Launching Your Green Job Search

If you listened to President Obama's State of the Union address last week, you heard him talk about the need for innovation in areas such as renewable energy, efficient buildings and electric cars -- and the many green jobs that would be created as a result.

Obama isn't the only one pushing green jobs. Next week, thousands of people are expected to converge on Washington, D.C., for the annual Green Jobs Conference. Online job boards listing positions in green industries are skyrocketing. Nearly 10 percent of 2,700 hiring managers surveyed by CareerBuilder.com last year said their companies planned to add environmentally focused positions. That was on top of a 10 percent increase during the previous 12 months.

Working with the University of Massachusetts Political Economy Research Institute, a consortium of labor unions and environmental nonprofits is spreading the Green Jobs for America initiative to states such as Indiana, Kansas, Michigan and Ohio.

Sustainability is a key business trend in 2011 and provides huge promise for job growth, says green business expert Glenn Croston, the San Diego author of 75 Green Businesses and Starting Green. "If you can help businesses to deliver solutions to problems like these, you should do well in your career and feel good about what you're doing," Croston says.

In an interview with SecondAct, Croston talks about the improving economy's impact on green jobs and how to go after them, even if you're switching from a nongreen industry.

SA: The economy is slowly recovering. What does that mean for green jobs?
GC: What's good for the economy is good for green jobs. As companies start feeling better about their future prospects, they will start hiring more in general, including green jobs. It seems like the fear that settled on the economy since 2008 is slowly thawing, getting more companies to think about the future and how to move forward rather than worrying about their survival. And the future is sustainability.

SA: What types of green jobs are out there?
GC: Some green jobs are what you would expect, but others aren't. If you look at jobs that are posted, many of them are technical, such as engineering positions with renewable energy companies, for example. Other types of jobs are for nontechnical positions at green companies. For example, renewable energy, green building and energy efficiency companies also need project managers, salespeople, media relations and training positions. Plenty of skills that people have learned in other industries will transfer into this growing field. A broader class of green jobs are those throughout the economy where businesses are challenged to get more efficient, to do more with less, and to squeeze more value and more resources out of every dollar in their budget. This includes just about everyone, particularly now. Every business is eager to do more with their resources, to make them go farther, whether they think of themselves as a green business or not. If you can provide fresh insight into how business is done and how it can be done better, any job can be a green job.

SA: If you're switching from a different position or field, what steps should you take to market yourself?
GC: Have a target industry in mind, and think about how your skills can help businesses in that new field. Study the new green field you are interested in; what are they looking for and how can you fill that need? Know the basic terminology of that field and the challenges these businesses face. When marketing yourself, remember that the business wants to know not just about your commitment to the environment, but how you will help their bottom line.

SA: What resources do you suggest people use to find out about green jobs?
GC: Online resources that focus on green jobs include Greenbiz.com, Sustainable Industries, SustainableBusiness.com, Treehugger.com and SustainLane. I also suggest you check out regular job-hunting haunts like Monster.com and Craigslist. Social networking is a common tool these days, so joining LinkedIn groups related to green business, and connecting on Facebook or Twitter doesn't hurt. There still is no substitute for connecting with people in real time -- on the phone or the good old-fashioned face-to-face handshake. Go to local networking events, like Green Drinks, for example. If there's someone you are interested in, pick up the phone or walk over and say hi. Getting jobs is still about networking and people you know. We like to hire people we know, and the better we know them, the more comfortable we are giving them a shot for a job.

SA: What about conferences and green job fairs? How would someone find out about events happening in their area?
GC: Talking to people is one great tool; that's usually how I hear about things. Signing up for a few mailing lists can help or checking event boards at the more popular green business sites. Check in at your local community college or university. There are often activities and meetings that stem from the college environment.

SA: Any other advice?
GC: Look for something you can commit to, a business that you can believe in, and find out how you can help them succeed.

Green Job Boards: You can find green job listings on the following specialized job boards:

Keep Reading: You can find additional career advice at Finding Your Second Act Career Guide and Launch Your Job Search 2.0, and in the following stories:

• Layoff Plants the Seed of a New Green Career
• From DJ to 'Green Reaper'
• Eco Saturday: Five New Green Gigs
• 10 Great Green Businesses for Boomers