careers in the energy sector
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Welcome to the Evisors Webinar
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Renewing Your Career: Careers in the Energy Sector
featuringGreg Wiles
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Renewing Your Career: Careers in the Energy Sector
About GregOverview of the IndustryHow to Research the IndustryWhat are Firms Looking For?What to Expect in the Recruiting ProcessQ&A
Hosted by: Career Advisors on Demand..com/webinars
About Greg
• Undergrad in economics from Boston College
• Two years of working with oil and gas companies at Citigroup in their investment banking group
• MBA from Harvard Business School
• Summer with Morgan Stanley’s Infrastructure Fund investing in energy assets (pipelines, renewables)
• Currently at US Renewables Group, the largest US-focused pure play renewable energy investor
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Overview of the Energy Industry
• Includes:– Oil & gas– Pipelines and storage– Electric utilities– Independent power producers
• Generally large firms
• Electricity is highly regulated
• O&G firms have global footprints
• Generally a steady, stable growth sector with areas of rapid expansion (i.e. shale oil and gas in the U.S.)
• Little opportunity for entrepreneurship
Traditional Energy Renewable Energy
• Includes:– Wind, solar, geothermal, and hydro– Biofuels– Energy efficiency
• Most firms are small or are small divisions of large companies (i.e. GE)
• Once a fast-growing sector, now suffering from withdrawal of subsidies and low energy prices
• Significant opportunity outside of the U.S. – primarily in developing world
• Opportunities for entrepreneurship in certain areas of renewables
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How to Research the Industry
• For Traditional Energy:– The IEA (www.iea.org) has a wealth of reports on the world energy industry and trends– Similarly, the EIA (www.eia.gov) has great reports on trends in the U.S. energy industry– Firm websites are the best way to learn about firms and the opportunities they have for
careers– Most traditional energy firms recruit at schools; if they do not, explore whether your
school has a job-bank sharing policy with schools in Texas or Louisiana– For mid-career folks, cull your network (via Linked-in or good ol’ fashioned phone calls)
to find people in these organizations who can help set up informational interviews
• For Renewable Energy:– Greentech media (www.greentechmedia.com) is the best source of information about
companies in the industry– The Green blog on www.nytimes.com is another great source– Renewable firms rarely recruit. After exhausting your network, find companies that
interest you online and send an email with your resume asking for an informational interview.
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What Are Firms Looking For?
• Engineers, engineers, and engineers engineer + business training = gold
• So what if you’re not an engineer?
– Demonstrated interest in the space, especially for renewable energy firms
– Background in the sciences, economics, or other quantitative training
– Analytical skills and proven ability to quickly learn technical details (as you will be expected to learn how the technology – whether it be a solar cell or a blow-out preventer – actually works)
– Oil and gas firms in particular are desperate for young talent
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What to Expect in the Recruiting Process?
• Most energy firms are located in Texas (traditional energy) or California (renewable energy), with regulated utilities scattered across the country
– Expect to need to re-locate if you don’t live there already
• Identify companies you want to work for and then reach out – applying through job posts will not be the most effective way of getting a job in energy
• Informational interviews will be the best way into a firm
– Request informational interviews to learn more about a firm
– Inquire about positions that fit the career path you’re seeking
– If the firm doesn’t have a job that’s a good fit at that time, continue to follow-up via email (once a month or so) to see if something comes up (as a project-based industry, energy firms’ job needs tend to be very fluid)
– Cast a wide net
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Q&A
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Questions & Answers
Question 1:
What post-MBA roles are available within the energy sector?
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Questions & Answers
Question 2:
Are there any corporate finance roles within the energy sector?
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Questions & Answers
Question 3:
What are the hubs for traditional and renewable energy?
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Questions & Answers
Question 4:
If you don’t have a strong energy background when applying, what are some strategies to portray yourself as a strong candidate?
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Questions & Answers
Question 5:
Are there any culture norms people should be aware of when applying to this field?
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Questions & Answers
Question 6:
What available opportunities are there after exiting the energy sector?
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Questions & Answers
Question 7:
What is the need for living in remote areas?
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Questions & Answers
Question 8:
Looking at your experiences, what did you like and dislike about the energy sector?
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Thanks for Joining!
Book your session with Greg at www.evisors.com/expert/275
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