Are college graduates switching their white-collar ambitions for green-collar ones?
According to MonsterTRAK, which focuses on new graduates, as many as 80% of young professionals would like to work in a green job. This bodes well for the future – the growing passion for finding “green-collar” jobs means that the green and sustainable markets will benefit from the skills and vision of new graduates.
But what are the job prospects in the green industries? And how can graduates increase their chances of snagging a green job?
The Growing Green-Collar Movement
Careers in green and sustainable industries are growing.
The green energy sector currently provides 8.5 million jobs, according to the American Solar Energy Society. The renewable energy sector alone could climb as high as 40 million by 2030.
There is more good news on the horizon for graduates – moving into a green career is no longer a specialist career path, only open to the lucky few with a green-related college degree.
Alongside companies that focus on sustainability, such as renewable energy companies, multinational companies such as Walmart are starting to create green jobs to help them in their sustainable endeavours.
Graduates can find environmentally friendly careers fields as diverse as:
* Education;
* Engineering;
* Land Planning;
* Administration;
* Biology;
* Law;
* Management;
* Economics;
* Community Affairs.
Graduates from a wide range of disciplines can apply their skills and specialist knowledge to sustainably focused jobs across many industries. But in the current economic climate it’s a good idea not to get too complacent.
So what can graduates do to help them in their green career ambitions? And how can they polish their resume in preparation for those green job applications?
Green Career Tips For Graduates
Green-minded graduates can help their cause by starting to build their green credentials whilst still at college.
They might try:
* Attending green fairs, talks, expos and conferences;
* Getting involved in campus sustainability or clean up groups;
* Connecting with environmental groups in their area, such as recycling initiatives or beach clean ups;
* Keeping abreast of what is happening in the green movement, who is hiring, and which jobs are opening up;
* Researching where the green jobs tend to be geographically.
Joining college and community initiatives and taking part in green training or education as early as possible will provide solid evidence of their sustainable values when it is time to write their resumes.
Crafting a Green Resume
When the excitement of graduation has died down and it’s time to work on landing that perfect green-collar job, new graduates need to turn their attention to crafting the best resume possible.
A resume will act as any employer’s first impression, so naturally it’s important that it be neat, well laid out, to the point and honest. In addition, graduates can add extra green to their resume by:
* Talking about any green-related work, study, training or activities;
* Using their resume to show their commitment to sustainable values;
* Showing that they are up to date on developments in the green movement;
* Weaving in their knowledge of the industry they are applying to.
With the recent growth of green-collar jobs, there has never been a better time for graduates to consider sustainability related careers.
With careful forethought and a green game plan, new graduates can make themselves stand out from the crowd and increase their chances of landing the green job of their dreams.
Article by Tristan Anwyn, an author who writes on subjects as diverse as health, positive thinking, best paying careers, and business.
Article appearing courtesy 2GreenEnergy.
