GREEN-COLLAR JOB
membership to the American Solar Energy Society, the nonprofit
leading the renewable energy revolution. Go to solartoday.org and
click “Join ASES.”
6 | Transfer in Your Role | As you learn more about the green economy and start to narrow down your search, here’s a helpful shortcut.
If you have good job experience, the easiest way to transfer to the
green economy is in a role similar to what you’re already doing — just
find a green company that needs your skills. If your résumé is a bit
thin or you are just out of college, you may need to be more flexible
about the type of green job you would consider.
7 | Volunteer to Lead | Need to boost your green credentials? Go volunteer for a green nonprofit, event or initiative in your community. Make
some good contacts while making a difference. There’s almost always a
need for volunteers in these chronically under-resourced efforts. Identifying where the needs are is just a matter of finding the right person,
building the relationship and being respectfully persistent.
8 | Take the Tour | Learn to speak with conviction about green technology in your community. See it in action during the ASES National Solar Tour — the largest solar energy event in the world. This
event offers open-house tours in 2,900 communities across the
United States. It’s an easy way to see green technology up close,
learn the basics and hear about the experiences of the homeowners. The tour often offers great opportunities to volunteer. Tours generally take place the first Saturday in October. Find a tour near you
at nationalsolartour.org.
9 | Learn From Nonprofits | Many outstanding nonprofit organizations work to strengthen the green economy. Some have job boards,
background information, membership lists (an underused job hunting resource), local chapters, newsletters and contact names of industry leaders. Among the many noteworthy nonprofits that protect
the environment and promote sustainability, here are a few with
helpful websites that can enhance your job hunt or career change:
■ Alliance to Save Energy ( ase.org)
■ American Solar Energy Society ( ases.org)
■ American Wind Energy Association ( awea.org)
■ Bikes Belong ( bikesbelong.org)
■ Geothermal Energy Association ( geo-energy.org)
■ Interstate Renewable Energy Council ( irecusa.org)
■ U.S. Green Building Council ( usgbc.org)
10 | Tap Into the Green Network | Learn who the key leaders and
hiring managers are in your target green-economy organizations. Set
up a free Google news alert to track news about these organizations
( news.google.com). Set up brief informational interviews with industry leaders to better understand how things are changing and where
the opportunities are likely to be. Contact the knowledgeable folks
at your local ASES chapter (see listing on page 70). “Reach out and
Get Trained for a Green Job
■ Solar Energy International ( solarenergy.org)
■ Midwest Renewable Energy Association ( the-mrea.org)
■ U.S. Green Building Council ( usgbc.org)
■ Solar Living Institute ( solarliving.org)
create relationships in spheres of influence throughout the business
or sector,” recommends Dawn Dzurilla, president of Gaia Human
Capital Consultants, a human resources consulting firm in New
York and Florida. “Try to get to know the people who know the
people.” These relationships can open doors and help you stand out
from the crowd.
11 | Speak the Language | If you don’t currently work in the green
economy, it is helpful to get some basic information so you can start
speaking green. A great place to begin is with the website of the
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, which is part of the U.S.
Department of Energy. NREL is on the cutting edge of renewable
energy research and development and is an outstanding resource for
getting accurate, credible information. Access nrel.gov.
12 | Certify Your Skills | A powerful way to kick-start a green career
is by attending a workshop or class to gain the specialized skills
required in the green economy. See “Get Trained for a Green Job,”
above.
13 | Explore Pre-Apprenticeship Programs | There’s a wide range
of entry points to get a green-collar job. “You don’t have to go to college to be part of the green economy,” says Jones. Contact your local
labor council or community college to see how you can gain the
initial skills or certificate you need to get started weatherizing buildings, conducting energy audits or working in the trades. “The green
economy is not just a place for affluent people to spend money; it’s
also a place for ordinary people to earn money and even save money,”
says Jones.
14 | Consider Incentives | State governments are increasingly developing renewable portfolio standards, policies and incentives to attract
green-collar jobs to their states. A helpful website to track the latest
green policies is the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and
Efficiency, also known as the DSIRE database. Not only is this a valuable resource for those interested in policy, but you can see how the
incentives in your state compare to others — which is key to understanding which sectors are likely to grow in your state: dsireusa.org.
15 | Show Your Passion | Anyone hunting for a green-collar job will
compete against people passionate about protecting the environment.
If you don’t share this passion, or if it is not sincere, it will almost certainly show. That will hamper your ability to get hired. When interviewing, be sure to highlight how your present role helps to tackle climate change, pollution or other big issues in sustainability. Do you
actively live green? Is promoting sustainability a core part of who you
are? Let it show. ●
Neal Lurie ( nlurie@ases.org) is director of marketing for the American
Solar Energy Society. After working for years in the Fortune 500 world
he moved to the green economy by following many of the steps outlined in
this article.
