Many of us have not taken a direct route to get to where we are in our careers today, nor should we expect a circuitous route to suddenly become straight once we’ve landed at JMP. We want employees to know they can move from one type of role at JMP to another! But making a big transition is not always easy so we want to gather stories from you; we want to learn how you moved around in your career, from A to B (or to C or D).
Let’s learn about Peter's career journey.
What’s your current role at JMP?
Senior Systems Engineer, Gulf Coast Territory
Describe what you like most about it.
Every day is different: different customers, a different industry, and different problems.
If different, what was your first role when you started at JMP?
This is my first role at JMP
Peter and Kyle Bickford (Gulf AE) at the Tesla Gigafactory in Austin, TX, USA.Peter and Kyle Bickford (Gulf AE) at the Tesla Gigafactory in Austin, TX, USA.
Did you work at SAS before joining JMP?
No
How long have you been at JMP?
About three years
Did your college or university degree(s) relate to your current role at JMP?
Sort of, I have two and a half geology degrees. I don’t use the knowledge I learned very often but getting those degrees taught me a lot about how to ask the right question and how to solve a difficult problem.
Outside of your time at JMP, what was your a) first job, b) best job, c) worst job?
My first job was selling Polito Family Farm fruit at farmer’s markets across southern California, best job was running a geologic research lab at The University of Texas at Austin, and my worst job (and it isn’t even close) was sweeping trash and cleaning bathrooms at Legoland California.
Collecting dissociated methane hydrate on a 4 week pressure drilling expedition in the Gulf of Mexico.Collecting dissociated methane hydrate on a 4 week pressure drilling expedition in the Gulf of Mexico.
Have you made a major career transition? If so, what was it and how did you know you were ready for a change?
Moving from managing a lab at UT to being an SE at JMP was a huge transition for me. The idea of being in sales never registered as something I would want to do but I began to grow tired of the day-to-day at UT. Things didn’t vary often and I just felt stuck.
Did you have any concerns about making a change? If so, what were they?
I had huge concerns: Would I be any good, would I be successful, would I like it, would they like me, but my biggest concern (surprisingly) was giving up a pension.
What were the first things you did when you decided that you were ready to change jobs?
Even though I felt stuck I didn’t know what job I would be suited for—working at UT was so niche, I didn’t know if it would translate. Fortunately, a recruiter sought me out so I never had to go and look.
Bullfrog Creek (foreground) and the Henry Mtns. (background), one of the many beautiful field sites Peter has been able to work during his career as a geologist.Bullfrog Creek (foreground) and the Henry Mtns. (background), one of the many beautiful field sites Peter has been able to work during his career as a geologist.
Before deciding on the new role, did you spend time with someone who does that job? If so, how was that experience?
I didn’t know anyone that had this role.
Who were the people that were instrumental in helping you make the job switch successfully, and how did they help?
All kudos go to my manager, Chuck Boiler. He really helped ease me in and gave me the tools I needed to be successful. My fellow Western SE’s were also instrumental in making me feel capable. I was always afraid to ask a dumb question. In my head, I was afraid everyone would realize I was a fraud and didn’t have a clue about what I was doing. They took me under their wings, answered all my stupid questions, and helped me get on both feet and moving in the right direction.
What advice do you have for JMP employees who are thinking about changing their roles?
Don’t be afraid to take a leap into the unknown—moving beyond your perceived limits is how we grow and growth leads to joy and fulfillment.
Because we love good stories, we want to learn about how your career evolved and tell these stories to our colleagues—the evolution of your career that has ultimately brought you to JMP or even how once arriving at JMP they made a major transition.
Please take the six-minute survey.
