Esther

Ready for anything

Esther has developed the mental resilience to adapt quickly to different cultures, attitudes and, most of all, surprises.

Esther completed her degree in petroleum engineering and wanted to waste no time kick starting her career. She saw Schlumberger as the best place to do that, a company that adapts to change just like she does.

In this industry says Esther, “You’ll always have surprises, so be ready for them.” It can be enriching when you can’t anticipate every little step ahead, she says. On the other hand, Schlumberger does let you choose where you would like to go in terms of your career development. “I find that very empowering.”

Esther believes the most important qualities in a field engineer are patience, resilience and the ability to take initiative at the right time. She counts among her strengths her ability to multitask, to pitch in and to support her colleagues.

The most demanding part of her work, particularly in her current posting in Astrakhan, Russia is getting used to a new language. “But it gets better as you go. Everybody has their own ways of adapting and mine was to learn an entirely new language to communicate more effectively at work.”

It’s all about adaptability for Esther. To potential new employees, especially young women seeking to join the industry, she says: “Toughen up mentally. That is the kind of strength that will push you forward and help you discover the many great opportunities this industry has to offer."

Starting as a field engineer is fundamental to Esther’s long-term career ambitions. “In order to make managerial decisions later in my career, I know I should have hands-on experience with executing those decisions. Being a field engineer gives me mechanical skills that will contribute to making well informed decisions in the future.”