Squashing Some Green Job Hunting Myths

by Anneli C. Olila, Editor-in-Chief of Boston GreenScene / Principal of Olila Documents & Communication Strategies

Each week, I spend hours talking to job seekers of all levels—from those just graduating from school to highly-experienced C-level executives. Many are contemplating a green career, either out of their passion for the environment or simply because other markets are tight and the green market shows promise. Often, what I hear is a fatigued and resigned voice on the other end of the phone saying, “I’d love to join a green company, but they all want you to already have vast experience in the green industry.” 

When anyone, let alone a top-level, international, well-accomplished executive, says this to me in the midst of cataloging his or her milestone achievements—such as dramatically increasing revenue, efficiency, and organizational prestige; adeptly handling countless mergers and acquisitions; building exceptional cross-cultural and cross-functional teams; applying proven project management and Six Sigma skills; and achieving numerous patented inventions across regulatory environments—I am astonished. I am astonished as editor-in-chief of a green information portal, and I am astonished as a communications specialist who works closely with companies, schools, recruiters, and job seekers. I am also astonished just as a thinking person. There is an apparent and unfortunate mystique built around the green industry—and, frankly, around the job search industry itself—that is completely unwarranted.

Fact 1:

For many functions, changing to a green career is no more complex or mysterious than making any other career change. There are fundamental, logical steps that go into the process that are applicable to any shift in professional direction. Usually, making a career change involves leveraging the skills you have gained and how you have applied them in other arenas, identifying and articulating these transferable skills, and making a coherent argument as to why these are transferable and applicable. This is not mysterious; it just requires thought, logic, and some well-developed writing and argumentation skills.

Fact 2:

Green companies are still companies. As far as I know, companies typically have at least some common elements and functions. Commensurate with their size, most companies across industries still need accountants, purchasers, managers, leaders, coordinators, assistants, trainers, researchers, and so forth. Any company worth its salt that is seeking, for example, an effective project manager is going to want you to have a proven history as a project manager and is going to expect that you have the ability to apply your project management skills to different types of projects. You can be as green as you like, but if you do not possess the required project management skills, you will most likely not get that particular job.

Fact 3 (related to Fact 2):

Companies like to hire people who are good at what they do. If you are a top-notch accountant, you will likely be a top-notch accountant whether you work for an oil company or an alternative energy company. You will be equally valuable to—and equally qualified to work for—each company. Certainly, there may be nuances and pockets of knowledge that will help you to perform your job better in your new environment, but if you have a proven track record in your field of expertise, most companies will assume you can learn the additional nuances and pockets of knowledge in a reasonable amount of time and they will be willing to provide the needed training. I seriously doubt that green companies are so myopic in their vision that they will only hire those who are steeped in knowledge of things ‘green,’ thereby overlooking their need for seasoned experts in the different facets of effectively and competitively running a business.

Before sitting down to write this article, in fact, I conducted some research on green jobs currently available to see what the requirements were for different functions at different levels. Of course, I found that, for example, an aquamarine specialist should have an aquamarine biology or related degree and that a LEED specialist should be LEED accredited, but I also confirmed my hunch: that green companies and companies in the process of greening some or all of their operations want applicants to first and foremost be good in their specific field. Alongside that, they would like applicants to have a strong interest in and—sometimes—existing “knowledge of” environmental affairs and issues.  For most entry-level positions, an expressed interest in or commitment to the environment was sufficient.

Fact 4 (related to Fact 3):

We live in a Jim Collins, et al, management theory era. Jim Collins, author of “Good to Great” and “Built to Last,” argues that the best companies hire competent, intelligent people and then find the right position (the ‘right seat on the bus’) for them, and are willing to make the expenditures to train them on details and specifics. I personally have experienced working in a $2 billion, stable, highly reputed company that routinely does just that. Given the number of Jim Collins’ books sold, read, and followed religiously by management consultants and companies alike, I imagine the company I worked for is not the only one that either already put this theory into practice or did so after reading his books and the books of others that echo this theory.

Fact 5:

Hiring managers are thinking people in living, breathing, unpredictable environments. They are not automatons or computers. This means that when they are presented with a specific ‘package’ (the job applicant), they will consider the pros and cons of each applicant’s assets and deficits—none of which will match the stated job requirements exactly. This is true in any hiring situation, not just in relation to green careers. The trick is simply to adequately summarize, market, and portray your specific package in a way that presents the correct value proposition to the employer you are approaching.

Fact 6:

The growth of the green industry is currently exponential, albeit slowed by the recession. The fact of the matter is that there are not enough people already specifically trained in this industry to go around. Many people will adapt their skills and expertise while on the job. If the green industry is counting on a vast pool of green industry experts to make their companies run efficiently and competitively, they have a few years to wait as people re-school themselves. Most companies won’t be willing to wait that long—and they don’t need to, given that right now there are plenty of highly skilled, highly educated, and proven practitioners out there looking for work that could help these companies succeed.

Fact 7:

The job search industry is an industry. I know this, because I am in it. And, just as in any other industry, those selling services to job seekers are trying to get and keep a competitive advantage. They work hard to convince you that you need their services or product and, like others, they are jumping on the supposed green gravy train. It is to the benefit of companies serving job seekers if you believe there is a ‘secret formula’ or some highly specialized knowledge that you can’t even guess at necessary to switch to a green career. If they can convince you of that, you will hire them at top dollar prices to do what you supposedly could never accomplish on your own: find a green collar job.

Well, I have news for you—and I tell this freely to people in my workshops everywhere: if you can think clearly, can write, have the time, and walk through the necessary steps, you can get a job or make a career shift on your own, or at least without my help. Yes, you can. I just offer to do it for you to make your life a little easier and because I have done it numerous times for others and am probably a little better and quicker at certain aspects of it. However, I readily admit that any intelligent and resourceful person who puts their mind to it can figure out how to switch to a green career. So, those trying to sell you books and guides containing, for example, the ‘Top 6 Secrets to Greening Your Career’ are, in my mind, selling you snake oil.

Shortly, I will write a follow-up article providing specifics for topics I have touched on here and providing some tips on how to transition into a green (or other) career. For now, however, I want to drive the following messages home: You are qualified. Many will find you qualified. The fact that you are good at what you do makes you qualified. You may have to expend some extra effort—just like anyone making a career shift or just starting out in their career—to further qualify yourself or to learn on the job, but there is no mystery, no mystique, no secret formula. Anyone who tries to sell you anything on the premise that there is, is either wrong or simply trying to profit off of you.

Olila Documents & Communication Strategies is located south of Boston and provides, in addition to other writing, editing, and design services, job search coaching and career document development services for job seekers.

Comments

[Climatarians]

Yes, opting for a green carrier ought not to be an uphill task. As you have rightly pointed out, any kind of company would still have generic jobs that are universally present in all kinds of companies. So choosing a green carrier should not be too much of a problem. At Climatarians, we bring together people interested in green issues through our web interface.

[HBD]

A study just released by the National Environmental Education Foundation showed that 78 percent of employers want their new hires to have experience in, or an understanding of sustainability.

Why? Because decision makers are realizing on a profound and widespread scale that within the next five years, corporations of all sizes, compositions and industries must be able to integrate the core principles of sustainability into their business model - and not as an after thought or a PR stunt, but rather, infused into their DNA - to survive in the next decade. The early adopter advantage is a rapidly closing window and mandates will soon replace self regulation.

While I agree on some level with Annei that its not mysterious to get ahead of the green curve, it does take time, dedication and a new perspective. Most people arent willing to put forth
the effort to research new technologies, read books and articles, attend conferences, volunteer with a start up, network with leaders in sustainability, participate in green business incubators - whatever it takes to get up to speed with the r(evolution) that has overtaken business as usual and replaced it with the unexpected. One thing is for certain: change will be the new constant.

My recommendation would be to stick to what you love, not what you know. The world is changing and there has never been a more exciting time to find a new job.

Heather Burns-DeMelo, Founder, GreenScenes

[Anneli Olila]

I have to add some additional argument to my previous comment:

First, deciding beforehand that something is not going to work is not going to get you a job. Rarely do we really know what a company is truly looking for, what circumstances they are facing, and what combination of tasks they need completed. Further, we are not just dealing with a typical "employer's market" right now. We are dealing with an across-the-board recession. Many companies will be hoping to cut costs by combining responsibilities that cross functional categories in one person. This can be to the advantage of the shrewd job seeker.

You have to have a profitable mind to tap into what keeps the employer awake at night -- an employer who is facing the same economic circumstances as you are. Putting together career documents and engaging in a job search is a marketing campaign. If you do not approach it as a marketing campaign, you will not get anywhere. As is true in any marketing campaign, it is difficult if not impossible to accurately gauge exactly whose needs you will match at what time. Your specific constellation of skills and experiences may well be the perfect one for green company X. One thing that is certain is that if you don't try, you will never know. Job seekers often get unnecessarily intimidated by posted qualifications. Remember -- those putting together the qualifications are frequently more distant from the position than the actual hiring manager and may also not understand more than a narrow scope of what the organization needs. Depending upon your other qualifications, you may offer more to a green company than they thought they could get when they were putting together their little posting for Monster.com!

The power of suggestion is indeed powerful. Don't undermine your ability to persuade by convincing yourself the possible is impossible. The magic lies in the argumentation and in your ability to envision how you would execute the position.

Good career documents work to frame the thoughts of the prospective employer. What is more to their advantage: someone who has knowledge of green issues, or someone who has a proven track record of helping organizations succeed? Both. But if I had to choose, I would choose the person with the proven track record.

Bottom line: don't be intimidated into underestimating your ability to complete the job in question, don't underestimate the intelligence of the person making the ultimate hiring decision, and don't underestimate the economic dilemmas that employers are facing. Above all, don't underestimate the power of logic and persuasion.

[Anneli Olila]

Dear Commentators,

I appreciate all of your kind comments. I will be glad to share with you the job postings I reviewed! I polled several hundred found on such sites as Sustain Lane.. Feel free to email me for more information!

Kind regards,
Anneli Olila

[Deb]

I agree . nice article but not "real world."
In this economy companies can ask for someone to speak 10 languages as a requirement .. and you know what. . there will be line of applicants who do. Requiring "green" in one's background is a perfect red herring right now. HR people in my experience are some of the least enlightened in an organization. . and simply do not "get" the paradigm you describe . . . even in a good economy. No doubt this is a very short sighted and limiting approach. .. .but ingrained and encouraged widely. I want to beleive what you are espousing here I really do. . it all sounds very nice. .. BUUUUT. . not reality I'm afraid.

[Greg Russak]

Nice article. Perhaps we should forward it to every president, CEO, and especially HR recruiter at every green company in America. They are the ones who seem to need to be reminded about getting "the right people on the bus and in the right seats." As a Collins "disciple", I'm finally glad to find him and his works referenced.

Regrettably, my experience so far has been that too few senior execs right on down to staff managers have ever heard of him - or if they have, actually put his advice into practice.

My desire to go green is rooted in a personal passion, like Erin, to make a difference. I've been networking with contacts, researching companies (mostly solar and wind, but smart grid software, too), and visiting countless green job sites for the last few months trying to find a company where my 20+ years of technology sales and marketing leadership is needed.

The reality, once again, seems very different from the theoretical. I've not talked with one person who didn't make industry experience *the* requirement. Sadly and inexplicably, I have seen very, very, very few sales and marketing jobs posted anywhere in the green space.

The reality in this economy is that it's a "buyer's market" and green companies - like any other business - aren't buying us unless we fit their requirements pretty exactly. With all due respect to the author, that is another very basic fact of business that seems to have been overlooked in the article.

Still, I do want to compliment you on a good piece. I'm glad to have found it and this website.

[Erin]

Thank you for a bit of hope; I'm one of those recently laid-off people. My experience is in the IT/Legal/Consulting fields but after doing some soul-searching, I've decided to make a career change that makes a difference and am now pursuing Green job opportunities. Nearly all of the posted positions I've seen have been for engineers, technicians, or sales people - none of which is a good fit for me - but I know I can apply my Masters degree, experience, and innovation in a way that adds value to any organization. My challenge now is figuring out how to showcase/sell my skills and your article has helped me to re-think my resume. I look forward to your upcoming follow-up articles!