Join us for the March Event!  TO REGISTER:  http://careereco3-26-09.eventbrite.com/

CareerEco holds the second EcoJob panel - Thursday, March 26, 2009 from 5pm- 7pm at the Centergy Building in Midtown.

Interested in a “green career”? Learn from Atlanta professionals who have already launched successful Eco-focused Careers in Environmental and Sustainability roles.

The impressive EcoJob Panel brings together prominent executives from corporate, government, and entrepreneurial settings to discuss their environmental careers.  These experts will share their career advice and their outlook on job opportunities in the environmental and sustainability sectors.   Come hear from 3 Accomplished Panelists:

• Joyce LaValle: Senior Vice President of Associate and Customer Engagement for Interface Americas

• Madeline Reamy: Executive Director of Earth Share of Georgia

• Liz Wattenberg: General Manager, Zipcar, Atlanta

Business Professionals:  Event fee is $20 in advance or $30 to register at the door. Students: Event is free if registered in advance with student ID at the door All Registered CareerEco Members receive a 25% discount on the event.   When you register put CareerEcoMember in the Discount Box to receive your discount. Be sure to join CareerEco’s Get a Green Career group.
Location of Event:  Centergy Building – 75 Fifth Street, NW – 3rd Floor Wayne Hodges Room, Atlanta, GA  30308–The event begins promptly at 5:00 pm, with registration starting at 4:30, and the event ends at 7:00 pm. (See Parking directions below)   Seating is limited to Register today!   Registration closes on Tuesday, March 24th.
Mark your calendar for more upcoming job panels will be held on April 23rd 5-7pm.

For additional information on the Go Eco and Get a ‘Green’ Career forum, call 770-980-0088 or visit www.careereco.com

Parking directions for Centergy Building: There is a Parking garage adjoining the Centergy Building. The parking entrance is on Spring Street, north of the intersection of Spring Street and 5th Street.  Please note there is a fee to park and visitor parking is located on levels 5 and above.  Take the elevator parking deck to Level 5, then exit onto a bridge walkway which leads to a courtyard to Building 75 (the center building facing 5th Street)   Take the elevator to the 3rd Floor and follow signs to Wayne Hodges Conference Room.

David Cohen gets a big thank you for giving such a terrific recap of Thomas Friedman’s speech.  One thing I found especially interesting is how Friedman has coined the term ET emphasize the relationship between the environment and technology.  The more people make the connection that science and technology can help potentially bail out humans on the global natural resource challenge, the more I think capitalism can fuel the solution.  Technology always looks like money on the horizon and investors are key to making these new technologies come to life.

http://davidscohen.wordpress.com/2009/03/03/live-blogging-at-ga-technology-summit-pt1-thomas-friedman/

Also, it is worth the read to see what GE Energy’s Dan Heintzelman had to say as well.

http://davidscohen.wordpress.com/2009/03/03/live-blogging-at-ga-technology-summit-pt4-john-imlay-wayne-clough/

I don’t know how David captures such good content at a live event but it is impressive!

Enjoy!

According to an article entitled Financial Crisis Redoubles MBAs’ Commitment to Sustainability,MBA’s will demand that their future employers take into account sustainability as part of their long-term strategy rather than strictly focusing on short-term gains.  “The survey, by Net Impact and the Aspen Institute, finds that 88% of MBA students want to see their future employers actively address sustainability issues. More than three-quarters (77%) believe that being responsible leads to corporate profits. Yet less than a third (31%) think that corporations are working toward the betterment of society.”  Read further and download the pdf of the entire survey: http://www.sustainablelifemedia.com/content/story/strategy/financial_crisis_redoubles_mba_commitment_to_sustainability

I am thrilled to hear that the leaders of tomorrow are going to drive an agenda that will force companies to become sustainable in order to remain competitive in attracting top talent.  This commitment from the MBA ranks of top schools will encourage large corporations and entrepreneurial firms to making decisions that support tandem goals that address both environmental and bottom line considerations.

If the next generations sticks to their values as an entire group, they will be a force that changes the face of business as much as they have already changed politics!

Part of what makes a job search really challenging is one where the ‘net is cast too wide.’  Most of us know intuitively that if you try to be all things to all people, you are not recognized as being good at any of them. When you conduct a job search that is too general, you may appear to lack the ability to solve an organization’s most immediate problems.  People who showcase their expertise will get preference as being able to contribute immediately.  Because the economy is difficult, most job seekers try to open themselves us to almost any job with the hope that someone will believe they are a good fit for a variety of different roles. I think the reverse is usually a better strategy so my advice is to establish a target and stay focused.   The more candidates out in the market place that you are competing against, the more you need to position yourself as being an expert in a particular field.

For instance, let’s say you are an environmental engineer.  Learn what type of firms are winning contracts and in what specific lines of business.  Typical services offered by engineering firms can range into many different areas including Regeneration Services, Water Engineering/Management, Contaminated Land, Development Planning, Renewable Power & Energy Services, Environmental Appraisal, Waste Management, Risk & Safety Management, Environmental Management & Compliance.  Find the firms landing contracts in your area of knowledge.

The more specific you are about the areas of expertise that you offer related to these diverse lines of business, the more targeted your job search can be.  Naturally you want to align your skills with the highest growth areas so if that means getting additional training or certifications, it may be a wise strategy.  Recruiters want to see PE, LEED, PMP and other additional qualifications amongst your credentials.  It makes you seem serious about your profession.

Again, focus on several key areas of expertise and you will likely have a better response from others in your job search.

If you aren’t an expert yet then begin to educate yourself to become one in the topics where you believe jobs exist or are expected to emerge.  For a look at the top 10 most popular green jobs: http://www.fastcompany.com/articles/2009/01/best-green-jobs.html?page=0%2C1 -  According to the article, some of the job titles where you can expect to see growth are Green MBA/Entrepreneurs, Recycler, Sustainability Systems Planner, Urban Planner, Conservation Biologist, Farmer, Forester, Solar Power Installer, Energy Efficiency Builder, Wind Turbine Fabricator.

Although this is related to California, I believe this information will be great for people in every state.  It is a great compilation of different green jobs that will be available in sectors that will require less than a college degree.    For blue collar individuals wanting to go green this is a fantastic list of possible career options.   You don’t have to live in California to find a green job because there will be many other states with similar emerging green economies.
Green Jobs Guidebook by the Environmental Defense Fund
Resource for job seekers in California’s new green economy

* Profiles of 200 green jobs currently in California
* Details on 45 job types for high school grads, many paying over $25 per hour
* Information on job training and placement programs
* Listings of valuable apprenticeship programs

http://www.edf.org/article.cfm?contentid=8466 – click here to get a copy.

Requirements of a corporate sustainability job are outlined nicely on page 13 of this presentation which details the upcoming need for sustainability executives across all size organizations in order to stay competitive.  Wall Street will demand a sustainability focus so more of these jobs are certain to be created. http://www.slideshare.net/RThorne/HudsonGain-Sustainability-Study-20081015

This firm is also a recruiting and consulting firm that you may want to learn more about: http://careereco.com/wikis/job_search/sustainability-recruiters.aspx

Great news – eco-minded jobseekers who are actively educating themselves in the green arena may find that they have an advantage during the selection process.  “Three in four companies say environmental knowledge and training will become an increasingly important factor in their hiring decisions, according to a new survey.  The survey, conducted by the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF), finds that most companies (65%) already consider environmental knowledge and training a plus in job applicants. The reason? Green-minded employees are more likely to come up with the resource-saving solutions that can also help cut costs.”   Read more:  http://www.sustainablelifemedia.com/content/story/strategy/green_know_how_gives_job_seekers_a_leg_up

It may not be just those who have an advanced degree in a specific environmental field who are seen as valuable.  Self-education through books, seminars, trade shows, certification programs, continuing education, and hands-on field experience may be weighted heavily by future employers if you can demonstrate the knowledge you’ve acquired.

Degrees are great but that may not be the only way to capitalize on the environmental challenges and staffing demands that employers will face as the economy emerges from the current setbacks.  Jump in and learn so you can be one of the problem-solvers of tomorrow.

Everyone is now having a media frenzy about green jobs.  Unfortunately, defining green jobs does seem to present a bit of a challenge.  During a recent media interview the reporter asked me “so what is a green job anyway.”  After babbling something that I am sure made no sense, I realized I didn’t have a good definition for myself to live by.  So even if no else agrees, here is what I believe describes green employment.

A job within a company where the firm focuses on helping to minimize or reverse the adverse environmental impact of human activity, as well as a job that emphasizes professional activities that maximize the utilization of natural resources.

CareerEco was featured in an article of a terrific magazine for eco-minded individuals who not only want green careers but a truly green lifestyle.  Enjoy the read.

Natural Awakenings careereco_april.pdf

Also, make sure to visit their website to see what ecopreneur, Anna Romano, Publisher is doing for the Green community in Atlanta.

anna@naturalawakeningsmag.com

Natural Awakenings of Atlanta

APRIL digital E-zine http://content.yudu.com/A15p0v/AtlAp09/

www.Atlanta.NaturalAwakeningsMag.com