How to hire a landman

How to hire a landman, step by step

Here's a step-by-step landman hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a landman job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new landman
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a landman, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A landman's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, landmen from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   The following list breaks down different types of landmen and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Landman	Description	Hourly rate
   Landman	Buyers and purchasing agents buy products and services for organizations to use or resell. They evaluate suppliers, negotiate contracts, and review the quality of products.	$25-61
   Contract Worker	A contract worker is an independent contractor who only works at companies for a limited amount of time, according to agreed-upon contract terms. When it comes to employment, a contract worker may find opportunities in different industries, depending upon their set of skills and abilities... Show more	$25-45
   Media Buyer	Media Buyers are marketing professionals who manage the company's advertisements. They create the company's media plan to determine the advertising needs of the company... Show more	$26-47

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Ownership Reports
   • Title Searches
   • Due Diligence
   • Right-of-Way
   • Title Opinions
   • RUN Sheets
   • Title Curative
   • Landmen
   • Affidavits
   • Division Order
   • GIS
   • Lease Purchase
   • Sovereignty
   • Sale Agreements

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage OGA other government agencies (i.e.
   • Manage the tenant improvement schedules and annual CPI rent increases for tenants in designate office locations.
   • Manage land-related licensing, permitting and zoning processes including reporting, oversight of requirements and monitoring to ensure compliance.
   • Manage for multiple medical clients performing tasks such as medical billing, submitting insurance and verifying insurance including Medicare and Medicaid.
   • Provide results by comparing BLM and county results and transferring the data onto ownership reports for producing wells.
   • Examine probate and civil case files in court clerk offices in an attempt to fill title gaps or cure title defects.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your landman job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A landman can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, landmen' average salary in north dakota is 39% less than in new jersey.
   • Seniority. Entry-level landmen 59% less than senior-level landmen.
   • Certifications. A landman with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a landman's salary.

   Average landman salary

   $82,853yearly

   $39.83 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level landman salary

   $53,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 22, 2026

4. Writing a landman job description

   A job description for a landman role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a landman job description:

   Landman job description example

   Aethon Energy Operating LLC's (“Aethon”) Landman is responsible for facilitating the addition of oil and gas reserves and the preservation of existing leasehold interest in the geographical areas where we operate.
   DUTIES & JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:
   
   Develop locations, units, permits and AFEs in a fast-paced multi-rig drilling environment
   
   Must be able to adjust to shifting drilling schedules and adapt to moving well locations
   
   Analyze unit title for unleased tracts and work with outside legal counsel regarding Rule 37 issues
   
   Negotiate oil and gas lease rights with mineral owners
   
   Analyze and interpret lease-purchase agreements
   
   Evaluate acreage, develop lease offers, and review titles to determine ownership
   
   Analyze lease terms and determine drilling requirements
   
   Prepare and negotiate farm in / farm out, joint operating, and other contractual agreements as necessary
   
   Coordinate with multi-disciplined team to ensure adherence to schedules for maximum efficiency of operations and enhanced productivity
   
   Manage / maintain existing leasehold, rental, and unit obligations
   
   Represent the company as the primary point of contact for landowners and the State with regard to leasehold matters
   
   Requirements
   
   Education & Work Experience:
   
   Bachelor's degree in a related field (Petroleum Land Management or Energy Commerce is preferred)
   
   5-10 years of experience as Landman with in-house E&P operator is required
   
   AAPL Certified Professional Landman (CPL) certification preferred
   
   Technical Skills & Knowledge:
   
   Knowledge of multiple state and federal regulations in the specified areas of operation
   
   Proficiency in MS Office is required
   
   Advanced analytical and research skills are required
   
   Personal & Soft Skills:
   
   Ability to complete complex tasks with limited supervision
   
   Ability to communicate with a multi-disciplined team to successfully solve problems
   
   Physical & Other Requirements:
   
   Must be eligible to work in the United States and have a valid drivers license
   
   Successful candidate will be able to meet company standard background check specific to individual role prior to employment and will be subject to Company Drug & Alcohol Program
   
   Position is an indoor office position which will require remaining in a stationary position, often sitting or standing for prolonged periods of time
   
   Benefits
   
   Premiums for health, dental, and vision insurance for employee and children are 100% paid for by Aethon and premiums for spouse are 75% covered.
   
   401k match 100% up to 7% of annual base salary
   
   Health Advocate to assist navigating your medical, dental, and vision insurance
   
   Company provided Basic Life and AD&D Insurance, Short- and Long-Term Disability Insurance
   
   Flexible telecommuting schedule (currently WFH on Monday and Friday)
   
   Paid vacation time based on the total years of career experience, ranging from 3-6 weeks annually
   
   9 paid holidays annually
   
   40 hours paid sick time annually
   
   Casual dress code
   
   Unlimited access to workout facilities within the building
   
   Wellness program with earned incentives for completed activities
   
   Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Employees must be willing and able to perform other duties as assigned. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
   
   Unfortunately, due to the high volume of applications, we are unable to acknowledge every applicant.
   
   Aethon does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters or employment agencies. In the event a recruiter or agency submits a resume or candidate without a previously signed agreement and approved engagement request, Aethon reserves the right to pursue and hire those candidate(s) without any financial obligation to the recruiter or agency.
   
   Aethon is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to the principles of being an equal opportunity employer and to providing our employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit, and business need.

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5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find landmen for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your landman job on Zippia to find and recruit landman candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting landmen requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new landman

   Once you've selected the best landman candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new landman. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a landman?