Five Tips for Green Job Seekers

Here are five tips to assist you in your search:

1. Review online job boards. Green jobs are posted regularly on general-purpose job boards and job boards that are specific to the green economy or a sub-sector of it (such as Careers in Wind from the American Wind Energy Association). You can get a list of relevant job boards here.

2. Network. It is often cited that several people find jobs via their connections. Examples of ways that green job seekers can expand their network include attending networking events organized by groups such as EcoTuesday and Green Drinks or by participating in the local chapter of a national organization such as Net Impact or the American Solar Energy Society.

3. Network (the online version). Websites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter be able to serve as platforms for online networking as well as locating job postings. For example, GJN runs a 20,000-member group on LinkedIn in which members ask questions, share information, and post jobs.

4. Attend events. A number of different types of events can be relevant for green job seekers. First, there are an increasing number of green job fairs and green career programs taking place across the country. For example, a Virginia Green Jobs Fair recently took place in Richmond and a Green Building Job Fair will be taking place in Chicago in November (a calendar containing these and related events is available here). Second, there are panel programs, conferences, and expos that focus on various aspects of the green economy. Attending these events can offer numerous benefits such as increasing your knowledge of topics relevant for your career and meeting representatives from organizations in the green economy — some of which may be hiring (for example, the upcoming Green Festival in Washington, DC and San Francisco will feature hundreds of exhibitors).

5. Follow the money. There continues to be private and public sector investment in existing and new enterprises in the green sector. The recipients of these investments can serve as sources of present (and future) job opportunities.