Greening Your Job Search8 Steps To Your Green Dream Job

Liliana Kaminski

Career Savvy and More

Providing Outplacement for Job Seekers and Small Businesses

847 224 0924

www.careersavvyandmore.com

8 Steps To Your Green Dream Job

• 1. Immerse yourself in learning about the Green Economy

• 2. Identify Your Green Niche

• 3. Target and Research Green Companies

• 4. Develop a Green Network

• 5. Find Green Jobs and Prepare Target-Gap Analysis

• 6. Prepare Marketing Documents

8 Steps To Your Green Dream Job

• 7. Action• Network• Interview• Follow Up• Land Job

8. Nurture Network—build your well before you are thirsty

Step 1. Immerse yourself in learning about the GREEN ECONOMY

• “In the 21st Century, we know that the future of our economy and national security is inextricably linked to one challenge: ENERGY…President Barack Obama

Step 1. Immerse yourself in learning about the Green Economy

• SMART GRID

– Most important development of our times

– Revolutionize and transform

• Energy Production

• Energy Transportation

• Energy Storage

• Energy Usage

• Smart Grid Movie

SMART GRID

• ENERGY PRODUCTION/RENEWABLES

– Wind

– Solar

– Water

– Biomass

– Geothermal

• ENERGY STORAGE-store during off peak hrs./release during peak hrs.

SMART GRID

• ENERGY USE-smart meters-charge according to energy use

Step 1. Immerse yourself in learning about the Green Economy

• SUSTAINABILITY

– Manufacturing—cradle to cradle

– Resource and supply chain efficiencies

– Carbon footprinting

Step 1. Immerse yourself in learning about the Green Economy

• GREEN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

– Data center energy efficiency

– Cloud Computing

Step 1. Immerse yourself in learning about the Green Economy

• GREEN BUILDING

– 50% of non residential buildings will be green by 2015—all about energy efficiency

– Retrofits

– New construction

Step 1. Immerse yourself in learning about the Green Economy

• GREEN TRANSPORTATION

– Mass Transit

– Cars

Step 1. Immerse yourself in learning about the Green Economy

• OTHER GREEN SECTORS– Natural resource management

– Environmental Sciences

– Green Finance

– Environmental Law

– Green Policy and Direction

– Green Media

– Eco Tourism

– Green Event Planning and Green Hospitality

Step 2. Identify your Green Niche

• Skills

• Interests

• Education

• Experience

• Talent

• Values

Step 3. Target and Research Green Companies

• Target Companies

– Top of Mind

– Membership lists from relevant industry associations

– Review list of exhibitors or presenters at industry conferences

• Who are the advertisers

– National Green Pages

– Job Boards

Step 3. Target and Research Green Companies

• Target Companies

– Social Media—LI, FB, Twitter

– Green Recruiters

– Green Books

Step 3. Target and Research Green Companies

• Research Target Company

– T.O.P.

– Annual Report

– Website

– 10-K

– Business Librarian—Hoovers, Riley’s Guide

Step 4. Develop Green Network

• People you know– Friends and family– Religious institutions– Sports– Health Club– College-alumni database– Business Contacts

• Former co-workers• Prior Vendors• Companies you do business with—ComEd, Recycling and

Garbage Company

Step 4. Develop Green Network

• People you do not know

– Target company contacts

Step 5. Find Green Jobs

• Networking Contacts—85%

• Green Job Boards—2%

• Recruiters, Newspaper Ads, Employment Agencies-13%

Step 5. Find Green Jobs

• Target – Gap Analysis

– Further formal education

– Certifications

– Volunteer

– Helps identify transferable skills

Step 6. Marketing Documents

• Resume

• Cover Letter

• Elevator Speech

• LinkedIn Profile

• Handbill

• Business Card, even if unemployed

RESUME

• Summary Section-keyword rich

– Position highlighted in bold

– Key skills

– Benefits to employers

• Ex. Marketing Manager with 15+ years experience in brand management, marketing, communications and new product development. Managed $5M P&L and led teams of 25 people. Key skills include:

– New product development

– Managing Ad Agencies

RESUME

• Experience Section-Accomplishments NOT Duties

– Answer phones vs. Exceeded Call Volume by 15%

– Resolve customer complaints vs. Boosted customer satisfaction scores from 82%-94%

HANDBILL

• Summary Section from Resume

• Key accomplishments section

• Target Companies section

ELEVATOR SPEECH

• Template:

– Hello my name is

– My passion is

– Formerly I worked for (companies/accomplishments)

– Currently I am looking for__ companies such as__

– If you have any contacts in these or other companies I would be greatly appreciative

– How can I help you?

ELEVATOR SPEECH

• Example:– Hello my name is Amy Sample and my passion is to

provide world class customer service. Formerly I worked at ABC where I boosted customer satisfaction scores by 15% . Currently, I am looking to work in customer service for companies who thrive in providing outstanding customer service. Companies like DEF, GHK, LMN. If you have any contacts in these or other customer service companies, I would be greatly appreciative. And if there is anything I can help you with, please do not hesitate to ask.

–

Step 7. Action

• Network

• Interview

– P.A.R. Stories

• Follow Up

• Land Job

Step 8. Nurture Network

• Find articles of interest to your network

• Volunteer to help on a project

• Let them know what you are doing

– New training

– Volunteer

– Wrote article

• Holiday Cards

RESOURCES

• Upcoming Events

– April 30-3rd Annual Chicagoland Green Collar Jobs Summit-Illinois Institute of Technology, 8-6pm

– May 3- Sustainability Careers Workshop-Foresight Design Initiative

– May 19-Chicago NP Career Fair-Roosevelt University

– May 22-23-Green Festival, Chicago

– June 10-”Finding Green Opportunities in Sustainable Communities”-Harold Washington Library

RESOURCES

• Regular Meetings

– Green Drinks-Hosted by Foresight Design

– Chicago Business Sustainable Alliance—Hosted by Foresight Design

– Climatini.org

– Chicago Clean Energy Alliance

– Illinois Recycling Association

– Business Network Chicago

RESOURCES

• Green Job Boards– Renewable Energy World– Great Green Careers– Sustainable Business– Grist– GreenBiz– EcoJobs– Treehugger– GreenJobs– Green Careers Guide– Green Collar Blog– Green Career Central– Green Job Search– Idealist.org– Volunteermatch.org

RESOURCES

• Training– Delta Institute

– Center for Neighborhood Technology- 773 278 4800

– Chicago Center for Green technology-312 746-9642• Green Tech U

– Certificates-architecture, Building and Construction, Engineering, Green Business, Green Home and garden, Interior Design

– Green Speed Mentoring

RESOURCES

• Training– Community Colleges

• Oakton-building energy systems, energy management, environmental management

• Triton-basic energy management, energy conservation, energy auditing

• Harper-Growing Your Green Career• College of DuPage-Illinois Community College Sustainability

Network• College of Lake County-solar, thermal PV and wind training• Wilbur Wright-Building Energy Technician

– Universities• Illinois State-Renewable Energy Degree• IIT-Stewart Center for Sustainable Enterprise

RESOURCES

• Training– Associations—e.g. solar, wind,etc

– Everblueenergy.com• Energy Auditor

– The Intestate Renewable Energy Council—offers classes in wind energy and turbines

– Bootsontheroof.com• Master Certificate in Renewable Energies

– U.S. Green Building Council-• LEED Certification

RESOURCES

• Training

– Clean Edison-Energy Auditor

– Green IT-COMPTIA Strata Certification

– Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance-Building Operator Certification

– Green Resource Council-Green designation for real estate agents

– LEED Council-weatherization training

– OAI,Inc.-Environmental remediation training

RESOURCES

• Volunteer– Guide Star

– Idealist.org

– Volunteermatch.com

• Books– Hot, Flat and Crowded—Thomas Friedman

– The Green Collar Economy-Van Jones

– Natural Capitalism-Hawkin, Lovins

– Green to Gold

• NOTE—This presentation is copyrighted. No part of this presentation may be reproduced for any purpose.