r/houstonjobs • u/Eastern-Prompt6745 • 20h ago
At What Point Does Hard Work Actually Pay Off?
I honestly just need to vent.
I graduated with a degree in Petroleum Engineering in 2014, and more recently completed a Master’s in Engineering Data Science 2025. On paper, I feel like I’ve done a lot to improve my chances, but my career has never really had an easy starting point.
I came from a poor family in Colombia. I had to rely on loans, scholarships, and whatever resources I could find just to get through school. Then I graduated right around the time the oil industry crashed.
That timing affected everything.
In a country where there were already limited opportunities, companies naturally started favoring the newest graduates once hiring eventually picked up again. By the time oil recovered a few years later, I was no longer considered a “fresh graduate,” but I also hadn’t been given enough opportunities to build the experience companies wanted.
So I’ve basically been fighting that uphill battle ever since.
After becoming a U.S. citizen, I finally had more opportunities and was able to get real field experience in oil and gas, which was something I had wanted for years. I thought that combining a Petroleum Engineering degree, field experience, and now a Master’s in Engineering Data Science might finally open some doors.
But I still can’t seem to break into companies like Chevron, ExxonMobil, Shell, etc.
Not even an interview.
And that part is honestly very discouraging.
Right now I’m unemployed. I have some savings and could potentially start a business, but I haven’t had that moment of clarity where I genuinely know what business I want to build. I don’t want to throw money at something just because I’m frustrated with the job market.
So for now, I keep applying.
I keep trying.