On the Spot

Success in finding professional opportunities is often more about being in the right place at the right time than about judicious planning. However, having clearly defined career goals can certainly help. Many career seekers have taken advantage of opportunities presented through membership in professional societies and have found that these associations can make a real difference. Ask the Bureau of Land Management’s Gary Wood and Nathan Combs for example.

Gary Wood traveled to Reno, Nevada, to attend the agency On-the-Spot Hiring program at the Society for Range Management Annual Meeting in 2007. Wood, a lead rangeland management specialist, was a last-minute replacement for the hiring official representing the BLM Rio Puerco Field Office in Albuquerque, N.M. Admittedly, Wood was apprehensive about the program. He was concerned about having inadequate time to review applications and about receiving too few from students with the skill mix for a southwestern field office. But he had been active in SRM for almost 30 years and believed in the professional opportunities it offered.

Nathan Combs was six months from finishing his master’s degree in animal and range sciences at New Mexico State University under Professor Kirk McDaniel. At that time, he was enrolled in the Student Career Employment Program with the Natural Resources Conservation Service. Although he was very happy with his current career opportunities, he was also interested in exploring the On-the-Spot Hiring program. For him, it was a gamble. He really did not consider that he might actually have a chance at any positions but was looking for the experience of going through the process. Throughout his young career Combs had rarely missed an opportunity to take advantage of SRM offerings, be it a plant team competition or an annual meeting.

As opportunity would have it, Combs interviewed very well and Wood offered him the rangeland management specialist position for the Rio Puerco Field Office. Combs found himself with a difficult on-the-spot decision to make, and he had a hunch that it was going to be a life-changing event. Combs said he found much support and encouragement from several individuals who he would ultimately affect with his decision. Ultimately, his on-the-spot decision offered more than just a new professional career.

The Brick Wall

Combs first reported to the Rio Puerco Field Office in July 2007. He found himself in an office with a mix of very experienced folk who were all very willing to help him adjust to his new agency life. After all, he was one of the first new recruits the office had seen in some time. Tightened budgets had whittled a once broad range staff to just a few experienced folk. The office had hit a brick wall with an increasing workload and shrinking staff to handle the responsibilities.

Combs found himself overwhelmed with office workload and the knowledge that his decisions could ultimately affect a rancher’s ability to earn living grazing cattle on BLM (and private) lands. As a young recruit, fresh out of college, he found himself looking for experienced and reasoned guidance with these on-the-job decisions.

Wood was within six months of retirement. He had worked hard and enjoyed more than 36 years in agency life, but it was time to retire and move on with his life. He had been working toward getting his real-estate license and wanted to stay active in the community. Of course everybody in the area already knew Wood from years of community service. And in turn, Wood knew everybody. He was known as a hard guy to say “no” to, and he had a real knack for getting things done. But he was ready to retire, and like many other retirees, had several other “real important” things lined up to do.

Doing the Right Thing

As luck would have it, Wood’s and Combs’ families had mutual friends. And it was a pleasant surprise to Wood that Combs already had roots in the community. New information like this was making Wood even more convinced that he had made the right hiring decision in Reno.

Wood knew the workload that was facing Combs.  He knew it would be important to introduce him to the players and the intricate politics in public-land management. The RPFO deals with upwards of 250 permittees scattered across 230 allotments, not to mention various other complicated issues on grazing and land management. As Wood put it, there would be lots of needed exposure in a very short amount of time.

Wood felt strongly that BLM had been good to him and that the right thing to do was to help a deserving new employee. He also felt that everyone, including the new employee, the agency, its clients and partners, all deserved as smooth a transition as possible. Combs was the type of employee that BLM needed to hang onto, and Wood knew that he was deserving of a break. And the best break, in Wood’s opinion, was to set Combs up with an experienced range specialist who would be willing to take the time to show him the ropes. And Wood knew right where to find one!

Coming Full Circle

As a result, Wood and Combs have developed a great professional relationship. Wood has introduced Combs to more than 100 permittees. He has also shown him the country and provided opportunities for him to meet and interact with many different rangeland professionals in the community. Wood has moved on professionally but has signed up as an official BLM volunteer. Things have come full circle as Wood now works for Combs!

And the mentoring continues. The two still get together for a couple hours every week, even if it is just through a phone call. But the connection is still there, and the result has been a win-win situation. Both feel strongly that mentoring has been a very satisfying experience. Wood especially feels flattered that BLM has allowed him to select and train his own replacement.

As with most great mentoring relationships, a personal side exists. Wood has been able to help Combs settle into the Albuquerque community. Apparently Combs has even been coaxed into helping the Bosque Farms Rodeo Association in some of their community efforts. Not surprising, given that Wood is the current president of that group. And as Wood puts it, it is all about working with people and building trust. No doubt some valuable out-of-office networking opportunities present themselves during those community efforts!

And to close the circle, Wood was even able to convince Combs to help him with his part on the 2009 Planning Committee for the upcoming SRM annual meeting in Albuquerque. This is quite something for a young man who already has a lot on his plate. But the cycle of professional “taking” and “giving-back” continues. Combs mentioned that it is through his relationship with SRM that he is able to maintain his professional development now that he is finished with his academic studies. At a tender age, he has already realized the value of the professional networking SRM provides. Come to think of it, Wood probably had a little bit to do with that as well.

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