I know she's not the only one. Stepping into a new future is often an uncomfortable process.



Do any of the following scenarios sound familiar to you? Find the one that best fits your situation. Then read the practical next steps I've provided to help move you beyond your green career crisis.

SCENARIO #1:

You are anxious to get a green job, but you don't have time to figure out your focus.

Can you state, in a simple statement, the kind of job you are looking for? If so, you are in great shape. You are ready to launch your job search. If not, you are sabotaging your own success by searching for a job at this point.

Imagine being an employer who is ready to hire. Then imagine being introduced to someone who wants to work, but can't describe the kind of position they are well suited to fill. Does it leave you with a feeling of confidence about the job seeker? Are you jumping at the chance to hire this person who exhibits a mix of confusion, overwhelm, and neediness? Of course not!

An employer wants to hire people who display confidence, clarity, and the ability to articulate their skills, experience, and ability to solve the company's problems.

Although taking some time to figure out the best way to describe your target job may feel like a detour, your clarity will actually shorten your path to employment. I have written an eBook "What's Your Green Niche?" that walks you through the process of creating a clear statement of your career goals. If you commit the time, you can work through this ebook in a weekend...so what's stopping you?)

SCENARIO #2:

You have so many interests you don't know how to create a focus.

Having a lot of interests isn't a bad thing. The key is to explore how you can weave those interests together in a way that sets you apart from everyone else. Some of the most innovative jobs are those that are created by people whose past experience allows them to cross traditional boundaries between different industries and professions.

Celebrate your expansive interests. Embrace your versatility. Rather than trying to narrow your lists of interests, explore ways you might categorize them. If you are working with three categories of interests, rather than 20 individual interests, you may feel your diverse ideas are a bit more workable.

As you explore your interests, play with the idea that your combination of interests allows you to have a unique perspective on a problem that only you are well suited to solve. Focus on identifying the solutions you can offer to an employer or business.

SCENARIO #3:

You are second guessing the green direction you've selected.

You are getting clearer and clearer about your direction. Pieces of the puzzle are beginning to fall into place. It's exciting...and uncomfortable.

It's like you are on a trapeze, letting go of one bar and reaching for the next bar. For a moment you are hovering with nothing solid to hold on to. You must have faith that the next bar will be there when you reach for it. It may take a little practice to become comfortable and excited about the process!

You may get to a point in your discovery process where you can't seem to finalize your direction. That's normal! Your next step is to go with what you know right now. Take the next obvious step. Do you need to talk with someone in the field to learn more? Would it help you to take a course? How might your situation improve if you strengthened your network?

You don't have to have your ultimate goal completely nailed down before you take your next steps. In fact, the steps you take next may actually help you refine your vision of your future. As you talk with people, be as articulate as you can about where you are and what you are investigating about your idea. Don't say you are completely confused, because you aren't. You are in the process of discovering and refining your visions which is very different from having no idea what you want to do.

Claim what you know, get out there, and build experiences in the area you are most interested in. Allow the rest of your vision and plan to evolve from there.

SCENARIO #4:

You have a green direction, but don't know how to find job openings.

If you have identified your green direction, but you still aren't sure where to go to find job openings, you aren't quite ready for your job search.

Your first step is to immerse yourself in your field of interest. Read all you can. Connect with others in the field. The more you learn about your field in general and in your geographic area, the more prepared you will be to launch your job search.

Although it's tempting to rely on websites and career counselors to show you where to go to find positions, the people in your target field are going to be your best source of insights about the profession. Any time you can invest in building your green network will benefit you far into the future.

SCENARIO #5:

I need to find a job. I'd like it to be in the green economy.

This is where reality and our dreams can collide. You need a job and you want a green job. That's great, but realize that you may not have the time on this job search to figure out the new, evolving economy.

You may need to find your next job first and then explore your green options.

As you focus on finding your next job, try to build off of your current job experience, education, and industry knowledge. Generally speaking it's easier to find a job that has a direct connection with your previous work history. You may want to focus on finding such a job in a company that is green/sustainable/socially responsible.

When your income situation has stabilized then you can take more of a long term view of your green career. You won't be panicked due to financial stress. You'll be able to take the time to explore, learn, and volunteer now so you'll be well positioned when you are ready to make your next job change.

If you already know what you want to do in the green economy, but you aren't finding any open doors, that area of the economy may not be ready for your skills yet. Look for a contract or an interim job that gives you the opportunity to strengthen one of the skills you'll eventually need to enter your target profession.