We Get by With a Little Help From Our Friends: Tips & Tricks to Get Back to Work in Oil & Gas

Recently, we hosted a special presentation where guest speaker, Dr. Amanda Rico, of Rico Editorial Services, joined P2’s Billy Lowry and Tracey Mizell, VP, Land Solutions and Sr. Manager, iLandMan Operations, respectively, in providing guidance and insight on how land professionals can get back to work in 2021. 

Over the past year, you may have found unique challenges in looking for work. We are excited to share this discussion with you in hopes that it will spur an idea, reestablish confidence in your abilities, and ultimately, help you find solid footing in the search for your next oil and gas gig.

Further, we are optimistic that this information will help you – or someone you know – with career solutions, resume building, and social media optimization. And while our discussion had land professionals specifically in mind, a lot of the information can be applied to other domains as well.

Numerous land professionals are changing careers, and many skills are, in fact, transferrable. For example, landmen are moving into sales (technical, real estate, finance, etc.) and contract management positions. If you make a move similar to this, be sure to highlight your “personal brand” as a sales professional even though you do not work directly in that field.

During our recent webinar, Marketing Your Biggest Asset: You, our panelists discussed how resumes and LinkedIn are great tools for finding a job. Here are a handful of tips and pointers they covered.

Your Resume Typically Needs to Pass Three Audiences Depending on the Size of the Company

• The gatekeepers – HR, administrative assistants, etc.
• Computer scanning systems/applicant tracking systems – Resumix, ResTrac, Workday, etc. (.doc or .docx are preferred formats)
• Decision makers – Interviewers (department managers, executives, etc.)

Key Sections in a Resume From Top to Bottom

• Contact information, location (city/state) and LinkedIn profile link. Keep your name the same on your resume as your LinkedIn profile as it will make it easier for recruiters to find you.
• Executive summary – Provide a “marketing” summary of your unique value(s). What do you, specifically, bring to the table?
• Skills and technology – List keywords for positions/targets. Include bullet points or short paragraphs.
• Key achievements – Build in data as much as possible. Put specifics like numbers, dollar amounts, etc. to show the scope of what you do or what you have done. You want it to be impactful.
• Professional experience/work history – Always list dates and cover gaps. Be prepared to answer questions about employment gaps or why you want to leave oil and gas if you are changing careers.
• Education
• Optional – Awards, professional associations, publications, etc.

Grabbing Attention

• Put the job title (that you are applying for) at the top of your resume, list three core skills, and add your executive summary. The goal is to sell yourself.

Brush up on These LinkedIn Best Practices

If you do not already have a LinkedIn profile, sign up now. Writing a complete and professional LinkedIn profile is a critical part of applying for a job online.

• Aim to create what LinkedIn calls an “All-Star Profile.”
• Do not hesitate to show your personality. You want to stand out as a professional, but also as a unique person.
• Upload a nice photo, in color. This photo should resemble you walking into an interview.
• Make certain that you have a clear, concise resume and LinkedIn profile. Use job descriptions to guide your content development. 

Virtual Networking is Important, Especially Today

Leverage LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter by following oil and gas companies and companies you want to work for, and join groups that relate to the industry or relevant jobs. Do not forget to schedule your own Zoom, MS Teams, or Google Hangouts meetings to network with colleagues!

LinkedIn groups worth joining:

• Land Professionals of the Oil & Gas Industry
• Land Management Professionals

You may also want to follow oil and gas recruiting companies like:

• Energy Search Associates
• CGL Recruiting

It is Never Too Late to Learn New Things

You do not have to spend all your time job searching; instead, spend some time learning new things, filling in your skills gaps, and joining professional organizations. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

• Training Organizations
  • Petroleum Education Workshops – www.petroleumeducationworkshops.com
    • Online PLM Certification Programs – MSU Denver
  • Land training – www.landtraining.net
    • PLM Certification Programs – Midland College
• Professional Organizations
  • American Association of Professional Landmen – www.landman.org
  • National Association of Lease and Title Analysts – www.nalta.org
  • National Association of Division Order Analysts – www.nadoa.org
• Additional skill building:
  • Non-industry software and technology
  • Project management

Setting small goals will help you stay the course. It proves beneficial to have a system of 1) researching open positions and companies, 2) reaching out to three or so people a week, and 3) repeating as necessary.

Hopefully, you have found these tips and tricks for job searching helpful. If you have not watched our recent webinar, do so now for even more ideas from our team!

Authored by:

Tracey Mizell, Sr. Manager, iLandMan Operations