How did you get started in your field?
I was found on LinkedIn via a headhunter. I started in mid-stream, after 2 years working for a tank terminal business I decided the office wasn’t for me and I wanted to be in the field. I posted my resume on Rigzone and Schlumberger found me. I received a call from Sugarland, met with my soon to be Manager, and got the job as a field sales representative. I absolutely loved it! I loved the field, the rigs, driving to location basically everything! My passion grew and my clients became my friends. I started to build my network and the rest is history. I have been working in Sales for the OFS sector going on 7 years now.
What do you love most about your job? What are you most proud of?
What I love most about my job is the hustle. I am a very competitive person, it’s in my blood. I played sports in college and every job I had up until graduating was always sales-related or commission-based. I lived off the numbers and beating my colleagues as the top sales rep. It brought back my competitive spirit from sports, always #winning.
I am most proud of the organic network I built. None of my family was in oil and gas, I had ZERO connections. Most people get into the industry by knowing someone. I knew no one. Coming in building a trust with my clients and now having the network I have today is something I am very proud of. I love being able to call my customers friends and watching them excel in their careers. It’s amazing to grow together as their account manager. I get to see them go from engineers when we first met to now managers. I love it.
What advice would you give to someone considering this line of work?
Buckle up. It’s a roller coaster ride but if you have the right mindset you can do anything. You really need to be resilient, the Industry is like no other. It’s an amazing ride but you have to be ready to ride those waves. As long as you believe in yourself and have the right attitude when we go through downturns, you can really come out on top. That’s where all the opportunity is in our industry, making it through the hard times to be rewarded in the end.
What does Empowering Women in Industry mean to you?
Empowering Woman provides the strength and courage for women to stand up for themselves and what they truly want in life. Women need to continue to raise their hand for the promotion, apply for the job, and look past not being “qualified” in the field for the position they really want. Men don’t worry about being “qualified” they go for it. We need to look past our fears and just do it! Flipping the Barrel recently published “Girl, Raise your hand”, with Stephanie Hertzog -CEO Sodexo North America. It talks a lot about empowering women to take that position they might feel less qualified for or not “ready” when they are! Whatever that desire is, go for it girl!
Anything else you would like to add?
Don’t ever give up on your dreams. I believe you can do anything you put your mind to. We need more outside the box thinkers in energy, we strive for diversity. The more diverse our organizations become the better we will be as a whole. If you need a little encouragement, check out our podcast, Flipping the Barrel, or connect with me on Linkedin or Instagram @jmeelrod
