- Name: Mazen Shehada
- Age: 27
- Current location: Abu Dhabi, UAE
- Home town: Hamilton, Canada
- Education: Master of Engineering, Mechanical Engineer, U of T
- Current position: Business Development Manager
- Bio: Mazen Shehada started his career as an engineer in manufacturing and field facilities. He then progressed into a technical advisory role, then technical sales, and his last position were in operations management. He is now in the business development field, with a bigger focus on the commercial aspect of the oil and gas business, and lives in Abu Dhabi.
- Countries I've worked in: Canada, USA, Brunei, UAE, Saudi Arabia
- Sector / subsectors: Business, Mazen Shehada
- Country: United Arab Emirates
- Region: Middle East
- Sector: Business
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Who are you and what do you do?
Mazen Shehada has only been on the job in Abu Dhabi for three weeks, but he has plenty of experience under his belt. Here's what exactly it means to work in the oil and gas industry abroad.
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What's a typical day or week like?
Mazen might get the equivalent of six months off a year, but there's a trade-off--he starts every day at 5 am. Here's what his average workday looks like.
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What skills do you think are most advantageous in this role?
Mazen learns and shares the tricks of his trade--including why you shouldn't point with your index finger in Brunei.
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What do you enjoy about working internationally?
You always need your bags packed and to be ready to go.
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What about work permits?
Patience pays off; it can take months to get approved to work abroad.
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How did you land your first job out of university?
Setting yourself apart as an applicant will help you to weather economic downturns. Mazen explains how.
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What specific roles are needed in the current economic climate?
Despite the downturn in the oil and gas industry, Mazen believes there's plenty of room for newcomers. Here's why.
Tags: engineering -
What challenges do you face?
It turns out that only married men can wear shorts to lunch. Who knew?
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What advice do you have for those who are interested in working in this field?
For starters, brush up on your Mark Twain and get inspired.
