Joseph
Career Profiles
Can you briefly describe your career to date?
My career with SLB is always changing! I have learned a great deal since I joined, and continue to be challenged, which is one of the reasons I continue to work with SLB. The first year consisted of gaining mastery of Reservoir Engineering software to support and guide our clients. Then, I replaced a senior Reservoir Engineer providing more in-depth technical consulting at a client’s site. Now, I work in technical marketing focused on communicating the value that our people and technology deliver to clients around the world.
What attracted you to SLB and why did you decide to join us?
One of the biggest attractions of SLB for me is the diversity, of people, culture, geography, and technology.
Can you describe a typical day for you?
I always prefer to start with a cup of black coffee. From there, it can go many ways. I go through e-mails, and respond to urgent requests. I then dive into project work, sales initiatives, or review papers/web/video content, and typically work with a variety of people (both technical and non-technical) depending on the task at-hand.
"I think one of the most rewarding parts of any job is the relationships you build with the people that you work with"
What do you enjoy most about working for SLB?
People. I think one of the most rewarding parts of any job is the relationships you build with the people that you work with. Everyone comes from different backgrounds, has different experiences, and different opinions to share.
What types of challenges do you face in your job?
One of the most challenging aspects of my job is to adjust the language I use based on the audience. A Vice President may need information in one way, whereas a Product Analyst another way, and a technical consultant a completely different way.
What is the working environment like?
The working environment is very dynamic. Things move quickly, needs change, and the technology is always evolving. As industry challenges continue to push for new solutions, it is our job to respond and lead with compelling solutions.
Think back to when you first started.... what will you never forget/what surprised you the most?
I am originally from Houston, which is also where I started my career with SLB. I joined a team of around 15 different people, where I was the only American for about 2 years. I quickly learned how to say hello in many languages—a great immersion into an international working culture.
Use three words to describe SLB?
Energetic, progressive, open-ended.
How is teamwork important in your job?
Teamwork is the only way to get things done. My default is to “do it myself.” But I have realized just how inefficient this is. Things only get better when you work as a team.
Why is diversity important in our company culture?
Diversity gives perspective, depth, and insight. This makes the deliverable things that you do much richer.
How do you manage your work life balance?
I set appropriate expectations with myself, my management, and my colleagues. I am very results oriented. I try to plan for things to help distribute the load to avoid long nights at the office. Prioritization is also very important.
What is your experience of training at SLB?
Training is very important. It is imperative to continue to learn. Try new things, fail, try again, and apply what you learn. SLB cultivates a culture that encourages personal growth, and constant improvement.
How is training at Schlumberger different from college?
SLB training was the first place I actually applied what I learned from university. Even in comparison to my internship experiences, the training at SLB built a much greater and fundamental understanding of the theory learnt from university.