Oil and Gas from a Sales Perspective

I have been fortunate enough to work in the oil and gas industry for over a year now. I’ve experienced some incredible highs, and currently going through some of the lows. For someone who has spent their entire life in the oilfield, this doesn’t come as a shock. They’ve seen this before. But for someone like myself experiencing an oil crash for the first time, fear and uncertainty can be overwhelming. I found myself reaching out to people who’d gone through this before and see what advice they had for someone going through this for the first time. Here are a few pieces of advice I that stuck with me.

Stop watching the news

Really? How am I not supposed to watch the news when my job could be in jeopardy? It works. Not focusing on the news and the media really allowed me to hone in on controlling what I can control. Understanding that there is nothing I can do to change what’s happening so why let it consume my day or mood.

Have Empathy

Being a sales guy, my natural instinct is to go get the sale. I set meetings, put on a nice presentation, and then ask for your money. But this time it’s different. I have to understand that companies are hurting, and people are getting laid off. Now it’s more about building relationships and letting people know you understand their struggle. It’s a different kind of sale.

Plan for the Next One

When I asked for further clarity on how to prepare for an oil crash, I was told to start putting parts of my salary away for emergencies. Understanding that this industry can turn in 24 hours and you have to be ready financially. If not prepared, the damage done to a household can be catastrophic. Always a step ahead.