Specializing in energy, Chevron operates on every continent except the frozen lands of Antarctica. That translates into plenty of job opportunities for the right candidates. Like many large companies, Chevron has shifted the bulk of its initial hiring process to the Internet. But the company also sends employees to job fairs, and you'll need to speak face-to-face with a company representative if you're interested in an internship.

Job Search

Chevron’s website serves as the primary avenue for searching for jobs within the company. As with other companies, you can search for opportunities based on location, keywords and discipline, although none of those are required -- you can leave some or all of them blank to widen your search. On the search results page, you’ll see the list of available positions at Chevron. Click the link next to each job title and the job overview will appear, offering you a thorough breakdown of what the job entails. You'll see two sets of qualifications: required and preferred. Meet both and you will stand a better chance of working your way into the interview and ultimately receiving a job offer.

Applying

To apply for an available position within Chevron, click the "Apply for this job" button on the job's overview page. The company will ask you to create an account and then fill out an application that offers a snapshot of who you are as a person and employee. You'll have the opportunity to attach transcripts and certificates. You must first upload them to your computer. At the end of your application, you'll paste your cover letter and resume into the corresponding boxes. Your resume and cover letter should specifically reflect the job you're after and not read like a mass-produced copy. Note that Chevron converts all text to plain text, which means special formatting, such as bolded and italicized words, will not appear. Read over your resume when you paste it into the text box to ensure the conversion to plain text has not caused errors.

Hiring Events

Throughout each year, Chevron participates in a variety of hiring events across the country. These events give you the chance to speak face-to-face with Chevron representatives. While possibly nerve-racking, an in-person chat with representatives from the company enables you to sell yourself better than a piece of paper listing your qualifications. Chevron typically requires interested participants to pre-register through the event page on the company’s career site.

Internships

If you’re a student, Chevron offers plenty of internships that can earn you experience, help you build a network of professional contacts and potentially give you the opportunity to work for the company after you graduate. Plus, you’ll earn a bit of money in the process. The company ranked ninth on Forbes’s 2011 list of internships that pay best, paying interns an average monthly salary of $5,038. Chevron requests that interested students inquire about internships with a company representative on a college campus or during one of the several hiring events that the company participates in throughout each year. Representatives routinely visit major college campuses. Visit the company’s employment page, and go to the “Recruiting Events” section within the “Students and Recent Graduates” section to find out when a representative will visit a campus near you.

Research

During the interview phase, the interviewer may ask why you want to work at Chevron. A cookie-cutter response, such as pointing out that it’s a well-known company with a long history of success, isn’t going to cut it. Go deeper, be specific and show that you took the extra step of researching the company to find out exactly what it brings to the table. For instance, suppose you explain that a company that helps charities and gives back to the community is important to you. Immediately plug in a fact or two that you found during your research that shows Chevron fits that mold, such as its $500,000 contribution to the American Red Cross for the 2013 Oklahoma tornado relief efforts. Researching the company also helps when it’s time for you to ask questions. You never want to ask a question for which the answer is readily available. Doing so makes you look like a candidate who doesn’t even have the motivation to learn about the company he’s applying to.