A American Association of Petroleum Geologists Division of Professional Affairs EdiEditedted bbyy PetPeterer R. Rose aandnd StephStephenen A. SonnSonnenbergenberg GUIDING YOUR CAREER AS A PROFESSIONAL GEOLOGIST Edited by Stephen A. Sonnenberg Published by Division of Professional Affairs The American Association of Petroleum Geologists Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S.A. Printed in the U.S.A. Copyright® 1993; 2000; 2006 by Division of Professional Affairs of The American Association of Petroleum Geologists All Rights Reserved Printed in the U.S.A. Published April 1993; Second printing (with minor revisions) October 2000; Third printing (with major revisions) January 2006 ISBN: 918-0-89181-128-2 0-89181-128-1 AAPG grants permission for a single photocopy of an item from this publication for personal use. Authorization for additional copies of items from this publication for personal or internal use is granted by AAPG provided that the base fee of $15.00 per copy is paid directly to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, Massachusetts 01923 (phone: 978-750-8400). Fees are subject to change. Any form of electronic or digital scanning or other digital transformation of portions of this publication into computer-readable and/or transmittable form for personal or corporate use requires special permission from, and is subject to fee charges by, the AAPG. THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF PETROLEUM GEOLOGISTS (AAPG) DOES NOT ENDORSE OR RECOMMEND ANY PRODUCTS OR SERVICES THAT MAY BE CITED, USED OR DISCUSSED IN AAPG PUBLICATIONS OR IN PRESENTATIONS AT EVENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE AAPG. This and other AAPG publications are available from: The AAPG Bookstore Geological Society Publishing House P.O. Box 979 Unit 7, Brassmill Enterprise Centre Tulsa,OK74101-0979 Brassmill Lane, Bath, U.K. Telephone: 1-918-584-2555 or 1-800-364-AAPG (USA) BA1 3JN Fax: 1-918-560-2652 or 1-800-898-2274 (USA) Tel+44-1225-445046 www.aapg.org Fax+44-1225-442836 www.geolsoc.org.uk Australian Mineral Foundation AMF Bookshop Affiliated East-West Press Private Ltd. 63 Conyngham Street G-1/16 Ansari Road Darya Ganj Glenside, South Australia 5065 New Delhi 110002 Australia India Tel. +61-8-8379-0444 Tel+9 111 3279113 Fax+61-8-8379-4634 Fax+9 111 3260538 www.amf.com.au/amf e-mail: [email protected] Guiding Your Career As a Professional Geologist iii DEDICATION This book is dedicated to the mentors who have contributed so much to the careers and personal lives of each of the authors of these collected essays. James R.Arrington G.T.Mclntyre Ted L. Bear Frank McKeown Henry Beck Charles D. McMurrey Robert R. Berg William B. Moore A. S. (Sid) Bonner, Jr. Stuart Mut Leslie Bowling Lloyd A. Nelson Daniel A. Busch Ed Owen William M. Campbell Blair S. Parrott Jim Clement John Rodgers Ted Cook Pete Rose William M. Decker Amos Salvador Richard V.Dietrich Wilbur B. Sherman John Donovan Surce Taylor William L. Fisher Harry Thomson James Ford Gibbs A. Mark Turner Merrill W.Haas Arthur Van Tyne Anthony R. Herbert Jim Vanderbeck John James Robert J.Weimer Crandall D. Jones L. P.(Barney) Whorton George R. Lewis Robert Woolsey John W.Mason iv Guiding Your Career As a Professional Geologist CONTENTS Introduction Peter R.Rose . ........................................................................................................................................................ v Deborah Sacrey, DPA President..........................................................................................................................viii I. Choosing a Geological Career Future Jobs in Geology David L. Copley .....................................................................................................................................................2 Educational Foundation for a Geological Career Peter G. Gray .........................................................................................................................................................5 Student Participation Robert C. Shoup ....................................................................................................................................................8 Part-Time and Summer Jobs for Students Peter R.Rose .......................................................................................................................................................................................9 Geoscience Careers in a Changing World James A. Gibbs .....................................................................................................................................................11 That Critical First Year of Employment James A. Ragsdale .........................................................................................................................................................................14 II. The Working Professional Geologist Setting Goals for Career Development Peter R.Rose ........................................................................................................................................................17 Participating in Professional Organizations Willard R.Green ..................................................................................................................................................20 Networking:The Art of Leveraging Your Business Presence Through Professional Contacts G.Warfield “Skip” Hobbs .....................................................................................................................................21 Professionalism in Geology Stephen A. Sonnenberg .......................................................................................................................................23 Continuing Education Susan M. London ................................................................................................................................................29 Economics,Versatility, and Measurement Edgar C. Capen ..............................................................................................................................................................................31 III. The Seasoned Professional Learning to Manage People and Projects Robert E. Megill ..............................................................................................................................................................................34 Stress Management and Personal Growth Robbie Rice Gries ...............................................................................................................................................37 Changing Employers Samuel H. Peppiatt .......................................................................................................................................................................43 From Corporate Employee to Consultant Geologist William E. Diggs .................................................................................................................................................45 IV. Later Stages of the Professional Career Retirement: Preparations and Reflections J. Fred Clement and Mark A. Clement ................................................................................................................48 Planning for Retirement Robert D.Cowdery ..............................................................................................................................................53 V. Perspective Personal Factors in Professional Careers Edgar W.Owen ....................................................................................................................................................59 Guiding Your Career As a Professional Geologist v INTRODUCTION want to relate two personal experiences – apparently door and shook his hand.“Good luck, John. I’ll let you Iunconnected – that have shaped my perspective on know if I hear of anything. Meanwhile, keep looking, geological careers and provided much of the impetus and keep your chin up.” and motivation to assemble this book. Because he needs encouragement right now rather Several years ago I was giving a risk-analysis seminar than criticism, I don’t say to him what I’m really to a group of major oil company professionals, primarily thinking, which is “John, what in the world have you geologists and geophysicists, plus a few engineers and been doing these past 10 years besides wrapping landmen. Most of those attending were men and women yourself in a corporate cocoon? While your corporate in their thirties, with a scattering of old hands. During a career was in progress, you should have been coffee break on the third day, I found myself visiting developing the professional contributions and contacts with two of the older geologists, trading “war stories.” and subspecialties you need so badly right now.You’ve Suddenly I became aware that more than 20 class been an employee, when you should have been a members had gathered around us, listening intently.This professional!” surprised me greatly, because what we were discussing was inconsequential, having no technical importance Professionals and Professionalism whatsoever. My wife,Alice, helps me put on these seminars – her A professional person is generally understood to be acute “people skills” are especially useful – and I asked someone who continually pursues and becomes highly her that evening if she had any insights about the accomplished in some specialized occupation, incident during the coffee break.“They’re hungry for ordinarily for monetary gain. Commonly involved in this mentoring,” she