on the role, you might be looking at:
- Project and construction management
- Project controls and planning
- Engineering and design interfaces
- Procurement and contract interfaces
- Pre-commissioning and commissioning
- Handover and project-to-operations transition
The right mix of technical depth, leadership, location and asset or project experience depends on the job. Tell us the real constraints and we'll start the conversation in the right place.
From a job title to a brief you can act on
Start with where the work happens. Then name the decisions this person has to own. Then decide what past work would prove they can do it. It's a simple way to talk about the search before every line of the job description gets treated as equally important.
- 1
Context
Where will they work, and in what conditions?
- 2
Accountability
Which decisions and outcomes are theirs?
- 3
Evidence
What comparable work would make a shortlist believable?
A practical way to compare a shortlist
CV shorthand
- Worked on a major EPC project
- Supported commissioning
- Coordinated stakeholders
A better question to ask
What decision, system, interface or result did this person personally own?
A past job title is a clue, not a conclusion. These questions help your team agree on what good looks like. They don't replace technical interviews or the evidence a specific role needs.
Questions people ask us
Check the project phase, delivery model, work packages, technical interfaces, decision authority and the milestones they personally owned.
Construction is about building and installing. Commissioning is about proving systems are ready to run and managing handover. The role should say which phase it needs.
The project type and phase, scheduling and reporting duties, interfaces, decision rights and the scale and complexity of the work.
Finishing a project doesn't prove they owned handover. Ask which systems, acceptance criteria, stakeholders and documents they managed directly.
They often mix engineering, execution, commercial and commissioning duties. Decide which outcome and decision rights truly define the role, and lead with those.
Start with the hiring challenge
Tell us the delivery phase, the work package and the handover this hire will own.
You don't need a finished job description. Tell us the responsibility, the location and what's making this hard, and we'll start from there.
Knowing the equipment isn't the same as owning its reliability.
Across energy and resources, engineering roles are shaped by the equipment, the processes, the ways things fail and the decisions the person is responsible for. A familiar technical title can hide very different depths of responsibility.
The difference that changes your shortlist
A good shortlist separates people who look familiar with the work from people who've actually done it. Check these before you treat two profiles as the same.
Why the operating context matters
Someone may have supported maintenance without ever setting reliability priorities. Someone else may be excellent at design but new to operational failure analysis. Define the technical judgment and the operating interfaces before you compare profiles.
A mismatch rarely shows on a CV. It shows the day someone has to explain a decision they've never had to own. Pin that decision down before you widen the search.
Three questions to ask before you compare anyone
Answer these first. They'll tell you whether your brief describes one clear role or quietly bundles several.
If your answers pull in different directions, start with the outcome that matters most. A sharp brief beats a long wishlist every time.
- 1
Which systems or equipment are critical to the business?
- 2
Is this role design-led, maintenance-led or reliability-led?
- 3
Which technical decision must they be able to defend with evidence?
The roles behind the search
Hiring conversations go better when each role family is tied to the real work behind it. Depending on the role, you might be looking at:
- Mechanical and electrical engineering
- Instrumentation and control
- Reliability and maintenance engineering
- Asset integrity and inspection
- Process and technical engineering
- Technical project and operations support
The right mix of technical depth, leadership, location and asset or project experience depends on the job. Tell us the real constraints and we'll start the conversation in the right place.
From a job title to a brief you can act on
Start with where the work happens. Then name the decisions this person has to own. Then decide what past work would prove they can do it. It's a simple way to talk about the search before every line of the job description gets treated as equally important.
- 1
Context
Where will they work, and in what conditions?
- 2
Accountability
Which decisions and outcomes are theirs?
- 3
Evidence
What comparable work would make a shortlist believable?
A practical way to compare a shortlist
CV shorthand
- Knows the equipment
- Supported maintenance
- Delivered engineering studies
A better question to ask
What decision, system, interface or result did this person personally own?
A past job title is a clue, not a conclusion. These questions help your team agree on what good looks like. They don't replace technical interviews or the evidence a specific role needs.
Questions people ask us
Maintenance roles often focus on carrying out planned and corrective work. Reliability roles focus on failure patterns, asset performance and prevention. Go by the real responsibilities, not the title.
The discipline, the systems or equipment, the asset environment, the technical interfaces, the decision authority and what you expect them to deliver.
Some engineering knowledge carries over, but day-to-day operating exposure and responsibility for asset performance may not. Look at the evidence directly.
Ask about the specific systems, decisions, analyses, interventions and results they owned personally, without asking for confidential employer information.
A broad brief can bundle several specialisms. Lead with the central responsibility and separate what's essential from what's nice to have.
Start with the hiring challenge
Tell us the system, the discipline and the accountability your shortlist needs to show.
You don't need a finished job description. Tell us the responsibility, the location and what's making this hard, and we'll start from there.
Before you widen the search, get clearer on the hire.
If your shortlist looks right on paper but falls apart in conversation, the problem may be the brief, not the number of candidates. We start with the operating context, the decisions to be owned and the experience that genuinely matters.
The difference that changes your shortlist
A good shortlist separates people who look familiar with the work from people who've actually done it. Check these before you treat two profiles as the same.
Why the operating context matters
A good recruitment conversation should make your brief easier to act on. Tell us about the vacancy, the operating or project challenge and what hasn't worked so far. We'll talk about which responsibilities are non-negotiable and which nearby experience could be worth a look.
A mismatch rarely shows on a CV. It shows the day someone has to explain a decision they've never had to own. Pin that decision down before you widen the search.
Three questions to ask before you compare anyone
Answer these first. They'll tell you whether your brief describes one clear role or quietly bundles several.
If your answers pull in different directions, start with the outcome that matters most. A sharp brief beats a long wishlist every time.
- 1
Where exactly is the current shortlist falling short?
- 2
What must this person own in the first phase of the role?
- 3
Which requirements could be reframed without weakening the job?
The roles behind the search
Hiring conversations go better when each role family is tied to the real work behind it. Depending on the role, you might be looking at:
- Specialist and technical hiring
- Operations and asset roles
- Projects and commissioning
- Engineering and reliability
- Questions about transferable experience
- Geography and hiring context
The right mix of technical depth, leadership, location and asset or project experience depends on the job. Tell us the real constraints and we'll start the conversation in the right place.
From a job title to a brief you can act on
Start with where the work happens. Then name the decisions this person has to own. Then decide what past work would prove they can do it. It's a simple way to talk about the search before every line of the job description gets treated as equally important.
- 1
Context
Where will they work, and in what conditions?
- 2
Accountability
Which decisions and outcomes are theirs?
- 3
Evidence
What comparable work would make a shortlist believable?
A practical way to compare a shortlist
CV shorthand
- More CVs
- More job-title filters
- A longer wishlist
A better question to ask
What decision, system, interface or result did this person personally own?
A past job title is a clue, not a conclusion. These questions help your team agree on what good looks like. They don't replace technical interviews or the evidence a specific role needs.
Questions people ask us
When a role is business-critical, the shortlist is weak, the spec mixes competing requirements or you're not sure where the right candidates are.
No. A description of the business need, location, key responsibilities and what's making the hire difficult is enough to start.
Yes. Tell us the systems, responsibilities and experience you think could transfer, and we'll focus on the candidate market that fits.
It goes to the relevant team, who review it and follow up. Next steps and scope are agreed with you, not assumed on a website.
No. The form starts a conversation about your hiring need. Any engagement after that is agreed separately.
The role, location, decision responsibilities, the profiles you've seen and the gap between them and what the business needs. Please don't send confidential candidate details through the form.
Start with the hiring challenge
Tell us what your shortlist is missing. Start with the problem, not a finished job description.
You don't need a finished job description. Tell us the responsibility, the location and what's making this hard, and we'll start from there.