Energy Recruitment: Jahnvi Goswami’s Career Journey at Duncan & Ross
An energy recruitment career involves more than identifying candidates with the right technical skills. Across the GCC, evolving project requirements, specialized expertise, and changing talent demands make recruitment an essential part of successful project delivery.
In this edition of People Spotlight, we meet Jahnvi Goswami, Talent Acquisition Specialist – Energy at Duncan & Ross.
With nearly three years at Duncan & Ross, Jahnvi has built her career across Construction and Energy, gaining experience in recruiting specialized talent for complex projects. She shares her journey in talent acquisition, the challenges of Oil & Gas recruitment, and why adaptability, trust, and genuine relationships matter when connecting people with opportunities.
Building a Career in Energy Recruitment
Could you share a short professional bio about your background, experience, and current role at Duncan & Ross?
I’ve been with Duncan & Ross for almost three years now, and it’s been a fantastic journey. I started out as an Account Manager in our Construction division before transitioning into my current role as a Talent Acquisition Coordinator for the Energy division. Moving between these sectors has given me a really well-rounded view of how we deliver talent for complex projects across the region.
Building Relationships Through Talent Acquisition
Talent acquisition is not only about identifying qualified professionals. It also involves understanding people's career ambitions, building trust, and developing lasting connections. For Jahnvi, these everyday interactions are an important part of her experience recruiting across the GCC.
What first drew you to Talent Acquisition, and what do you enjoy most about working with people?
Honestly, it’s the everyday conversations. Getting to talk to new people daily, hear about their career journeys, and understanding what drives them is what keeps me motivated. Plus, recruiting across the GCC market has allowed me to build a really strong professional network that I value a lot.
Navigating the Changing Demands of Energy Recruitment
Energy recruitment across the GCC requires an understanding of evolving project requirements and specialized technical skills. As Oil & Gas projects expand across the region, identifying the right talent means keeping pace with changing industry demands and increasingly specific candidate profiles.
After two years of recruiting within Oil & Gas, what has surprised you most about the industry?
What caught me off guard the most is just how fast the industry is expanding. The sheer scale of projects happening across the region right now means things move at a very high speed, and candidate demand is always shifting. You really have to stay on your toes and stay updated on niche technical skills to keep up.
Recruiting Specialized Talent for Complex Energy Projects
Finding the right professionals for complex Energy projects can involve highly specific technical requirements, limited candidate availability, and challenging project locations. These assignments highlight the importance of understanding both client needs and candidate expectations when delivering specialized recruitment solutions.
What has been one of the most challenging or rewarding roles you’ve worked on, and what made it memorable?
The most memorable challenge for me was recruiting for a Multidisciplined Manager who needed very specific ICAPS software experience. It was a super niche profile, so the candidate pool was already tiny. On top of that, the second half of the project site was based in Iraq, so convincing top talent to relocate there took a lot of careful negotiation and trust-building. Securing the right person for that role was extremely satisfying.
Looking Beyond Technical Skills in Energy Talent Acquisition
Successful energy talent acquisition involves more than evaluating technical qualifications. For projects with evolving requirements, adaptability, attitude, and the willingness to take on new challenges can be just as important as professional experience.
When building a project team, what do you look for in a candidate beyond their technical experience?
Technical skills get a candidate through the door, but attitude is what makes them succeed. Because the market moves fast and project requirements can change quickly, I look for candidates who show genuine confidence, positive energy, and adaptability. I want to see that real eagerness and excitement grow when they take on a new challenge.
Growing Through Experience in Energy Recruitment
Professional growth in talent acquisition comes from understanding people, strengthening communication, and building trust over time. Jahnvi’s journey at Duncan & Ross has shaped how she approaches recruitment, particularly when connecting with candidates and understanding their career aspirations.
How has your journey at Duncan & Ross helped you grow professionally or changed the way you approach recruitment?
Looking back three years ago, I’ve grown so much at D& R. My approach to candidate outreach has completely evolved I’ve learned how to connect with people more authentically, build real trust early on, and make candidates feel genuinely comfortable opening up about what they want in their next career move.
The Role of Talent Acquisition in Successful Energy Projects
Successful Energy projects depend on more than securing contracts and defining technical requirements. Having the right professionals available at the right time is essential to maintaining project momentum. At Duncan & Ross, collaboration between Talent Acquisition and Sales helps connect project needs with the expertise required to deliver them.
What do you think makes Talent Acquisition an important part of delivering successful projects?
TA and Sales really go hand in hand. You can secure a great project, but at the end of the day, it won't succeed unless you have the right people on the ground at the right time. Being able to find and place that exact talent efficiently is what keeps project timelines moving forward.
Building a Career in Talent Acquisition Through Trust and Relationships
For professionals starting a career in talent acquisition, understanding people is just as important as understanding the job market. Building genuine relationships, listening to candidates, and developing industry knowledge can create a strong foundation for long-term success in recruitment.
What advice would you give to someone starting a career in Talent Acquisition?
Focus on listening and building genuine relationships. Don't just treat recruitment as a task or a transaction, take the time to understand the market, learn what your candidates actually care about, and focus on building long-term trust. When people trust you, everything else falls into place naturally.
Connecting Talent with Opportunity in Energy
Jahnvi's journey at Duncan & Ross highlights the importance of understanding both people and project requirements in Energy recruitment. From identifying specialized technical talent to building genuine relationships across the GCC, her experience demonstrates how effective talent acquisition contributes to successful project delivery.
At Duncan & Ross, we bring together industry knowledge, technical expertise, and the right people to support complex projects across the region.
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