Landmen

Look through the Web site (https://www.landman.org) of the American Association of Professional Landmen (AAPL) to learn more about the different types of landmen and their job responsibilities. See if there are upcoming networking events that you can attend. You can also watch videos and take classes through AAPL's Web site. Additionally, the AAPL has developed an outreach video titled The Path of the Landman: Powering the World. You can view the video on the AAPL's YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/user/AmericasLandman

Another option is to get a part-time job or internship in a landman consulting company or at an oil or gas company that provides landman services. Search the AAPL's job listings section on its Web site as well as the careers sections of oil and gas companies' Web sites for assistant landman positions to learn more about the required job duties and educational and personal qualifications for this field.

Talk with a landman about his or her career. Suggested interview questions include: What made you want to enter this career? What do you like most and least about your job? How did you train for this field? What are some key skills for success? What advice would you give to young people about preparing for the field and being successful on the job? How will advances in technology change the field? Perhaps you could even job-shadow a landman to learn even more about the field. Ask your school counselor to help arrange these exploration opportunities.