Q: Can you introduce yourself and tell us how long you've been with Brunel?
Josh: My name is Josh, and I’m a recruiter. I've been with Brunel since October 2022.
Q: When did you relocate to Houston, and where did you move from?
Josh: I started in the Manchester office and relocated to Houston in April 2024.
Q: How did this move come about? Was it something you requested, or was it offered?
Josh: I was brought on with Brunel to join the US team and the ultimate goal was to eventually move to Houston.
Q: Can you describe the relocation process? How did you feel about moving to a new country?
Josh: It was refreshing and felt almost like a new start. Staring into the future at a brand new challenge and something I had never done before was exciting for me and my family to take head-on. It gave almost a buzz to know we were about to step into our next chapter and really challenge ourselves.
Q: What were your first impressions of Houston and the team?
Josh: The office is great, everybody always seems to have a smile on their face and gets along really well. The office itself has everything you need with the location being really easy to find and easily accessible being just to the side of the I10
Q: How has Brunel supported your relocation and personal growth?
Josh: Brunel was great when supporting with the move. Amy Cruz in particular was a lot of help. She actually worked from our house the day before we moved here to let in some deliveries, which included beds, so we had somewhere to get our heads down once we got here. She also supported with other logistical things that I'm not sure I could have done by myself.
Q: Has working with the US team changed your perspective on Brunel as a global organization?
Josh: I feel like because I joined the company to work for Brunel I have always had some insight to the global organization. However, I don't see this as unusual with Brunel. This is where they differ to other companies. I find other companies are somewhat closed off to just themselves as a region however I know Brunel is quite open as a global organization. Working together and collaborating whenever they can. This is genuinely great as you get to meet so many people from different backgrounds.
Q: What do you enjoy most about recruiting in the energy sector?
Josh: Recruitment in general allows you to build great relationships with all kinds of people and Energy recruitment (especially in the US) is probably more of a heightened version of this. There are so many projects and the people you get to speak with are the best at what they have done and traveled the world working on different projects. It gives an insight to people that you wouldn't get in any other job.
Q: What types of roles do you typically recruit for?
Josh: The roles I tend to work are white-collar contract roles. HSE, Construction management, project management type of roles and these can range across a multitude of projects within the oil and gas industry. Most of our roles are with large EPC's or Owner/operators.
Q: Can you share a memorable success story from your time in Houston?
Josh: Over the last 6 months I think every moment has been a level of memorable and successful. Moving to a completely different country with my wife and kids is, I think, a huge success story in itself. I don't think it's possible to really just pick one.
Q: How has your family adjusted to the move?
Josh: Family back home are happy for us but also make clear they do miss us and keep in touch a lot. There are already plans for different family members to visit in the coming months with my dad already here at the moment!
My family here have adjusted really well too. My oldest 2 kids are twins and they are in school doing great. They love getting the bus and have already made a lot of friends.
My youngest two aren't yet in school but they have made friends with other children in our area and my wife has made friends with their parents which is great. There is a awesome sense of community here and it really does make you feel very welcome.
Q: What cultural differences have stood out to you in Houston?
Josh: There are a lot of things very different compared to my home back in the UK. The sense of community is something we where not used to and had to adjust. The kids getting the school bus by themselves is also something we didn't do in the UK so that took some getting used to. Also the size of the roads are huge and it took some getting used to.
Q: What advice would you give to someone entering the energy recruitment industry?
Josh: Make sure you put 100% in. Don't leave anything out and always take on the information you are given from the people around you. Try to be like a sponge at first and soak in as much knowledge as you can because that knowledge will truly be the key to success.
Q: Finally, what would you say to companies considering working with an international recruiting firm like Brunel?
Josh: We are here to work with you. We know the markets as we are involved with them every single day and will give you as much feedback as possible to make sure things move smoothly. We know hiring can be really time-consuming and the longer you go without that person you really need, the more detrimental it will be for your team and project. So work with us and do your best to be quick and responsive with feedback as this will really help us get that position filled ASAP.
