Assistant to Manager of Operations at Ensco plc
Army officer strikes (black) gold with career at offshore drilling company.
by Warren Duffie
If, as the saying goes, opportunity doesn’t knock twice, then Eric Midden is a rare exception.
In 2003, the former Army captain was a year out of the military, completing a second bachelor’s degree from Missouri University of Science and Technology. During an on-campus career fair, Midden landed an interview with Ensco plc – an international offshore drilling company. Seeking talented engineering students, Ensco called Midden back for a follow-up interview and soon offered him a job.
But Midden was seduced by a seemingly better job with a competitor and accepted the rival position – a decision he soon regretted.
“The fit was all wrong,” he said. “I knew right away I wouldn’t do well in that particular corporate culture. So I called my contact at Ensco and asked for another chance to interview with them. Luckily, he liked me and decided to hire me.”
That dose of humility paid off for Midden, who has excelled with one of the oil industry’s premier offshore drilling firms.
On the Job
Based at Ensco’s Houston field office, Midden, 35, is the assistant to the company’s manager of operations. His division works with Ensco’s fleet of eight ultra-deep-water semisubmersible oil and natural gas drilling rigs, strategically placed in locations such as the Gulf of Mexico and Australia, drilling in water depths up to 8,500 ft.
“Ensco basically runs and operates these rigs for companies such as Chevron,” Midden said. “The oil and natural gas companies tell us where to drill and how deep.”
Midden starts his workday at 0600 with one of his most important duties. He reviews reports from various rigs detailing activities and issues from the previous night, condenses these reports into a clear, readable summary, and e-mails the new document to Ensco executives, including the CEO. Aside from compiling reports, Midden attends regular operations meetings and works closely with Ensco’s marketing team to develop bid proposals for potential projects. He normally goes home around 1700.
“I still use a lot of military skills in this job,” he said. “Attention to detail, working with diverse people, the discipline to complete tasks. I think no matter what you did in the military, there are many skills that will help you succeed in any civilian industry.”
In Uniform
While preparing to enter college in 1994, Midden wanted a challenge. The Army looked exciting and adventurous – a great way to develop strong leadership qualities. Plus, he would receive money for school. He enrolled in Missouri University of Science and Technology (formerly the University of Missouri-Rolla) on an ROTC scholarship.
After graduating with a bachelor’s in engineering management in 1998, he completed Army engineer training at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. He was then stationed at Fort Riley, Kan., deploying worldwide to places like Bosnia and Kuwait.
The Transition
Realizing he wasn’t an “Army lifer,” Midden left the service in 2002. To prepare, he took several transition classes. However, Midden decided he needed more education, and re-enrolled at Missouri University of Science and Technology to pursue a bachelor’s in electrical engineering, which he completed in 2003.
Midden started his civilian career “at the bottom” with Ensco. He spent three years in the company’s engineer training program, working on off shore rigs as a roustabout, roughneck and driller. He advanced to deep water rigs as a drill equipment engineer before taking his current position last year.
“Ensco is a great place to work,” Midden said. “The pay is comparable to what I made in the Army, the benefits are excellent, and I work with a lot of guys with military experience. I also love that I get to travel. I’ve been to Australia several times.”
How’d You Get That Job?
During an on-campus career fair, Midden landed an interview with Ensco plc. Seeking talented engineering students, Ensco soon offered him a job.
But Midden was seduced by a seemingly better job with a competitor and accepted the rival position – a decision he soon regretted.
“The fit was all wrong,” he said. “I knew right away I wouldn’t do well in that particular corporate culture. So I called my contact at Ensco and asked for another chance to interview with them. Luckily, he liked me and decided to hire me.”
Midden's Advice
Learn to relax. “The military is much more intense and gung-ho than the civilian world. Keep your military focus and intensity, but learn to be more laid back as well.”
Prepare a strong résumé. “You especially need to lose the jargon. Put everything in terms that civilian managers can understand.”
Have fun. “Find an industry you’ll enjoy working in. Life is too short to spend eight hours a day in a job you hate.”
Did You Know?
- Ensco plc owns and operates one of the world’s largest and most capable fleets of premium jackup rigs. Jackup rigs stand on the ocean floor with their hull and drilling equipment elevated above the water on steel leg structures.
- Ensco plc is ranked 30th on the G.I. Jobs 2010 Top Military Friendly Employers® list.