How Do I Become a Landman?

A landman is a person who works for a gas or oil company, handling a range of business tasks, including negotiating on behalf of his employer, evaluating contracts, researching property ownership, and preparing reports. You will likely need a degree in a field such as energy management or petroleum land management to become a landman. You may also benefit from building negotiation, communication, problem-solving, and presentation skills in an effort to land this job. Additionally, you can seek certification in this field to improve your job prospects.

A bachelor's degree is typically required when you want to become a landman, and there are several degrees that can prove particularly suitable for this career. For instance, you could opt to earn a bachelor's degree in a field such as energy management or energy commerce to land this job. You may also consider earning a degree in petroleum land management in preparation for this career — even an undergraduate degree in law may prove helpful. Some employers will also hire individuals with degrees in business for these jobs. It is also important to note that while many employers hire landmen who hold bachelor's degrees, there are some who prefer to hire individuals with master's degrees instead.

Strong communication skills generally are required to become a landman, as you will need to express yourself clearly, both in written and verbal form. You will likely also need leadership abilities and analytical skills. Negotiation skills are usually important as well, and most employers will expect you to know how to read and interpret contracts. Additionally, the ability to give presentations, solve problems, and field complaints is also important.

For some landman positions, you will also need a willingness to travel. The amount of travel will likely vary from employer to employer, but many will expect you to travel for about 20 percent of your job hours once you become a landman. The purpose of such travel is to handle various types of field assignments.

Most jurisdictions do not require landmen to become licensed before pursuing this career. You may, however, decide to seek certification in an effort to make yourself a more desirable job candidate. To become certified, you will typically need a related college degree and experience with land work. Certifying organizations may also require you to pass an exam before you can become certified, and some will require you to pay for a membership to the organization as well.