Career Resources
Take Responsibility for Your Career
In today’s rapidly changing environment, industry professionals recognize that they have to take responsibility for their own career. The professional development of members is an important part of SPE’s mission. This section of the website is designed to help you think about ways that you can continue your personal and professional development. There is no magic formula for career success. Many highly competent professionals have experienced layoffs. But by being proactive, you may be able to enhance what you offer your current or a future employer so that everyone benefits. Recognizing that you need to take control of your career is the first step.
Development Opportunities
The challenges that companies face today are different from just a decade ago. New technologies allow companies to develop resources in areas that were previously impossible to access. But new technologies may mean new skills are needed for success. Whether you are only a few years into your career or have been around the industry for decades, it is important not to stagnate. Regularly adding new skills or areas of expertise to your capabilities benefits you and your employer. SPE offers several tools that can assist you in continuing to develop new skills.
- Professional competency matrices identify the skills needed in various areas of engineering
- Short courses can provide 1-2 day intensive learning opportunities
- Online training courses allow you to complete a course through the Internet from anywhere at your own pace
- Professional and technical schools may offer off-campus or Internet-based learning opportunities. Contact a school near you to see what may be available.
- eMentoring can help young professionals learn from the experience of members who have worked in similar capacities or regions or companies
Resume-Building
A resume (CV) is not something you should think about only when you are looking for a new job. A resume is just a piece of paper that describes your skills and capabilities. Taking responsibility for your own career means thinking about what that set of skills and capabilities is at any given point in time and making certain that the list grows. In addition to technical competencies, today’s companies value leadership experience and management. Even if your current responsibilities don’t include management or leading a team, you can build that aspect of your resume through volunteer activities. SPE activities offer you several ways of building your resume.
- Volunteer to help in planning a meeting, serve on a committee, chair a Technical Interest Group, or help with local section activities
- Submit technical papers to SPE meetings
- Where you have expertise in a specific area, volunteer to assist in peer-review of technical papers for SPE journals
- Get involved in energy education, making presentations to schools and community groups about our industry
- Consider whether pursuit of certification is an appropriate means to underscore your credentials
Locating a New Opportunity
Whether you are out of work or just looking for a new challenge, SPE offers you opportunities for locating that new job.
Networking
Employment professionals often remark that the best jobs are never posted; replacements are found through current employees. That makes having a good personal network important. SPE offers members a great way to meet professionals in other companies. Members get to know each other by working together on committees for SPE and their local sections. SPE meetings provide wonderful venues to meet and discuss issues with other professionals, building a network of contacts that may be helpful in many ways.
Employment Services
SPE also offers members access to companies that have worldwide listings of available job opportunities in our industry. You can search through the jobs posted on these services for suitable opportunities. If desired, you can post your resume (CV) so that potential employers can review your capabilities to find a good fit. See the Sponsored Links at right.
Special Assistance for Retired Members • SPE has entered into an agreement with Expert Alumni to provide assistance to retired members who still want to contribute their expertise and experience on a part-time or contract basis. Read more...
Doing any or all of the things listed above is no guarantee of career success, but they may benefit you personally as well as professionally. The suggestions may not be appropriate for all individuals or all situations, but they are intended as things for you to think about as you evaluate your career path.
