How to Land a Job at Chevron Texaco: Tips From a Hiring Expert

Summary

ChevronTexaco is a company formed by merging Chevron and Texaco in 2001. The company is now one of the largest integrated energy companies in the world. It produces and distributes petroleum, natural gas, and petrochemical products, and also engages in power generation and other energy-related businesses worldwide. ChevronTexaco has a strong commitment to a safe and responsible energy development, and invests in technology to ensure a sustainable energy future.

ChevronTexaco's business activities include upstream operations such as exploration and production, as well as downstream activities such as refining, marketing, and transportation. It is engaged in refining, marketing, and transportation of oil and natural gas products. In the upstream sector, ChevronTexaco explores, obtains, and develops crude oil and natural gas reserves from the ground. It refines and markets various petroleum and petrochemical products, such as lubricants, asphalt, and chemicals, to customers in more than 180 countries.

In addition to producing and distributing energy, ChevronTexaco is committed to environmental and social responsibilities. It has developed and implemented corporate environmental, health, and safety standards to promote the responsible and safe use of energy products and to minimize environmental impacts. It has invested in renewable energy sources and improved energy efficiency with a goal of reducing emissions of greenhouse gases. ChevronTexaco has also established programs to help communities and individuals affected by its activities.

ChevronTexaco is an example of how two companies can combine to form a more powerful and efficient energy company. By merging the experience and expertise of Chevron and Texaco, the company is able to provide high quality energy products and services to customers across the globe. Its commitment to safe and responsible energy development, as well as its dedication to environmental and social responsibility, demonstrates ChevronTexaco's leadership in the energy sector. With investments in renewable energy sources, improved energy efficiency, and programs to help communities and individuals affected by its activities, ChevronTexaco seeks to continue to be an industry leader in the years to come.

Questions Answered In This Article

 

What firms do Chevron Texaco often hire to assist with litigation matters?

ChevronTexaco typically hires Filice, Brown; King & Spalding; Pillsbury Winthrop; and Strong Pipkin for outside counsel work.
 

What initiatives has Charles James undertaken since he was appointed Vice President and General Counsel of Chevron Texaco?

Charles James has been working to reduce costs associated with outside litigation work by bringing some in-house work. He has tasked an eight-attorney team to examine ways to increase in-house and outside counsel work productivity.
 

What does Chevron Texaco do to promote diversity among its employees?

ChevronTexaco has been increasing efforts to promote diversity since its merger in 2001, including increasing its minority and female percentages in the total workforce. The company has also significantly improved its diversity among officials and managerial-level employees.
 

What benefits are available to employees of Chevron Texaco?

ChevronTexaco offers its employees a stock purchase plan and will also pay for a portion of higher education, provide benefits for domestic partners, and contribute towards alleviating adoption fees.
 

What is Chevron Texaco's 9/80 work plan?

Chevron Texaco's 9/80 work plan allows employees to squeeze 80 hours into nine days and take an extra day off. This allows employees to get more done in the same amount of time while having one day per week for relaxation or personal errands.
 

ChevronTexaco: The Largest Oil Company Merger in History

In October of 2000, Chevron Corporation merged with Texaco Inc. to form what is now ChevronTexaco, one of the largest oil companies in the world. The merger was the largest in history with an estimated combined value of over $40 billion dollars. The two oil giants had corresponded for months to secure the merger, with each company hoping to benefit from the added expertise and resources of the other.
 

ChevronTexaco's Benefits and Challenges

The merger would allow ChevronTexaco to become the second largest oil company on the U.S. market. It would also expand ChevronTexaco's global presence, providing it access to markets which had previously been exclusive to either Chevron or Texaco. This increased marketability would result in higher profits and a greater level of security for the company. However, the merger would also present a number of challenges such as integrating the two management teams, streamlining operational processes, and incorporating Texaco into the Chevron brand.
 

Financial Impact of the Merge

The merger between Chevron and Texaco proved to be a lucrative endeavor for both companies. ChevronTexaco was able to increase its market capitalization and dividend yield, resulting in improved financial performance for Chevron's shareholders. Furthermore, the merger allowed ChevronTexaco to save hundreds of millions of dollars in operational costs, allowing it to remain competitive in the oil industry.
 

ChevronTexaco's Presence in the Global Market

The merger between Chevron and Texaco allowed ChevronTexaco to become one of the largest oil companies in the world, with an expansive presence in over 180 countries. It also resulted in an increase in production, with ChevronTexaco becoming one of the largest producers of oil and natural gas in the world. This increased presence in the global market has allowed ChevronTexaco to continue to thrive in the highly competitive oil industry.

With a friendly work environment and increasing in-house work, ChevronTexaco is proving to be an attractive option for attorneys looking for a change from law firms.
 

Besides having the world's fourth largest share of the oil market, energy giant ChevronTexaco also has a small army of 190 lawyers. ChevronTexaco's presence in over 180 countries as well as the complicated legal nature of the oil production and refinement industry creates plenty of litigation work for its lawyers. The legal department often brings in outside counsel to assist in litigation matters; Filice, Brown; King & Spalding; Pillsbury Winthrop; Strong Pipkin are among the company's favorites. And whatever positions are not filled by litigation attorneys at ChevronTexaco are left for intellectual property and tax lawyers.

In 2002, when ChevronTexaco's Vice President and General Counsel, Harvey Hinman, announced his plans to retire, ChevronTexaco knew it had to hire a top lawyer to fill his position. After some months of deliberation, ChevronTexaco decided on Charles A. James, an Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Antitrust Division at the DOJ. Since his arrival, one of Charles James' toughest challenges has been to improve the management of the corporation's litigation caseload. With $60 million a year going mostly towards outside litigation work, the legal team at ChevronTexaco is looking to reduce costs in 2004 by bringing some of its work in-house. James has tasked an eight-attorney team to examine ways to increase productivity for both in-house and outside counsel work.

Despite the unglamorous work with gas and oil, the general corporate atmosphere at ChevronTexaco Corp. gets high marks from all its employees. The San Ramon headquarters are described as beautiful and the atmosphere as pleasant and considerate. Additionally, company attorneys often get to do some significant paid traveling to distant places such as Bahrain and Indonesia. One recently dismissed litigation case involved plaintiffs in Ecuador. Additionally, the company's unique 9/80 plan at ChevronTexaco allows workaholic employees to squeeze 80 hours in 9 days and take an extra day off.

Since its merger in 2001, ChevronTexaco has been making increasing efforts to promote diversity in spite of heavy layoffs and few new positions. While Chevron and Texaco separately did not set any records with their previous diversity efforts, the merged corporation has increased both its minority and female percentages in the total workforce. According to ChevronTexaco's website, the minority and female percentages now each stand at over 30% of total employees. The company has also significantly improved its diversity among its official- and managerial-level employees.

Although future positions in law firms may be precarious when a lawyer undertakes an in-house position, lawyers at ChevronTexaco get well compensated for their efforts. On top of corporate salaries and the usual office frills, ChevronTexaco offers its employees a stock purchase plan. And considering the $1 billion in profit and $90 billion in revenues last fiscal year, taking advantage of stock options is probably a very smart idea. The company will also pay for a portion of higher education, provide benefits for domestic partners, and contribute towards alleviating adoption fees.