The effect of the economic downturn has created a pool of experienced jobseekers with a wide range of valuable skills, many of whom are opting for a change of lifestyle and year-round sunshine by taking overseas posts.

At LA Recruitment, we have noted current opportunities in cross-discipline roles, such as LNG, process and safety and marketing, and believes the oil and gas jobs market is still buoyant, particularly abroad.

We've seen a number of vacancies in areas such as drilling, geological and geophysical specialisms, chemical, reservoir and environmental work as well as senior financial and marine posts, such as auditors and chief officers.

There are opportunities in many parts of the world, but Qatar in particular continues to have a buoyant energy market, and is home to many of our key oil and gas clients. We’ve found that there are many opportunities still available both in the UK but particularly overseas, and jobseekers are taking advantage of the economic climate to go and try living and working somewhere else for a while.

Qatar is home to around 750,000 expats, making up three quarters of the population, with residents from all over the world drawn to the lifestyle and the salaries and allowances which are paid tax free.

LA Recruitment opened an office in Doha in 2007 to supplement its work in Aberdeen, Houston and Kuala Lumpur. Key clients include Qatargas, Rasgas, Nakilat and Qatar Petroleum International.

Another sector currently offering opportunities is commercial diving. A recent report  commissioned by subsea training provider The Underwater Centre in Fort William concluded that more than 2,200 commercial divers will be needed to help build and develop Europe’s offshore wind sector as it rapidly expands over the next six years. Carried out by Douglas Westwood, the study focuses on the installation and maintenance phases of offshore wind farm development.

One of our candidates, Kevin McDonald (27) opted to retrain as a commercial diver after a year living in Australia, and has been working as a diver for a construction company, maintaining reservoirs and canals in Wales. He trained at The Underwater Centre, the world’s leading provider of subsea training and based on the shores of Loch Linnhe on the west coast, and believes commercial diving was a natural progression for him following nine years as a welder for a train company.

Kevin said: “Previously, I was working on a production line which I found monotonous but diving is a very exciting and varied career. It's lucrative, allowing me to enjoy a higher quality of life and also really flexible so that I can spend lengthy periods at home with my partner.”

In most cases, the key to securing that job is a positive interview. For most people, the actual job interview can be a daunting experience for even the most confident of people but knowing how to prepare for all eventualities can be the difference between securing the job or not.

There are many different types of interview, depending on the job on offer, but there are some tips and tricks which will stand prospective employees in good stead for most situations. Preparation and an understanding of the organisation and position are key to a good interview and ultimately success in the application.

If the interview is for a very senior position, for example, it's likely that candidates will have to meet a panel of senior level professionals and a presentation could be required for a sales or marketing role. For technical personnel, it's likely there will be a two-step interview process - a first round with an HR professional and a second round with a technical manager who will be asking technical and competency based questions. For positions such as reception, administration or labouring, it's likely that interviews will be carried out by either an HR professional or the department manager.

Some companies will conduct psychometric testing, which involves attitude and personality questions on top of knowledge and ability - but candidates would be told of the test before the interview.

All interviewees need to have prepared before going into any interview, but the level of preparation varies according to the type of job you are applying for. It's always important to research the company for any type of interview you are about to attend, so go online to find out as much as you can about them. 

For technical based interviews it's really important to fully read the job specification for the position you are going for and make sure you brush up on your knowledge of the particulars. In any face-to-face interview, it's important to always make lots of eye contact with the person you are speaking to and, if at all possible, research them on websites such as LinkedIn in to give you an overview of their position in the company.

There is also a number of things you can do which will impress your prospective employers before entering the interview - and these factors can often play as significant a role as how you conduct yourself within the interview.

First impressions are key when it comes to interviews and as a jobseeker, you should ensure that you're always punctual for your meeting. However, you don’t want to turn up too early and should aim to arrive between five and 10 minutes before your interview is due to start. This gives you the chance to get comfortable with the environment and relax prior to meeting your interviewer. When greeting your interviewer, a strong handshake should be offered as this shows that you have confidence. 

Finally, dress code. A smart outfit is essential for any interview - it's never a good idea to wear jeans, training shoes or an outfit which is too revealing as this can put the interviewer off before they have even spoken to you.

Above all, the best approach is to try and relax and stay calm. Take your time and try to slow things down to give you the chance to compose yourself and then answer the questions as honestly as possible. If you don’t know the answer to a question, it's always better to just be honest rather than try to bluff your way through as inevitably you will get caught out.

Mhairi Preston is commercial director at LA Recruitment in Aberdeen and is responsible for overseeing all commercial recruitment together with managing all the financial operations within the company. Mhairi has been with LA Recruitment for 18 years and has been involved with both commercial and engineering recruitment. 

LA Recruitment specialises in finding the best people for engineering, marine and technical positions across the world as well as accounting, finance, administration and commercial posts.