Find a Job, Now!



Timing - You have a very short time horizon.

Your Priority - Finding a Job

As you search for a job, you have a couple of options. The option that is best for you will depend on your experience, profession, education, and more.

- Search for a green job. Ideally you could just find the green job of your dreams and get on with your life. For reasons that have nothing to do with you, this option is going to be challenging. The green industry that might hire you may not be ready to hire anyone at this point in time. Remember it's not about you...it's the reality of an economy that is just beginning to take shape.

- Search for a job in your most recent profession. If you have a strong professional background, your best bet may be to take a job in your most recent profession. If you are set on having a green job, look for ways to green that job in some way.

- Search for a stepping-stone job that helps you strengthen your resume in some way. If you know what you want to do in the green economy, you may be able to focus on finding a stepping-stone job that gives you the opportunity to build your skills, strengthen your network, and give you experience that will help you get the next job.

- Search for an interim job that pays the bills. If it's not possible to work in your most recent profession or find a stepping-stone job, you'll need to look for an interim position. This job is not likely to be your dream job, but it will take the pressure off and hopefully give you enough peace of mind that you can search for your green niche as described in the Changing Careers section below.

- Search for a bootstrap job that gives you lots of flexibility. If none of the other strategies are working, look at your strengths and get creative. Find a way to cobble together the money you need in a way that will give you the time to volunteer, take courses, and explore your green options. Don't think of this as a career job, see it as a way to keep you moving in the right direction.

Next Steps - Do what it takes to get a job. If it is green, that's great! If it's not, then look at it as a way to make ends meet while you research your green options and prepare to move into the green economy.

Strategy - Realistically, identifying your green career and finding a green job are not tasks you can do in a hurry. Each part of the process will take some time. The fact that you may not be able to land a green job as your next job doesn't make you a failure in any way. It's just the way the green economy is right now.

Right now your priority needs to be finding a job. The more you can network with others in your field, the more you can demonstrate that you have what it takes to do the job, the more you can strengthen you skills, the more likely you are to land a position sooner rather than later.

Changing Careers

Timing - You have some flexibility about when you leave your current job to transition into a green career.

Your Priority - Finding Your Green Niche

Look at your work experience and your current interests to determine the best way for you to enter the green economy. With your green niche in mind, you'll become clear, confident, and committed and your job search becomes focused and productive.

Next Steps - After identifying your green niche, it's time to determine the best way to prepare yourself for your new industry/profession. Be strategic by taking steps now to develop your skills, increase your knowledge, and gain the experience you will need to make your move into the green economy. While you are volunteering, taking courses, and attending conferences, be diligent in building your green network. Who you know in your local green network will make all the difference when you are ready to activate your job search.

Strategy - Don't wait to start your exploration. Start today! Finding your green niche may take some time and you never know when your personal circumstances may change or when the green economy will jump forward. Invest the time now so that you are ready to leap when the time is right.

Student Searching for a Green Career

Timing - If you are just starting your education, you have a longer time frame to work with. (If you are near graduation, you have a short time horizon. Read the first segment of this article to get ideas about how to proceed.)

Your Priority - Determining Your Career Direction

As a student, your best bet is to gain a solid understanding of the green economy as a whole. By getting an overall sense of the industries within the green economy and the goals of the green economy you can begin to see where your interests are.

Then focus your time on deepening your knowledge about a couple of industries that seem most interesting to you.

Next Steps - Read newsletters and blogs, attend a local professional meeting, volunteer, and take courses to explore your options within your target industries. Keep track of who you meet as you move through all these experiences. Having an organized network will be key to getting internships and your first job.

Strategy - Always be aware of your interests. Let your interests point you toward your courses, extracurricular activities, volunteer projects, and part time work. Although you may not be able to make all your decisions based on your interests, you want to make sure your passions guide you to some degree. If you pay attention to your interests, even if they are varied, your experience and education will be in alignment with where you are heading.

(If you disregard your interests and follow other people's advice or focus on "where the money is," you'll end up with experiences and an education that don't align with your own interests. It's very hard to build a satisfying career when you don't like your major or the activities you've participated in to build your resume.)

In addition, don't box yourself into one narrowly focused profession. The green economy is changing and evolving. It will continue to do so for some time to come. No one can really predict what the green economy will look like when you get out of school. Your best bet is to get a strong foundation in the discipline that interests you and ties to your interests. In addition be sure to gain knowledge about green topics and sustainability as it relates to your interests. With this combination, you will be an attractive candidate when you look for an internship or a job.