I'm In Ops At A Refinery. What Do I Need To Do To Get On As a Nuclear Operator?

[Red Gold]

MisplacedHog, in your shoes, what I'd be doing is applying as widely as you can, to as many nuke plants as you can. Everything else - being selective about type of reactor, location of plant, and so on - is mainly going to be the concern of folks with a few years' experience and several offers on the table. Your goal at this point is simply to get your foot in the door of this industry. If anything, you should be selective with respect to factors that make a plant less "desirable" but more likely to consider you (unglamorous location, etc).

You can still get hired in this industry with no nuclear experience. But you're going to have to work for it. The days of cherry-picking a plant and saying "This is where I'm getting a job" are long gone - if they ever happened at all. If you want to work at ANO, you're going to have to either already be local to the plant or, more likely for you, get some nuke experience under your belt elsewhere first. (And who knows? Like many nukes, you may find that the 'elsewhere' is a lot better than you thought)

Now... if returning to Arkansas is more important to you than working in nuclear power, per se? Then I'd be considering a different kind of career change, perhaps to a fossil plant or other industrial facility in the state. You have to arrange your priorities first before you can decide how to proceed.

[Rerun]

Thats really well said and dead on.

[OldHP]

Now... if returning to Arkansas is more important to you than working in nuclear power, per se? Then I'd be considering a different kind of career change, perhaps to a fossil plant or other industrial facility in the state. You have to arrange your priorities first before you can decide how to proceed.

That's really well said and dead on.

MPH, from your earlier posts it appears that getting back to Arkansas is your primary goal.  There are fissile plants close to A-1.  Try there, if hired, (partially the same problem, i.e., relocation) establish a high class reputation and then apply for a transfer. 

 

[MisplacedHog]

MisplacedHog, in your shoes, what I'd be doing is applying as widely as you can, to as many nuke plants as you can. Everything else - being selective about type of reactor, location of plant, and so on - is mainly going to be the concern of folks with a few years' experience and several offers on the table. Your goal at this point is simply to get your foot in the door of this industry. If anything, you should be selective with respect to factors that make a plant less "desirable" but more likely to consider you (unglamorous location, etc).

You can still get hired in this industry with no nuclear experience. But you're going to have to work for it. The days of cherry-picking a plant and saying "This is where I'm getting a job" are long gone - if they ever happened at all. If you want to work at ANO, you're going to have to either already be local to the plant or, more likely for you, get some nuke experience under your belt elsewhere first. (And who knows? Like many nukes, you may find that the 'elsewhere' is a lot better than you thought)

Now... if returning to Arkansas is more important to you than working in nuclear power, per se? Then I'd be considering a different kind of career change, perhaps to a fossil plant or other industrial facility in the state. You have to arrange your priorities first before you can decide how to proceed.

Appreciate the insight.  I'm kinda kicking the tires on all scenarios.  I somewhat (in a round about way) have already thought of all of that, but it's always helpful to see/hear it in order to keep things in perspective.

[Red Gold]

Appreciate the insight.  I'm kinda kicking the tires on all scenarios.  I somewhat (in a round about way) have already thought of all of that, but it's always helpful to see/hear it in order to keep things in perspective.

No problem. There's more than a little of how I got to my own current career position in what I wrote. The same is true for many others here. I'm not suggesting indiscriminate shotgunning of applications - the old hands on hiring committees can see those sort of applications coming a mile away! - but you might have to spread the net a bit more widely for long-term success.

[Rerun]

Actually if you feel you are qualified a little bit of shotgunning doesn't hurt. I interviewed a person who didn't meet the literal qualifications for a job and they ended up doing a bang up job. Also, keep applying at ANO or anywhere you so choose. At TVA we hired a guy after the 3rd application. Same at Fermi. The think is no one here including you has no idea why you didn't make the cut, We are giving educated guesses based on our experience. 20 years ago we could have said because you weren't nuclear navy and we would have probably been dead on. That's not the case anymore. For all we know you just missed the cut this time but your resume caught someone's eye.

[tr]

Have you tried for nuclear positions other other than operator jobs (I&C, maintenance planner, instructor, industrial safety, etc.) that may be a fit with your process background?  Does your resume stress experience common with nuclear plants (pumps, valves, equipment surveillance testing, control room operations, equipment performance monitoring, coordinating maintenance work, ...).

[Frank Cable]

nothing other than misrepresentation of the facts,...

Like the STAR interviews don't encourage that...its just a matter of who tells the most convincing story. Think about it.

[hamsamich]

Some places are weird about who they hire.  And it can change from year to year depending on who is in charge of the hiring.  Anyway can you find out what types of people were hired?  Some places tend to prefer ex-navy nukes, other places want a degree first.  If you can find out who controls the hiring and what they are after that may help dispel the mystery.  I asked the HR person doing the hiring when I got my first operator job and they told me point blank they wanted ex-navy nukes or people with higher level scientific degrees first.  That was a while ago.  Getting people who will eventually be good CR operators is huge for almost every hiring manager for ops.  Maybe the person doing the hiring doesn't value your non-nuc operator experience?  It can vary so wildly depending on who is doing the hiring.  Maybe they are looking for women and minorities because they don't have enough?  They probably won't answer that one.  Most places prefer local but it may be a much stronger selling point for some nuke plants.

Anybody who tells you point blank this is what all nuc plants are after are full of HS because the one thing I know is different managers prefer different things.  So don't be too baffled unless you don't get an interview from 3 or 4 different nukes.

Also make sure your resume has the key words applicable to nuclear..maybe the person screening didn't comprehend your skills correctly...a long shot but possible.  Process degree doesn't seem to be the best fit and is a pretty specific degree iif it is what I think it is.  There could be worry you will leave for a job that fits your degree better.

A huge advantage at most places is if you have a reference who is known by the interviewing team.  If enough of these people are applying then you may not have a chance in he11.

I think it is true that it is harder to get into ops today compared to 2007 or so, but things might change.

[MisplacedHog]

Anyway can you find out what types of people were hired?

I wish.  Unfortunately, I have no contacts there.

It's strange....I work for a company that's considered the cream of the crop in the energy industry, and also one of the companies that is extremely difficult to get hired on with, but I can't seem to get an interview in my home state in a job which is considered an entry level position (one in which I'm more than qualified)

I've tried speaking with their HR people, but that really didn't get anywhere.  I need someone local (one that's familiar with ANO) that I could speak with.  It would just be good to know what type of people that they hire so I could know what I need to do to potentially become a better looking candidate on paper, or if I just need to concentrate my efforts elsewhere.

[Rerun]

Lol no wonder they didnt interview him. Look you havent accomplished anything. Learn that first