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If you’re a green living
advocate, working for an organization involved with climate change
awareness, renewable energy, wildlife conservation, or green
construction not only provides a paycheck but also a great deal of
personal satisfaction. Whatever your specialty, green organizations
can use your expertise and your genuine interest in the environment.
Consider these strategies
for finding work that fits your green ambitions:
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Volunteer to gain
experience. If you’re currently completing your studies or
thinking about a career change in a greener direction, consider
volunteering or taking an unpaid or low-paid internship with an
organization that operates in the area you’re interested in. You’ll
gain valuable, hands-on experience that can help you decide whether
you want to pursue a career in the field. At the same time, you’ll
establish a profile within the organization that may lead to an
offer of paid employment or to valuable career advice and
references.
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Identify business
opportunities. As you build your career experience, you may well
discover a green business niche that’s not well-served by other
companies. Launching your own business can fill that niche and
provide employment for yourself and others. Be sure to research and
plan your business thoroughly; the U.S. Small Business
Administration is an excellent place to start, as are a number of
For Dummies titles that focus on small business.
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Assess green
employers. If a green career is important to you, make sure that
potential employers have put their greenbacks where their green
words are. To assess their goals and achievements, check their Web
sites and publications, such as research studies and annual reports.
Also search newspaper and magazine databases (often available online
through local libraries) for mentions of the organization to find
out whether the company’s press has been positive or not. Check out
the associations that the organization belongs to — or should belong
to — to further assess its community involvement.
It is time for all of us to make
better CHOICES… Are you with us?
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