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Shell Recruitment DayGraduate Briefing Pack – US

ContentsIntroductionAbout the Shell Recruitment DayShell careersBackgroundA walk through the Shell Recruitment DayWhat happens next?Appendices1. Travel and local information2. Expenses3. SRD venue4. Accommodation5. Pre-SRD event6. Key contacts7. On the day8. SRD exercises9. Technical Presentation10. Technical interview11. After the SRD

About the Shell Recruitment DayCongratulations on being invited to join a ShellRecruitment Day (SRD), and thank you for agreeing totake the time to find out more about what Shell canoffer you.As one of the routes into Shell, our Recruitment Daysgive us a chance to see you in action, assessing youacross a variety of different work scenarios andobserving how well you demonstrate the keycompetencies we‟re looking for. The day gives you theopportunity to show us your potential and will helpyou decide if Shell is the right company for you.During the SRD, you will participate in a range ofactivities. The day includes exercises, interviews and agroup discussion – enabling you to find out how wellyou cope in different business scenarios and assessyour potential for business or technical leadership. It isa chance for us to observe you in action.Upon a successful performance at the SRD, we willendeavour to find a suitable graduate opportunity foryou within the Shell Group, and determine whether wewill be able to make you a formal offer ofemployment.We look forward to meeting you and wish you everysuccess in your journey with Shell.Pack contentsThis pack provides you with an overview of the event,its purpose and more information about the peoplewho will be involved during the day.It contains:• An overview of the event• Information on who you will meet on the day andthe different exercises you will take part in• Information and preparation forms for the technicalpresentation and technical interview – if you haveapplied for a technical role you will need tocomplete a technical presentation OR technicalinterview. Both require preparation before the SRD.• Travel information and directionsPlease read through this pack carefully to ensure youcomplete all the necessary paperwork before attendingthe SRD.Before the Shell Recruitment DayTravel and expensesWe will reimburse you for the cost of any reasonableor predefined expenses as long as you can providereceipts. In some cases, Shell will make travelarrangements for you.Please see appendix 1 for information on making yourtravel arrangements, appendix 2 for information onthe reimbursement of expenses, and appendix 3 forinformation on the SRD venue.AccommodationIt is likely that your hotel accommodation will already havebeen booked by Shell, covering the cost of your room andbreakfast only. All other charges such as telephone callswill be charged to your own account, which you will needto settle when checking out. In some circumstances, youmay need to book your own accommodation and receivereimbursement for the cost from Shell.To check what arrangements you need to make foryour accommodation, please see appendix 4.Pre-Shell Recruitment Day eventsEvents may be scheduled for the afternoon/eveningbefore your SRD.To find out if an event is scheduled prior to your SRD,and for more details, see appendix 5.Dress codeSmart/business dress is recommended for the SRD(no jeans, t-shirts, trainers or sportswear).Safety informationAt Shell we care about your safety and are committed toensuring that Health, Safety, Security and Environment(HSSE) features as a key element of our recruitment andlearning events. With this in mind, we have producedsome safety advice to help you stay safe during your visit.Please be sure to read our Safety Guidance.QueriesIf you have any queries please telephone or email yourCandidate Co-ordinator listed in appendix 6.Shell is an Equal Opportunity EmployerIf you require an accommodation, any reasonableadjustments or special assistance for the ShellRecruitment Day, please contact your CandidateCo-ordinator.

About the Shell Recruitment DayShell careersA career with Shell is not your average day job – it‟syour chance to join a company that tackles real worldproblems, like how we will meet the world‟s energydemands over the next half century.The world will need vast amounts of extra energy inthe coming decades to reduce poverty and to meetgrowing global demand. How that energy is deliveredwill matter to all of us, to our children and ourgrandchildren. Energy will need to be produced inenvironmentally and socially responsible ways,including dealing with greenhouse gas emissions.This is the energy challenge and Shell is committed toplaying its part in building a responsible energyfuture. We are looking for creative, motivatedindividuals who can be positive about the benefits ofenergy and apply creative, persistent, problem solvingto meet this challenge.BackgroundWhy do we hold a Shell Recruitment Day?Attending a Shell Recruitment Day gives us a chanceto see you in action, assessing how you handle avariety of different work scenarios, observing how wellyou demonstrate the key competencies we‟re seeking.It‟s a two-way process, because it‟s also youropportunity to find out about Shell and see if we are agood fit for your career aspirations and ambitions.What are we looking for?While your academic record was one of the reasons weinvited you to attend an SRD, our experience has shownthat excellent qualifications alone are rarely sufficient tobe successful within a company as challenging, diverseand global as Shell.We‟ve identified the qualities that we believe arecritical to high performance in Shell and we‟ll assessyou against our CAR(T) criteria:• Capacity: You‟ll need to bring the intellectual,analytical and creative ability to learn quickly,identify issues, make judgements and proposesolutions• Achievement: We‟ll expect plenty ofenthusiasm, resilience and confidence – you‟ll besomeone who can always get things done• Relationship skills: You should have thecharacter and ability to work effectively with othersin a diverse teamWe will also want to assess your technical abilities, ifyou‟re interested in a technical career with us:• Technical skills: Understanding andapproaching technical issues coupled with anenthusiasm for technical challenge.Please note: You will need to speak conversationalEnglish to take part in the SRD, but your use of Englishis not one of the selection criteria. If you are not anative English speaker you will be given more time toprepare where appropriate, and are welcome tobring a dictionary.Who will be involved?You will meet the following people during your SRD:Participants – Usually, there are between four andeight candidates at each SRD. It is important toremember that you are being assessed as individuals.It is possible for everyone to be successful.Candidate Co-ordinator – The Candidate Coordinatoris responsible for the logistics of the SRD,ensuring it runs in a smooth, timely fashion. TheCandidate Co-ordinator is your first point of callshould you have any questions during the day.Assessors – The Assessor team is made up ofbusiness leaders who make recruitment decisions fortheir business. Assessors are often also the linemanagers for recruits‟ initial assignments. The role ofthe Assessor is to help you demonstrate your CAR(T)qualities. Usually there are four Assessors at eachSRD.SRD Facilitator – The SRD Facilitator responsiblefor managing your application will host the day. Thefacilitator is an expert on the running of the SRD andassists the Assessors in following best practice.

About the Shell Recruitment DayA walk through the Shell Recruitment DayIn some circumstances, a social event will be held theday before the SRD. To see what provision, if any, hasbeen made, please see appendix 5.The day itselfPlease note, you may wish to bring alongreading/study material in case of any waiting time inbetween exercises.The day generally comprises of three exercises:1) case study2) group discussion3) business scenario interview or a technicalinterview**If you are applying for a technical role in any of ourbusinesses you will undertake either a technicalpresentation or a technical Interview depending onyour level of study. If this applies to you, it will bestated in your covering letter, and you will need toprepare in advance of the SRD. Candidates for allother businesses will complete the business scenariointerview, which requires no preparation.The three exercises (with the exception of the technicalpresentation/interview) are based around the types ofproblems and challenges typically tackled byprofessionals within Shell. By using a variety of differentsituations, we give you numerous opportunities todemonstrate your personal strengths, skills and abilitiesin relation to the criteria of Capacity, Achievement,Relationships and Technical.With the exception of the technical presentation ortechnical interview, no preparation is required for theseexercises.To find out more about what will happen on the day,see appendix 7.For detailed information about the exercises you will betaking part in, see appendix 8.See appendix 9 for the preparation form for thetechnical interview.See appendix 10 for the preparation form for thetechnical interview.What happens next?At the end of the day the Assessors meet to reviewyour performance and the extent to which youdemonstrated the Capacity, Achievement, Relationshipand Technical qualities throughout the day. This reviewis then used to make a decision on whether yousuccessfully completed the SRD.If you were successful at the SRD, we will review yourqualifications against our available job openings anddetermine whether we will be able to make you aformal offer of employment. You will then be advisedof our decision.For detailed information on what happens after theSRD has taken place, go to appendix 10.Joining Shell means getting more out of your workinglife than you thought possible. We hope that you findthe SRD a valuable, rewarding and ultimatelyenjoyable experience, and use it as an opportunity tofind out if we fit your career aspirations andambitions.We hope that you enjoy the SRD and look forward tomeeting you.

Appendices1. Travel and local information2. Expenses3. SRD venue4. Accommodation5. Pre-SRD event6. Key contacts7. On the day8. SRD exercises9. Technical presentation10. Technical interview11. After the SRD

Appendix 1 – Travel and local informationTravel arrangementsCarlson Wagonlit Travel, our travel agent, will bookyour hotel, airline flights and ground transportationto and from the SRD location.Their business hours are 7:00am to 7:00pm, CST,Monday through Friday. The phone number to call is1-888-454-0234.When you contact CWT you should have alreadyreceived confirmation on where your SRD is beingheld. Inform the agent that your travel is to bebooked through one of the following referencecodes:Shell Recruit – Campus THCShell Recruit – Campus HoustonShell Recruit – Campus New OrleansShell Recruit – Campus WesthollowShell Recruit – Campus WoodcreekShell Recruit – Campus PhDFor PhD candidates who will be giving a technicalpresentation the day before the SRD please useCampus PhD reference codeExcelsior (Houston or Wynne (New Orleans)Transportation will meet you near the limousine exitjust outside of the baggage claim area of the airport.The driver will have a placard with your last nameon it. Tips have been prepaid by Shell. They willtransport you directly to the hotel. After the SRD,they will transport you back to the airport.If bad weather occurs and your flight is cancelled,please call Carlson Wagonlit Travel immediately sothey can cancel your travel arrangements. Also,please notify us by email and/or by phone, and wewill reschedule you for another SRD.Your travel expenses:Your airline, hotel room, and transportation chargesare directly billed to Shell. All other incidentalexpenses (e.g. telephone calls, movies, and roomservice) will be your responsibility. Please check-outof your room on the morning of your SRD, as youwill not be returning to the hotel prior to yourdeparture home.Travel detailsYour destination: Houston, TX or New Orleans, LABy airIf you are flying to Houston, you can travel to Hobbyor Bush Intercontinental airport. For a New OrleansSRD, you will fly into Louis Armstrong New OrleansInternational Airport.You should arrive there no later than 1:00pm on thefirst day and be ready to catch a flight departingfrom the airport after 5:00pm on the second day. Ifyou have no alternative but to arrive later, please letus know beforehand.By carYou are highly encouraged to use air transportation,however, based on your location it may be moreconvenient to use your personal transportation, inwhich case please read more information on vehiclesafety in our HSSE guidelines.Shell will reimburse you for a maximum of 50 milesone way to the SRD. Should your trip exceed thismileage, please notify us so we can work with you toaccommodate your needs.

Appendix 2 – ExpensesWhen you attend the SRD, an expense claim form will be emailed to you. Complete the electronic form andsent it via email to careers@shell.com along with all of your scanned receipts. No expenses will be reimbursedwithout the scanned receipts.Expenses can be deposited either directly into your bank account or you can request a check. You will be ableto choose which method of payment you prefer in the claim form.What you can claim:TaxiMileageAirport car parkingMealsTaxis from your home to the airport and your return will be paid only if a valid receiptis scanned and returned along with the expense form.We will reimburse your mileage between the airport and your home up to a maximumof 50 miles one way. Should your trip exceed this mileage, please notify us so we canwork with you to accommodate your needs.If you plan to drive to the SRD, please call the Candidate Co-ordinator to discuss yourintended plan.Airport parking will be reimbursed if you drive your car to the airport. A receipt isnecessary for reimbursement.Meals purchased en route will be reimbursed (up to a maximum of $15.00). Pleasepresent receipts.

Appendix 3 – SRD venueYour SRD Venue details will be provided infull within your emailed SRD invitation.

Appendix 4 – AccommodationYour SRD Venue details will be provided infull within your emailed SRD invitation.

Appendix 5 – Pre-SRD eventOur Shell Welcome event will begin with a briefingat 4:00pm focused around:• ensuring that you are familiar with what willhappen the following day• providing you with a detailed timetable ofactivities• answering any other questions you may havearound Shell and the opportunities we have tooffer• giving you the chance to learn more about theselection criteria and the assessment exercises wewill use during the SRD.This will be followed by dinner with one or morerecently hired Shell professionals who will share theirexperiences on what you can expect during the SRD,and provide you with a window on the world ofrecent Shell recruits. They will happily answer anyquestions you may have.The dinner meeting is a time for you to relax andsocialise, and is not assessed in any way.Dinner hosts play no role in the recruitment decisionsmade at the SRD.Dress codeBusiness casual dress is requested for the eveningdinner and Shell Recruitment Day. It is not necessaryto wear a coat and tie unless you feel morecomfortable dressed in this manner.

Appendix 6 – ContactsYour Candidate Co-ordinator is available to help you with any questions you may have leading up to your SRD.Name:Grace MarmolejoAddress: 910 Louisiana, One Shell Plaza, Houston, TX 77002Telephone: 713-241-5578Email:grace.marmolejo@shell.comAssessment FacilitatorName:Jackie FlournoyAddress: 910 Louisiana, One Shell Plaza, Houston, TX 77002Telephone: 713-241-0508Email:Jackie.flournoy@shell.com

Appendix 7 – On the day7:30am7:50am8:30am12:00noon1:00pm2:30pmArrive at SRD LocationContinental breakfast and introductions/welcome by assessorsExercises/InterviewsLUNCHGroup discussionDepart for airport

Appendix 8 – SRD exercises1) Case studyThis exercise is completed individually. You will beassigned a role within a fictitious company in animaginary country and given one hour (one hourand 20 minutes if English is not your first language –please let us know) to analyse approximately 20 to25 documents related to the company‟s activities,performance and environment.At the welcome event you will be given somebackground information about the company,including the various divisions and the country inwhich it operates. This information will form the basisfor the Case Study and the Group Exercise.Information about your specific task will be given toyou at the SRD.After you have completed the preparation, you willbe required to informally brief two Assessors on:• issues facing the company and the key actionsyou propose to take• potential implications for the company‟s short,medium and long-term strqtegy and direction.This five-minute informal presentation is followed bya 20-minute discussion around the issues identifiedand your proposed actions. You will be expected tooutline the rationale for your proposals and be ableto discuss the topic in a broader context; however,detailed technical knowledge is not required. Duringthis exercise we will be observing the elements ofCapacity, Achievement and Relationships.2) Group discussionThe group discussion is completed in small teams.The scenario for the exercise is around socialperformance and sustainable development. Shellgives a proportion of its profits for investment insocial projects. A Review Board made up ofrepresentatives from different committees agree howto allocate the funds and make a recommendation toShell.You will be asked to imagine that you are acommunity representative for one of the committees.You will first receive five minutes to read through thegiven information before you meet other committeemembers and choose which investment proposals toput forward. Your group will then meet as theReview Board with the other committees to agree theallocation of funds.The exercise is split into four parts:•You will first be given five minutes to read theinformation individually•during the second part, you will take part in a 15-minute preliminary meeting with other membersof your committee to decide which investmentproposals you want to put forward to the ReviewBoard for consideration•during the third part of the exercise, you will takepart in a 25-30 minute review boardmeeting. Your task is to decide how to allocatethe social investment funds and makerecommendations to a Shell representative.The exercise is observed by Assessors who will beinterested in finding out how your team workstogether, and how you manage the meetings inorder to meet the desired objective. Even though youare working as a team you will be assessedindividually.3) Business scenario interview andtechnical interviewa) Business scenario interviewIf you are a business/commercial candidate you willparticipate in the Business Scenario. There are twosections to this exercise, both of which last 20minutes.In the first section, you will be given a list of businessrelevant problems from which you must choose oneto analyse and think about potential solutions. Youwill have 15 minutes of preparation time, after whichyou will meet with two Assessors who will ask youquestions about your analysis. You are not expectedto be an expert in the subject area. The Assessorswill be interested in your ideas on how you wouldmanage the topic, your purpose, actions and yourability to support your plan. You will not be requiredto deliver a formal presentation.

Appendix 8 – SRD exercisesBusiness Scenario (con‟t)In the second section, you will be asked to provideexamples of situations in which you have worked ina team setting and what you learned or what newskill you developed.b) Technical presentationIf you are applying for a technical role and haveexperience conducting independent and originalresearch or technical project work (most likely PhDthesis work), you may be asked to give a technicalpresentation either the day before the SRD or theday after to a group of Shell employees.The technical presentation is not part of the actualSRD.Your graduate recruiter will let you know whetheror not you will participate in a technicalpresentation which will require advancepreparation.You will find all of the guidelines about the technicalpresentation in appendix 9.c) Technical interviewAll technical candidates will participate in atechnical interview the day of the SRDThis requires preparation in advance of the SRDitself. You will need to prepare a short description ofup to two projects that you have worked on that aretechnically relevant to the role you are applying for.The objective is for you to demonstrate yourtechnical abilities that are relevant to the role.For the technical interview preparation form, pleasesee appendix 10

Appendix 9: Technical presentation:Candidate notes for preparationBackgroundAs part of a broader assessment of your technicalbackground, we would like you to give a TechnicalPresentation. This presentation generally takes placeeither the day before or the day after the SRD and isheld at one of our technical office locations. Theday of the SRD you will participate in the technicalinterview only.The PresentationPlease prepare a 40 minute presentation on arelevant area of your OWN professional work oracademic research. The overall objective of thepresentation is for you to demonstrate your researchskills and creative technical abilities that are relevantto the role you are applying for. You are advised tolook beyond the academic application of yourproject and expand the rationale behind yourresearch and the wider consequences. Assessorswith expertise in your area will attend yourpresentation, if they are available.Your presentation should cover the following:You will be given a maximum of 40 minutes todeliver your presentation during which time theobservers will only stop you to seek clarification.After the presentation, you and the observers willmove to a discussion which will last for an additional30-40 minutes. Be prepared to talk about thecontent of your presentation and to discuss in alarger context beyond the academic level to possiblycover implications, solutions or impact and any otherissues that the observers may choose to raise.You are welcome to use PowerPointslides/overheads. Please tailor the number of slidesyou create to fit within the 40 minute timeframeallotted for the presentation. A laptop with MicrosoftPowerPoint and a projects/beamer will be availableat the time of your presentation. We cannotguarantee the most recent version of MicrosoftPowerPoint on our laptops, so we advise you tobring your presentation in a version compatible withMicrosoft PowerPoint 2000, or your own laptop. Letus know if you require any audiovisual equipmentfor you presentation. Please be cautious with anyconfidential information.What is being evaluated?The objectives of your workThe context for your work (Be brief!)Your approach and key challenges that youfacedThe main technical themes and youranalysis of the main is issuesYour action plan and who was involved inexecuting this plan (in addition to you)Who did you work/communicate with?Your principal findings and conclusions andmeasurable resultsYour recommendations for further work (byyou or others)The implication of the work in its widestcontextWhat did you learn from your research?We are interested in both technical andpersonal leanings.The observers will be looking at your ability tocommunicate technical information to an audiencefrom a range of technical backgrounds, yourapproach to solving a technical challenge and yourthoughts on the implication of your work.Please not that you will be assess on your technicalability, which is demonstrated by the content of yourpresentation and the subsequent discussions. We willnot be assessing your presentation skills, nor do weexpect you to spend a long time preparingslides/overheads.Please contact us if you have any questions andadvise the Candidate Coordinator of the title ofyour presentation and any equipment requirementsat least three weeks in advance.

Appendix 10: Candidate preparation formFor technical interviewCandidate Name:Study Discipline:During the Shell Recruitment Day you will have a technical interview in which you will be asked questions abouta project that you have done which demonstrates your technical skills. The assessors will be looking at yourapproach to solve the technical challenges, your thoughts on the implications of your work and also your abilityto communicate technical information to an audience from a range of technical backgrounds.In advance of this interview, we would like you to prepare by describing one or two specific projects that youhave worked on which you believe demonstrate your technical skills. You can use projects from university, workplacements, internships or even specific research projects that you believe are relevant to the job for which youare applying. Try to choose projects that are recent, significant and relevant. Assessors will use the informationyou provide as the basis for their discussion with you and therefore you need to be prepared to provide furtherinformation about these projects. Alternatively, if you have not worked on any relevant technical projects, youmay wish to describe a body of research about a topic area that you believe is relevant to the job for which youare applying.The technical interview will last approximately 30-45 minutes.Remember, when preparing this information:• Be brief – simplifying complex technical information is a key skill for Shell employees and therefore wewould like you to limit your description of each project to 150 words. Also, think about how you explainthe technical information to individuals who do not know anything about your specialist area• Select projects that you believe clearly demonstrate your technical skills• Use recent projects (from the last 3 years) – you will need to be able to discuss these projects in somedepth• Think about your own personal contribution – it is common to discuss projects in terms of „we did‟ and„the team did‟, however, we are interested in what „you‟ did• Review your preparation carefully to ensure the information you have provided is clear to others whowere not working with you during your project• You need to complete this form and return it to careers@shell.com. Your completed form should be returnedthree weeks prior to your SRD. In your email please put the date of the SRD you are attending in the subjectline.

Appendix 10: Candidate preparation formFor technical interviewProject 1What was the background to the project? What was your specific objective? What were the key things that youdid? Challenges that you faced? Who did you work with on this project? What were the results?Project 2What was the background to the project? What was your specific objective? What were the key things that youdid? Challenges that you faced? Who did you work with on this project? What were the results?

Appendix 11: After the SRDAfter the SRDAt the end of the day the Assessors meet to discussyour performance and how well you demonstratedthe Capacity, Achievement, Relationship andTechnical qualities throughout the day. This review isthen used to make a decision on whether yousuccessfully completed the SRD.Generally, we are able to advise you of our decisionwithin 7-10 working days on the outcome of yourSRD.If you have another offer and need to know sooner,please inform the SRD Facilitator of your personalsituation.Typically you could expect to receive one of the threefollowing communications:An offer or--An email placing you in a “review or hold status”Or--A regret email.We hope that you enjoy the SRD and look forwardto meeting you.