The oil and gas industry is defined by its scale, precision, and speed. Yet, manpower companies in this sector struggle with one of the most grueling and inefficient tasks: manually screening resumes. The process is frustratingly outdated, yielding high costs, high turnover, and poor candidate fit—all of which undermine the goal of keeping projects on track and within budget. To drive the industry forward, we must address this bottleneck and empower recruiters with the tools to surface talent more effectively.

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At the core of the problem is volume. Manpower companies in oil and gas deal with an overwhelming number of resumes, often from a global pool of applicants, many of whom lack the specialized skills required for the job. A single job posting can result in hundreds, even thousands, of applications. Reviewing these applications consumes valuable time that recruiters could otherwise spend building relationships with candidates or supporting project teams on the ground. Instead, they’re bogged down in tedious resume-sifting, a process that grows exponentially more exhausting when dealing with last-minute hiring needs—a constant in this sector.

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Adding to the burden is the complexity of the roles themselves. Oil and gas projects require diverse, specialized skill sets, and one wrong hire can have significant financial and operational repercussions. However, traditional resume screening methods often fail to capture critical technical qualifications, experience with niche equipment, or compliance with safety regulations. As a result, recruiters often end up making educated guesses rather than informed decisions, jeopardizing both project quality and safety standards.

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Moreover, traditional screening often overlooks the value of past project-based experience. Oil and gas roles are not always about steady, long-term employment; they’re about finding skilled workers who can hit the ground running. Yet, this crucial aspect is often buried in resumes or obscured by keywords that don't match job descriptions precisely, making it easy to miss a potentially ideal candidate. Recruiters are left frustrated, unable to confidently surface talent in a way that reflects the needs of project-based work.

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Beyond the practical drawbacks, manual screening is a drain on morale. The task’s repetitive nature contributes to recruiter burnout, high turnover, and a reduced capacity to strategically contribute to the company. The role of the recruiter should be more than a "gatekeeper" burdened with filtering through endless applications; it should be a strategic partnership with hiring managers to identify and engage top talent.

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For the oil and gas manpower industry to remain competitive and meet project demands, a transformation is essential. Automation and AI-driven tools must step in to reduce the time spent on manual screening while enhancing the quality of matches. With the right technology, recruiters can rapidly screen for the skills, experience, and certifications specific to each project. This shift would give manpower companies an unprecedented edge in securing the best talent, even on a tight timeline, freeing recruiters to do what they do best: connect with people, not just paper.

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It’s time to streamline the screening process, optimize the talent acquisition strategy, and build a future where recruiters in oil and gas can focus on driving growth rather than sifting through stacks of resumes.

 

** Rowan Pearce, CEO & Founder of KontactApp, has been working in Oil & Gas manpower & staffing for the past 17 years, and is also the visionary and founder of KontactApp. 

 

** Pedram Rahmati, CTO & Co-founder of KontactApp spent 15 years building talent acquisition technology for Monster.com.

 

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