About
Hello, I'm Dr. Rico! I specialize in optimizing resumes, cover letters, and LinkedIn…
Articles by Amanda
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Three Interview-Winning Ways To Build an Effective LinkedIn Presence
Three Interview-Winning Ways To Build an Effective LinkedIn Presence
By Amanda Rico, Ph.D.
Activity
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Another one of my Oil & Gas clients has landed a new job in only 3 weeks! This client comes from a background in project management, product…
Another one of my Oil & Gas clients has landed a new job in only 3 weeks! This client comes from a background in project management, product…
Posted by Amanda Rico, Ph.D.
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Ready to join a fast-growing investment firm poised to triple its multi-billion-dollar deployment? I'm seeking a driven Financial Analyst/Associate…
Ready to join a fast-growing investment firm poised to triple its multi-billion-dollar deployment? I'm seeking a driven Financial Analyst/Associate…
Liked by Amanda Rico, Ph.D.
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Gentle Reminder: A company is not your family, even if the culture *feels* like family. The people at your company may be amazing, kind people. And…
Gentle Reminder: A company is not your family, even if the culture *feels* like family. The people at your company may be amazing, kind people. And…
Posted by Amanda Rico, Ph.D.
Experience
Education
Licenses & Certifications
Volunteer Experience
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Panelist on the Young Professionals Event: Growing Your Career in Offshore Energy
Offshore Technology Conference (OTC)
- 1 month
Invited to join a panel on career development best practices for young professionals in the oil, gas and energy industry. The panel was held on May 8, 2024
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Clean Energy Career Mentor
SunCast Podcast
- Present 3 years 6 months
Invited to join the solar industry's top-rated media group, Suncast, as an official mentor for the Mission-Minded Program, which supports driven professionals looking to transition into the clean energy sector.
Follow this link to learn more about the Mission-Minded Program: https://events.mysuncast.com/dreamjob -
Workshop Presenter
NASA Ames Research Center
- 1 month
Education
In Summer 2021, I was invited by the NASA Ames Research Center to deliver a 2-part workshop to incoming interns on resume and networking best practices.
The workshop was delivered on July 6th and comprised two 1.5 hours sessions, which included in-depth presentations and Q&A sessions. -
Guest Columnist
Society of Petroleum Engineers International
- Present 3 years 10 months
Invited by the Society of Petroleum Engineers International to submit a publication focused on how Oil & Gas professionals can optimize their social media presence.
My column, "Three Interview-Winning Ways To Build an Effective LinkedIn Presence", was published in SPE's The Way Forward online forum in November 2020.
Feel free to access the article here: https://pubs.spe.org/en/twa/twa-article-detail/?art=7860 -
Featured Speaker
Rigs to Real Estate
- 1 month
Invited by Collin Plake - Entrepreneur, Petroleum Engineer and Real Estate Investor - to discuss rebranding skill sets and provide actionable advice on transitioning to new industries outside of oil and gas.
Listen on iTunes: https://lnkd.in/epvTjsV
Spotify: https://lnkd.in/eqkMN7Z -
Featured Speaker
SunCast Podcast
- 1 month
Invited by Nico Johnson, a top LinkedIn thought leader in solar energy, to join his podcast and speak on the 2021 energy transition and transferable skills for professionals across the oil, gas and energy sectors.
Access the podcast episode here: https://mysuncast.com/suncast-episodes/346 -
Panelist
Society of Petroleum Engineers International
- 1 month
Invited to join the SPE North America Student Symposium as a Self Branding Expert for a career panel on March 2, 2021.
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Guest Speaker
Society of Petroleum Engineers - SPE GCS Gulf Coast Section
- 1 month
Invited to speak at an SPE seminar by Elizabeth Cambre, Senior Sales Manager with Baker Hughes and industry thought leader on the intersection between oil, gas and renewables.
Discussion points included current trends in 2021 job seeking practices for oil and gas professionals - specifically in relation to shifting to the renewables industry. -
Featured Speaker
American Association of Drilling Engineers
- 1 month
Invited to speak on September 15, 2020 delivering a talk entitled "Resume and LinkedIn Hacks to Beat the Downturn" at an AADE Midcon Chapter meeting.
I provided my top tips for Drilling Engineers to optimize their resumes and LinkedIn profiles for a challenging job market, whether they want to stay in the industry or shift to new career paths.
To view the recorded session on YouTube, click here: https://youtu.be/HaYqnr5G4eM -
Moderator
Society of Petroleum Engineers - SPE GCS Gulf Coast Section
- 1 month
Invited by the Society of Petroleum Engineers - Gulf Coast Section to moderate a timely panel discussion on August 27, 2020 entitled "My Next Move: Petroleum Engineers Pivoting Careers."
Panelists included Katherine Cao, Karan Titus, Pritesh Bhoumick, and Jared Clark, who discussed unconventional career options as the Oil and Gas Industry makes a comeback. -
Panelist
The Financial Executives Networking Group, Inc. (FENG)
- 1 month
Invited by Mark Hamzat O. Erogbogbo, Chairman of Capital Markets for FENG, to be a Co-Panelist with Enervus Co-GM, Mark Bahorich, for an August 19, 2020 seminar entitled 'Show Me the Money: Will Oil & Gas Survive? Pivoting Strategies from O&G.'
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Featured Speaker
Society of Petroleum Engineers - SPE GCS Gulf Coast Section
- 1 month
Education
Invited by the Society of Petroleum Engineers - Gulf Coast Section to deliver a seminar entitled “Boosting Your Resume Profile During COVID-19 and Beyond,” which provided 5 key tips for optimizing resume profiles specifically targeted for oil and gas professionals. The seminar was held on July 10, 2020.
As COVID-19 continues to impact the downturn of the oil and gas industry, job seekers will need to develop unique strategies for both gaining the attention of hiring managers and passing…Invited by the Society of Petroleum Engineers - Gulf Coast Section to deliver a seminar entitled “Boosting Your Resume Profile During COVID-19 and Beyond,” which provided 5 key tips for optimizing resume profiles specifically targeted for oil and gas professionals. The seminar was held on July 10, 2020.
As COVID-19 continues to impact the downturn of the oil and gas industry, job seekers will need to develop unique strategies for both gaining the attention of hiring managers and passing electronic resume scanning systems.
My 5-step system provides oil and gas job seekers with the skills they need to both pass rigorous applicant selection processes and bounce back in record time. -
Panelist
Society of Petroleum Engineers - SPE GCS Gulf Coast Section
- 1 month
Invited by SPE - Gulf Coast Section to speak at a Members in Transition panel on September 25, 2020. This event was held in collaboration with the Texas Workforce Commission. My presentation covered resume and cover letter best practices for Oil, Gas & Energy professionals.
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Industry Advisory Council Member & Featured Speaker
Houston ISD
- 7 months
Education
Invited to serve as an HISD Industry Advisory Council member and featured speaker.
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Member
FBI Houston Citizens Academy Alumni Association
- 2 months
Education
Nominated by a Citizens Academy graduate/colleague to participate in the 9-week FBI Citizens Academy program.
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Faculty Search Committee Member
Texas A&M University
- 3 months
Education
Partnered with a team of 8 tenured English department faculty members to evaluate and select candidates for three advanced assistant professor positions in Rhetoric, Transatlantic Literature, and Literature of the Global South.
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Grant Researcher & Writer
Einstein Rising
- 4 months
Economic Empowerment
Partnered with Einstein Rising's founder and president, Alexis Chavez, to research and write grants that support locally-driven economic development strategies in East Africa, with a specific focus on Uganda, by providing up-and-coming entrepreneurs access to resources that lay the foundation of prosperous business ventures.
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Grant Application Reviewer
Fund for Teachers
- Present 5 years 6 months
Education
Invited to participate as a Selection Committee Member for Houston Fund for Teachers grant applications.
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Grant Proposal Editor
The Fulfillment Project
- 3 months
Education
Wrote and edited a 3-year grant provided by the Department of Health and Human Services to provide a Sexual Risk Avoidance Education (SRAE) program for high-risk adolescents in Northeast Houston.
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Copy Editor
Houston African Community International, USA (HACIUSA)
- 6 months
Arts and Culture
Wrote and edited grant proposals, created Temporary Visa Requests, and revised sponsorship proposals for Nigerian nonprofit personnel focusing on village outreach and private funding opportunities.
Publications
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Three Ways to Connect with the Right LinkedIn Contacts
Houston Business Journal
With over 14 million new roles posted, 1.9 million talent professionals hunting down candidates, and job seekers hired every 15 seconds, LinkedIn is more than just a social media site – it’s a critical platform for optimizing short and long-term career moves.
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3 Strategies to Reverse Engineer Your Job Search
Houston Business Journal
When it comes to determining a new career direction during periods of severe job instability, it can feel like going any direction will only end in failure. Whether you are facing a significant career redirection or trying to move up the career ladder, reverse engineering your job search is the best way to gain a foothold.
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Ace Your Next Virtual Interview
Oilwoman Magazine
Key Takeaways:
Create a checklist for success: The last thing you want is to “walk” into a virtual interview unprepared. Issues include a poorly lit candidate, underdressed, out of earshot, or simply struggling to use the technology. To ensure success, brainstorm a list of topics you could run into from start to finish. These issues will typically lead to critical questions you will need to answer.
Prepare for one-way video interviews: An asynchronous interview can feel, well…Key Takeaways:
Create a checklist for success: The last thing you want is to “walk” into a virtual interview unprepared. Issues include a poorly lit candidate, underdressed, out of earshot, or simply struggling to use the technology. To ensure success, brainstorm a list of topics you could run into from start to finish. These issues will typically lead to critical questions you will need to answer.
Prepare for one-way video interviews: An asynchronous interview can feel, well, weird. Make sure to prep heavily, ask plenty of questions, and look directly at the camera as you record – not at your image – to give the impression of maintaining eye contact with your interviewers.
Show and tell: Drafting responses to the top 10 most common interview questions helps candidates ace interviews and land jobs. Questions like, “Where do you see yourself in five years?” Or “What is your biggest weakness?” are best considered before an interview to ensure a candidate moves to the next stage in the hiring process. Show interviewers what you bring to the table using real-life examples to ground your answers to each question. -
How to Land a Promotion and Level Up During the Downturn
Oilman Magazine
As we steadily move toward closing out Spring 2021, those still currently employed in the oil and gas industry are looking toward a promising but uncertain future. With remote work on the rise and new challenges concerning opportunities for advancement in the industry, at the top of many employees’ minds is how to secure a promotion in an environment riddled with blanket layoffs and the continued threat of COVID-19.
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Three Networking Strategies to Land Your Next Job
Houston Business Journal
Although career materials like resumes and cover letters are vital to an effective job search strategy, they are only part of a larger puzzle — most successful job seekers credit networking as the catalyst for landing a new position. The truth is, simply applying to one online job application after another is rarely effective.
So, what does work? The combination of targeted materials with networking. This will boost a job seeker’s chances of being selected as the candidate of choice for…Although career materials like resumes and cover letters are vital to an effective job search strategy, they are only part of a larger puzzle — most successful job seekers credit networking as the catalyst for landing a new position. The truth is, simply applying to one online job application after another is rarely effective.
So, what does work? The combination of targeted materials with networking. This will boost a job seeker’s chances of being selected as the candidate of choice for an available position. Although in-person networking events are few and far between, remote networking can be just as effective. Read my article for three proven networking strategies to try! -
Three Interview-Winning Ways To Build an Effective LinkedIn Presence
Society of Petroleum Engineers International
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Three Ways Energy and Petroleum Pros Can Pivot to New Industries
Houston Business Journal
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Imagining Female Futures in Black Speculative and Science Fiction
Completed and published dissertation under the English Department at Texas A&M University
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Gendered Ecologies and Black Feminist Futures in Ibi Zoboi’s “The Farming of Gods,” Wanuri Kahiu’s Pumzi, and Wangechi Mutu’s The End of eating Everything
WAGADU: A Journal of Transnational Women's and Gender Studies
Published Abstract: Contemporary scholarship within African and Diasporic women’s literature has frequently focused on works of cultural production that use various literary, artistic and filmic genres to (re)envision the past and present. However, little emphasis has been placed on how 21st century transnational works position women as agents of change and producers of knowledge by gesturing toward the future. This paper addresses how three female authors and artists who hail from various…
Published Abstract: Contemporary scholarship within African and Diasporic women’s literature has frequently focused on works of cultural production that use various literary, artistic and filmic genres to (re)envision the past and present. However, little emphasis has been placed on how 21st century transnational works position women as agents of change and producers of knowledge by gesturing toward the future. This paper addresses how three female authors and artists who hail from various parts of Africa and the Diaspora — Wangechi Mutu, Wanuri Kahiu, and Ibi Zoboi — imagine a black feminist future through a careful use of ecological imagery. My argument is twofold: first, I take my cue from Mutu’s assertion that imaginative forms of world-building must connect systemic corruption to consumptive practices. Secondly, I claim that Afrofuturist works like Kahiu’s Pumzi, Zoboi’s “The Farming of the Gods,” and Mutu’s The End of Eating Everything use geographical spaces marked by ecological abuse (poisonous spores, pustules, desert landscapes), displacement (discarded objects) and violence (human limbs) to negotiate the symbolic and material “marking” of black female bodies. Ultimately, I demonstrate how these works speculate about new forms of transnational communities that not only survive but thrive in the 21st century and beyond.
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Seeking Balance: African Autobiography as Philosophy in Malidoma Patrice Somé’s Of Water and the Spirit
Research in African Literatures (RAL)
Published Abstract: In this essay, I examine how one particular African autobiographical work —Malidoma Patrice Some's Of Water and the Spirit: Ritual, Magic and Initiation in the Life of an African Shaman —embodies the concept of autobiography as philosophy and challenges Western metaphysical frameworks concerning the construction of the ethical self, temporality, and history. I argue that Some's autobiographical affirmation of African philosophy serves as a thoroughgoing critique of Western…
Published Abstract: In this essay, I examine how one particular African autobiographical work —Malidoma Patrice Some's Of Water and the Spirit: Ritual, Magic and Initiation in the Life of an African Shaman —embodies the concept of autobiography as philosophy and challenges Western metaphysical frameworks concerning the construction of the ethical self, temporality, and history. I argue that Some's autobiographical affirmation of African philosophy serves as a thoroughgoing critique of Western hegemonic thought. Moreover, I claim that this text goes beyond a remedial rebuffing of Eurocentric metaphysics and instead proposes a synthesis between both African and Western ways ofknowing and understanding the world. Ultimately, Some's Of Water and the Spirit demonstrates that the act of philosophizing is a ubiquitous cultural phenomenon that helps shape the various "commonsensical" realities of modern life around the globe and should therefore be considered a non-exclusionary practice.
Courses
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Master Class: Designing ATS-Friendly Graphic Resumes
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Workshop: Advanced Methods for Federal and Foundation Grant Writers
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Honors & Awards
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Top 15 LinkedIn Experts in Houston in 2023
Influence Digest Media
Named one of the Top 15 LinkedIn Experts in Houston in 2023 by Influence Digest Media.
View the article: https://influencedigest.com/top-linkedin-experts/top-linkedin-experts-houston-2023/ -
Transition Economist's Top 100 (TE100) Women in the Energy Transition
Transition Economist
Named as one of the Transition Economist's TE100 in the Professional Services division.
More details about the TE100: Women of the Energy Transition
With the consequences of Covid-19 disproportionately affecting women, we have an opportunity and responsibility to use the growing platform of Transition Economist to provide opportunities to women to promote and support each other as the energy transition gains traction. Help us create the new normal of gender equality.
Thank…Named as one of the Transition Economist's TE100 in the Professional Services division.
More details about the TE100: Women of the Energy Transition
With the consequences of Covid-19 disproportionately affecting women, we have an opportunity and responsibility to use the growing platform of Transition Economist to provide opportunities to women to promote and support each other as the energy transition gains traction. Help us create the new normal of gender equality.
Thank you to all who nominated colleagues, peers, and partners. We received a huge number of nominations and the advisory board have been working hard to select the 10 women to be featured in each category.
From mid-September, we will be launching each category of the TE100 to showcase these deserving women, as well as a range of content discussing gender issues in the energy transition and an opportunity for these women to be published and promoted in front of the Transition Economist audience of senior energy industry stakeholders.
The categories
The first task is to identify and collate a list of 100 women across 10 individual categories that make up the energy transition:
Gas & LNG
Technology & Innovation
Hydrogen
Renewables
Oil & Gas
Industry Groups (includes associations, government institutions, NGOs)
The New Generation
Sustainability
Entrepreneurs
Professional Services (includes law firms, consultancies, financial services)
For more details, click here: https://pemedianetwork.com/te100/home -
Certificate of Appreciation: Society of Petroleum Engineers Gulf Coast Section (SPE GCS)
Society of Petroleum Engineers Gulf Coast Section (SPE GCS)
Recognized by the Society of Petroleum Engineers Gulf Coast Section (SPE GCS) Members in Transition (MiT) group for contribution as a featured speaker, panelist, and moderator at an Oil & Gas industry career event on September 25, 2020.
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Departmental Travel Grant: Awarded 5 Consecutive Years
Texas A&M University English Graduate Department
- Won travel awards to attend domestic professional conferences for 5 consecutive years - from June 2013 to September 2016.
- Travel awards provided opportunities to network with other scholars, present publishable work, and collaborate with colleagues on publications. -
Dissertation Fellowship
Texas A&M University English Graduate Department
- Competitive fellowship awarded by the Texas A&M University English Graduate department.
- Provided approximately six weeks worth of pay to work exclusively on the dissertation without requiring teaching responsibilities.
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Charles Davis Award for Outstanding Graduate Student Presentation
Davis Award Selection Committee
- Awarded the competitive Charles Davis Award for the Outstanding Student Presentation at the annual RMMLA convention held in Santa Fe, NM.
Languages
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English
Native or bilingual proficiency
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French
Professional working proficiency
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Spanish
Limited working proficiency
Organizations
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Professional Association of Resume Writers & Career Coaches (PARWCC)
Active Member
- Present -
Career Directors International (CDI)
Member
- PresentCareer Directors International (CDI) LLC offers first-tier, internationally-recognized resume writing certifications. CDI helps career and resume entrepreneurs build their professional networks and businesses.
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Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA)
Member
- Present -
FBI Citizens Academy
Member
- Present -
Grant Professionals Association (GPA)
Member
- Present -
Women In French (WIF)
Panelist & Member
- Present -
Modern Language Association (MLA)
Member
- Present
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