What did you do in your First Job?
I read credit reports, which means I spent a lot of time on the phone and talking to other people. Prior to readily available credit reports through the internet, companies inquiring about a person's credit history had to call a credit bureau. In order to get a loan or a credit card, the lending company would call the credit bureau, someone like me would answer the phone, pull the file on the person, and read them the report. I worked there on the weekends and in the summer during high school.

What was most memorable for you from that job?
I realized right away how much I liked working! I loved being around people, talking on the phone and interacting with people in the office. Plus it was educational‚—I learned so much about people, different personalities, and of course, about the workplace. I also learned the importance of making a job interesting. You can work in a job and be bored or you can work and make it enjoyable and challenging.

What important lessons or skills that you learned in your first job have been instrumental in your success?
I definitely discovered the importance of customer service. Everything comes back to customer service, because helping people cheerfully is what keeps them coming back and allows you to build relationships over time. You never know who is going to give you an opportunity down the road because you treated people with respect.

 

What advice would you give someone starting his or her first job?
Find a mentor. It is so important to have someone who can guide your decisions with feedback from their experience. When you are starting out, how would you know how to negotiate a salary, or figure out your next move when you have opportunities in front of you? A mentor can make a big difference in your success both through direct advice as well as demonstrating their successful habits.

Who has been your mentor?
Senator Fritz Hollings! My first full-time job was as a military case-worker for the Senator from South Carolina, my home state. I worked for him for eight years. It was the best job ever! My starting salary was $7,000 and I did everything - receptionist work, constituent mail, military case-work which was critical because it was during the Vietnam war. In fact, everything I did was constituent service. We were the eyes and ears for Senator Hollings. I learned about the legislative process, the “ins” and “outs” of Capitol Hill, and most importantly I was exercising that customer focus with all of our constituents. It was amazing—some people were so incredibly grateful for the help from their Senator's office, especially when dealing with people who had been to Vietnam or their family members.

 

I remember watching his wife Peatsy and how she interacted with people. She was nice to every single person that walked in that office, and would constantly write notes to people. She cared so much about everyone. I learned from her about the importance of relationships with the people you deal with on a day to day basis. They are all your base of contacts for the future. Senator Hollings has been my mentor ever since and we still talk frequently.

 

What do you enjoy about your job now?
BP is a great company and Washington D.C. is a wonderful place to be. You get a broad perspective on things because of the political action that's happening all the time. Plus there's such a high turnover in Washington that you're always meeting new people. That also creates a challenge in my work, but I've learned to always look for a common denominator with people.

 

I also have an incredible staff here at BP. These skilled and talented people have helped me learn so much. I joined the company right in the middle of a critical energy bill with no prior experience in this industry. My career in lobbying for steel, small business and cement clearly helped, but thanks to my staff, I was able to jump right in and I've had a terrific opportunity and success. BP is a global energy company and the combination of working domestic as well as international issues is rewarding.

 

I think it is also important to maintain an outside focus. You can tackle your work challenges better by incorporating family activities, sports and other interests in your life. Work is great but it is not everything!