Getting Geared Up to Change Your Career Path Green
It can be said that green is the new black, and with the record-breaking unemployment rate, many jobseekers are open to a career makeover. Need proof that green is in fashion? President Obama’s stimulus package included a whopping $20 billion toward the green economy, with about $500 million benefiting green job training.
The Center for American Progress teamed up with eight other think tanks around the globe to produce the report, “Low-Carbon Jobs in an Interconnected World.” The report highlighted that the stimulus package and the American Clean Energy and Security Act will create up to 1.9 million new jobs.
Want to get your piece of the sustainable pie? Look no further than your very own industry.
Uncover Opportunities In Your Own Industry
According to a United Nations Environment Programme report, green jobs exist in almost every industry of the economy.
Are you a writer? Research e-zines, blogs and research institutions focused on green issues. Do you work in construction? Look into green building and retrofitting projects.
Work in retail? Check out shops that specialize in organic and recycled goods. Are you an outdoors type? You may be interested in working in agriculture or reforestation.
Remember that cleantech and greentech companies still need traditional “white collar” support, too, including sales, finance and administrative professionals.
Check out these sites for job ideas:
Find Companies With Green Opportunities
Many states have government-funded workforce development agencies that operate resource centers that you can visit. To find the agency for your state, check out this map and and click on your state.
These centers typically offer computer labs, research guides, career counselors and resume critique services. Use your local newspaper, chamber of commerce listing and phone book to find companies in your area that may have green opportunities. Jot down a list of these companies, and then call the human resources departments to uncover unadvertised job leads.
Network & Volunteer
You may wish to check out local and national green job boards, but career experts recommend taking more active steps to finding leads. These include face-to-face networking and cold calling companies to demonstrate initiative. Think about it: would you rather compete against folks in your home city, or an entire nation of jobseekers?
While you’re in research mode, discover environmental organizations in your community. Subscribe to their e-newsletters. If they have a fundraiser, lecture, or special event, attend it.
Network with green professionals. Ask them about volunteer opportunities to explore a potential green job, and boost your eco experience. If you meet a green professional with the job you want, ask to shadow him or her for a day. Ask about internship opportunities, too.
Translate Your Skills
Once you have identified some green job titles you are interested in, make a list of your professional skills. Next, highlight the skills that directly apply to the green job you are pursuing. Remember, accounting skills are the same, whether you work for a grocery chain or a biofuel company.
Brainstorm ways that the remaining skills may transfer to a green job.For example, if you worked at a health nonprofit, you may have written grant requests or engaged in fundraising. You can leverage this experience to writing grants for sustainable projects, too.
Use your existing resume as a starting point for your “green” resume, and examine each work experience listed with green-colored glasses. Here are six tips for giving your resume a eco-makeover.
1. List your direct and transferable skills in a customized resume for each green job you apply to.
2. Quantify your triumphs to sell yourself. How much money did you save your company? By what percentage did you improve efficiency? How did you save your boss time?
3. Include any continuing education courses you took related to green issues.
4. List your involvement in sustainable organizations.
5. Add in your volunteer work with green organizations.
6. Make sure you use green industry buzz words that are applicable to the job.
Re-Tool and Re-Train
You may want to take advantage of workforce training and continuing education opportunities to boost your green skills. For example, Tennessee will use some of its stimulus money to train residents in solar panel installation at two technical centers and one community college.
Visit the websites of local tech schools and colleges for information on workshops, certificate programs and degree offerings. Need some inspiration? Click here to browse through potential academic majors. USA Today published an article about green courses here.
Get your green education on by following CarbonPig.com on Twitter. Read green articles in newspapers and magazines online or at the library. Subscribe to RSS feeds of your favorite sustainable organizations.
Stay abreast of green news, so you will have plenty to talk about while networking and during your job interview. Not only does this boost your credibility, but it also shows that you genuinely care about the environment.
Do you work in a green job? We’d love to hear how you landed your gig! Please leave a comment to share your experiences.
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