Between Two Firms is an interview series accompanying Economics@Work. We ask alumni speakers the candid questions students can’t ask in person. This week’s guest is Brett Feldman, a ’96 Econ alumnus with over 15 years’ experience as a professional in the energy industry. Now a current research director for Navigant Research, Brett ruminates on the future of renewable energy, incorporating your passion into your work, and the power of networking.
Have a question you want us to ask the next speaker? Post it on Piazza before or after Economics@Work.
C: What made you go out of state to Michigan instead of to a college closer to home?
B: My mother is from the Chicago area, and she went to Michigan, along with a lot of other relatives, so this area’s kind of my second home. But yeah, I didn’t want to stay too close to home necessarily, I didn’t want to go where a lot of people I grew up with went. Michigan’s a great school and I enjoyed the athletics as well, so it’s a great combination.
C: What was your favorite Econ course, if you remember?
B: I definitely remember the Environmental Economics and Natural resource economics…we were talking earlier about Professor Adams, he definitely still sticks in my head, the class that I had with him. I also took a memorable Economics of Japan class.
C: What part of your Economics degree did you feel was most crucial to your career?
B: I was just talking about the idea of supply and demand; it’s not just theoretical. In the energy world, that’s how these markets really work. You see it in the classroom and it doesn’t really mean much but then you go into the real world and that’s how it works. Things like statistics too—I think it’s just important to understand how numbers work or even to understand when numbers aren’t being used correctly.
C: I know you mentioned that you started participating in environmental activism even back in high school. How did you discover that you had an interest in it?
B: If I had to point to the ultimate root, I’d have to say it was my parents, my mother specifically. She was always interested in social and environmental issues. Once I was in college, I interned in the recycling office here, which was something very tangible. I moved into the energy realm from there.
C: Did you know that this passion was something you wanted to incorporate into your career at that time?
B: I don’t know if I could point to a “light-bulb” moment, but I was looking at a double major or a program that could combine the School of Natural Resources with the Econ department, and there was nothing formal, so at the time I felt that I knew I wanted to do something like that. So that’s when I just decided to basically make my own double major.
C: So what was your thought process behind pursuing a post-grad degree, specifically an MBA?
B: I was out of school for three years between undergrad and grad. Probably two years in, I knew that I was ready to be a student again. I was in a consulting industry and it’s a pretty normal pathway to work there for a couple years, then go back to school. Consulting has a slow progression up the career chain, but if you get the graduate degree, it accelerates that climb. In terms of an MBA, I’d been trying to choose between public policy school and business school. I was working in Washington D.C. at the time, and I got a little jaded on the political scene. I like to say that in my mind it felt like business was slightly less corrupt than politics. (Laughs.)
C: So then, speaking on how you said it’s pretty typical to go to work and then come back, do you think the minimum expected level of education is rising?
B: I would definitely say work before you go to grad school. I think it’s important to get some work experience before you go back. Take some time in between and open your eyes to things you didn’t even consider before. In general, I think it’s becoming more of a norm but it’s not by any means a requirement.
C: Building off of that, what did you find to be the hardest part of the job search after your undergrad years?
B: Well, back then it was probably just the lack of technology (Laughs.) I had to look through wanted ads and look through newspapers, so I think it wasn’t as easy to search as it is today. With LinkedIn and such it’s a lot easier to network these days. In terms of the process, you need to find a bigger picture so you’re not just targeting one company at a time. Just have the ability to take a broader view. Coming from Michigan, I think the alumni network is a huge advantage for professionals and that’s something I’d encourage everyone to take advantage of.
C: That’s actually my next question—for some, networking is intimidating. Do you have any tips on how to be a stronger networker?
B: No, I agree, and it wasn’t natural for me, nor is it natural for everyone. You might think that people feel like you’re always asking them for a job, but I think a lot of people want to help. It’s a “pay it forward” type of thing—I got help when I was looking, so now I want to help other people. I tell people to ask for informational interviews. Don’t view it as getting a job, but building relationships. These days LinkedIn is a great tool. I talk to some people who say they feel that it’s creepy, like stalking someone on Facebook, but that’s what LinkedIn is for. Just reach out and see if you have some common interest and ask about the industry. I think you’ll find a lot of people are willing to talk.
C: What were your “non-negotiable” needs when you were looking for a first job, and what do you think students should keep in mind?
B: The energy industry isn’t the most lucrative, so people shouldn’t go into it thinking they want to make as much money as they can in other industries. That’s an expectation I want to set. To me, it’s more about the learning, the culture of the company and if it’s the right fit. You can say that you make a ton of money, but if you don’t last there long, it doesn’t matter. I think one of the best things I like about the places I work is the passionate people I’ve worked with.
C: When you interview entry-level applicants, what are some traits that automatically put the candidate out of your consideration?
B: I’d say if they talk about themselves a lot. I know that’s the natural thing to do, but something you have to learn is when you’re applying for a job, you need to talk about the company that you want to work for and how you can solve their problems. You need to know the position you’re going for and basically tell how you’re going to make their job easier. That’s what they want to hear. Also try to be more modest. Boasting or bragging can come off very poorly, and I think people are wary of hiring someone like that. A big aspect of companies is teamwork, so you need to show you’re not focused on yourself all the time.
C: What made you decide to switch from the traditional commute to work to working remotely?
B: I wouldn’t say that I was specifically looking for that; that was just how the job I was going for ended up. I think it’s good to work in an office and interact with people at a social level and find mentors, but I had been doing that for fifteen years or so, so I felt I could handle a more independent role. Technology gives us the ability to do that, because I can do most of my work on the phone or over the Internet. I do still travel for projects or conferences, but my boss works out of DC, and people who work for me are in Chicago and London…the typical office isn’t as necessary anymore. Plus it’s nice once you have kids to be at home more, so in terms of work-life balance, it’s nice to have that flexibility.
C: And where do you see the energy industry shifting toward in the future?
B: I don’t want to give a company line, but we have a thing called the energy cloud, which is moving from a one-way power flow of centralized-generation-to-customer to more two-way power flows, with customers having their own energy…things like electric vehicles, with a lot of interaction on the grid. People will have solar panels, energy storage, and electric vehicles. They’ll do more efficiency and there won’t be as many centralized power plants, coal plants, etc., that we’ve seen in the past. That’s what my company talks about and I believe in it too.
C: For our last question: what is one thing you recommend everyone do before they graduate?
B: … (Laughs.) I don’t know, being an undergrad was one of the best times of my life, when I look back at it, so don’t take it for granted. You obviously want to do well in your studies, but hopefully you have time to enjoy it a little bit. Just try to have a diverse set of experiences while you’re here, and take advantage of everything Michigan has to offer. From the alumni to the influence that we have, it has such a great reputation. Hopefully everyone here can keep building that reputation and then leverage it once they’re gone.