When I was student, I aspired to join a multi-national company with the best working culture.
We were told in school to work hard, study and gather as much knowledge as possible in order to do this. Knowledge was touted as one of the most important pillars of success in life. It’s said that a knowledgeable person may outshine many of their colleagues with the skill and talent they bring to their corporate life.
As a new employee in a corporate work environment, one is faced with many new challenges.
Some of these challenges include the drive to succeed in a fast-paced environment, the desire to take advantage of the many opportunities that are available, and urge to prove that you are a consistently high performer.
It is important to remember that in order to overcome these challenges one must always keep learning, improving one’s skills and developing new ones.
Knowledge alone does not make one successful in a corporate setting. There are a couple of simple things a new employee can do to complement their existing knowledge and set them on the path to a successful career.
New employees are sometimes overconfident and occasionally forget that there is still an incredible amount to learn.
Knowledge from your schooling is important, but new employees sometimes overlook the value of others’ experience. That experience plays a vital role in the development of a new employee, especially in the petroleum industry.
Experience can come from seasoned professionals or other new employees with different backgrounds. There may be people who are not as technically strong as others initially, but over time, the experience they gain on the job strengthens and expands their knowledge base.
In order to be successful, one must use a combination of knowledge and experience. Sometimes we encounter individuals who are very technically skilled but cannot work well on a team.
This situation is easily spotted in today’s corporate environment, where working in multi-disciplinary teams is commonplace.
While management might recognize the efforts of particular individuals, it is important to remember that the entire team, and the sum total of all team members’ contributions, make a project successful.
The importance of collaboration, and the knowledge gained during that collaboration, cannot be understated. It is an essential resource in the oil and gas industry.
So, in a nutshell, I feel knowledge alone is not enough for a successful corporate career. One should cultivate other qualities that complement one’s technical abilities. Knowledge and skill can help you get a job, but learning from experience and collaboration can help you build a career.
For additional career tips and resources, visit AAPG’s Career Center at careercenter.aapg.org.