Installing solar panels isn't the only way to work for a cleaner planet. (Photo: OregonDOT via Flickr/Creative Commons)
“Green jobs,” or jobs that touch on environmental sustainability in some way, are up, according to…our website! So how can you land one?
We recently spoke with New York Times reporter Austin Considine, whose piece Green Jobs Attract Graduates was published last weekend:
Amelia Byers, operations director for Idealist.org…said the number of jobs related to environmental work has roughly tripled in the last three years. “A lot of new graduates are coming out of a world where volunteerism and service has been something that has helped define their generation,” she said. “Finding a job with meaning is an important value to them.”
After we shared the article, the folks at Sacandaga Consulting tweeted back: “@idealist What tips would you give/what experience is needed for people looking to find a green job?“
Good question. Here are some ideas…
Set yourself up for success.
Try some of the exercises in our free online Career Center and, if you’re looking specifically at the nonprofit sector, our Guides to Nonprofit Careers. Get really clear on the type of work you’re looking for, and prepare for interviews, salary and benefits negotiations, and success on the job.
Demonstrate your interest.
In Recent Graduates Head for Green Jobs, a response to the Times article, Care2.com blogger Amelia T. writes: “The worry, for me, is that “sustainability” will become so ubiquitous that it means nothing at all, another way for people to feel as though they’re doing something altruistic without much of an actual impact.”
- Want to convince a hiring manager that you’re passionate? Volunteer! There are more than 4000 volunteer opportunities tagged “environment” on Idealist right now.
- Read books like Work on Purpose by the folks at Echoing Green or The Green Collar Economy by Van Jones.
- Consider taking a class, getting an exam-based certification, or doing an internship.
Do smart searching!
- Visit Idealist and type in keywords like environment, forestry, or clean energy.
- Check out the Orion Grassroots Network’s Jobsource page.
- Don’t limit yourself to the nonprofit sector. Depending on what you want to do, a social enterprise or a company might be the source of your dream job.
Do you have additional tips or resources? Please share!
